Winter 2009 issue of Methods & Tools
Published December 21st, 2009 Under Methods & Tools | Leave a Comment
Winter 2009 issue has just been published with the following articles:
* Refactoring Large Software Systems
* An Introduction to Domain Driven Design
* Agile Coaching Tips
* Are Enterprise AJAX Applications Doomed…Or Are We?
* Does Process Improvement Really Pay Off?
* SQuirreL SQL Client
60 pages of software development knowledge that you can download from
http://www.methodsandtools.com/mt/download.php?winter09
The Eleventh Commandment of Software Development
Published September 29th, 2009 Under Methods & Tools | 1 Comment
During my software development career, I have seen many software development approaches or methodologies used in different organizations. When a new and supposedly better approach is promoted, some people tend to adopt it with an attitude that could sometimes be close to a religious zeal. Software companies have noticed this and they now employ “product evangelists”. As a consequence, new believers are often rejecting completely what has been done previously and adopting a “us against them” attitude, especially when the new approach is still a small movement fighting against an established methodology. Read more
Scrum, Java, Testing and UML in Methods & Tools Fall 2009
Published September 22nd, 2009 Under Methods & Tools | 3 Comments
Methods & Tools Fall 2009 issue has just been published with the following articles:
* Mature Scrum at Systematic: mixing CMMI and Scrum in the same company
* Implementing Automated Software Testing: metrics that help manage the transition to software testing automation
* The Spring Framework: an introduction to this java framework, aspect oriented programming and inversion of control
* The Learning View: how to improve your learning capabilities as a software developer
* Time and Synchronization in Executable UML
75 PDF pages of software development knowledge that you, your colleagues and friends can download freely from
http://www.methodsandtools.com/mt/download.php?fall09
Balancing Agility and Discipline
Published July 27th, 2009 Under Books | 1 Comment
This book was written in 2004 by Barry Boehm and Richard Turner, but the fact that it is already on its 6th reprint tells something about its value. This is a very pragmatic book that tries to put in perspective agile and plan-driven software development approaches. By the way, the funny thing is that the word “waterfall” is rarely mentioned in the book. This may be due to its negative connotation and also to the fact that Barry Boehm favors a spiral approach. The book has also adopted a clever structure with a first “quick-read” part of 150 pages that provide the core of the material and then 100 pages of appendixes to treat some parts more specifically.
After a comparison of agile and plan-driven approaches, the book illustrates its vision of these two processes by presenting two project case studies. It offers also a risk-based approach for making methodology decisions that integrate agile and plan-driven practices. Even the book is not recent, it has the advantage of confronting agile and plan-driven approaches in a relatively objective way. Therefore, it is a very recommended reading for people that want to improve their software development process without wanting necessarily to be a “purist” of a particular approach. It is also a book where people that have already made their choice will be able to consider the “other” software development process with a different view and also gain a better insight on their own strengths and weaknesses.
Reference: “Balancing Agility and Discipline – A Guide for the Perplexed”, Barry Boehm, Richard Turner, Addison Wesley, 265 pages
Click here to get more details on this book or buy it on amazon.com
Click here to get more details on this book or buy it on amazon.co.uk
CMMI: Less Hyped Than Agile but Equally Popular?
Published January 27th, 2009 Under Methods & Tools, Numbers, Software Development | Leave a Comment
A recent Methods & Tools poll examined at what stage is the CMMI approach adoption in software development organizations.
| Not aware | 13% |
| Not using | 29% |
| Investigating | 8% |
| Analysed and rejected | 4% |
| Trying to reach Level 2 | 12% |
| CMMI Level 2, 3 or 4 | 20% |
| CMMI Level 5 | 14% |
Participants: 392
Ending date: January 2009 Read more