Managerial Issues of Software Engineering

Software Engineering is the discipline that has historically studied, developed and is continuously improving methods, processes, techniques and frameworks to facilitate the analysis, design, development, implementation and enhancement and continuous evolution of Software Systems. The roots of first Software being written goes back to mid 1800’s when Ada Lovelace wrote the algorithm for the first computing machine designed by Charles Babbage. Since then and going into early 1900’s and going into 1950’s when commercial Software was being started to be written, we have been looking for ways to standardize Software Engineering process that created efficient Software product with least amount of time and reduced defects. Streamlined Software Engineering process and practices was an absolute need especially when Software Defects, Project Delays and Cost overruns caused mission critical Software Systems to fail.

Software Engineering has grown into a scientific discipline with the core focus on continuously improving the practices, tools, techniques and processes surrounding Software Development. It equips practitioners to solve the problem of effectively coordinating the technical and managerial aspects of Software Development. Below are are some of the well known Managerial Issues that any Software Engineering Practitioner should be aware of from a core Software Project Management perspective –

  • Methods of Planning, Organizing, Execution, Monitoring, Controlling and Closing of a Project
  • Methods for Cost estimation techniques
  • Methods for Resource allocation policies
  • Methods for establishing a suitable Software Development Process based on organizational culture and nature of Software Product/System. For example choosing a waterfall Vs Agile Vs a Hybrid model
  • Methods for hiring and continuously sustain high performance software development teams
  • Methods for budgetary Control
  • Methods to manage project milestones or sprints
  • Methods to setup, maintain and continuously evolve a suitable release or project schedule
  • Methods to setup, maintain and continuously evolve a suitable Quality Assurance system that involves streamlined Unit Tests, Continuous Integration, Automated Testing and deployment techniques.
  • Methods to maintain streamlined product versions via effective Software Versions Control Systems integrated with the core Software Development process and Continuous Integration frameworks
  • Methods for effective communication between team members and customers
  • Methods to develop and sustain effective contractual agreements with customers so that legal and contractual terms are observed.

Other related articles that you might be interested to read –

1. Factors Affecting Software Cost

2. Software Cost Estimation

3. Software Development Team Structures

4. Factors Affecting Software Quality and Developer Productivity

5. Programming Team Structures

6. Connecting Traditional Water Fall Software Life Cycle Model with Agile Models

7. Software Engineering

8. Software Engineering then and now

9. Project size driving Project risk

10. Quality considerations for software projects