The Planning Stages Of A Software Project: What To Do First

Unfortunately planning a project is not a linear process and it may be necessary to change something as the project progresses. You might often need to change the project’s timeline. This can happen even after you’ve planned your resources. It helps prevent scope creep and keeps your employees from burning out. Still, if you want to lay the groundwork for a successful project, you need to follow the correct stages of the project planning process.

Read on as we look at the planning stages that are pivotal to any software project, and how to ensure they are flexible enough.

Define the goals and objectives of the project

Before you can do anything else in planning a project phase of your project, you must determine your goals and objectives.

The objectives and goals of any project allow you to decide whether the project should be prioritised – or even if it should be undertaken at all. They help you decide what must be delivered. They also help spot problems early that could make the project hard to finish. This could include, for example, a short deadline.

In other words, the goals that you set out for your project will give you a broad idea of what you should be trying to accomplish within the project and also assist you in the direction that your project needs to take.

Your project objectives are similar to your goals, but they are more specific. They should include details like time, cost, and quality. Once you have listed the objectives of your project it is much easier to determine what the deliverables you might need will be.

Project scope

Once you have all of this information in place then it is very important to determine the scope of the project. All too often, the stakeholders in the project may ask for additional tasks to be added or big changes. This can lead to scope creep, which can make it difficult to complete the project on budget, to timescale or both.

The project scope shields you from unrealistic expectations, conflicting interests, and impossible demands. This is especially important as the project progresses.

Determining the scope of the project

You should look at the goals and objectives of the project to determine the scope. Ask yourself:

• What do you need to achieve them?
• What is not necessary?

It is quite likely that you might be uncertain about all the details of the project, to begin with, and this means you should consider a more flexible approach. It can often be a good idea to begin your planning with vague details. Then, look for feedback and go into greater, more precise detail. A scope document will help to make sure that you have something that you can refer back to if you need it.

What next?

Once you have completed the first couple of steps in your planning process you will be able to continue the work on your project. To do this you need to:

• Build your work breakdown structure (WBS)
• Set your timelines
• Determine and then plan your resources
• Estimate the plans for your project
• Determine any risks and constraints associated with the project
• Plan your communication blueprint
• Make plans for quality assurance and control

Conclusion

Having a good project plan in place can help when it comes to driving your project, but it is important to remember that no project plan is set in stone. Flexibility is important when it comes to completing a project successfully.