Product Description
KEY BENEFIT: This introduction to software engineering and practice addresses both procedural and object-oriented development. KEY TOPICS:Is thoroughly updated to reflect significant changes in software engineering, including modeling and agile methods. Emphasizes essential role of modeling design in software engineering. Applies concepts consistently to two common examples — a typical information system and a real-time system. Combines theory with real, practical applications by providing an abundance of case studies and examples from the current literature. MARKET: A useful reference for software engineers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Not For People Who Actually Write Software
This book spends the majority of its time covering the management aspects of software engineering, with very little time covering the actual writing of the software. Many of the examples are abstract to a fault and in many cases aren't even related to writing software. This book spends only 4 pages going over Agile development methods, most of it in an extremely negative tone. The book encourages over-analyzing software engineering problems, which can create the illusion of understanding where none actually exists. Simply put, this book is amazing if you don't actually write software. However, if you enjoy agonizing over every potential problem in a software development project; if you think that comprehensive documentation is better than working software, then this book is for you.

Decent Work
This book was a required text for a graduate course in Software Engineering that I had taken. We covered about 2/3rd's of the text in class. The authors have done a pretty good job of presenting various concepts and I liked this book for the most part. In some places, the diagrams presented are very confusing (especially in design related chapters such as chapter 6 Considering Objects) since the notation used deviates from the standard UML. While I had to do a class project for the course that included design and implementation, I supplemented this book with Applying UML and Patterns by Craig Larman, which does an excellent job in presentation of UML for software design. I will recommend this book to novices to intermediate level readers in this arena. Note that this book does not cover concurrency (but only stand alone applications), so our professor used another book - Concurrency State Models and Java Programs by Jeff Magee and Jeff Kramer - for this purpose. These two books together will give an interested reader a pretty good introduction to the software engineering field.

Only syntactically correct.
Many sections of this book can be renamed to: "Random Words Put Together To Sound Like Sentences".

Not a good choice
This is a dry, historically oriented, compendium of software engineering issues. A much more readable, and very practical, introduction is McConnell's "Rapid Development" (1996) which seems much more up to date than Pfleeger's book.Read "Rapid Development" first whatever else you do. Next read one of the "Agile" intro books by Larman or Cockburn (or others). Then you'll know which of Pfleeger's topics have relevance to today's software world.

Pfleeger's only acknowledgment of the "agile" development revolution of the last eight years is four pages!

Will stay on my bookshelf after my coursework is finished.
I had to purchase this book as a required textbook for a Software Engineering course. Not only was I pleased material and the way it was presented, but I have used it numerous times as a reference book for my other software related courses. If it is on your required reading list, don't fret at the price tag like I did, pick up the book, it's a good read and worth the cash! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (20)

Informative
Well written, diverse book, a lot of valuable insights into the software industry and the various career paths one can take.

Highly recommended for anyone getting into, or already involved in the industry.

Just couldn't finish...
I simply couldn't finish this book.The author uses too many labels for people in this book and doesn't give enough valuable tips to help people with the various parts of an IT person's career.The book spends much time labeling each type of person and supposedly how to handle them based on the author's perspective.It's not as much of a career guide, as more like examples of how to handle different situations that one can come across during various points of your career.To me, much of this seems like common sense coming from someone who has been working professionally for five plus years in the IT industry.It could be of more benefit to people who are more entry-level in their careers.

Good food for thought.
I had the opportunity to review this book. It's a very good resource for geeks, especially since most people in our industry (IT) haven't given much thought to managing their career.There are a large number of career guides but this book is unique in both the way it's presented and the type of focus it has. You have to guard your professional reputation, no one will do it for you!Being Geek shows you ways to do this in addition to showing your worth to management and managing your manager... All the while moving forward in your career. I'd recommend this book to anyone in IT that hasn't given much thought to the long term.It's written in a humorous and informal manner and most can find some advice that will assist them in "Being Geek".

Being a geek is a good thing!
I'm not a developer or an engineer, but enjoy computers, technology, and other geek-related things.Just reading the cover, I figured this book wouldn't have a whole lot to offer me.I was wrong.

The book is full of useful and helpful information for anyone who's mind is more geek related than other's.I found that I am more of a geek than I ever realized, that I have a more linear concept of things and want to know WHY, which really put me into the geek category.I now understand why staff meetings are so difficult for me, as they're currently run, why I have trouble talking with others in my team, and the best ways for me to counteract those issues between us.

The book itself is a collection of chapters, each of which are useful in and of themselves.You don't have to read the whole book in sequence, you don't even have to read the whole book!I found that each chapter had something I could easily use, information that really made sense to me, and it also helped me to relate better to my other, even more geeky, friends.I've been recommending this book to anyone who is either a geek or knows a geek, those looking for a job or just wanting to progress in their current career.There are a lot of no-nonsense tips in here, which makes it a great tool for anyone.

I've read reviews that were disappointed, because they were familiar with Lopp's blog - Rands in Repose - and are upset that he wasn't more original in the book.Having never read his blog, I don't know how it compares to that information.All I know is that I really enjoyed this book and it's already rewarding me with the tips I learned while reading.Definitely a worthwhile investment.

Worth it
Just finished the book and it was worth every penny of that $24.99.There were a few typo's, but that probably irks Mr. Lopp more than anyone else and that gives me my just deserts.Even with the typo's, it was still worth it. ... Read more

Product Description
Software Licensing Handbook, Second Edition ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Software Licensing Toolkit
This is an excellent reference for anyone who currently, or is planning to review, draft, or negotiate software license and related agreements.

It's not a cookbook with contract provisions but a How-To book for anyone who needs to understand the what, why, and how of reviewing, drafting, and negotiating software agreements. One of the greatest strengths of this book is that it provides complex concepts in a non-legalese manner and provides suggestions for both the buyer and the seller.

If you're just learning and have never reviewed or negotiated a software contract before this is an excellent book to be used as a learning tool, guidebook, and checklist.

For those that do it for a living this is an excellent book to be used as a refresher, reference and checklist. ... Read more

Product Description
Cuts to the heart of computer security to help you get security right the first time. Your first step toward building more secure software. Provides expert perspectives and techniques to help you ensure the security of essential software. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

It covers pretty well software security theory
It is a good book but with the exception of the chapter on buffer overflows, my perception of the book is that it focus mainly on the theory of software security. As someone who has an engineer formation, I have a preference for books more pratical with more concrete examples. For this reason, I did prefer Hunting Security Bugs

So very very good
When I read this, I was like oh my gosh, how could I ever code like that.

This book is so, so very important if you care about secure coding.

Highly recommended
Accurate, to-the-point, and proper coverage of main topics. Good job on part of authors.
Unfortunately, the book's accompanying website (www.buildingsecuresoftware.com/) at the time of this writing is not responding.

Software Security lives
One of the authors here.John Viega and I were very pleased with this book, which seems to have ignited an entire field.Now that we have a few more years under our belts, I recommend that you check out Software Security: Building Security In for a treatment of how to put the software security philosophy in this book into practice.

It's time to DO software security.

The book that launched a new security genre
'Building Secure Software' (BSS) is an excellent book.I can't believe it was published in the fall of 2001, and I've only gotten to it now.Negative reviewers should remember that a single book can't address every security topic under the sun.BSS is the first of several titles by authors Viega and McGraw; those looking for additional details can peruse their later books.

BSS has three overall strengths which merit a five star review.First, the book contains the distilled wisdom of its two authors.We are lucky to have two developers-turned-security-experts sharing their insights with us.They explain many concepts in plain language suitable for coders and non-coders alike.I especially enjoyed their ten guiding principles of ch 5 and the auditing software advice of ch 6.In other sections, like ch 4, they argue that 'open source' does not equal 'secure.'In ch 2 the authors explain the importance of system specifications, i.e., how is a system expected to act under a given situation?These sorts of insights are useful for managers as well as developers.

Second, BSS backs up its recommendations with real code examples.The authors don't just tell you what to do -- they show you.In many cases they begin with a 'naive' implementation fraught with errors, which they then incrementally improve.The password material in ch 13 is an example of this technique.A related benefit of the book was its description of attack trees in ch 6, which I find helpful.

Third, the authors very thoroughly discuss topics mentioned in other books, but not backed up in those titles by code samples.For example, ch 7 has a very detailed buffer overflow explanation.If you want to follow actual code and memory locations to understand how to write a buffer overflow exploit, ch 7 will explain how to do it.

