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EBooks » Software Development
 Aimed at developers and IT managers alike, Software Project Management in Practice offers an invaluable guide to using lightweight software processes in real projects. Filled with sample documents, this book can benefit any organization seeking to improve the ways it manages software. In an era of ever tighter schedules, implementing a serious software process becomes even more difficult. This book ventures a simple argument: that the techniques for software process management used by InfoSys (a company with a "mature" software process) can be applied to other organizations. Packed with sample documents drawn from real projects, this book is also notable for its clear presentation and the absence of the theoretical and jargon-laden prose that can be found in many software engineering texts. The author first looks at how to assess a company's software process using the Capability Maturity Model (CMM) and other schemes. Surprisingly, the tools at InfoSys (which earn high CMM marks) are not fancy case tools, but databases, spreadsheets, and Microsoft Project files. Its software process database, for example, allows new projects to reuse existing documents and expertise. After an overview of the modified waterfall model software process used at InfoSys, the author looks at techniques for estimating the size and scope of projects. Then it's on to quality planning. A consistent theme here is that metrics and statistical process control (SPC) should be used to track defects. The book then covers risk assessment and the structure of teams. A standout section on configuration management outlines the role for preserving builds and project documents at each stage of the game. Later sections examine the actual implementation and deployment of software. The author's argument for peer review of code is a strong one. He details strategies for running design and code reviews (if even by a single person) to catch defects and improper designs, as well as tips for overcoming resistance to such practices. Sample defect tracking and status for projects also gets its due. Sample documents (using spreadsheets and even the layout of disk directories) to store project information show that a simple approach can yield productive results. The author then shows how to analyze the patterns of defects in software, including how to use statistical techniques to spot out-of-control projects. The book closes with the ways in which a project postmortem (or "project closure analysis") can be used to spot what went wrong and to improve things the next time around. For both those new to software process or for those who want to see some practical ideas for successful process in a fast-paced world, this concisely packaged title fills a valuable niche with its mix of current thinking on software process and excellent real-world examples.  Many organizations use Capability Maturity Models® (CMMs®) to assess development and maintenance processes, implement improvements, and measure progress. Although consistent in purpose, these models differ in terminology and design--enough sometimes to cause conflict and confusion when used within the same organization. Addressing the need for a more coordinated approach, Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI®) provides a single framework for improvement in software engineering, systems engineering, integrated product and process development, and supplier sourcing. This book is the definitive reference for the most current release of CMMI models. To use a CMMI model available on the SEI Web site, users must choose from among multiple models based on their organization's improvement needs. This book provides a single source for all CMMI model information. Readers can get started without having to select a model first--all of the choices are compiled in one place and explained in detail. The book begins with background information needed to understand the content and structure of these integrated models and how to use them. A case study illustrates their implementation in a real environment. A variety of practical material, such as glossary and index, is also provided. The bulk of the book comprises the content of all CMMI models, covering the 25 process areas (PAs) that span the product life cycle, including detailed best practices. All CMMI models have two representations. The continuous representation allows an organization to improve using selected PAs at different rates. The staged representation enables organizations to follow a predefined and proven improvement path using multiple PAs. Both representations are described so that readers will more clearly see the similarities and differences between the two representations and will be able to choose the right approach for their organization. Whether you are new to CMMI or are already familiar with some version of it, this book is an essential resource for managers, practitioners, and process improvement team members who need to understand, evaluate, and/or implement a CMMI model. The ultimate objective of CMMI is integrating processes to improve products; this book contains everything you need to get that done.  I’ve spent most of my twenty years in the software and hardware business inthe arena of testing. For the first few years as a test practitioner, I struggled tokeep my head above water. Ultimately, I mastered some basic tools and techniques. As I learned more about testing, I started to notice certain common themes.Some of these themes had to do with events—good and bad—that happenedover and over again on software, hardware, and system projects. For some of theseevents, I found that some teams could create order in their projects. These teamshandled these common events better than the teams that bounced from one crisis tothe next, reacting constantly, immersed in chaos. The successful teams had goodprocesses. Some of these successful project teams implemented writtenprocesses, while others accumulated “institutional knowledge” in theirwise—and sometimes prematurely gray—heads. While I have nothing againsta shared company culture, it’s hard to pass along the processes you’velearned unless you write them down-whether formally or informally, as checklists.This book takes the informal road. I describe twelve specific test processes, usingchecklists.Each process is critical to test team success. I describe theseprocesses in chronological order. First we plan the test activities. Next we prepareto test. After that, we perform the tests. Finally, we perfect the system under testand the testing activities themselves. Many other books have covered thetopics of preparing and performing tests in great detail. My experience is that, astesters, we generally do a good job in these areas. So, instead of rehashing what wealready know, I focus on opportunities for improvement. I devote eleven of theseventeen chapters to the topics of planning and perfecting. By far, these are theareas where we as testers have the most difficulty. This is especially true forcomplex and critical projects.  Pioneered by the world's leading innovators in software engineering, assessments have evolved into a remarkably powerful tool for process improvement in areas ranging from systems to services, hardware to human resources. Unlike audits, assessments are conducted from the inside. When handled correctly, assessments can help transform technical and managerial culture, dramatically improving both quality and profitability. In CMMI Assessments: Motivating Positive Change, two of the field's most respected leaders show exactly how to use them for maximum business advantage. Writing for executives, managers, technical professionals, and assessors themselves, Marilyn Bush and Donna Dunaway illuminate every phase of the assessment process—from planning through post-assessment follow-up. The authors begin with an expert overview of what assessments entail, when they make sense, how to set achievable goals for them, and how to lead them to success. Next, they "drill down" into each stage of the process, presenting step-by-step instructions and defining the roles and responsibilities of every participant. Coverage includes creating and training assessment teams; identifying assessment products; consolidating interview data and other onsite activities; presenting results; and using those results productively. Drawing on their unsurpassed experience leading assessments and mentoring assessors, they offer deep insights into the real-world challenges and obstacles you'll face—and proven solutions. They also present an extended case study showing how a real software development organization drove continuous improvement through four years of iterative assessments—moving from CMM Level 2 to elite Level 5 status, and driving dramatic business benefits along the way.  Managing the IT Service Process is the first book of its kind to recognize the truth of IT Service delivery. It takes the overall view of the service management process and links together the elements of service level management, systems availability, costs and benchmarking, and the helpdesk. In the last 5 years there has been a major structural shift in the IT industry with the traditional position of Helpdesk Manager being replaced by a new function of IT Services Manager. The industry is now concentrating on the formulation of an end-to-end service process that replaces the previous norm of several disparate and non-integrated sections in an IT department such as the helpdesk, applications maintenance, operations, development procurement and systems management. Managers are focusing on a totality of management so they can correlate costs and processes and offer their customers an integrated service. Managing the IT Services Process is an instructional manual written by an acknowledged industry expert and includes techniques, charts, methods, case studies and anecdotes to support the text. The author encourages the reader to formulate an end-to-end IT service process by using a step by step approach. The text describes and encourages integration in IT and therefore will be useful for managers involved in the unified process. |
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