Software Project Management: New Analysis of Specific Engineering and Management Processes in Modern Graphical Printing Industry Production

Proper and effective Software Project Management (SPM) is usually the most important factor in the outcome of a project for many companies in “modern graphical printing industry production” (MGPIP) and their project engineers and managers [7]. Article opens new analytical directions for proper management of the software project in MGPIP, which can be one of the important reasons for success. By using effective project management techniques a project manager can improve the chances of success in graphical printing production. Problem is how to analytically combine these techniques into a practical and best effective workable process? For effective solution one need a balanced process that covers the management and production of the entire project from inception to completion. This work proposes that only few simulation models (and stochastic simulations) can analytically (and on scientific research basis) solve specific management and engineering organisational, controlling and monitoring problems of SPM in MGPIP. Mentioned simulation models are bases for simulations of components of whole graphical production process, from digital records arrivals to finished printing plate. Why to simulate components of whole graphical production process, from digital records arrivals to finished printing plate? Possible important answer is that nowadays MGPIP is in a time of big changing of (especially “mass printing”) production technology in a way of to integration traditional printing with digital printing, and moving in the space of digital printing for internet, intranet and for wide web systems usage [5]. This research solve some practical problems of MGPIP in accordance with the stated before, and this paper shows the result of a scientific comparison of the existing practical systems that function in different ways in MGPIP of famous Croatian printing house “Vjesnik” Zagreb and largest Croatian (daily news) publishing house EPH (“Europapress Holding”) Zagreb, but whose main aim is offering solution contents, knowledge, information, etc., and to reach as many users as possible by means of this and similar solutions. This research was part of main Scientific research named “Analytical Model for Monitoring of New Education Technologies for Long Life Learning“ conducted by Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia (Registered Number 227-2271694-1699). Key-Words: Software Project Management, Stochastic Simulation, Modern Graphical Printing Industry Production 1 General Introduction As Warren Buffett said: “It is better to be approximately right than precisely wrong”, but is that enough to say for specific problems of nowadays “modern graphical printing industry production” (MGPIP)? Let us see. From literature [7] it is well known that proper and effective “Software Project Management” (SPM) is usually the most important factor in the outcome of a project for many companies in MGPIP and their project engineers and managers. Also, effective SPM is mainly based on the models similar to SPM model of the Infosys Technologies Ltd., which has been assessed at level 5 (the highest level) of the widely adopted Capability Maturity Model® (CMM®), and whose project managers have successfully executed hundreds of projects. The CMM for software is a framework that was originally developed by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) at Carnegie Mellon University by observing the best practices. The CMM mainly reflects the collective process experience and expectations of many companies and it specifies desired characteristics of processes without precisely prescribing specific processes. Consequently, it can be used to evaluate the software process of an organization or company in MGPIP and to identify deficiencies. Like the CMM is one of the most WSEAS TRANSACTIONS on COMPUTERS Vladimir Simovic ISSN: 1109-275