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CHAPTER 3 PROJECT MANAGEMENT CONCEPTS 77

ture would you choose and why? What software process model(s) would you choose
and why?

3.8. You have been appointed a project manager for a major software products com-
pany. Your job is to manage the development of the next generation version of its
widely used word-processing software. Because competition is intense, tight dead-
lines have been established and announced. What team structure would you choose
and why? What software process model(s) would you choose and why?
3.9. You have been appointed a software project manager for a company that ser-
vices the genetic engineering world. Your job is to manage the development of a new
software product that will accelerate the pace of gene typing. The work is R&D ori-
ented, but the goal to to produce a product within the next year. What team struc-
ture would you choose and why? What software process model(s) would you choose
and why?
3.10. Referring to Figure 3.1, based on the results of the referenced study, docu-
ments are perceived to have more use than value. Why do you think this occurred
and what can be done to move the documents data point above the regression line
in the graph? That is, what can be done to improve the perceived value of documents?
3.11. You have been asked to develop a small application that analyzes each course
offered by a university and reports the average grade obtained in the course (for a
given term). Write a statement of scope that bounds this problem.
3.12. Do a first level functional decomposition of the page layout function discussed
briefly in Section 3.3.2.

FURTHER READINGS AND INFORMATION SOURCES

An excellent four volume series written by Weinberg (Quality Software Management,
Dorset House, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996) introduces basic systems thinking and man-
agement concepts, explains how to use measurements effectively, and addresses
“congruent action,” the ability to establish “fit” between the manager’s needs, the
needs of technical staff, and the needs of the business. It will provide both new and
experienced managers with useful information. Brooks (The Mythical Man-Month,
Anniversary Edition, Addison-Wesley, 1995) has updated his classic book to provide
new insight into software project and management issues. Purba and Shah (How to
Manage a Successful Software Project, Wiley, 1995) present a number of case studies
that indicate why some projects succeed and others fail. Bennatan (Software Project
Management in a Client/Server Environment, Wiley, 1995) discusses special manage-
ment issues associated with the development of client/server systems.
It can be argued that the most important aspect of software project management
is people management. The definitive book on this subject has been written by