Software development project

Project Charter and Management Plan

Note that this charter and this high-level project management plan may be modified as necessary when detailed requirements are established. After original approval, client authorisation is needed for all changes.

1. Change History

All changes to the Project Charter must be recorded in the Change History, and a new version of the charter must be approved by the client.

1. Authorised by:

<<Name of client representative authorising this charter & plan>>

Name: ________________________

Signature: ________________________

Date: ________________________

Table of Contents

1. PART 1 - Project Charter
   1. Purpose of the Charter

This charter sets out the information that is currently known about the proposed student project, with the purpose of ensuring that all parties involved in the project share the same understanding of what the project is expected to achieve.

The project charter is also the brief that authorises the project team to proceed with launching the project.

1. 1. Purpose of the Project

<<What will the client be able to do after the project has been completed, that cannot be done now?>>

1. 1. Business Objectives of the Project

To be considered successful, the proposed project must achieve the following goals for the client:

1. 1. Scope of the Project

The project team will provide the client with the following items:

The project will not provide:

1. 1. Budget and Timeframe

There is no budget for this project.

This project constitutes the assessment for the academic subject, ITC306 Project Preparation & Professional Practice, and each student is expected to apply themselves to the project for approximately 10 hours per week. There is no charge to any client for this work.

The timeframe for the project is determined by the academic year.

At this early stage, the relevant milestones and deliverables are seen to be as per the table below. These milestones and deliverables may be modified during the life of the project with agreement from the client.

1. 1. Project Milestones and Deliverables

1. 1. Project Resources
   2. Client Resources

1. 1. Project Team Resources

1. 1. Technical Environment

Students are required to work with technology that must be able to integrate with the client’s existing technical infrastructure.

It is important that any unconventional requirements be discussed at an early stage in the project, to avoid unwelcome surprises when it is too late to recover.

<< describe the details of the technical platform that will be used a) to develop the solution and b) to implement the final solution in the client's site.>>

1. PART 2 - Project Management Plan (a brief version)

The Project Management Body of Knowledge from PMI states that there are nine main areas of concern for a project. These are:

• Project Integration Management (planning, etc.) <<This charter & plan>>

• Project Scope Management <<above>>

• Project (Human) Resource Management <<above>>

• Project Time Management

• Project Cost Management

• Project Risk Management

• Project Quality Management

• Project Communication Management

• Project Procurement Management (if purchases are needed)

Some of these areas have been covered in the Charter, above. Some are covered below. Both Network and Software teams must ensure that all areas of PMBOK are continually checked by them, especially the Project Manager.

1. 1. Risk Management
      1. Assumptions

The plans and estimates for this project are based on the following assumptions:

<< list items that are assumed to be already in place or provided by the client>>

1. 1. 1. Dependencies

The project is dependent upon the following external entities/events:

1. Other computer systems - ?

2. Other teams of people - ?

3. Specific events - ?

4. Working during holiday weeks (definitely!)

<<list all entities or items that your success depends upon>>

1. 1. Constraints

The constraints within which the project will operate are as follows:

1. Time

2. Budget

3. Scope

4. Other limits that apply to the project (rather than the system)

<< list those items or situations that cannot be changed, and are limits within which the project must be run>>

1. 1. Risk Assessment

1. 1. 1. Risk Rating

(Note that the risks need to updated as the project proceeds.)

1 is a low risk, 9 high risk.

1. 1. 1. Risk Mitigation

(Copy the risk events from above and comment on the remedies.

1. 1. Schedule and Budget

1. 1. 1. Schedule ( Microsoft Project software compulsory)

<<Divide the year up into specific activities (iterations). This schedule will be dependent upon the type of project.

The schedule will take into account the iterations that have been outlined. Remember that detailed planning for an iteration will commence prior to the completion of the current iteration.>>

1. 1. 1. Budget

<< If relevant for your project, provide an estimated budget for your project. Consult your project supervisor for what budgetary information is required for your project.>>

1. 1. Monitoring & Controlling Mechanisms

The project manager will monitor progress of the project.

The team will meet with the Lecturer weekly or as agreed.

The team will meet regularly with the client, weekly, or as agreed.

All project managers will meet together fortnightly, with the subject co-ordinator.

A weekly status/progress report will be provided by the project manager, based on information supplied by individual team members.

Configuration management techniques will be used to control the documents and other deliverables of the project – all versions will be kept and baselined when milestones are reached.

Change management will be used to record changes in any aspect of the project. Each document will carry a Change History.

All team communication and deliverables will be stored on the Forum, but also backed up by the Project Manager.

1. References

<<Students must acknowledge all official publications that they use during the life of the project. However templates and other materials provided by lecturers do not need to be acknowledged.>>

Ecole Polytechnique Montreal, 2004, Upedu web site, viewed 20 February 2006,

<http://www.upedu.org/upedu/>.