Donald J. Reifer

Software War Stories (eBook, ePUB)

Case Studies in Software Management

• Format: ePub

Produktbeschreibung

A comprehensive, practical book on software management that dispels real-world issues through relevant case studies Software managers inevitably will meet obstacles while trying to deliver quality products and provide value to customers, often with tight time restrictions. The result: Software War Stories. This book provides readers with practical advice on how to handle the many issues that can arise as a software project unfolds. It utilizes case studies that focus on what can be done to establish and meet reasonable expectations as they occur in government, industrial, and academic settings. The book also offers important discussions on both traditional and agile methods as well as lean development concepts. Software War Stories: * Covers the basics of management as applied to situations ranging from agile projects to large IT projects with infrastructure problems * Includes coverage of topics ranging from planning, estimating, and organizing to risk and opportunity management * Uses twelve case studies to communicate lessons learned by the author in practice * Offers end-of-chapter exercises, sample solutions, and a blog for providing updates and answers to readers' questions Software War Stories: Case Studies in Software Management mentors practitioners, software engineers, students and more, providing relevant situational examples encountered when managing software projects and organizations.

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Produktdetails

• Verlag: John Wiley & Sons
• Seitenzahl: 288
• Erscheinungstermin: 14. Oktober 2013
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9781118650745
• Artikelnr.: 39698397

Autorenporträt

DONALD J. REIFER is one of the thought leaders in the field of software engineering and management with over forty years of progressive experience in industry, government, and academia. He has founded software companies, operated as a senior executive official in the government, and was a visiting associate at a collaborative research center at USC. The author of ten books and over 200 publications, Mr. Reifer is the recipient of such industry and government awards as the AIAA Aerospace Software Engineering Award, the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service, and the Friedman Award, among others.

