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Search-Based Techniques for Optimizing Software Project Resource Allocation

G. Antoniol1, M. Di Penta1, and M. Harman2

1RCOST - Research Centre on Software Technology, University of Sannio, Department of Engineering, Palazzo ex Poste, Via Traiano 82100 Benevento, Italy
antoniol@ieee.org
dipenta@unisannio.it

2Department of Information Systems and Computing, Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH, UK
mark.harman@brunel.ac.uk

Abstract. In software development, testing and maintenance, as in other large scale engineering activities, effective project planning is essential. Failure to plan and/or poor planning can cause delays and costs that, given timing and budget constraints, are often unacceptable, leading to business–critical failures. Traditional tools such as the Project Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT), the Critical Path Method (CPM), Gantt diagrams and Earned Value Analysis help to plan and track project milestones. While these tools and techniques are important, they cannot assist with the identification of optimal scheduling assignment in the presence of configurable resource allocation. However, most large scale software projects involve several teams of programmers and many individual project work packages. As such, the optimal allocation of teams of programmers (the primary resource cost drivers) to Work Packages (WPs) is an important problem which cannot be overlooked.

Keywords: Software Project Management, Genetic Algorithms, Queuing Networks

LNCS 3103, p. 1425 f.

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