Every software project needs a plan. The level of detail should be appropriate for the size and complexity of the project. At an absolute minimum, you will need:
- A PERT chart showing the interdependencies among tasks.
- A GANTT chart showing when activity will be underway on each task.
- A list of realistic milestones (based on previous projects).
- A set of standards for writing documentation and code.
- An allocation of people to various tasks.
As projects increase in complexity, each of these requirements becomes more detailed and more complex, and other documentation becomes necessary. A project without a plan is out of control before it even starts. As the Cheshire Cat said to Alice in Wonderland, "If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there!"
Reference:
Glaser, G., "Managing Projects in the Computer Industry," IEEE Computer, October 1984.
