Q. Since there already is a Certified Project Manager Program, why is a program for Certified Software Project Manager needed?
A. There are similarities and difference between a General Project Manager and a Software Project Manager. The two major differences associated with software are:
Q. What are the similarities between a General Project Manager and a Software Project Manager?
A. Most of the skills needed by a General Project Manager are also associated with Software Project Manager. These include staffing the project, setting a budget, working with customers, developing a project plan, and monitoring the project and creating status reports.
Q. How does the level of software process maturity affect Project Management?
A. At the beginning levels of process maturity, there is huge process variability. Since most IT organizations are in the earliest stages, Software Project Managers must deal with this high level of variability. In other words, the Software Project Manager must use software development processes, which do not work effectively or efficiently.
Q. What is the difference between software requirements and regular project requirements?
A. Software requirements rarely specify security
requirements, maintainability requirements, ease of use requirements,
interoperability requirements, contingency measures and/or and training for new team
members.
Q. Why would IT management want a special
certification for Software Project Managers?
A. IT has a history in building software projects
way beyond budget, and schedule resulting in dissatisfied customers/users.
IT management and IT customers would welcome any program that could help improve
projects on time and within budget with high customer satisfaction.
Q. What is unique about software project management
as opposed to general project management?
A. There are many, but some of the more significant differences are:
Interfacing an application software into an operational environment with many different software packages;
Interfacing one application with many, many different applications, the problem in one could result in a cascading of errors through others;
Software generally can be penetrated from anywhere in the world, which is not normally a problem for most projects;
Technology changes rapidly necessitating the constant learning and upgrading of software to meet new technological requirements;
Estimating project costs and schedule is difficult when the developmental processes have high variability;
The methods and types of failure associated with software is significantly different than with other types of projects; and
Software systems must take into account all of the types of errors that could occur, which is an almost impossible task.
Q. Would the CSQA and CSTE be valuable if I am a Software Project Manager?
A. Yes, they are building blocks that contribute toward good project management since they address fundamental issues of process management, sound quality assurance and testing practices, and other significant skills needed for Project Managers.
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