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Summary: Best practices for developers and managers
Review: I've been kicking around the industry for 25 years, as a developer and technical manager, and this book expresses many concepts that I have half-formed over that time but never really been able to express. McConnell also backs them up with relevant data.If you're a developer, read this for the sections on estimation, negotiation and overtime. Then you'll want to read the rest of it. If you're a technical manager, just buy and read the whole thing. It's all *very* relevant, because you're in the middle of the whole process. Buy the book because you'll want to keep it nearby afterwards to point your line managers and developers at the hard data when they try to get round you! If you're a line manager, read this for the sections on teamwork, how to motivate developers, and overtime. Then read the rest anyway; it's relevant to you, too. McConnell has an easy style, and the book is an entertaining read. It's also split into small sections; I read it over three weeks on the train to and from work.
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Summary: THE book to own
Review: How can I add any value to the multitude of reviews that obviously say "You must buy this"? When I was working 80 hours a week - this was the only book I read cover-to-cover. When I lent my book to one of my staff and he left the firm, I bought another copy off the shelf within 24 hours (I couldn't wait for Amazon's delivery time). This was after having read the book twice. This is the only book I have bought 3 copies: one for work, one for home, and one to share. It's the only book which caused me to specifically make a trip to the bookstore to get a signature and hear a writer speak. This is the 2nd of McConnell's books I've read. Code Complete was great. I couldn't believe anything could be better but this book is it. It repeated a few facts and figures but it's worthwhile to have it reorganized and re-presented for a different view. This book has led me to be a confirmed McConnell reader. His other books are good, but this is his best. Unfortunately, my expectation is so high now that his subsequent books are not impressing me as much. Because of this book, I will attend my second course from his company - even if it means flying into Seattle's rain. One book and he's hooked me for literally a thousand dollars - that's an effective writer!
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Summary: Clients should also be forced to read this...
Review: I concur with the view that this book should be required reading for anyone involved in software development - from the lowliest member of the team to the project management. However, in addition, (assuming you write bespoke software) I'd suggest you try to get your clients to read it, to give them an insight about the software development process. And, if you can, get it for senior management involved in commissioning software. I am in no doubt that there can be no-one involved in software development who would not profit by reading it; as such it is well worth its price. I'm not at all impressed by the reviewer who gave it only a single star for the reason that it came out of Seattle: that just seems to be a dumb thing to do.
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Summary: Rapid Development
Review: Its really a Book that not only IS Managers should read, it takes you to see your errors and then gives you a solution. I do enjoy this book, and will work side by side with it in my next project.
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Summary: Rapid Team Development with ColdFusion
Review: I read Michael Dinowitz's review of Steve McConnell's Code Complete in last week's issue of Fusion Authority, and wanted to tell you about another great book by him called "Rapid Development". This one is good for team ColdFusion projects on a short deadline (and what ColdFusion project is not rapid development!). The sub-title "Taming Wild Software Schedules" sums it up. The book covers both technical ideas (such as estimation, risk management and mini milestones) and the psychology of both programmers and teams. The latter may be particularly useful on the high burnout 12-hour-a-day work cycle of many ColdFusion programming teams I have seen. Keeping everyone motivated and working together as a team is often more important than technical programming tricks on a large project. Project Management Cookbook The second half of the book, "Best Practices," is a cookbook of 36 techniques for project leaders designed to stop overruns and control those out-of-control, large ColdFusion projects. I have been developing for over 20 years, and nearly all of McConnell's tips ring true. The book is not about ColdFusion per see; it concerns any Rapid Development language. I liked the fact that he rated each of these cookbook methods by the following criteria: Potential reduction from nominal schedule Improvement in progress visibility Effect on schedule risk Chance of first time success Chance of long-term success Here are some of the 36 classic mistakes that McConnell describes in detail: People Related Mistakes Heroics Adding people to a late project Politics placed over substance (etc.) Process Related Mistakes Abandonment of planning under pressure Planning to catch up later "Code-like-hell" programming (etc.) Technology Related Mistakes Silver-Bullet syndrome Overestimating Savings From New Tools or Methods Switching Tools in the Middle of a Project (etc.) If you are like me and have been involved in a few "projects from hell" then I am sure you recognise some (or all) of the above! There are also fun sidebars from the trenches of real development teams, both successes and disasters. Twenty real-life case studies round it out. This is a long book (650 pp) but I have found myself dipping into it for new insights in my daily work as a ColdFusion project manager. Review by: Michael Smith, TeraTech
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Summary: A must have for anyone involved in the development process
Review: This book has so much information on the do's and don'ts of software development, that I recommend reading this book every year, to remind you of them.
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Summary: Rapid Development
Review: Great Book!, Excellent!, Practical!, and to the point. Goes into graphic detail about the problems that can, will, and have occured when one runs a software project. This is one book that you do not want to leave behind especially if you want to; 1. Own a Software Business or 2. Be a Project Manager.
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Summary: good book--but
Review: this is a good book about good development practices, what I found astonishing is that the book comes from MS, shouldn't they read the book as well for some of their products. Ej: W2K and else? Picture in page 330 is super cool 7:)
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Summary: You must be kidding
Review: Yes, at first read, this book seems very helpful. Seems like I can identify, etc. However, I'm sorry but I have trouble getting software development answers/advice from a team that cannot deliver product properly. Even if the answers given are the correct ones. That's like saying 2 factorial is equal to 2 by taking 2 and adding it to zero; correct answer, wrong path.
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Summary: Wow this book is really something
Review: I am a college student studying programming and this book will really open your eyes. If you are strictly a "techie" then don't read this book. If you want to really learn how to manage a project successfully then THIS BOOK IS ESSENTIAL! Technical knowledge alone can get you so far, but knowing how to manage people will get you much farther. The Rapid Development approach explained in the book is very thoughtful and practical. It is not the type of strategy that is perfected quickly, but it can show you what software engineering entails, much quicker than you would have found by grinding away those poor schedules on your own. Buy it. Read it.
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