Project Selection: The First Step Is To Select A Project

Project Selectionthe First Step Will Be To Select A Project As The Tar

Project SelectionThe first step will be to select a project as the target for your software development plan. This project will serve as the basis for all assignments throughout the course and must follow specific guidelines: it should be nontrivial, meaning it is sufficiently substantial to allow a meaningful exercise in software development planning; it should be within a domain where the student has some familiarity, to focus on planning rather than learning the domain; and it should be accessible, with good access to relevant people and information related to the organization or software area.

Students are instructed to select a suitable software development project that meets these criteria and to submit a proposal for approval to their instructor within the first few days of the course. The instructor will provide guidance on how to submit this proposal and will notify students when the project has been approved.

The assignment requires students not to implement the software but to develop a comprehensive software development plan document. This includes creating a shell document for the final project deliverable that will be refined and completed throughout the course as each project phase is addressed. The shell document must contain:

  • Title Page (including course number and name, project name, student name, and date)
  • Table of Contents (auto-generated, up to three levels deep, on a separate page, with updated fields before submission)
  • Section Headings, each on a new page, with placeholder content "TBD", except for the sections specified:
  • Project Outline
  • Planning
  • Analysis
  • Design
  • Quality Assurance
  • Implementation
  • Maintenance
  • New Content

The Project Outline section should include a brief description of the project, major goals, and constraints, drawing material from the approved proposal. It is essential that this project is pre-approved by the instructor.

The Planning section must identify key stakeholders involved in the project, specify the tools required and their intended use, and select the appropriate software development life cycle (SDLC) model with a justification for the choice. Additionally, it should outline the main phases of the project and describe how these phases align within the selected SDLC model.

Paper For Above instruction

Effective project selection is crucial in the success of a software development initiative. The initial step involves choosing a project that is sufficiently complex to provide valuable insights into planning processes while being manageable within the scope of the course. By selecting a nontrivial project, students are encouraged to engage deeply with the planning phases, considering various aspects such as resources, constraints, and stakeholder involvement.

Familiarity with the project domain is essential; it ensures that students can focus on structuring the development plan rather than investing excessive time in understanding unfamiliar technology or organizational contexts. Accessibility to key individuals and information further facilitates accurate planning and risk mitigation. These considerations form the foundation of a sound project selection process, setting the stage for subsequent planning and analysis.

Once a suitable project is identified, students must seek formal approval from their instructor. This process ensures that the project aligns with course objectives and provides appropriate scope for learning. The proposal typically outlines the project's scope, objectives, and constraints. The instructor's approval is a prerequisite before moving forward with detailed planning.

In developing the comprehensive software development plan, students prepare a shell document that serves as a blueprint for the final deliverable. This document is structured to include key sections such as the title page, table of contents, and staged content sections. The title page should contain course details, project name, student information, and date. The table of contents enhances navigation and should be auto-generated, with updates made prior to submission.

The main content sections—Project Outline, Planning, Analysis, Design, Quality Assurance, Implementation, and Maintenance—are initially populated with placeholder text ("TBD"). These sections will be progressively elaborated upon throughout the course as each phase of the project is executed and documented. This staged approach ensures that the plan evolves from a high-level overview to a detailed blueprint aligned with best practices in software engineering.

The Project Outline section is foundational; it provides a concise description of the project, highlighting its core objectives and constraints. Drawing directly from the approved proposal, this section ensures clarity and shared understanding among all stakeholders. It sets the thematic direction for subsequent planning activities.

The Planning section delves into stakeholder analysis, tools, methodologies, and lifecycle models. Identifying stakeholders—such as clients, end-users, developers, and managers—allows anticipation of requirements and expectations. Selecting suitable development tools and explaining their roles ensures efficient workflow. The choice of a software development life cycle model, such as Waterfall, Agile, or Spiral, should be justified based on project scope, complexity, and stakeholder needs. Describing how each project phase integrates within the chosen SDLC model offers a systematic approach to managing development activities, risks, and quality assurance.

In essence, this structured plan formation provides a roadmap from project conception through deployment and maintenance. It ensures all relevant aspects are thoughtfully considered, documented, and ready for execution. The final comprehensive plan becomes a guiding document that facilitates project tracking, risk management, and continuous improvement, thereby increasing the likelihood of project success and stakeholder satisfaction.

References

  • Boehm, B. W. (1988). A spiral model of software development and enhancement. Computer, 21(5), 61-72.
  • Pressman, R. S. (2014). Software Engineering: A Practitioner's Approach (8th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
  • Schwalbe, K. (2015). Information Technology Project Management (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.
  • Sommerville, I. (2010). Software Engineering (9th ed.). Addison-Wesley.
  • Royce, W. W. (1970). Managing the development of large software systems. Proceedings of IEEE WESCON, 26(8), 1-9.
  • Larman, C., & Basili, V. R. (2003). Iterative and incremental development: A brief history. IEEE Computer, 36(6), 47-56.
  • ISO/IEC/IEEE 12207:2017. Systems and Software Engineering — Software life cycle processes.
  • Agile Alliance. (2020). The Agile Manifesto. Retrieved from https://agilemanifesto.org/
  • McConnell, S. (1996). Rapid Development: Taming Wild Software Schedules. Microsoft Press.
  • Basili, V. R., Boehm, B., & Perricone, C. (2006). Software modeling and simulation. IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, 32(8), 509-521.

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