📚 Key Terms & Glossary
Week 1 & 2 – Important Terminology
This section contains the key terminology, concepts, and frameworks from the foundational weeks of Software Engineering Project Management (SEPM). Review these terms to understand the core principles of managing software projects, gathering requirements, and selecting appropriate methodologies.
📖 Key Terms
| Term | Definition | Context / Example |
|---|---|---|
| Project | A temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique product or service. | Developing a new software system or managing changes in technology. |
| Project Management (PM) | A formalised and structured method of managing change in a rigorous manner to produce defined deliverables by a certain time, to a defined quality, and within a budget. | Managing the human factors, uncertainty, and resources to build an IT solution. |
| Requirements | A specification of what should be implemented, describing system behaviour, properties, attributes, or development constraints. | "Translation of the problems into a form that can be converted into a software system". |
| Stakeholder | A person or organization who influences the system’s requirements or who is impacted by that system. | End-users, system support, decision-makers, regulatory bodies, developers, and testers. |
| PMI | Project Management Institute; a global nonprofit professional organization for project management. | Develops and maintains the PMBOK standard. |
| PMBOK | Project Management Body of Knowledge; an inclusive term describing the sum of knowledge within the PM profession. | A widely accepted standard for traditional project management. |
| Vision & Scope Document | A document that collects all business requirements into a single deliverable to set the stage for subsequent development work. | Written in nontechnical language for executive sponsors or funding authorities. |
| Project Charter | A PMBOK-standard document similar to Vision & Scope, detailing project purpose, objectives, schedules, and risk management. | Used to communicate to stakeholders the reasons for the project and what will be done. |
| Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) | A summary of schedules, tasks, and milestones used to plan the project's execution. | Traditional WBS assigns tasks to specific people; Agile WBS acts as a high-level release plan. |
| Waterfall Methodology | A linear sequential model where requirements are locked early, and development starts only after full planning. | Traditional PM where separate and distinct phases (requirements, design, code, test) are executed in order. |
| Agile Methodology | A framework for delivering products efficiently through cyclical (iterative) development, relying on continual customer involvement and lean governance. | Scrum, where a Product Backlog replaces traditional Software Requirements Specifications. |
| V-Modell | An improvement on the Waterfall model that incorporates a greater emphasis on verification/testing before coding. | High-level testing (verification) is planned parallel to high-level design. |
| SMART | An acronym for specifying success metrics: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-Bound. | "Reduce response to 2 hours on 99% of support calls" (Measurable). |
| Feature Tree | A diagram (also called Feature Model or Feature Diagram) used to present the core features and sub-features of a system. | A visual breakdown showing "Lunch Ordering System" branching into "Order from cafeteria" and "Menus". |
| Context Diagram | A diagram that depicts the system's scope at a high level of abstraction, showing the environment, external entities, and system boundaries. | Rectangles representing users connected by arrows (data flows) to a central circle representing the software. |
| Assumption | A statement believed to be true in the absence of proof or definitive knowledge. | Documented in the Business Requirements section to clarify foundational project beliefs. |
| Dependency | Reliance on external factors outside the project's direct control. | Waiting for third-party software, deliverables from other projects, or pending government regulations. |
🧠 Expanded Key Terms
Project Management (PM)
Definition Project Management is a formalised and structured method of managing change in a rigorous manner. It focuses on producing specifically defined deliverables by a certain time, to a defined quality, and with a given level of resources so that planned outcomes are achieved within defined budgets.
Explanation Developing software is not just about writing code; it requires dealing with extreme uncertainty, human factors, complex interdependencies, and conflict. Effective project management minimises these uncertainties by strictly balancing the three core goals (the Triple Constraint): Scope, Cost, and Time.
Example / Context When an organization decides to replace a legacy system, the Project Manager coordinates the developers, gathers stakeholder requirements, tracks the budget, and ensures the system is delivered by the agreed deadline.
Related Terms
- PMBOK
- Scope, Cost, Time (Triple Constraint)
- Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
Requirements
Definition Requirements are a specification of what should be implemented. They describe how the system should behave, its properties, attributes, or constraints on the development process.
Explanation Requirements act as a translation bridge between the "User World" (user problems) and the "Software System". They must capture not only what stakeholders are aware they want, but also their actual underlying needs, and any technical or regulatory constraints. Incomplete or hidden requirements are the leading cause of project failure.
Example / Context Instead of a vague goal like "the system should be fast," a good requirement specifies exactly what is needed using the SMART criteria: "Process 1000 orders per minute with a response time under 2 seconds".
Related Terms
- Stakeholder
- Business Requirements
- User Requirements
- Software Requirements Specification
Vision & Scope Document
Definition A document that collects all business requirements into a single deliverable that sets the stage for subsequent development work and defines the business case for the project in nontechnical language.
Explanation This document sits on the boundary between Project Management and Requirements Engineering. It contains the Vision (the long-term purpose and ultimate intent of the product) and the Scope (the specific portion of the vision that will be addressed in the current project boundary). It ensures that all stakeholders share a common direction and clearly outlines what is excluded from the project.
Example / Context Before a development team starts writing code for a new mobile app, the business analyst creates a Vision & Scope Document for the funding authority. It details the background, measurable success criteria, major features (via a Feature Tree), and the operating environment.
Related Terms
- Project Charter
- Feature Tree
- Context Diagram
- Business Risks
Agile Methodology
Definition A cyclical (iterative) product development framework that relies on lean governance and constant customer involvement, as opposed to heavyweight, plan-driven traditional techniques.
Explanation Agile empowers development teams to adjust to changing targets quickly. Instead of locking in all requirements before development starts (like in Waterfall), Agile uses a high-level release plan. For example, an Agile Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) maps dependencies among features and user stories without allocating tasks to specific team members weeks in advance.
Example / Context In an Agile project, the team works from a Product Backlog rather than a massive Software Requirements Specification document, taking on iterative cycles (Sprints) to build, test, and reflect on the software collaboratively with the customer.
Related Terms
- Waterfall Methodology
- Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
- Scrum
⚡ Quick Revision List
- Project — A temporary endeavour to create a unique product or service.
- PM (Project Management) — Structured process to deliver specific outcomes on time, on budget, and to quality.
- Triple Constraint — The three goals of project management: Scope, Cost, and Time.
- Stakeholder — Anyone who influences or is impacted by the system.
- Requirement — A specification of what a system must do or a constraint it must follow.
- SMART — Success criteria must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.
- Vision — The long-term purpose and ultimate intent of the product.
- Scope — The boundary defining exactly what will (and will not) be built in the current project.
- WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) — A detailed schedule of tasks; phase-oriented in Waterfall, feature-oriented in Agile.
- Feature Tree — A visual hierarchy of the system's core capabilities.
- Context Diagram — A high-level visual showing the system boundary and its data flows with external entities.
- Waterfall — A traditional, rigid PM methodology where distinct phases occur sequentially.
- V-Modell — A Waterfall variation emphasizing early test planning.
📊 Term Categories
Project Management Foundations
- Project
- Project Management (PM)
- PMI / PMBOK
- Triple Constraint (Scope, Cost, Time)
- Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
- Assumption
- Dependency
Requirements Engineering
- Requirements
- Stakeholders
- Business Requirements
- User / System Requirements
- SMART Metrics
- Feature Tree
- Context Diagram
Project Documentation
- Vision & Scope Document
- Project Charter
- Business Case Document
- Market Requirements Document (MRD)
Project Methodologies
- Traditional / Waterfall
- Agile
- V-Modell
- Scrum
- Lean
- Prince2
- RUP (Rational Unified Process)