Software Project Management - Old Questions

7. Discuss the concept of PERT/CPM in software project management.

Answered by Anonymous

PERT and CPM are techniques of project management useful in the basic managerial functions of planning, scheduling and control. PERT stands for “Programmed Evaluation & Review Technique” and CPM are the abbreviation for “Critical Path Method”. These days the projects undertaken by business houses are very large and take a number of years before commercial production can start. The techniques of PERT and CPM help greatly in completing the various jobs on schedule. They minimize production delays, interruptions and conflicts. These techniques are very helpful in coordinating various jobs of the total project and thereby expedite and achieve completion of project on time. Essentially, there are six steps which are common to both the techniques. The procedure is listed below:

1.Define the Project and all of its significant activities or tasks. The Project (made up of several tasks) should have only a single start activity and a single finish activity. 2.Develop the relationships among the activities. Decide which activities must precede and which must follow others. 3.Draw the “Network” connecting all the activities. Each Activity should have unique event numbers. Dummy arrows are used where required to avoid giving the same numbering to two activities. 4.Assign time and/or cost estimates to each activity 5.Compute the longest time path through the network. This is called the critical path. 6.Use the Network to help plan, schedule, and monitor and control the project.

The Key Concept used by CPM/PERT is that a small set of activities, which make up the longest path through the activity network control the entire project. If these “critical” activities could be identified and assigned to responsible persons, management resources could be optimally used by concentrating on the few activities which determine the fate of the entire project.