BSS's errata doesn't seem to be available at the defunct book Web site, although I was able to retrieve it via the Internet Archive.My main concern with the book's content was the replacement of the security principle of 'availability' by another principle, 'authentication.'In other words, when one mentions 'the big three security goals,' (p. 22) they are 'confidentiality,' 'integrity,' and 'availability,' not 'authentication.'

I didn't find the relative lack of Windows-specific material to be a problem.The book's errata addresses some of the negative reviewers' concerns.Several years after its initial publication, BSS is still a timely and relevant read that I recommend to all developers and security professionals. ... Read more

Product Description

This application-oriented bookshows how to apply proven software metrics andmethods to efficiently manage software developmentand maintenance--to help boost productivity,efficiency, and quality of software projects atevery stage of the process. Detailing practical methods throughout, the bookcovers tips to best measure and present progress,a useful model for understanding organizationlimitations, possible problems in processimprovement illustrated by examples, evidence ofwhat works and what doesn't work, and more. An ideal reference for projectmanagers and professionals responsible for processimprovement.n

Customer Reviews (9)

Classic study.Somewhat dated methods for web development, but good foundation.
This book is a classic on one of the earliest efforts to collect software metrics. It's getting a bit dated for today's webdev efforts, but still worth a read to understand how we got where we are today.

A Practioner's Handbook
I bought this book about 5 years ago after getting certified as a project manager.This book give me a holistic view of how to intepret data collected from tracking the entire software lifecycle and manage and integrate best practices into a software business.

The author's vast experience in HP helps to provide good assurance that his concepts used were tried and robustly tested. Therefore, software failures, internal flags and customer feedbacks can immediately give you a fairly visible prognosis to the robustness of a release and flashes early warning signs of how you should manage that product to reduce damage to your business, etc..Practical for technical managers having to manage the business operations.

Practical and excellent reference
Although this book is over 10 years old, it could have been written this year.The concepts are still relevant.
The author concludes that there are 2 primary reasons to undertake a metrics program for software development -- 1) tracking progress and 2) identifying improvements.The book is divided into 2 parts, with the first part discussing project management metrics and the second part metrics to improve your software development processes.I particularly liked the goal/question/metric approach to validate the metrics you are collecting. The text is loaded with examples from the author's experience at HP.There are several charts and diagrams.This is not an academic read, but as the title says -- practical.The author also covers people issues, such as selling your metrics program to management and staff.It is a quick read and a very useful reference book.

Seamless integration of development and project activities
This is Grady's first book and it sets the tone for his later two books, Successful Software Process Improvement and Software Metrics: Establishing a Company-wide Program.What makes this book so important is that it is one of the first to integrate software metrics with project management metrics.

What I particularly like about this book includes:

(1) Complete view of metrics that matter, and the chronicle of how these metrics evolved in a large company (Hewlett-Packard).
(2) Recognition that any software metrics initiative extends beyond the project that delivers the software - Grady examines post-production metrics and ties them back to not only the development life cycle, but the product life cycle as well. Ten years after this book was published there are still large organizations that are struggling with doing this, yet Grady's book provides a clear roadmap to achieving this elusive goal.
(3) Continuous improvement is the central theme in this book.Grady does not stop with collecting and analyzing metrics, but how to effectively employ them to spot improvement opportunities and develop a strategy to effect those improvements.

The book is written as both a story of how a successful metrics program evolved, complete with anecdotes that will prove helpful, and as a collection of data that illustrates what is and is not important to a comprehensive metrics program.

Among all of Grady's books I like this one the best; however, I recommend that his other two also be carefully read if software process improvement is your goal.He has much to say and backs it up with data and a chronicle of his experiences from real projects.

Easy read, valuable desk reference and metrics resource
I was introduced to Mr. Grady's work when I borrowed a copy of Software Metrics: Establishing a Company-Wide Program.Where that book interwove a storyline into metrics and how they support mature process improvement, this book is more like a desk reference.Mr. Grady has divided this book into two parts:tactical metrics, which are project-oriented, and strategic metrics which address process improvement.

The first part starts with a collection of practical rules of thumb for software managers. This collection of heuristics covers every phase of the development life cycle and are backed up with data gathered during 125 software projects at Hewlett-Packard.An example of one of these rules of thumb is that you will find 1 defect after software has been released into production for every 10 defects caught during testing. This, of course, is purely empirical, but is an interesting rule that I mentally filed away. Some highlights of the first part are: a good introduction to the goal-question-metric approach to determining what to measure based on your objectives, and a focus on project goals of maximizing customer satisfaction while minimizing project schedule and costs, and product defects.This is followed by chapters that address each of these goals.One of the best chapters in the first part of this book is work analysis. While I am more focused on the service delivery side of metrics (after the project has produced something that has been released into production), some of the metrics were very valuable to me - especially the ones that revolved around testing and QA.

Part 2 is squarely in my domain - production and application support, and service delivery. The best chapter, Dissecting Software Failures, was one of the most insightful descriptions of the defect life cycle I have ever read. It fully addresses defect data collection and analysis, and how to use this data to effect process and product improvement.Even better is the chapter on investing in process improvement.Here Mr. Grady gives a workable approach to using the defect data to developing a business case for process improvement. He guides you through developing a plan, selecting from among an array of solutions, and case studies.

This book is a quick read. It's main value lies in the many tables and facts provided on nearly every page.I use it as a desk reference, especially the appendices that summarize defect origins, types and modes, and metrics definitions.It spans both project and production metrics, and is as valuable to project managers as it is to application support professionals. ... Read more

Product Description
* A highly anticipated book from a world-class authority who has trained on every continent and taught on many corporate campuses, from GTE to Microsoft
* First book publication of the two critically acclaimed and widely used testing methodologies developed by the author, known as MITs and S-curves, and more methods and metrics not previously available to the public
* Presents practical, hands-on testing skills that can be used everyday in real-life development tasks
* Includes three in-depth case studies that demonstrate how the tests are used
* Companion Web site includes sample worksheets, support materials, a discussion group for readers, and links to other resources ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Solid text as an introductory tutorial
Good test for those wanting to learn the basics on testing software.As someone who has been thrust into software testing, this book has served me well in getting my feet off the ground.

Good book on software testing, but interesting also for other test engineers
Recommended book for software test engineers. Since the author also discusses political aspects of testing in today's real business world, where the CFO rather than the CEO rules, this is an interesting book for other test engineers, too.

One of the main topics of the book are what the author calls MITs, the "most important tests". The MITs are determined using various methods, including path analysis, boundary value analysis, expert interviews, and test ranking.

While there are nice explanations of the other methods, my first impression was that the author's explanation of her ranking method was lacking technical details. Actually, that ranking method is rather simple. Use of consistent terminology and some detracting errors in examples just make it more difficult than necessary for the reader to understand.

Meat ratio is too low
I am a graduate of Computer Science and found a job in software testing. I bought this book based on the Recommendations on Amazon. However, after reading a few chapters, I am disappointed:

The topic of the book is about Software Testing. However, many times the author goes off the topic, discussing something like:

"A software bug has properties much like a real insect: height, length, weight, type or class( family, genus, spider, beetle, ant, etc ... ), color, and so on. It also has attributes like poisonous or non poisonous, flying or nonflying, vegetarian or carnivorous ..." (page 109)

I wondered: Am I reading a Biology book?

In many other places, the author introduced the content of other books. Several times, he quoted the definitions from the Webster dictionary. Of course, references or quoting is good, but the author has overused them.

In order to save time, I have to skip many pages of the book when the author goes off the topic. Overall, the book has around 400 pages, but in my opinion, the author can reduce the book's size to one third and the book can still be able to carry the same information.

My suggestion for the new edition: keep the content as precise as possible by going straight into the details. It will save the time of the readers.

Risk based software testing
This text describesMITs (Most Important Tests),a risk based test methodology.MITs makes use of prioritized test cases, which collectively are referred to as a test inventory. The book is organized in 3 sections.Chapters 1 through 5 focus on background concepts.Chapters 6 through 8 focus on the test inventory and how to create it.Chapters 9 through 14 discuss risk analysis,test techniques , and test planning and estimation.

Although the author describes how her methods fit with either traditional or agile software development,I feel it is geared towards tradtional software development with its heavy investment in upfront planning.Agreed upon test inventories she asserts are important to communicate both the value and cost of testing, as well as to establish a contract of what will and what won't be tested for the project.