Inhaltsangabe

FOREWORD by Roger S. Pressman xiii
PREFACE xv
CHAPTER 1 GETTING STARTED 1
Goals and Scope 1
Understanding the Enterprise 2
Review of Software Management Fundamentals 3
Theory versus Practice: Which Is It? 6
Emphasizing Practitioner Roles 7
Setting Realistic Expectations 8
How Do You Know Whether You Will Be Successful? 13
Recognizing Bad Smells and Trusting Your Blink 13
Separating the Controllables from the Noncontrollables 14
Surveying the Tools of the Trade 15
Line Management Tools and Techniques 16
Project Management Tools and Techniques 17
Digging Deep to Find the Root Cause 18
Questions to Be Answered 18
Summary of Key Points 19
References 20
Web Pointers 20
CHAPTER 2 INDUSTRIAL CASE: ORGANIZING FOR ERP WITHIN A LARGE INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY SHOP 23
Learning Objectives: Putting Project Management to Work 23
Setting the Stage: The Three-Headed Dragon 23
Options, Recommendation, and Reactions during the Transition to ERP 26
Outcomes and Lessons Learned When Introducing Matrix Management 32
Exercise: If You Were King, What Organizational Changes Would You Make to
Breakdown the Silos? 33
Summary of Key Points and Lessons Learned 35
References 35
Web Pointers 36
CHAPTER 3 INDUSTRIAL CASE: WHAT IS A REASONABLE COST AND SCHEDULE FOR A
TELECOMMUNICATIONS PROJECT UPGRADE? 37
Learning Objectives: Establishing Realistic Cost and Schedule Goals 37
Setting the Stage: Can We Do It for the Target Cost? 37
Options, Recommendations, and Reactions While Striving to Satisfy Key
Clients 41
Outcomes and Lessons Learned Using Incremental Development 49
Exercise: How Do You Get Your Bosses to Believe Your Estimates? 50
Summary of Key Points and Lessons Learned 51
References 52
Web Pointers 52
CHAPTER 4 INDUSTRIAL CASE: GETTING BACK ON TRACK WITHIN A MANUFACTURING
ENVIRONMENT 55
Learning Objectives: Getting Back on Track 55
Setting the Stage: Recognizing and Addressing the Trouble Signs 55
Options, Recommendations, and Reactions While Attempting to Restore Order
57
Outcomes and Lessons Learned Associated with Your Get-Well Plan 63
Exercise: When Trying to Get a Software Project Back on Track, What Do You
Focus On? 64
Summary of Key Points and Lessons Learned 69
References 69
Web Pointers 70
CHAPTER 5 INDUSTRIAL CASE: STAFF TURNOVER HAVING AN IMPACT IN FINANCIAL
FIRM 73
Learning Objectives: Addressing Staffi ng Issues 73
Setting the Stage: Understanding the Learning Curve 73
Options, Recommendations, and Reactions While Building a
Modern Test Organization 76
Outcomes and Lessons Learned While Addressing Test Issues 81
Exercise: What Nonfinancial Incentives Would You Use to
Reduce Staff Turnover? 82
Summary of Key Points and Lessons Learned 83
References 84
Web Pointers 85
CHAPTER 6 INDUSTRIAL CASE: ACQUIRING SOFTWARE FOR PIPELINE OPERATIONS 87
Learning Objectives: Developing Requirements Using Multidisciplinary Teams
87
Setting the Stage: How to Avoid Gold Plating and Other Common Maladies 87
Options, Recommendations, and Reactions When Specifying
Requirements 89
Outcomes and Lessons Learned Relative to the Use of Feature-Based
Specifications 97
Exercise: When Managing Requirements, What Are the Traps to Watch Out For?
97
Summary of Key Points and Lessons Learned 99
References 100
Web Pointers 100
CHAPTER 7 INDUSTRIAL CASE: LAUNCHING SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS SALES ON THE
INTERNET AND SOCIAL MEDIA 102
Learning Objectives: How Do You Transition a Start-Up from R&D to Doing
Business? 102
Setting the Stage: Capitalizing on the Opportunities 102
Options, Recommendations, and Reactions as You Get Ready for Your Product
Launch 104
Outcomes and Lessons Learned as Your Product Hits the Street 111
Exercise: How Do You Satisfy Business and Customer Needs When Selling
Software? 112
Summary of Key Points and Lessons Learned 114
References 115
Web Pointers 115
CHAPTER 8 GOVERNMENT CASE: MANAGING THE ACQUISITION OF A LARGE DEFENSE
PROJECT 117
Learning Objectives: What to Do When a Contractor Is behind Schedule, over
Budget, and Performing Badly 117
Setting the Stage: Who Do We Blame? 117
Options, Recommendations, and Reactions Resulting from an Independent
Assessment 121
Outcomes and Lessons Learned When the Truth Is Exposed 126
Exercise: When Addressing Software Cost and Schedule Problems, How Do You
Determine Their Root Causes? 127
Summary of Key Points and Lessons Learned 129
References 129
Web Pointers 130
CHAPTER 9 GOVERNMENT CASE: TOO MUCH GOVERNANCE/OVERSIGHT HINDERS PROGRESS
IN HEALTH CARE 132
