Sommerville-Software-Engineering-10ed

PART
4
Software
Management
It is sometimes suggested that the key difference between software engineering
and other types of programming is that software engineering is
a managed process. By this, I mean that the software development takes
place within an organization and is subject to a range of schedule, budget
and organizational constraints. I introduce a range of management topics in
this part of the book with a focus on technical management issues rather
than ‘softer’ management issues such as people management, or the more
strategic management of enterprise systems.
Chapters 22 and 23 focus on the essential project management activities,
planning, risk management and people management. Chapter 22 introduces
software project management and its first major section is concerned
with risk management where managers identify what might go
wrong and plan what they might do about it. This chapter also includes
sections on people management and team working.
Chapter 23 covers project planning and estimation. I introduce bar charts
as fundamental planning tools and explain why plan-driven development
will remain an important development approach, in spite of the success
of agile methods. I also discuss issues that influence the price charged
for a system and techniques of software cost estimation. I use the
COCOMO family of cost models to describe algorithmic cost modeling
and explain the benefits and disadvantages of algorithmic approaches.