Since the earliest days of the computer industry, managing a software project has been a complex and demanding activity. While the technical content of software products and the technical methods used to build them have changed over time, the fundamental issues that determine the success or failure of software project have remained fairly constant. The contents of this book, together with the underlying IEEE Standards, are dedicated to helping the reader in their ongoing task to produce quality software products in a conventional manner. This book, containing all original material, is built on the proposition that the IEEE Software Engineering Standards capture many of the fundamental "best practices" of software project management. It will assist the reader in successfully applying those standards to their projects and their organization. To meet this goal, the authors discuss and elaborate on the standards covering these three key management areas:

• Software systems engineering
• Process for developing software products
• Planning and control of software project activities

The body of the text is correspondingly organized into three important parts: Software Systems Engineering; Process Management and Control; and Project Planning and Management.