INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Technical Essay

Topic: Software Planning and Estimation
Properly managing, estimating, and scheduling a software team can often be more of an art than a science. However, there are lessons to be learned from past examples and considerations to take into account regardless of what project you are working on. First, read the excerpt from "Mythical Man-Month":

http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~evans/greatworks/mythical.pdf

Write an essay that details the pitfalls and considerations needed in proper software scheduling. In your essay, answer the following:

• What is the man-month?

• What is Brook’s Law? What is the importance of it in regards to software development scheduling?

• How would you justify a particular time/effort estimate?

• What factors need to be considered when justifying cost?

• How can project managers handle slipping deadlines?

• What CASE tools or formulas are available that aid in the software estimation process? Describe how they support management decisions

The technical essay should be four to five pages in length, double-spaced. This does not include a cover page and works cited page. At least two sources must come from peer-reviewed journal articles. Please use APA formatting to cite all of your sources.