Problem 2: Requirements change during the course of the project
The second most common problem with software projects is that the
requirements defined in the first phase change as the project progresses. This
may occur because as development progresses and prototypes are developed,
customers are able to more clearly see problems with the original plan and make
necessary course corrections; it may also occur because changes in the external
environment require reshaping of the original business problem and hence
necessitates a different solution than the one originally proposed.
Good project
managers are aware of these possibilities and typically already have backup
plans in place to deal with these changes.
To solve this problem, you should:
Have a clearly defined process for receiving, analyzing and
incorporating change requests, and make your customer aware of his/her entry
point into this process.
Set milestones for each development phase beyond which certain changes
are not permissible -- for example, disallowing major changes once a module
reaches 75 percent completion.
Ensure that change requests (and approvals) are clearly communicated to
all stakeholders, together with their rationale, and that the master project
plan is updated accordingly.