Deliverables in a software development project

Question

Following a standard framework of project management, for a software development project we will provide deliverables (documents and software) at the end of each month :

My question is:

• From May to June, while software is in development, what would be the deliverable for each month?

• Each document starts as version 1.0. Is it possible to deliver same document one or two months later as version 2.0? Because it could happen changes on the way.

_{Users and clients ask me they want to see something as deliverable for each month, so they won't feel that the project is going without direction.}

Answer 1

As you said changes could happen along the way, would it be possible to shorten the cycle time to just 1 - 2 weeks and not wait until the end of each month? This will give user something to see as you're developing the software and also user can give some feedback more quickly. This will make them feel that they visually see something changed, and not see waiting nervously at the end of each month. So you can have a short meeting to let them know what will be deliverables for each week or two weeks. This is because I think small features doesn't have to be the whole month to complete. If the task is too big you could slice it and break it down to smaller ones. Then users will think they have seen a lot more than they expect.

And I think version number is just the thing you need to agree with the users. Smaller changes i would call it 1.1.1 and goes up every week to 1.1.2 then if the end of each month you can certainly raise to 1.2 or 1.3.

Answer 2

Based on the above you have a schedule of work. That work includes the specifications, technical requirements and a prototype.

Based on this I would expect that the deliverables in May->August would be a phased release of the application/project with each release building on the prototype so that in May the application/project would be 25% complete, June 50% complete etc.

Of course within that 25% complete in May some modules may be 100% complete and others 0% complete.

Before signing off on deliverables for May->August you should specify what aspects/modules of the application/project will be completed in each month.

Yes it is possible that based on delivered modules/changing requirements that the version could be move from 1.0 to 2.0 but it would be more normal for minor changes to be 1.0 to 1.1 or 1.2 etc.

If halfway through the project you are experiencing major version changes it is most likely that you will not be able to complete the project on time with the required functionality.