Software Engineering Resources
	Formulation and Planning Getting started is always difficult. On one hand, there is a tendency to procrastinate, to wait until every t is crossed and every i is dotted before work begins. On the other hand, there is a desire to jump right in, to begin building even before you really know what needs to be done. Both approaches are inappropriate, and that’s why the first two Web engineering framework activities emphasize formulation and planning. Formulation assesses the underlying need for the WebApp, the overall features and functions that users desire, and the scope of the development effort. Planning addresses the things that must be defined to establish a work flow and a schedule, and to track work as the project proceeds. Topic categories considered on this page are: Planning Formulation Books Planning Planning and Project Management Resources Pointer to a variety of useful resources. Seven steps to WebApp Project planning Focuses on the planning required to contract WebApp development. Managing Your Website Development: Eight Easy Steps to Project Management Brief but worthwhile advice. Planning a Web Site Addresses the key issues that must be considered as planning and formulation begin. Tips for planning your Web Project Words of wisdom for project planners. Recommended. pdf: Planning a Web Development Project A detailed discussion of what's required with examples. Recommended. Project Planning for WebApps A reasonably detailed discussion of the elements of a good project plan in a WebE context. A sample project plan-I A informative case study. pdf: A sample project plan-II Another informative case study. Effective Website Development Project Plan A brief outline. Questions that at WebE project plan should answer Addresses key questions and provides a detailed WBS. Project Start-up Problems A discussion of problems encountered during formulation and planning and how to overcome them. Website Planning Worksheet Developed by Wilson Internet Services to facilitate planning with their customers. Also links to design contract and content worksheet. Basic Planning Guidelines-1 The steps necessary to get a WebApp off the ground. David Rico's SPI Site Many useful papers on WebApp cost estimation are available only through the IEEE for a fee). Also a number of worthwhile links. Formulation Requirements Gathering - 1 Considering the options that may be used to formulate the problem a WebApp is to solve. Requirements Gathering - 2 An approach for gathering requirements from the "site owner" and "site visitors." Collecting Data from Users Methods for integrating users into the formulation of a WebApp Web Site Planning, Requirements Elicitation and Design This IBM site contains much useful information on planning, analysis and design of web sites. Excellent tutorial and guidelines. Recommended. pdf: WebApp Analysis A slide presentation by Bruce Maxim of UMich-Dearborn that emphasizes the importance of formulation. 13 common objections against user requirements analysis, and why you should not believe them "This article lists 13 common objections against user requirements analysis and why you should not believe them." Creating your web concept Answers the question: "Why spend time defining requirements?" Recommended. Books Methods for WebApp formulation and requirements gathering can be adapted from discussions of similar methods for traditional application software. Books noted for requirements engineering and analysis modeling contain much useful information for the Web engineer. Web Business Engineering discusses business analysis and related concerns that enable the Web engineer to better understand customer needs. Don’t Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability contains may guidelines and examples that can help the Web engineer to translate user requirements into an effective WebApp. Project management for WebE projects draws from many of the same principles and concepts that are applied for traditional software projects. However, agility is a watchword. Extreme Programming for Web Projects describes how agile development can be used for WebE and contains useful discussions of project management issues. Web Engineering: A Practitioner's Approach by Pressman and Lowe considers planning and formulation in considerable detail. A wide array of project management issues for WebE are discussed in the following books: Real Web Project Management How to Run Successful Projects in Web Time Web Project Management 90 Days to Launch: Internet Projects on Time and on Budget Managing Web Projects for Dummies The Web Site Project Prepbook 77 Sure-Fire Ways to Kill a Software Project discusses "worst practices" that are often encountered in WebApp development. Leading a Software Development Team presents may useful guidelines that can be adapted for web engineering teams. Content Management Systems provides a useful introduction to CMS Content Management Bible presents a voluminous discussion of virtually every aspect of content management. Web Content Management presents a more abbreviate view of how to manage WebApp assets. Techniques for using Web Metrics in business decision making are presented in the following books: Web Metrics: Proven Methods for Measuring Web Site Success Measuring the Success of Your Web Site Web Site Analysis and Reporting Capacity Planning for Web Services: Metrics, Models and Methods