Software Project Management Plan Template

Purpose

The Software Project Management Plan summarizes the project management models. This document is created before the project kick-off and updated throughout the project as tasks are completed and procedures are refined. The audience of the SPMP includes the management and the developers. The SPMP documents all issues related to client requirements (such as deliverables and acceptance criteria), the project goals, the project organization, the division of labor into tasks, and the allocation of resources and responsibilities.

Audience

Template

Outline	Description
1. Introduction     1.1 Project overview     1.2 Project deliverables     1.3 Evolution of this document     1.4 References     1.5 Definitions, acronyms, and abbreviations	The introduction provides background information for the rest of the document. It briefly describes the project, the client deliverables, the project milestones, and expected document changes. This section contains the hard constraints from the Project Agreement that are relevant to the developers.
2. Project organization     2.1 Process model     2.2 Organizational structure     2.3 Organizational boundaries and interfaces     2.4 Project responsibilities	This section describes the organizational structure of subsystem and cross-functional teams. The boundaries of each team and of the management are defined and responsibilities assigned. Communication roles, such as liaisons, are also described in this section. Finally, the software process model used in the project is described. By reading this section developers are able to identify the participants in other teams they need to communication with.
3. Managerial process     3.1 Management objectives and priorities     3.2 Assumptions, dependencies, and constraints     3.3 Risk management     3.4 Monitoring and controlling mechanisms	This section describes how management monitors project status and how it addresses unforeseen problems. Dependeices among teams and subsystems are described. Anticipated risks and contingency plans are made public. Documenting what could go wrong makes it easier for the developers to report when problems actually occur. This section should be regularly updated to include newly indentified risks
4. Technical process     4.1 Methods, tools, and techniques     4.2 Software documentation     4.3 Project support functions	This section describes the technical standards that all teams are required to adopt. These cover the development methodology, the configuration management policy of documents and code, the coding guidelines, and the selection of standard off-the-shelf components. Some might be imposed by company-wide interests and others by the client.
5. Work elements, schedule, and budget	This section details how work is to be carried out and by whom. The first version of the SPMP contains detailed plans only for the early phases of the project. Detailed plans for later phases are updated as the project progresses and important risks are better understood

Related Topics

• How to develop a SPMP?^?
• Chapter 14, Project Management