THE PROJECT PLAN

Each step in the software engineering process should produce a deliverable that can
be reviewed and that can act as a foundation for the steps that follow. The Software
Project Plan is produced at the culmination of the planning tasks. It provides baseline
cost and scheduling information that will be used throughout the software process.
The Software Project Plan is a relatively brief document that is addressed to a diverse
audience. It must (1) communicate scope and resources to software management,
technical staff, and the customer; (2) define risks and suggest risk aversion techniques;
(3) define cost and schedule for management review; (4) provide an overall approach
to software development for all people associated with the project; and (5) outline
how quality will be ensured and change will be managed.
A presentation of cost and schedule will vary with the audience addressed. If the
plan is used only as an internal document, the results of each estimation technique
can be presented. When the plan is disseminated outside the organization, a reconciled
cost breakdown (combining the results of all estimation techniques) is provided.
Similarly, the degree of detail contained within the schedule section may vary with
the audience and formality of the plan.
It is important to note that the Software Project Plan is not a static document. That
is, the project team revisits the plan repeatedly—updating risks, estimates, schedules
and related information—as the project proceeds and more is learned.