Project stages

From that previous diagram, let's concentrate on those stages involved in developing software.

"Stage" is equivalent to "Milestone" but is not quite the same as "Phase"

A typical "waterfall" model

Sometimes, like salmon, we must travel "up" the waterfall

Project stages

Why have stages?

Break a large problem down into smaller, more manageable problems

A tool for monitoring progress

• Has project kept to plan so far?
• Are there any problems?

Points at which senior management assess project viability:

• Will it deliver on-time and stay within budget?
• Will it achieve what we want?
• Is corrective action needed?

Management authorisation to proceed with next block of work

Concentrates the mind

• Project team members do not want to be the cause of holding up the end of a stage

Project stages

How do you decide what stages a project should have? How many? How long?

How do you even know what tasks are needed in a project?

One approach

1. Product breakdown structure
2. Product flow diagram
3. Identify key products; stage ends when those products are completed

(Discussed in other notes)

Other topics

Comments please to: dwfarthi@glam.ac.uk

© 1999, University of Glamorgan