Although the subtitle of the text is "methods and metrics", there was just one chapter devoted to test metrics.

Overall, I appreciated the "how - to" orientation of the text; this is a book for the test practioner.There are several examples which can be used for sample test templates and checklists.There is also a companion web site, a glossary of terms, and comprehensive end notes.

Unique perspective aimed at product line testing
Traditional software testing focuses two key metrics - defect removal efficiency and, in mature environments, defect density.This book takes a different approach that, on first read, may seem like anarchy to experienced test professionals who work on internal projects.However, when you stop and consider the context in which Ms. Hutcheson is using, the methods and metrics she sets forth make perfect sense.

The context is delivery of commercial products or getting company-critical applications rolled out for purposes of competitive advantage.Within this context she defines the following goals: (1) first to market with the product, (2) optimum pricing model, (3) products with the right features, (4) keeping unacceptable bugs to an absolute minimum. For the last she has a corollary, "Make sure your bugs are less expensive and less irritating than your competitor's", which is not the 'party line' in testing, especially in organizations that strive for zero defects, but is realistic, and especially so when time-to-market is critical.In some ways this book reflects software testing in marketing-driven product development.This is further reinforced by the following definitions and objectives:
- definition of quality is customer satisfaction.
- system for achieving quality is constant refinement.
- measure of quality is the profit.
- target goal of the quality process is a hit every time.

Achieving the above within the software testing domain does require a departure from conventional thinking and methods, and how to go about achieving them is thoroughly covered in the body of the book.The key approach is to develop a test strategy that is based on 'Most Important Tests'.Supporting activities covered include building a test inventory, managing risk, and a feedback loop of data analysis.

In addition to being aligned to product line development, this book's approach can also be easily tailored to rapid, iterative development approaches such as agile methods.If you are working in an internal development environment that uses 'heavier' development lifecycles this book is not going to fit; however, if you work in a product-oriented environment this book will not only change your thinking, but will provide the basis for an integrated development-marketing approach that could make a real difference in competitive advantage. ... Read more

Product Description

Don’t Let Software Failures Destroy Your Business

• The growing impact of software failures on brands, customers, and business performance
• How to govern software more effectively, prepare for glitches, and mitigate their impact
• By Jeff Papows, Ph.D., one of the world’s most experienced software executives

Your software systems are the heart of your business–and they may be vulnerable. In Glitch, industry leader Jeff Papows, Ph.D., outlines the three converging forces that are leading to the proliferation of glitches. Papows explains why and how these glitches are affecting businesses, government agencies, and consumers and provides recommendations as to what we can do about them.

Written for senior decision makers, Papows explains why the risks of software failure are growing worse, not better–and shows how software glitches can destroy both your profitability and your reputation. He also introduces proven governance techniques that can help you systematically find and fix weaknesses in the way you build, buy, and manage software.

Don’t fall victim to the next business software disaster. Read Glitch–and learn about the cultural, technical, and business issues behind software glitches, so you can proactively prevent them.

Customer Reviews (17)

an obvious must fix problem
I have worked as a software test & evaluation engineer for more than two decades.My job is to identify software problems during the software development phase so they can be fixed prior to release to the intended users.In Glitch, Dr Papows defines very real problems with software currently released for public use.Based in my professional experience, I know the problems documented by Dr Papows are a threat to us all and need to be addressed immediately to avoid the increase of incidents of the real and tragic experiences defined in his book.I also know that software glitches will continue to multiply bringing catastrophic life situations to more of us and likely in the very near term.This is a "must read" if you own a computer, have a cell phone, receive medical treatment, use and ATM, drive a car.. essentially if you are alive. Glitch clearly identifies how and why software glitches occur, as well as, solutions that can be easily implemented to help individuals avoid having software glitches affect their lives and what can be done during development of new or updating existing software to mitigate the hazard of software glitches in the future.Glitch is readable with the problem definition and solutions easily assimilated.

What to read while downloading the next software patch
A reasonable, non-hysterical survey of the very recent history of software errors that have cost companies millions of dollars as well as customer loyalty. Divided into short, chapters that are balanced between brief case studies and possible solutions for common errors, the book would be a nice addition to the bookshelves of IT managers at every level of the software design and development process. It would be nice if a second printing provided an improved index to make it easier to find references to a specific company or type of error.

Software runs the world - Ignore at your own peril
Today, software runs the world and software failures can be devastating for people, corporations, and governments. Glitch provides invaluable insight into where and how things can go wrong and the safeguards and policies required to avoid disaster. A must read. Highly recommended.

Eye Opener
I've been in the software development industry for close to 27 years in a variety of roles- architect, engineer, network management- and I've coded in so many languages that I cant even count. The message in this book hits home; I've been a part of so many fire drills over the years that have cost the companies I've worked for MILLIONS. Glitch sheds a bright light on the Impact these problems have created and the potential of what's to come, which is scary if we can't get it right!

No Longer "Just An IT Problem"
A compelling read!Mr. Papows, in a clear, insightful analysis, explains how the role of information technology has evolved within the enterprise.IT operations have become inseparable from business operations, with packaged and internally developed software invovled in virtually every business function.While the IT revolution has produced enormous advantages in areas from web-based computing to supply chain automation, less understood are the often catastrophic outcomes resulting from poorly designed software.Senior executives can no longer assume that technology issues are solely the responsibility of the IT gurus.Citing many astonishing examples, Mr. Papows provides a cautionary tale and prescriptive policy framework for all senior executives to consider as they seek to balance technology expansion with IT governance. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (24)

Makes you think about recovery oriented software

If you ever "go live" and start getting the "oh sh#$" queasy feeling, you need to read this book.
To be perfectly clear, this is not a software design patterns book in the mold of GOF, POEAA, POSA etc, though it is chock full of failure scenarios and how to handle it.This book is not about how to pass QA(zero high priority bugs & deliver all functionality), but how to design your system for the real world.When your user base multiplies by a factor of 10 and you still need to handle the 5 9s; when an external dependency fails or responds sloooooowly; when you run out of threads etc.

Buy it, read it and become a better engineer.

-Venu

Helped me fix broken software.
As a project manager working on enterprise systems in a Fortune 500 company, I find myself coming back to this resource frequently -- maybe too frequently, as software has an amazing ability to fail in ways I don't expect. My development team has gained much from stability patterns outlined in this book, such as circuit breaker and bulkhead. I highly recommend this book as a guide to working in the real world of releasing software. -Greg

Enjoyed it
I am halfway done through it. I have worked on e-commerce product for about 2 years. Didn't realize before reading this book the horrors a production system goes through. Definitely it is going to motivate me to work for a production ready software for my next projects.

Application Architecture and Integration in the Real World
I've recommended this book to many colleagues of mine and haven't heard a disappointing review to date. I've heard the terms `pessimistic' and `realistic' used with equal frequency to describe this book. Having just completed my second reading, I can affirm that these terms are both representative take-aways. Nygard openly admits to being more than a bit paranoid about the way he approaches enterprise application architecture. Although this may seem alarming to many new to the IT field, those of us who have been around for a while recognize this as a necessary, at times life saving, defense mechanism.

Despite the presence of patterns, this is not really a pattern book that can be read piecemeal. It's best read and enjoyed end-to-end. The books serves to teach us old dogs some new tricks as well as serving as a way to say "welcome to the field of enterprise application architecture" to team members new to this role.

Book Strengths
--------------
* Real world production incidents, just in case you think: (a) you're the only one who ever gets into such situations; or (b) such things don't happen in the real world with large enterprise applications (where do you work?)
* The patterns. Even though there's no sample code, the real value is in describing and cataloging these patterns.

Book Weaknesses
---------------
* Organizational inconsistency. Two sections of the book (Stability and Capacity) follow the anti-pattern / pattern approach while the other sections of the book (General System Design and Operations) follow more of a narrative approach.

Yeah, the book focuses almost entirely on Java-based systems but almost all of the book has direct applicability to other enterprise technologies. In the last chapter of the book, Adaptation, Nygard's writing style tends to wander a bit and deviate towards a rant. However, it's hard to fault him for this, especially when he states things so eloquently:

"Real enterprises are always messier than the enterprise architecture would ever admit. New technologies never quite fully supplant old ones. A mishmash of integration technologies will be found, from flat-file transfer with batch processing to publish/subscribe messaging. Any strategy formulated predicated on creating a monoculture--whether it is a single integration technology or a single programming language--is doomed to be a costly failure."

