Software Project Management

Introduction

The Oxford Books Company (OBC), is a web-based system that enables customers to get information about various books as well as buy them. Unfortunately after a few months of putting the system online, several problems developed. This has meant a new system has had to be implemented to fix the errors and improve efficiency.

The new system will utilize existing OBC network infrastructure and add numerous capabilities in order to allow results to be seen straight away. The problem areas that have arose in the current system are also follows: unable to check prices, incapable to view images of the books, to allow compatibility on all browsers and also improving security so customers are more willing to make payments online. As a result, OBC's ability to perform network maintenance and updates will be significantly improved. Additionally, OBC will improve its ability to monitor all network diagnostics in real time and streamline workforce efficiency. Cost savings will be realized by greatly reducing the amount of time associated with competing network tasks and allowing OBC employees to perform work that was previously outsourced.

A configuration management plan is essential in order to manage this project effectively. The plan will establish the roles and responsibilities of the system and explain how you track, implement, audit, control and communicate the configuration items.

Definition of project

Client requirements

* Improve efficiency, so that loading is pretty much instant.

* Website must display the correct information and images of the books they want to buy.

* Website display should be consistently on all browsers.

* Payment security needs to be improved.

* Needs to be effective, reliable and integral system.

* Overall the requirements will reflect the requirements of the system already in place.

Deliverables

* An efficient, reliable and fully operational system offering identical functional requirements as the original system.

Timescales

* As the new system will share requirements of the old system that has already been developed the timescale will reflect the timescale of the first project. From a design point of it will take less time as a lot of the system has already been created.

Project team structure- Roles and Responsibilities

Project Manager

The Project Manager is responsible for:

* Providing approval for any issues requiring additional scope, time, or cost management.

* Overall responsibility for all CM activities related to the OBC project

* Identification of CIs

* All communication of CM activities to project stakeholders

* Re-baselining, if necessary, any items affected by CM changes

Configuration Manager

The Configuration Manager is responsible for:

* Overall management of the SCM

* Identification of CIs

* Providing configuration standards and templates to the project team

* Providing any required configuration training

Lead Engineers

All identified CIs will be assigned to a Lead Engineer. The assigned Lead Engineer is responsible for:

* Designating a focus group to develop the change request

* Ensure all change requests comply with organizational templates and standards set in the requirements.

* Identification of CIs

Engineers

Each CI will be assigned to a focus group consisting of several engineers. Each member of the focus group will provide input to the change request prior to submitting the change request to the lead engineer for review and presentation.

Project plan

A sound development process is essential in making sure the new system will work accurately and meet the requirements. In order to keep structure to the plan, the development process consists of the following stages:

* Research

* Design

* Implementation

* Testing

* Redesigning

* Maintaining

Research

There are clear errors that have been brought up in existing system, so research needs to be done in detail so that the problem can be fixed in the best way possible. A variety of sources will need to be analysed to draw up the best possible conclusions.

Design

This stage is the designing the solutions for the new requirements for the updated system. It is very important not to damage the functioning parts/code of the original system. Throughout this design procedure it is key that the implementation process is structured, to ensure that requirements are met, both old (functioning) and new.

Implementation

From the design procedure that has been created from the client requirements, the engineer will have a clear understanding what needs to be done how to achieve the new system updates.

Testing

White box testing should be done but the test is only accurate if the tester knows what the program is supposed to do. Unlike black box testing, white box testing uses specific knowledge of programming code to examine outputs. The whole system should be tested to make sure it is working order but they should be a clear focus on the problem areas that have been drawn up from the new requirements.

Redesign

If the changes to the system do not pass the testing stages then the design must be looked