Project Management

Plan, track, and coordinate software development projects effectively.

Task Breakdown

Work Decomposition

1. Break features into deliverable units (1-3 day effort)
2. Identify dependencies between tasks
3. Define clear acceptance criteria
4. Estimate complexity (not time)

Task Sizing (Story Points)

Points	Description
1	Trivial change, well-understood
2	Small task, minor complexity
3	Medium task, some unknowns
5	Larger task, multiple components
8	Complex task, significant effort
13	Very complex, consider splitting

Sprint Planning

Capacity Planning

Available capacity = Team size × Days × Focus factor (0.6-0.8)
Recommended commitment = 70-80% of capacity
Buffer = 20-30% for unknowns

Sprint Structure

1. Planning - Select and commit to sprint goals
2. Daily sync - Blockers, progress, coordination
3. Development - Execute on committed work
4. Review - Demo completed work
5. Retrospective - Process improvements

Dependency Analysis

Identify Dependencies

• Technical: APIs, data schemas, libraries
• Resource: People, environments, tools
• External: Third-party services, approvals

Critical Path

1. Map all task dependencies
2. Identify longest path to completion
3. Prioritize critical path tasks
4. Monitor for delays

Progress Tracking

Key Metrics

• Velocity: Points completed per sprint
• Burn-down: Remaining work over time
• Cycle time: Start to completion duration
• Blocked time: Time waiting on dependencies

Status Categories

Not Started → In Progress → In Review → Done
                    ↓
                 Blocked (note blocker)

Stakeholder Communication

Status Updates

## Project Status: [Project Name]
**Date**: [Date]
**Health**: [Green/Yellow/Red]

### Completed This Period
- [Accomplishments]

### In Progress
- [Current work]

### Upcoming
- [Next priorities]

### Risks/Blockers
- [Issues needing attention]

Escalation Triggers

• Blocked for >2 days without resolution path
• Scope change affecting timeline >20%
• Critical dependency at risk
• Resource conflicts

Risk Management

Risk Assessment

Risk	Likelihood	Impact	Mitigation
[Description]	Low/Med/High	Low/Med/High	[Plan]

Common Risks

• Scope creep: Define clear boundaries, change process
• Technical debt: Allocate capacity for maintenance
• Key person dependency: Document, cross-train
• Integration issues: Early integration testing

Team Coordination

Handoffs

1. Document context and decisions
2. Update task status and notes
3. Notify receiving party
4. Verify understanding

Conflict Resolution

1. Identify root cause (technical vs process)
2. Gather perspectives from all parties
3. Focus on project goals, not positions
4. Document decision and rationale