FREE Software Development Project Plan Template
Master software development project plan timelines with our intuitive software development project plan template project plan Gantt chart template.
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Why use our Software Development Project Plan Template instead of Excel or Google Sheets?
Get started with our Software Development Project Plan Template in seconds while skipping the hassle involved with Excel or Google Sheets.
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Move at the pace of modern business with no learning curve or Googling formulas.
Good luck figuring out how to make a Gantt chart work in Excel or Google Sheets. Excel’s user manual weighs in at a hefty 500+ pages. It takes just five minutes with Tom’s Planner to start planning your first real project plan.
Headache-free collaboration and sharing.
Tom's Planner offers powerful options for sharing and collaborating on Gantt charts, including public links, PDF exports, and team access with customizable permission levels. It’s never been easier to communicate or ensure everyone’s on the same page. Compare that to Excel, where sharing and collaboration mean jumping through hoop after hoop and dealing with confusion and chaos.
How to use Tom’s Planner’s software development project plan template to build and share your software project.
Getting your project off the ground is as easy as 1-2-3.
Step #1
Click the 'start with template’ button to open the Software Development Project Plan Template.
Step #2
Register for a free account and watch a short video on using Tom’s Planner. The account is free forever, with no strings attached.
Step #3
You’re all set to use the Gantt chart template. Need additional help? Our AI assistant can create a custom Gantt chart Software Development Project Plan Template based on your project description.
What is a software development project plan template?
Software projects allow you to develop tools that enable businesses to achieve important goals. Perhaps you’re working on a software project for a consumer-facing tool instead. Whatever the case, you must deal with deadlines, adhere to a budget, and meet the requirements of the project.
A software development template helps you develop a plan and put it into motion with ease. Think of it as a foundation for the entire project, a base for the processes that you and your development team will use to flesh out the project.
It provides a framework on which you can develop a timeline for project completion, including important milestones and the resources required within each phase.
The benefits of a software development Gantt chart
Software developers use a range of tools to create project development plans. For instance, it’s common to use a software development project plan template in Excel, but spreadsheets are the wrong tools for this. Instead, a Gantt chart like Tom’s Planner offers flexibility, customization, and the ability to plan your project and track progress easily.
With a software development Gantt chart, you can:
- Assign tasks to individuals
- Track progress
- Identify dependencies between tasks
- Create time blocks for tasks
Whether you’re building a back-end software solution or a new smartphone app for consumers, Tom’s Planner offers the planning capabilities that you need.
When to use a software development project plan template
In software development, a project planning Gantt chart plays a central role in many stages. Some of these include:
Planning:
A software development Gantt chart is invaluable during the planning phase. It helps you outline the project’s path forward, highlight tasks and dependencies, and clarify the sequence of development.
Resource Allocation:
Accurate resource allocation and management are critical considerations. A project plan template for software development simplifies allocation, tracking, and management throughout each stage of the project.
Stakeholder Communication:
From software developers to internal and external stakeholders, multiple people must communicate throughout the project. A software development schedule template keeps everyone informed about the status of the project.
A software development project Gantt chart like Tom’s Planner is a powerful tool for developers, C-suite members, and external stakeholders alike, and helps keep the project moving forward.
Who should use a software development project plan template?
Having the right tools during software development is only half the equation. You must also ensure that the right people have access. Some of those who will need to use a software development project plan template include:
Project Manager:
The project manager is tasked with overseeing and managing the entire project, from initial ideation all the way through deployment and post-deployment testing.
Development Teams:
Development teams need access to the software development Gantt chart to understand the tasks assigned to them, as well as to synchronize their efforts with other teams and stakeholders.
Product Owner:
The product owner will need access to the software development planner to stay in the loop on development progress to ensure that the software meets their functionality and usability goals.
Ensuring that all those who need access to the software development planning template have it will help ensure accurate communication and that everyone is on the same page.
