Software Project Management

Software Project Management

Software Project Management Stories
Software professionals interviewing a development company service provider 5 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Software ProviderWhen working with an outside company to develop a new product, there are many things to consider. You need to find a service provider that can make your vision a reality on time and on budget. Here are five questions you should ask prospective service providers to make sure they will be a good fit for what you need.
Person checking off an item on a list that's done 2 Ways to Know Your Work Is Actually DoneSome people think a good indication that a piece of work is done is if it's been tested. But by whom, and how? Testing alone doesn’t specifically determine whether you are done—especially when we probably don’t mean the same thing when we all talk about testing. Here are two ways to know when your work is truly done.
Man looking skeptical Beware of Success StoriesThe tendency to look back and think you know what contributed to a success is called survivorship bias. It occurs when you make a decision or take some action based on past successes while ignoring past failures. That's why it's important to approach reports of successful projects with a healthy dose of skepticism.
Leader asking an employee a question Superior Leaders Ask the Tough QuestionsInspiring quotes can be motivating, but there's more to good leadership. New leaders may feel compelled to find clever and memorable things to say, when in reality, they should probably focus less on what they’re saying and more on what they’re hearing. The best leaders ask good questions and listen to the answers.
Person browsing at a bookstore Are You Forgetting a Stakeholder?Technology allows amazing innovations to optimize business and deliver new and better services, but if you don’t carefully consider your entire user community, innovations may cost you business. When designing for stakeholders, don't stop at the obvious cases—or else you may find that you forgot an important customer.
Basic multiplication quiz Are Your Fundamentals Malfunctioning?Every objective has certain elements that are fundamental to its success. These include the supporting tasks or systems that we take for granted but without which our “real” work could not get done. In order for any organization or team to meet its primary objectives, these fundamentals need to be functioning properly.
Product manager going over the vision for the product The Many Facets of a Product Manager’s RoleIt’s a misconception that product managers work only with stakeholders to define a product’s roadmap. Instead, a good product manager empowers the entire team to deliver on their roles within the project constraints, with the end goal of an impactful product. To do that, they ask the team these crucial questions.
Software project estimation Deception and Estimation: How We Fool OurselvesResearch suggests that humans are biased, not-very-rational decision-makers. We believe we see things clearly when the evidence shows otherwise. Throw in a big dose of optimism, and it's easy to see how estimating software projects can be problematic. Our best hope is to construct diverse groups with varied viewpoints.