After successful completion of the course, students are able to systematically observe, evaluate and compare projects and multi-project structures as well as to perform additional analysis activities to optimize projects and project-oriented/-executing organizations on various levels.

The course "Software Project Monitoring and Controlling" deals with the strategic quality-producing supervision of software- and IT-projects:

• Transparency: Make time, costs and quality of software manufacturing visible
• Supervision: The supervision and escalation mechanism
• Strategy: Analysis and correction of problems occurring during the software productions; SE theory vs. SE practice 
• Comparability: Controlling and comparing all software projects within an enterprise over a period of time

Typical planning and methodological weaknesses in practice should be identified by analyzing real projects and systems. Possible solutions are designed and discussed within the group.

Didactic Approach: The course is offered as a weekly lecture with additional guest lectures. The exercise, which is done in a team, includes the following topics:

• Software project status evaluation using the Earned Value Method
• Monitoring and evaluation of a company based on its projects 
• Development of a concept for multi-project-controlling in  software company
• Controlling Case Study, analysis and management consulting (for a real software producing company)

Lectures as well as guest lectures, application of Earned Value Analysis for the evaluation of projects, analysis of a specific use case and recommendation of measures for optimization and improvement.

Effort for the student (ECTS-Breakdown):

Lecture (45 h):

• Preliminary Talk: 1 h
• Lectures: 15 h
• Self studies and further investigations: 29 h

Practical work (105 h):

• Analysis and evaluation: 50 h
• Concept: 20 h
• Design: 20 h
• Preparation of presentation: 5 h
• Presentations: 2 h
• Meetings: 8 h

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Total: 150 hours (6 ECTS)

Hand-in of coursework, delivery talks and/or presentations.

Grechenig, T., Bernhart, M., Breiteneder, R., Kappel, K. (2009): Softwaretechnik - Mit Fallbeispielen aus realen Projekten. Verlag Pearson Studium, München, Germany