Custom software development

While developing complicated projects one faces the choice between centralized and decentralized project management. Centralized management implies that implementation of all project stages (from the easiest to the most difficult ones) is under control. At that, there is a "think tank", keeping track of everything, happening on the project. Decentralized management does not mean total rejection of project manager, who takes major decisions. This kind of management implies that control over project stages rests mostly with mini centers that report to the head the general course of some stage implementation, not going into details.

Both approaches are in use, but their efficiency depends on enterprise structure and on the project under development. The centralized approach offers an advantage of full control over the process, and it provides an opportunity to react timely if some stage of the project fails. Risks of exceeding projects terms or planned release issue is brought down to the minimum in this case. But there is the reverse: the think tank is overloaded with information flow if the project has too many stages and is divided into numerous subtasks. It has to process a great number of reports and, consequently, risks to fail its chief mission: full control. The overloaded center can focus on the quality of separate project stages implementation, but can lose the main idea of the project, at that. It is especially relevant in case of large-scale projects, complicated developments, when project participants are in different time zones. Mini-centers can be created on the basis of projects parts, split in accordance with their subjects, or of participants, close to each other in their geographical location. The head office does not know what exactly is happening on that or other area, but remains free for sustaining the main idea of the project and control over major stages of the project implementation. Using the decentralized approach the chief center certainly risks finding out about the failure of some stage at the last moment.

The world has been experiencing a wide application of the decentralized scheme recently. It has a direct bearing towards globalization and projects enlargement. Many companies have employees working in offices, located in different countries, or even at home. But one should not fully abandon the centralized approach - it is capable of ensuring an exact implementation of small tasks and projects, which bring a real profit and guarantee your company's development.