Practical Stuff
This book contains practical knowledge which I had to learn through hard knocks and falls. If I have this book 7 years ago, a lot of bloody-nose and and late nights would have been prevented.
This book contains valuable architecture stuff from both software development and infrastructure know-how (E.g. clustering, availability) which many architect lacks in today's (silo-based) IT industry.
It also speaks about the conflict of interest between users, developers & operators & administrators.
I would have given it 5 stars if the writting style is more consistent and the flow of thoughts is more structured.
Nonetheless, this is the best architecture book I have read. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

The book I will recommend to folks new to Agile
I had a chance to talk with the author at length about the book after I read it. You can really tell Johnathan knows his stuff, and that the advice offered has been battle-tested. His choice to use humor makes the book readable, fun, and an easy read. For people new to agile, or even seasoned practitioners who want to learn some clever ways to communicate what agile is and isn't, this book will no doubt be useful for years to come.

Agile in the wild
What this book isn't: boring theory about agile methodology and history of "how did it all start". This book is neither source of THE secret of agile software development.

What this book is: a great and valuable source of reality connected simple facts that would allow you to re-evaluate how you build your software. Inception Deck is a great tool to kick off a project. Project planning and execution from agile point of view and with developers in mind are chapters that logically explain how to address everyday issues on traditional projects. This book is about achieving targets by going with simplicity.

Great read
I read through this book pretty fast. It's a great resource for people like me who had a shaky understanding of agile methodology. I knew a few concepts (stories, iterations) but not really a big picture from start to end. This seems to cover everything "agile", at least to a beginner like me (project inception, planning,execution,etc). Everything is written in an entertaining way with samples to really help you get the concept the author is writing about. All the complexity of agile is easy to follow in this book. This will be my handy resource that I'll keep at work for sure. It would have been handier if I'd had it sooner!

Agile Samurai Delivers!
If you have any interest at all in Agile development this is the book you need to pick up. The Agile Samurai is a great resource to bring you and your team up to speed, and also gives great tips and techniques to those are are well on their way down the Agile path. Not only is it well written with concepts that flow flawlessly into one another and are easy to understand but it's also full of humor to keep you smiling along the way.

Great resource for Agile Developers and Leads
I bought this book after my CTO came into my office and said "You need to buy this book."It was a great resource and helped us iron out some kinks in our Agile process. ... Read more

Product Description

When software development teams move to agile methods, experienced project managers often struggle—doubtful about the new approach and uncertain about their new roles and responsibilities. In this book, two long-time certified Project Management Professionals (PMP^Rs) and Scrum trainers have built a bridge to this dynamic new paradigm. They show experienced project managers how to successfully transition to agile by refocusing on facilitation and collaboration, not “command and control.”

The authors begin by explaining how agile works: how it differs from traditional “plan-driven” methodologies, the benefits it promises, and the real-world results it delivers. Next, they systematically map the Project Management Institute’s classic, methodology-independent techniques and terminology to agile practices. They cover both process and project lifecycles and carefully address vital issues ranging from scope and time to cost management and stakeholder communication. Finally, drawing on their own extensive personal experience, they put a human face on your personal transition to agile--covering the emotional challenges, personal values, and key leadership traits you’ll need to succeed.

Coverage includes

• Relating the PMBOK^R Guide ideals to agile practices: similarities, overlaps, and differences
• Understanding the role and value of agile techniques such as iteration/release planning and retrospectives
• Using agile techniques to systematically and continually reduce risk
• Implementing quality assurance (QA) where it belongs: in analysis, design, defect prevention, and continuous improvement
• Learning to trust your teams and listen for their discoveries
• Procuring, purchasing, and contracting for software in agile, collaborative environments
• Avoiding the common mistakes software teams make in transitioning to agile
• Coordinating with project management offices and non-agile teams
• “Selling” agile within your teams and throughout your organization

For every project manager who wants to become more agile.

Part I    An Agile Overview 7

Chapter 1    What is "Agile"? 9

Chapter 2    Mapping from the PMBOK^R Guide to Agile 25

Chapter 3    The Agile Project Lifecycle in Detail 37

Part II    The Bridge: Relating PMBOK^R Guide Practices to Agile Practices 49

Chapter 4    Integration Management 51

Chapter 5    Scope Management 67

Chapter 6    Time Management 83

Chapter 7    Cost Management 111

Chapter 8    Quality Management 129

Chapter 9    Human Resources Management 143

Chapter 10    Communications Management 159

Chapter 11    Risk Management 177

Chapter 12    Procurement Management 197

Part III    Crossing the Bridge to Agile 215

Chapter 13    How Will My Responsibilities Change? 217

Chapter 14    How Will I Work with Other Teams Who Aren't Agile? 233

Chapter 15    How Can a Project Management Office Support Agile? 249

Chapter 16    Selling the Benefits of Agile 265

Chapter 17    Common Mistakes 285

Appendix A    Agile Methodologies 295

Appendix B    Agile Artifacts 301

Glossary 321

Bibliography 327

Index 333

Customer Reviews (7)

Communication enabler
If you are member of an agile software development team, this book makes you able to keep effective communication with old school CEOs, managers and software developers. Even, if you are resolute, it'll help you shift those old school people to the philosophy of agility.

Right on the Money...!
The authors have a comprehensive understanding of agile values, principles and practices and use this knowledge to provide an enlightening mapping to the PMBOK. This is a great "bridge" for PMI project managers wanting to transition to a more agile approach to software development projects.

Covers techniques, transition points, learning to trust teams and use agile techniques to reduce risk, and more
When software development moves to embrace agility, project managers can struggle over the new approach and their roles. That's where The Software Project Manager's Bridge to Agility comes in, making it a top recommended pick for business and IT technology collections alike. It covers techniques, transition points, learning to trust teams and use agile techniques to reduce risk, and more. Even more essential are chapters on avoiding common mistakes, and coordinating efforts with project management and non-agile teams.

Excellent advice for project managers making the change to agile
This excellent book is targeted directly at Project Management Professionals (PMPs) but will be extremely beneficial to any project manager who is interested in agile development. After three short chapters that introduce the general principles and activities of an agile software development project, the authors attack the meat of their subject. Each of the nine chapters of part two corresponds directly to one of the PMI's project management knowledge areas.

Sliger and Broderick, each an experienced PMP, cover the changed responsibilities of the project manager transitioning to agile. A highlight of each chapter is the small table with columns for 'I used to do this' and 'Now I do this' that succinctly summarizes the often profound differences between traditional and agile project management.

This book is necessary reading for any project manager making the change to agile as well as for any ScrumMaster or agile coach working on a large projects. The book takes a giant stride toward dispelling the myth that the only role for project managers is to buy pizza and soda and get out of the way.

Agile and PMI are Compatible!
Finally a book in the agile series that acknowledges agile and PMI are compatible. As a PMP and CSM, one of my long time frustrations has been too many agile authors create a stereotype of an overly bureaucrat waterfall process being managed by a dictator project manager. That may be a great way to sell their books, but their rejection of sound project management principles has been a disservice to the industry--the classic mistake of throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

As the title states, Sliger and Broderick sets out to bridge this divide and does a super job showing how agile management practices fit into the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK). They reinforce this message with extensive quotes from the PMBOK that explicitly address incremental and iterative development. I especially like their chapter summaries which compare and contrast project manager approaches to specific practices under a plan-driven and an agile project. One of their key messages is that project managers should allow the team to focus on the current iteration, allowing the project managers to focus on removing impediments to future work. This is sound advice no matter what development framework you are using.

Sliger and Broderick discussion on how agile is being extended to product and release planning and how it's adapting to interfacing with PMOs and non-agile teams is also very relevant. While agile purest reject such notions, these are issues that my clients are facing today.Sliger and Broderick succinctly summarize the current thinking on agile product and release planning and provide sound advice on adapting agile to meet these real-world needs.

One shortcoming in the book is that the authors imply that agile is the silver-bullet that should always be used.I wished they would have acknowledge that while agile methods are appropriate in many situations; plan-driven methods are the appropriate choice for other situations. (See Balancing Agility and Discipline: A Guide for the Perplexed by Barry Boehm and Richard Turner)

I highly recommend this book and will be adding to our seminars reference lists.It is especially useful to experienced project managers. As the product description (see above) states they often struggle while transitioning to agile.However, I don't think they are doubtful about the approach, but instead are confused by the hype they encounter. It will also be useful to agilest who starting to see through the hype in other books. Sliger and Broderick have cut through the hype and reinforce the point that effective project management principles still apply.
... Read more

Product Description
This concisely written book explains why it is important to define high-quality requirements and gives you tools and techniques for developing and managing requirements.

