Software Project Management For Dummies®

Chapter 2. Initiating a Software Project

In This Chapter

• Determining what the project's purpose is

• Handling the various organizational entities

• Studying the project's feasibility

• Determining which plan works best

• Recognizing problems in your software project

Projects, big and small, have to be initiated. All initiation really means is that everyone acknowledges that the project has a purpose (and that everyone agrees on what that purpose is): to solve a problem, to grasp an opportunity, or to meet demand for a new piece of software.

Software projects, all software projects, have one thing in common: They attempt to provide something for someone else, whether it's the organization or the customer. The goal, from a project manager's perspective, is to solve the problem to satisfy the demand.

Identifying the Project Purpose

Before you, the project manager, or your organization can go about the business of satisfying the demand you're fulfilling with your software product, you must take care of a few formalities. Yes, formalities. In some organizations, perhaps yours, the only formality of initiating a project is a shopping list of demands thrown onto your desk.

You have our sympathy.

Successful projects, and, by default, successful project managers, have to start by ironing out a few details. Make sure these questions are asked and successfully answered:

• Why is the project being initiated? You first have to know the project purpose.

• Does everyone agree on this purpose and goals? There must be ...