Abstract

Software projects have been notoriously difficult to manage well. Cost overruns, schedule delays, and outright cancellations of software projects have been common occurrences for more than 50 years. Poor quality on delivery remains a chronic issue. Although software project management tools are not a panacea, when used by capable managers, they do simplify the complexity of software project management and raise the odds of successful completions of large software projects. Software project management tools have many divisions and subcategories. However, they can be broadly classified into two major areas of focus: 1) Tools for planning and estimating software projects before they begin; 2) Tools for tracking and reporting software project status and costs while projects are under way. Beneath this division are 12 topical areas and scores of project management activities. Note that the distinction between software projects and systems engineering projects is ambiguous and that modern Software as a Service (SaaS) and cloud computing projects require interfaces among numerous software systems.