Exploring Extreme Programming
Lean Software Development: An Agile Toolkit. Mary Poppendieck and Tom Poppendieck. Addison-Wesley, 2003. This book considers software development from the perspective of lean manufacturing, as popularized by Toyota. In lean approaches, there is a sense in which there is a Continue reading Review – Lean Software Development (Poppendieck and Poppendieck)
Quality Software Management, Volume 4: Anticipating Change, Gerald M. Weinberg, Dorset House, 1997. This book contains advice for people who are trying to be change artists, those who change their world. One technique they use is to provide a number Continue reading Review – Quality Software Management, vol. 4: Anticipating Change
The Deadline: A Novel about Project Management, Tom DeMarco, Dorset House, 1997. A thought experiment in novel form: what would happen if we could run the same project multiple ways in a project management laboratory? The main character keeps a Continue reading Review – The Deadline
Quality Software Management, Volume 2: First-Order Measurement, Gerald M. Weinberg, Dorset House, 1997. First-order measurement is the use of back-of-the-envelope calculations sufficient for building something. Weinberg relates Satir’s interaction model (intake, meaning, significance, and response) to software management. The author Continue reading Review – Quality Software Management, vol. 2: First-Order Measurement
Pair Programming Illuminated, Laurie Williams and Robert Kessler. Addison-Wesley, 2002. How to program in pairs. Describes problems pairs face when mixing experience levels or personality types. Has suggestions for improving pairing. (Reviewed Nov., ’02)
The Pragmatic Programmer, Andrew Hunt and David Thomas. Addison-Wesley, 2000. Skills and ideas every programmer should know. (Reviewed Nov., ’02)
Quality Software Management, Volume 3: Congruent Action, Gerald M. Weinberg, Dorset House, 1994. Considers software management from the perspective of family therapist Virginia Satir. People can take different incongruent stances: placating, blaming, super-reasonable, or irrelevant. But a congruent stance is Continue reading Review – Quality Software Management, vol. 3: Congruent Action
Quality Software Management, Volume 1: Systems Thinking, Gerald M. Weinberg, Dorset House, 1992. Starts with “What is quality?” Looks at management patterns for software development, and highlights the importance of feedback. Uses system models (that show interconnections with reinforcing and Continue reading Review – Quality Software Management, vol. 1: Systems Thinking
Agile Software Development with Scrum, Ken Schwaber and Mike Beedle. Prentice Hall, 2001. Scrum explicitly relies on the emergence of a true team. By focusing on 30-day sprints, daily standup meetings, and management’s ability to remove obstacles, a team has Continue reading Reivew – Agile Software Development with Scrum
Software Craftsmanship, Pete McBreen. Addison-Wesley, 2001. Makes the case that software is neither art nor science, but craft, and that we should organize our education and work life to reflect that. (Reviewed Nov., ’02)