Originally published as a 3.5 X 5.5-inch wire-bound booklet, strong demand brought forth the publication of this larger 5 x 7 inch; version.

Covered in this best selling publication are the essentials of requirements development & management:
how to elicit, prioritize and document requirements
how to create useful models for analyzing requirements
ways to verify and validate requirements
techniques for adapting requirements practices
how to manage requirements throughout the project.
The book helps stakeholders including analysts, project managers, and team facilitators, at all organizational levels learn and apply the tools, methods and processes needed to attain high-quality software requirements. It's a valuable tool as a stand-alone resource, training reference book and handy performance support resource. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

I love this book!
This is my favourite reference for business analysis and a key one for the CBAP/BABOK accreditation. Now it's in a bigger size it's also much more accessible. Buy it!

"THE" Requirements Book
I have taken a number of Ellen Gottesdiener's courses.They were all the best of the professional short courses I've taken.I received some first class student materials with the courses -- but they filled several large binders.Now I can have it all in one book!From the V-Model for validating requirements to the Event Table that is the starting points for the various models, this book is comprehensive.Moreover, Ellen introduces a number of highly useful modeling techniques without betting bogged down in the details of the UML.The best part about the Memory Jogger is that it is not "chatty" like so many textbooks.It has exactly what I need and no fluff.

(I'm writing this review based on the "pocket-size" edition that I purchased earlier.Being over 39 and therefore eligible for reading glasses, I am returning it to get the larger print "desktop" edition.) ... Read more

Product Description
Protect your rights, and your hard work!

The laws covering website and software development are complex and confusing, but if you don't untangle them, it could cost you thousands of dollars in attorneys' fees and lawsuits.

Fortunately, Legal Guide to Web & Software Development decodes this complex area of the law, thoroughly and in reader-friendly English. It also provides contracts, agreements and legal forms on CD-ROM, with step-by-step instructions for filling them out, so you can protect your software and website without paying a lawyer's ransom.

Use Legal Guide to Web & Software Development to learn:

Product Description
For almost three decades, Roger Pressman's Software Engineering: A Practitioner's Approach has been the world's leading textbook in software engineering. The new seventh edition represents a major restructuring and update of previous editions, solidifying the book's position as the most comprehensive guide to this important subject.

The seventh edition of Software Engineering: A Practitioner's Approach has been designed to consolidate and restructure the content introduced over the past two editions of the book. The chapter structure will return to a more linear presentation of software engineering topics with a direct emphasis on the major activities that are part of a generic software process. Content will focus on widely used software engineering methods and will de-emphasize or completely eliminate discussion of secondary methods, tools and techniques. The intent is to provide a more targeted, prescriptive, and focused approach, while attempting to maintain SEPA's reputation as a comprehensive guide to software engineering.

The book will be organized in five (5) parts-Process, Modeling, Quality Management, Project Management, and Advanced Topics. The chapter count will remain at 32, unchanged from the sixth edition. However, eight new chapters have been developed and another six chapters have undergone major or moderate revisions. The remaining chapters have undergone minor edits/updates. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Fast Delivery!
The description of the item stated it was 'good' and when I received the book the only damage was a few minor scratches on the cover.And after ordering it, I received the book in less than one week!

Good Quality
It was quickly delivered, in good quality, and has lasted well since I purchased the book. The seller was true to their word!

Unbearable
This book is unreadable. I'm just three chapters in, and I can't bear the thought of having to read more. Nearly every paragraph is inflated with buzzwords, obscure new phases and acronyms. The author drones on and on about archaic software models when a simple table and summary of each would suffice. Pressman writes almost as if he is trying to fill a word quota.

Before reading this book, I believed software engineering was dead. And after reading some of this book, I now know why: Software Engineering == Software Bureaucracy.

Potential buyers of this book might want to read the article "Software Engineering: An Idea Whose Time Has Come and Gone?" by Tom DeMarco.

Waste of money
This book was purchased as a required text for a master's level class, and I am highly disappointed in it.

The book broadly and superficially covers all software engineering concepts, and to the untrained reader might appear to be a comprehensive text.Just don't look too closely.If you know absolutely nothing about the software engineering process, and want to have a high level grasp of the uniqueness that is software, then this book could be of use.The descriptions do a good job of introducing SE concepts and theories, although some are dated.

If you are tasked with developing a software engineering strategy, or running a software-intensive project, or are looking to build a solid foundation and understanding of the software engineering process, walk away.Just walk away.This book introduces new terms, redefining widely and commonly used words for the software development life cycle and others.The entire SE body of knowledge uses certain words that students and practitioners get used to, and this author seems to change them around just to be different.Furthermore, the author interchanges these terms around, and is not consistent when referring to the same concept.Not something I'd expect to see after 7 revisions.

Sucks Balls
To be fair, I haven't read most of the book, and have only been using it for about three weeks in a course I'm taking.But so far, the book seems to just be about buzzwords and trends that are sure to pass with time.It reminds me of a management class I took two years ago, but in that class, the instructor even acknowledged that most of the things covered were just buzzwords and fads.I thought this class was going to be about design patterns and various best practices, but instead I'm force fed all this management and organization mumbo-jumbo.This book is also filled with a crap-load of idealized graphs and diagrams that aren't based on any real data.That kind of stuff always annoys me.

While I think it may be worthwhile to briefly cover these methodologies to get some ideas, actually following a methodology "to-a-T" seems like a bad idea, and could possibly cripple innovation and creativity.Most of the premises behind the ideas seem to be common sense any way.Of course a business should monitor its performance, try to constantly improve it's processes, efficiently allocate resources, etc... I don't need a book full of pre-packaged methodologies to tell me that.

Also, I haven't yet entered the "real-world" yet, so I may have no idea what I'm talking about.But I would probably hate working for a company that strictly followed most of the methodologies presented in this book. ... Read more

Product Description

Agile techniques have demonstrated immense potential for developing more effective, higher-quality software. However,scaling these techniques to the enterprise presents many challenges. The solution is to integrate the principles and practices of Lean Software Development with Agile’s ideology and methods. By doing so, software organizations leverage Lean’s powerful capabilities for “optimizing the whole” and managing complex enterprise projects.

A combined “Lean-Agile” approach can dramatically improve both developer productivity and the software’s business value.In this book, three expert Lean software consultants draw from their unparalleled experience to gather all the insights, knowledge, and new skills you need to succeed with Lean-Agile development.

Lean-Agile Software Development shows how to extend Scrum processes with an Enterprise view based on Lean principles. The authors present crucial technical insight into emergent design, and demonstrate how to apply it to make iterative development more effective. They also identify several common development “anti-patterns” that can work against your goals, and they offer actionable, proven alternatives.

Lean-Agile Software Development shows how to

• Transition to Lean Software Development quickly and successfully
• Manage the initiation of product enhancements
• Help project managers work together to manage product portfolios more effectively
• Manage dependencies across the software development organization and with its partners and colleagues
• Integrate development and QA roles to improve quality and eliminate waste
• Determine best practices for different software development teams

The book’s companion Web site, www.netobjectives.com/lasd, provides updates, links to related materials, and support
for discussions of the book’s content.

Customer Reviews (8)

Informative and Insightful
Shalloway's book on lean and agile development is an excellent introduction into a subject that deserves much more attention from the mainstream, namely the introduction of lean principles and techniques into software delivery.

The book covers a wide range of topics, and while I would have liked to see a lot more detailed paid to certain sections (ie portfolio management), I think this book serves it's purpose, to provide readers with ideas on how to supplement and even supersede agile techniques with lean thinking. Alan spends some time discussing the benefits of Agile, but has the courage to criticize some of the limitations of traditional agile concepts. Alan gives good introductions on kanban, value stream mapping, 5 why's, and other techniques.

I was able to use much of the material in this book as a basis to introduce lean to my clients, and found it very useful for doing so. Read this book if you are looking for a fresh perspective on how to improve business outcomes through better software delivery.

Don't waste your money on this book
Content of this book is incoherent. It was painful to read this book. Book is full of superficial guidelines, sound bites and meaningless diagrams. Look somewhere else if you want to gain knowledge on the subject to make improvements in your projects.

