Good project management for a software firm
The software industry in this day and age is rapidly expanding and ever-changing. The nature of the work lends itself to creativity and projects that range in scale from everyday improvements to revolutionary undertakings. In order to wrangle this chaos, workflows have been instated, and around them, project management processes work to keep projects on track. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for how to manage software projects, and so it can be intimidating when you first start. In this sometimes volatile industry, the stakes are high for delivering projects on time, on budget, and to quality. Learn more on project management for a software firm and how to best decide on what software to use.
how project management impacts software development![]()
Software development can follow a few different methodologies, all of which are tied closely to project management concepts. As with any kind of project, software needs to be planned out. The interplay between the project management side of this planning phase and its software development is a subtle one; on one side of it, the project manager needs to draw up the project plan, and on the other side of it, the technical lead takes the project plan and draws up a technical specification for the team to develop against. Beyond that, the executing phase of a project aligns with the equivalent phase of software development. The differences between software development methodologies manifest themselves in the structure, order, and repetition of phases in iterative cycles. This stems from how projects constantly need to be managed to address risks that invariably crop up. Project managers in software firms benefit from having a technical background to support their team in managing their work. When it comes to project management for a software firm, you need something which helps plan and maintain well structured projects.
how project management impacts software upkeep and feedback![]()
Project management for a software firm applies to work beyond the creation of new features, and can be extended to software maintenance and upkeep as well. Although the definition of a project includes the fact that it is a temporary endeavor, the monitoring and controlling project management processes pertain to the overall lifecycle of software as well. While the project manager can solicit feedback from stakeholders, this feedback can be used to spur more planning, execution, and monitoring and controlling phases as projects iteratively build on the existing product.
how project management impacts internal structure of company and organisation![]()
With project management and software development both being such vital aspects of the software life cycle, it makes sense that software firms as organizations are affected by project management. In companies that are large enough to have multiple projects going at once, a project-based organizational structure might be adopted. In this case, teams are formed based on who is part of the project team. This contrasts with the more traditional team structures based on people’s functional roles within the company.
OneDesk has you covered!
There are no hard and fast rules for how to structure a software company as these companies and teams come in all shapes and sizes. Not knowing what cards you might be handed, it’s best to come armed with a tool that covers all combinations and cases. OneDesk just might be the tool that does it all for you. With its resource tracking, you can easily see who’s been assigned which tasks, and better still, you can customize your teams to give you visibility into resourcing across projects. Regardless of the workflow you use, OneDesk has you covered, offering agile, waterfall, and extreme programming constructs to help keep your process under control. Even if your product doesn’t lend itself to a lot of shorter, project work, OneDesk also offers you the ability to do planning for your product in the short and long terms.
Photo Credit: ”Box Town 1” /Kim Love / CC BY