What makes software different than other forms of project management? Why do traditional approaches to project management used in other industries fail in software endeavors? Many of the elements simply don’t apply in the software development environment.

This course is about new practices and new ideas project managers can use to make their software development projects succeed. It includes a critique of the “thermostat model” of management of WBS (Work Breakdown Structure), Gantt and PERT charts, and much of the common wisdom represented in the PMBOK. A thorough review of the new breed of techniques and tools more suited to software development will also be presented: XP, Scrum, Lean Development, Adaptive development, and RUP. Attendees will learn how to reconcile the new with the old.

This course is ideal for new software project managers; project managers transitioning from more traditional approaches, or with little experience in software projects.

Discussion topics focus on effectively managing:

• time and schedule
• risks
• quality
• objectives and scope
• complexity
• changes
• software assets
• products
• people
• the software process
• external stakeholders