Three experts use their experience to provide a range of insights and skills
Alan Shalloway, Guy Beaver and James R. Trott's LEAN-AGILE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT: ACHIEVING ENTERPRISE AGILITY is also a top pick for such software engineering libraries, showing how to extend Scrum processes to improve developer productivity and software business value. Three experts use their experience to provide a range of insights and skills. An outstanding presentation.

Great book if you want a successful lean-agile adoption
Between December of 2008 and April of 2009 I participated on a series of 6 webinars on Lean-Agile Software Development given by Allan Shalloway, under NetObjectives, and knew that the book--same title as the webinar series--was being finished at that time so I was definitely looking forward to it. I was very glad when the publisher asked BayAPLN for a review, which gave me the opportunity take over such a pleasant task.

The basic premise of the book is a better approach to drive software development efforts to maximize realized business value. It pays particular attention to how to scale agile to the enterprise; a main topic of discussion within the agile community during the last two years. The book's proposal is to use lean-agile instead of agile alone and to "extend" scrum to what the authors call scrum# which is, simply put, doing scrum while also doing lean thinking. Particular attention is paid to the lean principles of waste elimination and optimizing the whole. The authors put together a body of knowledge that would otherwise take lots of research, reading hours, and trial-and-error experience. The theme itself is not new, you can also consult, e.g., books on lean software development by Mary and Tom Poppendieck, and a book on scaling lean and agile development by Craig Larman and Bas Vodde. Shalloway, Beaver and Trott's book is easy to read and very informative at a conceptual level and also at an anecdotal level. The cases they present actually add a lot of value to it. I consider this to be a must for executives, managers, and non-technical people involved on software projects because it will help them understand better what lean and agile can do for their organization. It is also helpful to software and QA engineers as a great informative reading.


The book consists of an introduction, three parts, and an appendix. The Introduction sets the tone for the book and revisits the basics of agile and lean (manifesto, principles, etc.). But make no mistake; this book is not for people new to agile or lean, and for those who are it is better to do some previous reading or they might get lost at times.

Part I starts with a discussion on why it is not preferable to think of software development as a science or a technique instead of as a discovery means to the end of satisfying a need, and gives a gentle introduction to some lean principles within software development. Chapter 1 nicely explains the transition of manufacture-based practices to software development. Chapter 2 addresses the business value added by agile and lean through better customer interaction, better delivery, and product focus. Chapter 3 gives some insights on how to get started with the transition to lean-agile, and chapter 4 dives into lean thinking for portfolio management, which I consider to be the most important chapter of this part because it gives a good deal of practical advice to do high value-added changes to your organization.

Part II Focuses on lean project management. Chapter 5 addresses some limitations of scrum that are particularly important when considering scalability. The authors propose what they call Scrum# as an extension of scrum that includes lean thinking. I personally think the problem is not scrum itself but rather how we put it into practice and what they propose as scrum# to me is nothing more than having a better (lean) way of applying the scrum framework; maybe because I learned about lean years before scrum came to be and so I have always used lean thinking when doing scrum. In any case, I would advocate to simply keep the term scrum as-is and encourage people to learn and apply lean to it rather than getting into new terminology, which I think might create confusion instead of clarity. I was very pleased to see that Kanban was added to the book and wish it had been explained in more detail, on a dedicated chapter, because kanban is very powerful in eliminating some disadvantages of scrum and it will gain importance as a highly effective software development framework. Chapter 6 is about iteration 0, which is the preparation phase before starting your actual scrum iterations. I entirely agree with the need to do the prep work but I have never been fond of calling it iteration because in people's minds it time-boxes a very important phase that not necessarily--and almost never--takes the same amount of time as the actual scrum iterations (see, e.g., Jim Highsmith's book Agile Project Management). Chapter 7 is a good explanation on how to do lean-agile release planning. Chapter 8 explains the importance of visual controls and information radiators, which is a subject that most executives have a hard time accepting from the lean-agile perspective but once they fully realize their high value regardless of their simplicity they usually embrace these fully. I definitely enjoyed seeing a chapter on the role of QA (chapter 9) because this is often under-treated in the software development literature in general, unless it is on a dedicated QA book. This inclusion goes well with the lean-agile principles of working in teams and optimizing the whole.

Part II addresses scalability at enterprise level on chapter 10 with a very effective discussion format. Management's role in lean-agile is treated on chapter 11 with good arguments but I would've liked it better if it had elaborated further on this very important role. Chapter 12 was one of my favorite ones since it does a good job at discussing the Product Coordination Team, a relatively new approach that has proven to be better suited for scalability than scrum of scrums. Chapter 13 is rather a teaser about the importance of a better, lightweight, approach to software architecture and design, which is okay since it is beyond the scope of the book.

Part III consists of chapter 14 only and is an epilogue to the book that basically encourages people to explore and learn more about lean, primarily, and about agile.

Appendix A explains Steve Bockman's Team Estimation Game. A dynamic, fun, and effective step further of what you can do with the Planning Pocker that is also scalable. Appendix B presents the authors' model of lean-agile software development, a nice quick reference to refresh the key concepts.

Alan, Guy, and James wrote a fabulous book that is a must-read for those interested on a successful lean-agile adoption whether or not you need to scale.

This is the best book I have read on helping companies truly achieve enterprize agility
As a management consultant to Fortune 100 companies, I've found this book to be a great source for how Lean principles help define what the authors' describe as the Lean-Agile Enterprise.This book helps executives understand how to "see" flow of value through their IT/software program world.The authors give useful case studies that give clear examples of common industry patterns, that focus on efficiency at the component system level at the expense of being able to complete work for long periods of time.This classic hand-off/delay approach is hiding lots of waste in IT delivery organizations, and this book will help you see what's really blocking you from achieving maximum results.

Through the different enterprise areas (Business, Management, Delivery Teams) the authors guide you through a new view of "flow" with specific principles and practices to help you get more productivity and quality out of your enterprise programs.They describe how looking at time through your delivery activities gets you to value faster and allows you to reduce waste and promote flow.This book has helped me understand often misunderstood Agile approaches by wrapping the activities in Lean principles.

From my perspective, Chapter 10 "Becoming an Agile Enterprise" and Chapter 11 "Management's Role in Lean-Agile Development" bring executives a new way to look at technology delivery that includes valuable information on where to start, what to pay attention to, expectations, and how to involve the middle management layer in the process.Chapter 14 "Seeing Lean" may be worth the price of the book alone, because the authors give several experience reports on organizational challenges and how they were managed to get successful transition to Lean-Agile.
... Read more

Product Description
This Second Edition of the popular text Managing Software Requirements focuses on this critical cause of failure and offers a practical, proven approach to building systems that meet customers' needs on time and within budget.Using an approachable style, their own war stories and a comprehensive case study, the authors show how students can effectively identify requirements by applying a variety of techniques, centered on the power of use cases. The book illustrates proven techniques for determining, implementing, and validating requirements. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Good solid reference
This is by no means a page turner, but where I work recently changed their requirements management technique to a RUP model and this book has been a life saver.

It does spend lots of time trying to sell the process and giving you an overview of different types of approaches.I've been in the IT business for over 30 years and I must admit that methodoligies come and go, so I really didn't need the sales job.If I'm still doing this in another 10 years, I'm sure there will be some new, better, greater, methodology that everyone is hot on.

But what it does do is that it walks you through a case study.OK, the study is a little lame, but it's simple enough to use to introduce the concepts and it give examples, good examples.And there are templates.Templates that you can copy and use.

If you find yourself trying to figure out the RUP model, get the book, read it, use it on a small project 1st to get acquainted, and then add the technique to your resume and impress you boss.

a fine introduction to software requirements
This book is very readable.The chapters are grouped into sections that cover broad skills used by teams in managing software requirements.Each chapter is fairly short and includes a concise summary at the end.The appendixes in the back of the book provide helpful examples of various software requirements documents.

Why not five stars?The book is good, but it's not great.The index is functional, but not exhaustive.It's a fine textbook but it's probably not a book that would stay on my bookshelf for years after the class is through.

Very good book
I haven't finished reading this book yet, but so far it is pretty good. I recommend this book for someone is interested in learning about Managing Software Requirements.

Great book, experienced authors
I had the pleasure of speaking with the author (Don Widrig) over the phone prior to a job interview and he helped close the loop on some of the concepts presented in the book. I went into this book not knowing that use cases are used in the requirements analysis phase because honestly, I never did that phase properly and even my masters level courses didn't provide this information.

