One model of the process of building and maintaining a project

Introduction

In this paper, the author tried to summarize his own experience in project management.
Do you need generalizations, incl. models in general? Wouldn't it be easier to follow specific clear guidelines and not to bother? Moreover, the models usually do not reveal any fundamentally new details.
An unequivocal and universal answer, perhaps, is not. However, it seems that it is often useful to look at what you are doing, in general, “from a bird's eye view”. After all, constantly being on the ground, paying attention to trifles, you risk going past something important.
It is clear that this is just a model, like the planetary model of the atom. It can not be absolutely accurate, sufficient and complete, finally, it is not the only one possible, but it seems that the model meets the criterion of productivity.
At the same time, the author understands the quite possible secondary nature of the ideas presented in this paper. However, I do not want to miss the probable possibility of increasing the mutual understanding of those involved in the drafting and evaluation of projects.
Best of all, the essence of the model is shown by its graphical representation. And the specific content of the model is made on the example of a software product development project.

Graphic presentation

The project is an onion. Layers - stages.

Note.

The author does not claim to complete the presentation of the stages even with this example (you can add: “Testing”, “Training”, “Support”, etc.).
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Explanations

• Why bulb:
- each layer depends on the previous one,
- it is impossible to bypass any of the stages,
- the earlier the stage, the more expensive the mistakes
- the later the stage, the higher the complexity.
• Actions that are common to all stages, made in the sector ("Documentation", "Control"). Here, most likely, is also not complete.
• The “research” layer (stage) may include a marketing component. Example: there is a list of ideas, research is being conducted on the subject of choosing the most promising market.
• You can also give other layer fillings, for example, from the MSCD course. In order to determine the place of each stage in the model, it is sufficient to compare its place relative to the others, on which it relies, and which relies on it.

Model Interpretation

What can we learn from this model?
1. The order of development.
2. Obligatory passage of each stage.
3. The dependence of the entire project on the quality of each stage.
4. Specific labor intensity, relative cost of stages.
5. The relative cost of the error.
6. The order of registration of the project, the mandatory monitoring and documentation.
7. Assessment of the project status.
8. Weaknesses - the transfer of necessary knowledge from stage to stage.
Other interpretations of this model are possible (onions).