Software project management turns technical work into predictable delivery. PSC questions often ask estimation, scheduling, risk mitigation, COCOMO idea, version control, quality assurance and metrics such as LOC, function points, defect density and productivity.
Engineering Definitions
Project planning
Standard definition: The process of defining scope, activities, resources, schedule, cost and risks for a project.
Exam meaning: Project को scope, समय, cost, resource र risk मिलाउने प्रक्रिया।
Software metric
Standard definition: A quantitative measure of software product, process or project attributes.
Exam meaning: Software/product/process/project लाई number बाट measure गर्ने आधार।
Version control
Standard definition: A system for tracking and managing changes to source code and related artifacts.
Exam meaning: Code changes, history, branch/merge manage गर्ने system।
Quality assurance
Standard definition: Planned activities that ensure software process and product meet quality standards.
Exam meaning: Process र product quality maintain गर्न गरिने planned activities।
Concept Teaching
A strong answer should connect planning artifacts with control. Work breakdown creates tasks, estimation predicts effort, schedule organizes dependencies, risk plan prepares response, version control manages change, and metrics provide feedback.
Planning and Scheduling
Planning decomposes work and assigns time/resources.
- WBS breaks project into manageable work packages.
- Milestones mark important review/delivery points.
- Gantt chart shows schedule timeline.
- PERT/CPM models dependency and critical path.
- Critical path delay delays whole project.
- Baseline helps compare planned vs actual progress.
Estimation and Cost
Estimation should use size, complexity, people and historical data.
- LOC estimates code size but is language-dependent.
- Function points estimate user-visible functionality.
- COCOMO estimates effort from size and project type.
- Effort is usually measured in person-months.
- Adding people late can increase communication overhead.
- Cost includes development, tools, testing, deployment and maintenance.
Risk Management
Risk is uncertain event with negative impact.
| Step | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Identify | List possible risks | Key developer leaves |
| Analyze | Probability and impact | High impact integration failure |
| Plan | Avoid, mitigate, transfer or accept | Prototype risky API |
| Monitor | Track indicators | Missed milestones |
| Control | Execute response plan | Add backup resource |
Version Control and Configuration Management
Configuration management protects product integrity while changes happen.
- Repository stores history.
- Commit records a logical change.
- Branch supports parallel development.
- Merge integrates branches.
- Tag marks release version.
- Baseline is approved configuration item state.
- Change control prevents uncontrolled scope creep.
Quality and Metrics
Quality is built through process and measured through metrics.
| Metric | Meaning | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Defect density | Defects per size unit | Quality trend |
| Productivity | Output per effort | Planning comparison |
| Cyclomatic complexity | Independent paths in code | Testing and maintainability |
| MTTF/MTBF | Reliability measure | Operational quality |
| Test coverage | Code/requirement exercised by tests | Test adequacy clue |
Engineering Mechanism
- Define project scope and deliverables.
- Break work into tasks.
- Estimate size, effort and cost.
- Build schedule and assign resources.
- Identify and monitor risks.
- Track changes through version control.
- Use metrics to control quality and progress.
Diagrams / Models To Draw
- Draw WBS tree.
- Draw Gantt chart timeline.
- Draw risk matrix probability vs impact.
- Draw Git branch/merge flow.
- Draw quality control feedback loop.
Formulas, Algorithms and Rules
- Risk exposure = probability x impact.
- Defect density = number of defects / software size.
- Productivity = size or function points / effort.
- Schedule variance = planned progress – actual progress conceptually.
- Cyclomatic complexity V(G) = E – N + 2P.
| Area | Tool/metric | Exam distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Planning | WBS/Gantt/PERT | Task and dependency control |
| Cost | COCOMO/function point | Effort estimation |
| Risk | Risk matrix | Probability and impact |
| Version | Branch/merge/tag | Change management |
| Quality | QA/QC/testing | Prevention and detection |
| Metrics | Defect density/complexity | Quantitative feedback |
Exam Point
- Differentiate QA and QC/testing.
- Mention probability and impact for risk.
- Version control is not only backup.
- Metrics need interpretation, not blind numbers.
- Critical path controls project duration.
Worked Example
If a module has 20 defects in 10 KLOC, defect density is 2 defects/KLOC. This does not alone prove quality; compare with past releases, severity and test coverage.
Subjective Answer Pattern
- Define project planning.
- Explain estimation and scheduling.
- Discuss risk management.
- Explain version/configuration management.
- Discuss quality assurance and metrics.
- Conclude with control feedback.
Common Engineering Mistakes
- Treating risk as already-happened issue.
- Using LOC as universal productivity measure.
- Confusing QA with only testing.
- Not mentioning dependencies in schedule.
- Using version control as file backup only.
MCQ Revision
- What is critical path?
- Risk exposure formula?
- What does defect density measure?
- What is a branch?
- What is cyclomatic complexity used for?
- QA focuses on process or product only?
Final Summary
- Project planning defines scope, effort, cost and schedule.
- Risk management prepares for uncertainty.
- Version control manages change history and releases.
- Quality assurance prevents defects; testing detects them.
- Metrics support monitoring and decisions.