Software Process Modeling Support for Management Planning and Control

Abstract

This paper demonstrates the application of a specific software process modeling approach to certain key managerial activities: ex ante planning, monitoring and recording progress, and dynamic replanning. A realistic example process, with assumed task durations and outcomes, forms the foundation for the illustrations. Automated, quantitative simulations are used to derive schedules, required work effort, and required staffing profiles. Cases of both point estimates (deterministic modeling) and uncertain estimates (stochastic modeling) are discussed, and resource constraints are also considered. This modeling approach is shown to offer distinct advantages over traditional project management approaches such as the critical path method and PERT.