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1 - INTRODUCTION

While these quality attributes are not unique to software, it is important that a software project manager
understand the priorities among the required and desired quality attributes of the software work products and 1
the influence that quality attributes on the methods, tools, and techniques used to manage and conduct software
projects. These topics are addressed in Section 8 of this Software Extension.

1.10 Project Life Cycles and Agile Methods

Software project managers are responsible for selecting the development methods for their projects (in
consultation with others) and therefore should be aware of different software development methods, as well as
the relative pros and cons of those methods. Agile methods for developing software have become sufficiently
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widespread to merit discussion in this Software Extension to the PMBOK Guide. However, this extension does not
provide definitions of “agile” and “agile methods” because those terms are widely used with differing meanings.
Instead, elements of agility found in various adaptive software project life cycles are addressed as follows:

s Collaboration teams are described in Section 2.3.2.
s Adaptive life cycles are described in Section 2.4.

s Other aspects of agility for software projects that use adaptive life cycles are described in the appropriate
sections of this Software Extension.
It should be noted that agile methods are not project life cycles; they are development methods that can
be embedded in adaptive software project life cycles. Aspects of agility are presented in Section 2.4.2.4 of this
Software Extension, but the specifics of various agile methods as they relate to software engineering practice are
not presented in this extension.

1.11 Explanation of Software Extension Processes: Inputs, Tools and
Techniques, and Outputs

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This Software Extension follows closely the structure and organization of the PMBOK Guide – Fifth Edition. This
enables easier cross-referencing between equivalent sections of this Software Extension and the PMBOK Guide.
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The PMBOK Guide describes the inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs for each project management
process. For each process, it includes a table that lists three types of elements. This Software Extension includes
overview tables that incorporate the following format:

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s Elements that remain unchanged from the PMBOK Guide – Fifth Edition are shown in plain text.
s New items are shown in bold italics

s Changed elements are shown in italics.

©2013 Project Management Institute. Software Extension to the PMBOK Guide Fifth Edition 17
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