Start with templateThe three top pitfalls to avoid when planning a software development project
Your goal is to deliver software that meets the owner’s functionality and usability requirements while offering a positive user experience. Skip these pitfalls to improve your chances of doing that:
- Not Documenting Requirements
Documenting requirements is a critical part of planning. Failing to do so can lead to misunderstandings, missing functionality, and low-quality software products.
Solution:Make documenting requirements a central part of your initial planning and refer back to them throughout the project.
- Scope Creep
Some change of scope is likely with most software development projects. However, scope creep can make it impossible to manage the project and deliver software that meets the owner’s requirements.
Solution:Set the project’s scope during the planning stages with a tool like Tom’s Planner and avoid deviating from it too much.
- Ignoring Feedback
Feedback is critical for making necessary improvements during development and testing. Ignoring it will result in low-quality software.
Solution:Seek feedback early and often throughout the project.
What does a software development project plan template include?
Every software project planning template should be unique to the project. However, most of them will require several similar phases. These may include:
- Requirements Gathering:
Any successful software development project requires accurate planning from the beginning. That starts by gathering requirements for the project, including identifying stakeholders, conducting user interviews, identifying the required functionalities, and setting priorities for requirements. Record this information in your choice of the available software project plan templates.
- Feasibility Analysis:
How feasible is the project? This stage involves defining its scope, assessing its technical, economic, and legal feasibility, evaluating risks involved with the project, and then putting all this information into a report for stakeholders. Make sure to use your Gantt chart for software development to help plan this.
- Project Planning:
Assuming that the project is feasible, the next stage is project planning. Here, you’ll set goals, identify tasks and dependencies, begin allocating resources, plan for risk management, set up communication capabilities for development teams, plan for quality assurance, and more.
- User Interface Design:
Your next stage is designing the user interface. This will involve several steps, from creating wireframes and designing UI elements to user flow mapping and UI testing.
- Technical Design:
Technical design involves designing the data structure and system architecture, developing security protocols, optimizing performance, and other steps.
- Development:
Finally, you’ll begin development. The steps here will vary depending on the development model you’re using, but will usually include setting up the coding environment, configuring databases, implementing functionality, implementing the UI, optimizing the code, and then reviewing the code.
- Testing and Deployment:
Finally, the software must be fully tested for functionality and to remove bugs before being deployed. Both testing and deployment are in-depth stages with multiple steps, including performance testing, system testing, system configuration, system launch, and post-deployment testing.
From business tools to consumer applications, a software development Gantt chart like Tom’s Planner streamlines your development process and provides the granular planning capabilities you deserve.
Four tips on how to make sure you reach your deadlines
1. Test, Test, and Test Again
Nothing will make you miss deadlines faster than bug-filled software. Test after each stage of development, then before deployment, as well as after deployment.
2. Keep Stakeholders Involved
Stakeholder communication and approval are crucial to meeting your deadlines. Identify stakeholders early in your planning and keep them involved using a tool like Tom’s Planner.
3. Plan Resources Accurately
Failure to plan your resources accurately could mean costly holdups in development. Make resource planning, allocation, and management central parts of your planning process.
4. Plan Time for User Training
For the project owner to get the most value from the product, users will need to be trained. Plan time for user training. This often occurs after deployment, but it is a critical stage in the software development lifecycle.
Gantt charts in Tom's Planner vs in Excel
| Excel | Tom's Planner | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | License required | Free version available |
| Learning curve | Hours | Minutes |
| Create your first Gantt chart | Hours | Minutes |
| Making an update in your chart | Several minutes | Seconds (drag & drop) |
| Sharing charts with others | At some point you will save and email a file titled: version_4_def_usethisversion_reallyfinal.xlsx | Online, one source of truth, always up to date, with no confusion |
| Look & Feel | Messy | Clean, polished and professional |
| Dependencies |  |
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| Filtering |  |
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| Zoom in/out | |
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| Automatic Legend | |
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| AI-assist | |
Let our AI assist do the work for you |
| Export to image or pdf | Requires workarounds to export | One mouse click |
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