The book outlines the proper steps to gathering requirements from a use case perspective and provides numerous examples that you can actually apply in the real world. I would definitely recommend this book to any systems engineer, business analyst and even people interested in understanding process mapping more.

THE Book on Requirements
Being in the software industry for about 10 years, I had known that our teams often did a poor job of managing, gathering, and understanding requirements.Our projects suffered because of this, and despite my gut instincts we were going the wrong direction, I often felt that I didn't have statistics and the insight to counter some of the more experienced staff or management.This book greatly has changed that as now I can come in armed with info and present better ways to improve our requirements management.I now feel that we'll deliver the right product or system instead of breaking the hearts of our customer and our own team members (because we won't be failing!).The authors also write in a very clear manner and provide excellent examples.I can't believe I am writing this about a requirements book, but I found myself actually _looking forward_ to reading each chapter.I am now confident I have the tools we need to sucessfully manage requirements.Thanks for a great book! ... Read more

Product Description
Why another book on software project management?


For some time, the fields of project management, computer science, and software development have been growing rapidly and concurrently. Effective support for the enterprise demands the merging of these efforts into a coordinated discipline, one that incorporates best practices from both systems development and project management life cycles. Robert K. Wysocki creates that discipline in this book--a ready reference for professionals and consultants as well as a textbook for students of computer information systems and project management.

By their very nature, software projects defy a "one size fits all" approach. In these pages you will learn to apply best-practice principles while maintaining the flexibility that's essential for successful software development.

Learn how to make the planning process fit the need
* Understand how and why software development must be planned on a certainty-to-uncertainty continuum
* Categorize your projects on a four-quadrant model
* Learn when to use each of the five SDPM strategies--Linear, Incremental, Iterative, Adaptive, and Extreme
* Explore the benefits of each strategic model and what types of projects it supports best
* Recognize the activities that go into the Scoping, Planning, Launching, Monitoring/Controlling, and Closing phases of each strategy
* Apply this knowledge to the specific projects you manage
* Get a clear picture of where you are and how to get where you want to go ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Didn't impress too much
Didn't impress me too much. But I am a hard person for that. And I am too practical, to see huge value in too-much-general-knowledge-and-theory book. It's not that book is bad or something. Just it was not for me.

Too many word and no sense...
I'm really sorry that I purchased this book. It's huge and absolutely without any sense. The author repeats very well known things and makes the process of reading very difficult because he changed almost all commonly used terms to his own interpretation. Anyway, I don't advise even to buy it.

Very useful for managing software projects
I have taken many courses in project management who's techniques are more geared towards defined or construction style projects and so are most books out there in the market, this book is a refreshing departure from the norm as it integrates SDLC (s) both traditional and modern with project management processes. The author gives good insight in choosing the appropriate SDLC for a given situation and then elaborates for the chosen SDLC how to set expectations, milestones and deliverables for: requirements, WBS, cost, stakeholders etc. The book does a good job at conveying the essence of the SDLC(s) and Project Management techniques however, depending on your background, I recommend that you read two books, one on SDLC (Craig Larman's Agile & Iterative development ISBN 0131111558) and the other on Project Management (Kathy Schwalbe's Information Technology Project Management ISBN: 0619215267) prior to reading this book.

This book tends to be more on the soft side of project management, which is important, however to give good balance I feel that the next edition could add more hardcore techniques and metrics. All in all, a very useful book for team leads, analysts, and managers involved in Software Development.

Finally, a SDPM book that is interesting, challenging and refreshing - all in one!
In a few words, this book belongs in the library of anyone who claims to be a project manager!Dr. Wysocki's perspective represents the "avant-garde" of software development research and thinking.The content is: highly relevant - wonderfully practical - immediately applicable.I am a Project Manager consultant and instructor and this material has already made a difference in how I approach projects and how I communicate about project management..."A must-read!"Franck J. Gerard of Mount Laurel, New Jersey

Developing a new Body of Knowledge
Software is hard to manage. As I write this, the new Vista operating system from Microsoft has just been delayed again. If Microsoft can't manage a software project to get it on schedule, who could.

This book makes the statement that the disciplines of software development and project management are converging. That the techniques that have been developed and refined in the project management area over recent years have reached a point where the uncertainty inherent in software projects can be accommodated.

The book is written as a comprehensive reference for professional software development project managers, and for those who aspire to that profession. The main thrust of the book is the development of a body of knowledge he calls SDPM (Software Development Project Management). The book is by no means a manual on the Agile software system, but it does discuss Agile and its function in SDPM.

This is a pioneering book that brings some sense into the software development arena. ... Read more

Product Description
Provides the software engineering community with a clearer understanding of the business value of software architecture. Helps technologists grasp the business ramifications of their decisions, and provides business-oriented software professionals with better knowledge of how robust software can be built and maintained. Softcover. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

Beyond Software Architecture: Creating and Sustaining Winning Solutions
This was a gift for our son.He seems to enjoy it.It was on his list.

Useful book for Software Product Management
I'm not the kind of person who burns through business books or even likes reading them at all.I do, however, actively pursue information that will help me do my job better and more efficiently, which presents a bit of a problem when the information I need is stuck in a book somewhere.That's one of the reasons I like this book.

Being fairly new to software product management, I've read a couple of books on the topic but they all seem to be very far removed from what I actually do every day.Hohmann's book is different; it actually contains information about things that I find myself making decisions about every day. It's also written in such a way that I can jump to whichever chapter covers what I'm mulling over that day, like pricing or licensing third party technologies, without feeling like I've lost context.In almost every case, he writes about topics that I'm familiar with but covers them in more breadth than I've been able to have personal experience with.I've already found myself referencing the book to help in either my own day-to-day activity or when someone else asks for my advice. Hohmann sort of treats the reader like you're smart enough to go off and make your own decisions if he just outlines your options and potential pitfalls, which is nice because that sort of how I think of myself too.

Overall, he presents a very practical mix of marketing and technical information that I've found very useful as a software product manager.

News you can use, but a bit annoying
Hohmann presents a fair amount of useful folk wisdom on enterprise software architecture. IMHO, this information is useful enough to try to struggle beyond the annoyances that Hohmann needlessly creates: (a) inventing annoying buzzwords like "tarchitecture" and misusing perjorative slang like "marketecture" (synonym: vaporware); (b) politocorrectoid smarm (all people in positions of responsibility are "she" and all low-level drones are "he"); and (c) Hohmann's very high opinion of himself.

I wish this book was on softcopy so that I could edit this stuff out. I'd have had an easier time reading it. As it is, I've had to take the book in small doses.

Reinventing the wheel
I had great hopes for this book, but for any industry veteran it is basically a repackaging of what many other "experts" have written before.The book is needlessly verbose, but yet glosses over key points with literary hand waving.The lack of significant examples, business cases, and real world process development gives one the feeling the book is merely the presentation of a thesis or philosophy devoid of concrete real world application.

For someone just starting out in the industry they may glean some basic concepts, but there are so many more publications that do a better job and do it cleaner.

Very unique, yet not gripping
One of the first things authors are asked by their agents, editors, or prospective publishers is to present an analysis of the other books in the genre that cover the same material as their books. Here, Luke must have had it very easy. He addresses a truly unique market niche (the interaction between technical architecture and marketing) in a way that really no one has done before or attempted to do since.

A book that handles both market segmentation and software product management in 300 odd pages is going to cover a whole lot of real estate and risks spreading the information pretty thin. Things important to folks in product management are not always the same things that are interesting to marketers. This facet of writing a book, target audience identification, is also frequently the subject of discussion with editors and publishes. Not having a clear target audience is where this book comes up a bit short.

Luke attempts to address such a breadth of software product concerns that it's hard for any one target group (technical architects or marketers) to get really interested. Although this book might be good for an entrepreneur or someone new to the field of software product management, it is, at best, a catalog of knowledge for tarchitects and marchitects and is unlikely to include anything that they haven't stumbled across in the field. A number of my colleagues have agreed with my final assessment that this is an easy book to peruse and become familiar with, yet a tough book to dive into and love.
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Product Description
Follow-on book to Dr. Barry Boehm's classic Software Cost Estimation, this book will show professional developers how to use the COCOMO (Cost Comparison Model) II model developed by Dr. Boehm at USC to generate end-to-end cost analysis figures for software development projects. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Very Disorganized, Written by a Committee
This book really was written by a committee: there are nine authors. This book is difficult to follow. It does not proceed in a gradual series of steps. Instead, each chapter re-establishes the foundation & context in its own way, often incompletely. This way, each of Dr. Boehm's students had a chance to document his or her thesis topic in the form of a book chapter. Unfortunately, this format does not work for readers who need to start using the data quickly. I'll stick with "Software Engineering Economics", thank you.

