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6.2.1.5 Additional Factors

Other factors that may provide inputs for defining software project activities include existing work orders and
enhancement requests; technical debt remaining from previous work, incomplete functionality, and needed rework;
business process changes; and activities external to a software project such as database or operating system
upgrades.

6.2.2 Define Activities: Tools and Techniques
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The tools and techniques for defining activities in Section 6.2.2 of the PMBOK Guide are generally applicable
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for defining software project activities. In addition to these, Sections 6.2.2.5, 6.2.2.6, and 6.2.2.7 of this Software
Extension are tools and techniques for defining software project activities.

6.2.2.1 Decomposition

See Section 6.2.2.1 of the PMBOK Guide.
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6.2.2.2 Rolling Wave Planning

See Section 6.2.2.2 of the PMBOK Guide.
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6.2.4.3 Expert Judgment

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See Section 6.2.2.3 of the PMBOK Guide.

6.2.2.4 Story Breakdown Structures

Adaptive development methods for software projects are sometimes based on “user stories” that describe
desired software capabilities from the users’ point of view. Features needed to support the stories are specified
and work activities to construct the features are identified, based on development methods described in Section
2.4 of this Software Extension.

Complex stories may be defined as epics (stories described at a high level) that are refined into detailed stories
at a later date. Stories that are associated by a common factor, such as software functionality, data source, or
security level may be grouped within a theme. Other project work activities (procurement, documentation, risk
management, training, etc.) may also be identified using epics, themes, and stories.

©2013 Project Management Institute. Software Extension to the PMBOK Guide Fifth Edition 93
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