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1 - INTRODUCTION

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INTRODUCTION

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This Software Extension to the PMBOK Guide Fifth Edition describes commonly accepted practices for managing
software projects; it addresses those practices applicable for managing projects to develop new software and
to modify existing software. The objective of this Software Extension is to expand and elaborate on the project
management processes, tools, and techniques and the vocabulary found in A Guide to the Project Management
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Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Fifth Edition [1], and to provide more specific and precise terms, processes,
and methods for managing software projects.
Many project managers, including those certified by PMI, can improve their ability to manage projects that
involve development or modification of software by increasing their knowledge and skills concerning the processes,
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methods, tools, and techniques used to manage software projects, as covered in this extension to the PMBOK
Guide. Conversely, software project managers can improve their knowledge and skills to manage their projects by
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understanding the practices that are documented in the PMBOK Guide.
Software project managers and their project teams develop and modify application software, system software, and
the software elements of software-intensive systems. Application software is constructed using interfaces to system
software, communication protocols, and software development tools. Application software provides capabilities for
computer users, such as word processing, spreadsheets, accounting software, and multimedia players.

System software is the infrastructure software that provides the platform on which application software is developed
and executed. It includes operating system components such as a scheduler, memory manager, and input/output software.

A software-intensive system is a collection of hardware, software, and, in some cases, manual procedures
performed by operational personnel who are elements of the total system. In these systems, software is the primary
component that integrates and coordinates the operation of the system. Software-intensive systems sometimes
incorporate special purpose hardware and may require tailoring of the operating system, communication protocols, and
other infrastructure components. The scope of the product to be developed for a software-intensive system includes
components to be developed or modified in addition to the software, which is not the case for application software.

Application software, system software, and software-intensive systems support all aspects of modern society,
ranging from information technology support for organizations, to large ERP (enterprise resource planning) systems
for running business operations, to network communication protocols, to operating systems, to embedded software
in home appliances, automobiles, mobile phones, spacecraft, consumer products, and aviation; as well as software
for fields such as defense, life sciences, transportation, energy sector, finance, banking and insurance, research and
development, simulation and training, recreational games, and software tools used to develop software (software

1 The numbers in brackets refer to the list of references at the end of this Software Extension.

©2013 Project Management Institute. Software Extension to the PMBOK Guide Fifth Edition 1
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