Equip yourself with SOFTWARE PROJECT SURVIVAL GUIDE. It's for everyone with a stake in the outcome of a development project--and especially for those without formal software project management training. That includes top managers, executives, clients, investors, end-user representatives, project managers, and technical leads.
Here you'll find guidance from the acclaimed author of the classics CODE COMPLETE and RAPID DEVELOPMENT. Steve McConnell draws on solid research and a career's worth of hard-won experience to map the surest path to your goal--what he calls "one specific approach to software development that works pretty well most of the time for most projects." Nineteen chapters in four sections cover the concepts and strategies you need for mastering the development process, including planning, design, management, quality assurance, testing, and archiving. For newcomers and seasoned project managers alike, SOFTWARE PROJECT SURVIVAL GUIDE draws on a vast store of techniques to create an elegantly simplified and reliable framework for project management success.
So don't worry about wandering among complex sets of project management techniques that require years to sort out and master. SOFTWARE PROJECT SURVIVAL GUIDE goes straight to the heart of the matter to help your projects succeed. And that makes it a required addition to every professional's bookshelf.
The Survival Mind-Set
Chapter 1 Welcome to Software Project Survival Training
Survival Needs
Survival Rights
Survival Checks
Chapter 2 Software Project Survival Test
Survival Test Questions
Survival Test
Interpreting the Survival Test
Chapter 3 Survival Concepts
The Power of "Process"
Upstream, Downstream
Cone of Uncertainty
Chapter 4 Survival Skills
Planning
Planning Checkpoint Review
Risk Management
Project Control
Project Visibility
Peopleware
User Involvement
Product Minimalism
Focus on Shipping Software
Chapter 5 The Successful Project at a Glance
Intellectual Phases
Project Flow
Planning Phases
Staff Buildup
Code Growth Curve
Major Milestones and Deliverables
Survival Preparations
Chapter 6 Hitting a Moving Target
Change Control Procedure
Change Control Benefits
Common Change Control Issues
Committing to Change Control
Chapter 7 Preliminary Planning
Project Vision
Executive Sponsorship
Project Scope Targets
Publicizing Plans and Progress
Risk Management
Personnel Strategies
Time Accounting
The Software Development Plan
Chapter 8 Requirements Development
Overview of the Requirements Development Process
Identify a Set of Key End Users
Interview the End Users
Build a Simple User Interface Prototype
Develop a Style Guide
Fully Extend the Prototype
Treat the Fully Extended Prototype as the Baseline Specification
Write the Detailed End-User Documentation Based on the Prototype
Create a Separate, Non–User-Interface Requirements Document
Chapter 9 Quality Assurance
Why Quality Matters
The Quality Assurance Plan
Defect Tracking
Technical Reviews
System Testing
Beta Testing
Work Products Covered by the Quality Assurance Plan
Supporting Activities
Chapter 10 Architecture
Easing into Architecture
Characteristics of a Good Architecture
How to Tell When Architecture Is Complete
The Software Architecture Document
Chapter 11 Final Preparations
Project Estimates
Staged Delivery Plan
Ongoing Planning Activities
Succeeding by Stages
Chapter 12 Beginning-of-Stage Planning
Why is Stage Planning Needed?
Stage Planning Overview
Miniature Milestones
Stage Planning and Management Styles
Chapter 13 Detailed Design
Architecture Revisited
How Much Detailed Design Does a Project Need?
Technical Reviews
Detailed Design Documents
Special Considerations for Stage 1 of the Project
Chapter 14 Construction
Source Code Quality
Software Integration Procedure
Daily Build and Smoke Test
Special Considerations for Stage 1
Tracking Progress
Controlling Changes
Staying Focused
Is that all there is to Construction?
Chapter 15 System Testing
Test Philosophy
Test Group’s Support for Daily Builds
Developer’s Support for System Testing
Strategic Quality Assurance
Chapter 16 Software Release
Treating Releases Seriously
When to Release
Release Checklist
Release Sign-Off Form
Chapter 17 End-of-Stage Wrap-Up
Hold an Omnibus Change Board Meeting
Recalibrate Estimates
Evaluate Performance Against the Project Plan
Archive Project Media
Update the Software Project Log
Mission Accomplished
Chapter 18 Project History
Gathering Project Data
Software Project History Document
Preparing the Project History Conclusions for use on Future Projects
Distributing Copies of the Software Project History
Chapter 19 Survival Crib Notes
Nasa’s Success Checklist
Other Survival Resources
Appendix Epilogue
Appendix Notes
Preliminary Survival Briefing
Chapter 1: Welcome to Software Project Survival Training
Steve McConnell is recognized as one of the premier authors and voices in the development community. He is Chief Software Engineer of Construx Software and was the lead developer of Construx Estimate and of SPC Estimate Professional, winner of Software Development magazine's Productivity Award. He is the author of several books, including Code Complete and Rapid Development, both honored with Software Development magazine's Jolt Award.
