Software Development Plan		 The Software Development Plan is a comprehensive, composite artifact which gathers all information required to manage the project.  It encloses a number of artifacts developed during the Inception phase and maintained throughout the project.
Worker: Project Manager
Template: Word template

Purpose To top of page

The purpose of the Software Development Plan is to gather all the information necessary to control the project. It describes the approach to the development of the software and is the top-level plan generated and used by the managers to direct the development effort.

Brief Outline To top of page

1. Objectives

A brief description of the purpose of the Software Development Plan.

2. Scope

A brief description of what the Software Development Plan applies to; what is affected or influenced by this document.

3. References

A list of related or referenced documents. For the Software Development Plan, this should include:

  • Development Case
  • Project Plan
  • Iteration Plan
  • Risk List
  • Measurement Plan
  • Configuration Management Plan
  • Business Modeling Guidelines
  • User-Interface Guidelines
  • Use-Case Modeling Guidelines
  • Design Guidelines
  • Programming Guidelines
  • Test Guidelines
  • Manual Styleguide

4. Project

1. Planning

    Plans, resources, follow-up

2. Risk management

    Review procedures, risk identification, resolution and closure procedures, incentives

5. Standards and procedures

Design, programming, test, and documentation standards or guidelines.

6. Software assessment

Metrics collection and reporting, process improvement activities, compliance/waivers with organizational standards, corrective action procedures

Enclosed Artifacts To top of page

Timing To top of page

Developed during inception. Updated at each major milestone.

Responsibility To top of page

The Worker: Project Manager is responsible for compiling the enclosed documents and making sure the latest versions are kept available through the Software Development Plan.

Tailoring To top of page

There are situations when there is a standard that stipulates the outline and contents of a Software Development Plan, in which case you would use that instead of the above proposed outline.

Additional Information To top of page

Good software development plans evolve. A useful Software Development Plan is periodically updated (it is not stagnant shelfware), and it is understood and embraced by managers and practitioners.

The Software Development Plan is the defining document for the project's process. Prepare a single Software Development Plan that:

  • Complies with organizational standards for content.
  • Complies with the contract (if any).
  • Provides traceability to, or waivers from, contract and organization requirements.
  • Is updated at each major milestone.
  • Evolves along with the design and requirements.

A standard format promotes:

  • Reuse of processes, methods, experience, and people.
  • Accountability for organizational expectations.
  • Homogeneous process objectives.

A key discriminator of good Software Development Plans is their conciseness, lack of philosophy, and focus on meaningful standards and procedures.

 

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© Rational Software Corporation 1998 Rational Unified Process 5.1 (build 43)