A must Read for CSCI 577a
If you not in Dr. Boehm's class at USC, then more than likely your a project manager for a software engineering firm trying to better estimate how much your next project is going to cost.

Either way the book is dry, but the informaiton is great.Its given me insight to CMM and other Software Engineering models.

The COCOMO tool has merit, so does CSCI 577a.

Process Estimation
COCOMO represents a unique and applicable methodology for process estimates. A goal-driven approach with realistic progress indicators to conducting software estimates represent the way processes must be managed.

The continuity between COCOMOI and COCOMOII is far from being evident. My prime interest is the indentification of the impactsof the Economic Adjustment Factors (EAF) on the economic evolution of a project. An attempt is made to complement COCOMOII with additional tools. There is however an impression of a lack of a common vision.

The book is a major reference in my business development approach. I was privileged to deal with Amazon.com for a fast turn around for the timely delivery of the book at my door.

Bernard Carrier P.Eng.
President OpsPro Inc.

Superb resource + tool
I was first introduced to the precursor of CoCoMo II when I ftp'd a whitepaper on estimating from the old decwrl site maintained by DEC in the mid 1980s. That led me to Boehm's seminal book, "Software Engineering Economics", ISBN 0138221227.Over time CoCoMo started to show its age, especially in environments with heavy GUI development, so I opted for function points as my sole estimating technique. With experience I discovered that technique alone was useful for estimating scale, but was weak on sizing estimates.Version II of CoCoMo rectifies this, and this book is an exhaustive description of software cost estimating in general and CoCoMo version II in particular.

The contributing authors to this book read like who's who in software estimating, and the contents of this book will not only get you up-to-speed on using CoCoMo II as an estimating tool, but will also explain its inner workings, how to calibrate it, and its inherent strengths and weaknesses.Among the parts of this book that I found especially useful are Chapters 2, Model Definition, and 4, Calibration. These are the keys to understanding and using CoCoMo II to its best advantage. Real world examples are given in Chapter 3, and emerging extensions and future trends provided in chapter 5 and 6 round out the body of this book.

Significant added value is provided in the appendices and on the accompanying CD ROM.The appendices include how to use CoCoMo II in environments ranging from the older waterfall SDLC, RUP, incremental and iterative development, and give project planning considerations and data collection templates.The CD ROM itself contains a full working copy of the 2000 version of USC COCOMO II, complete documentation, and data collection forms, and trial copies of commercial versions of the application.

This book is one that every serious project manager, software engineer and cost estimator should read and keep in their work area.

A stalwart of software engineering modeling
The latest revision of the well known COCOMO constructive cost model is calibrated with a Bayesian approach that balances 161 industry reference points with the determination of software development experts. Software engineers use the COCOMO model to make financial decisions, set project budgets and schedules, negotiate tradeoffs, plan to maintain or upgrade legacy products, and decide where to implement process improvement. The model equations are provided including normative calibration using 5 scale factors and 17post-architecture effort multipliers. The criteria described for assessing your project for scale factors and effort multipliers are fuzzy in some cases (Default to the nominal level when in doubt). The model can accept estimates of either logical lines of code or function points as the primary input parameter. The book is accompanied with a CD that contains the USC implementation of the COCOMO model and some instructional videos. The final 2/3 of the text covers emerging extensions such as object point data, application point data, phase schedule and effort model (COPSEMO), dynamic COCOMO, RAD schedule estimation model (CORADMO), commercial-off-the-shelf integration model (COCOTS), quality estimation (COQUALMO), and productivity estimation (COPROMO). Read "Software Engineering Economics" published in 1981 for additional background information on the COCOMO model. ... Read more

Product Description
Even seasoned sales people can freeze up when giving a software demo. That's simply because they let the subject matter get in the way. The fact is: any sales rep, regardless of technical knowledge, can deliver software demos that engage, inform and inspire customers to buy. In fact, using the right techniques, non-techies often have the advantage of knowing what will speak best to their audience. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Concise and Well Written
"50 Minutes to Better Software Demos" is both practical and fun to read. The author takes the reader step by step through the elements of a great software demo and presentation. I especially enjoyed the step by step tips, and the useful charts such as the "Needs Assessment Chart".

It's a quick read at 100 pages, but worth every penny.

Matt Gambino's blog that I discovered after reading the book, is loaded with additional tips, techniques and interesting topics as well.Be sure to visit[...]

A lot from a little book
I've seen Matt Gambino demonstrate software, observed what he can do with an audience. I thought those great performances were just his natural talent but, from this book, I've learned that a great deal of his success comes from planning and thoughtful attention to detail. The planning is laid out clearly here, with careful, systematic steps to fool-proofing a presentation. Demo tips - including suggestions for online demos - are detailed and helpful. It's all there (with some helpful supplements on the Crisp website).

I was surprised at how much information is covered here in 88 pages, "50 minutes." I learned a lot from this book, all useful things.

(Disclaimer: I worked with Matt at Thomson Course Technology, and I also saw him in action at Cengage Heinle events, so I was expecting great things.They're here!)

Sales Meeting Gold
As a mid-level manager for large company with an ever increasing array of products and services, I found this book to be a tremendous value in creating a quick session on sales skills.My company is in a deep transition from a more traditional feature/benefit sales philosophy, to a technology charged, service oriented, 21st century approach.Reps that cannot or refuse to get on board will not be successful in this new model.This book is a concise, quick attention holder, and the practice components allow for practical reinforcement.Above all its an easy read that sales professionals at all levels can recognize value from.

Useful Advice for Sales or IT Professionals
If you're in Sales or IT and give software demo's and are looking for a leg up over your competitors, this is the book for you.It contains useful tips for delivering a memorable demo that can be easily implemented.Perfect for beginners or those already in the field who want to improve their performance.Great info for giving remote demo's via the web too! ... Read more

Product Description

This widely used book teaches practical object-oriented software engineering with the key real world tools UML, design patterns and Java. This step-by-step approach allows the reader to address complex and changing problems with practical and state-of-the-art solutions.

This book uses examples from real systems and examines the interaction between such techniques as UML, Java-based technologies, design patterns, rationale, configuration management, and quality control. It also discusses project management related issues and their impacts.

A valuable book for development engineers, software engineers, consulting engineers, software architects, product managers, project leaders, and knowledge managers.

Customer Reviews (18)

This book is written backwards!
The only useful chapter in this entire book is the last one, where the book finally asks the question "How much process/modeling/management/etc. is enough?" for a given project.A number of methodologies are presented, that combine just a few of the techniques covered in the other 15 chapters, and discussed in the context of different types and sizes of project.

The rest of the book, comprising 15 chapters, is structured as a catalog of modeling and analysis techniques but they're presented as *the* way to develop software, according to the authors.It's only until the end that those techniques are placed in a context where they make any sort of sense.

The book also uses UML to model the activities and techniques in each chapter.This is cute, but not especially helpful and occasionally confusing.In fact, this usage serves as a helpful counter-example to the idea, espoused in the book, of UML as a catch-all modeling tool.

In lieu of this book, computer science students would be well served to study a range of methodologies and projects to which they were applied, and then to dig deeper into the techniques that make up those methodologies, according to the interest and needs of each student, in other dedicated references.

It is a very good resource not only for developers
I am a Business Analyst though not totally Agile in my approach due to the nature of my projects, being small and usually takes very short time to deliver.

I am still on Chapter 5 of the book but I find the preceding chapters very valuable to anyone involved in software engineering or systems development.

I bought the 3rd Edition of the book (which is the latest - 2010) as one of my resources in Business Analysis. Although I find this book to be a very good resource, it definitely is not for someone new to software engineering regardless of your role.

Excellent Book!
Book arrived in less than a week, and was in great condition. That's what you expect for an on-line order, and I wasn't disappointed. Thanks for a great on-line ordering experience!

Escelent condition
The book was in excellent conditions. It shipped fast and I think is pretty good book for beginners in the Software Engineering field.

Good seller! Very patient!
Good service! Although there is something wrong with the delivery, the seller is very patient!!! Book is in a pretty good condition!!! ... Read more