Learning Objectives: How to Handle Extreme Governance Requirements Under
Pressure 132
Setting the Stage: Governance and the Competitive Environment 132
Options, Recommendations, and Reactions Aimed at Validating the
Architecture of a New Pharmacy System 136
Outcomes and Lessons Learned When Dealing with Customer Demands for Change
139
Exercise: How Much Oversight Is Enough within a Constrained but Competitive
Contractual Environment? 141
Summary of Key Points and Lessons Learned 143
References 144
Web Pointers 144
CHAPTER 10 GOVERNMENT CASE: NEW CONCEPTS FOR AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL 147
Learning Objectives: Making the Transition to Agile Methods 147
Setting the Stage: Change Management within Conservative Organizations 147
Options, Recommendations, and Reactions during the Transition to Agile
Methods on a Large Project Being Developed Globally 149
Outcomes and Lessons Learned as You Scale Agile Methods for Use 154
Exercise: How Do You Mechanize the Agile Notion That Software Requirements
Are a Learning Exercise Rather Than a Specification Process? 155
Summary of Key Points and Lessons Learned 158
References 159
Web Pointers 160
CHAPTER 11 GOVERNMENT CASE: ADDRESSING CYBER CRIME ON THE INTERNET 163
Learning Objectives: How to Get Help in Covering Unbudgeted Tasks 163
Setting the Stage: The Quick Update Cycle 163
Options, Recommendations, and Reactions to Approaches to Handle Frequent
Requests to Refresh Network Defenses 165
Outcomes and Lessons Learned Related to Getting Budget Relief 170
Exercise: How Do You Quickly Change a Software Product and Keep Customers
Happy at the Same Time? 171
Summary of Key Points and Lessons Learned 175
References 175
Web Pointers 176
CHAPTER 12 ACADEMIC CASE: HOW BEST TO EDUCATE THOSE ENTERING INDUSTRY 178
Learning Objectives: Getting New University Hires Up-to-Speed Quickly 178
Setting the Stage: What Does Industry Need from Universities? 178
Options, Recommendations, and Reactions When Recruiting at Universities 182
Outcomes and Lessons Learned Based on Recruiting Results 184
Exercise: What Education and Training Do You Provide for New Software
Hires? 186
Summary of Key Points and Lessons Learned 189
References 190
Web Pointers 190
CHAPTER 13 ACADEMIC CASE: RESEARCH AGENDAS THAT MATTER TO INDUSTRY 191
Learning Objectives: Sponsored Research Agendas 191
Setting the Stage: Research versus Teaching: A Dilemma? 191
Fact-Finding 193
Options, Recommendations, and Reactions Based on Research Discussions 193
Organization 194
Project 194
Process 195
Product 196
Recommendations 196
Outcomes and Lessons Learned Based on University Performance 197
Exercise: How Do You Stimulate Pursuit of Software Research
in Academia That Has a Near Rather Than Far-Term Impact? 199
Summary of Key Points and Lessons Learned 201
References 202
Web Pointers 202
CHAPTER 14 PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER 205
Software Management Secrets of Success 205
Gaining Insight and Advantage in Practice 206
Ten Management Techniques to Rely On 207
Ten Problems to Be Wary of When Pursuing Success 211
Things You Can and Cannot Do in General 212
If I Were King: My Six Wishes 213
Summary 214
References 214
Web Pointers 215
APPENDIX A ACRONYMS AND GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS 217
Acronyms Used within the Book 217
Key Terms Used within the Book 221
APPENDIX B RECOMMENDED READINGS, REFERENCES, AND RESOURCES 227
Recommended Readings 227
References 228
Other Resources 229
APPENDIX C SAMPLE SOLUTIONS 231
Chapter 2: Industrial Case: Organizing for ERP within a Large Information
Technology Shop 231
Chapter 3: Industrial Case: What Is a Reasonable Cost and Schedule for a
Telecommunications Project Upgrade? 233
Chapter 4: Industrial Case: Getting a Project Back on Track within a
Manufacturing Environment 236
Chapter 5: Industrial Case: Staff Turnover Having an Impact in Financial
Firm 240
Chapter 6: Industrial Case: Acquiring Software for Pipeline Operations 243
Chapter 7: Industrial Case: Launching Software Applications Sales on the
Internet and Social Media 245
Chapter 8: Government Case: Managing the Acquisition of a Large Defense
Project 248
Chapter 9: Government Case: Too Much Governance/Oversight Hinders Progress
in Health Care 251
Chapter 10: Government Case: New Concepts for Air Traffi c Control 253
Chapter 11: Government Case: Addressing Cyber Crime on the Internet 256
Chapter 12: Academic Case: How Best to Educate Those Entering Industry 258
Chapter 13: Academic Case: Research Agendas That Matter to Industry 260
INDEX 261