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Summary: I expect better content from McKinsey folks..
Review: Overall this is an adequate book for the title. However, coming from McKinsey folks, then...... hmmm.... The writing is a little sloppy and some of the analysis are not really insights. There ought to be more daring predictions at the end of the book from the authors... I suggest the authors to create an updated edition NOW since things are changing so much so fast in the software industry.
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Summary: Great Book
Review: Read It and Apply it and you have a great new compan
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Summary: Excellent book by Hoch of McKinsey
Review: Secrets of Software Success goes beyond the dry research papers that appear in the McKinsey Quarterly. Several consultants took upshots from 450 executives and laid them out in a concise and applicable manner. The authors reveal traits that could be implemented at any industry. Software consulting firms lead the industry in customer service and spend 78% of their advertising budget marketing their company name. We see so many software start ups as 95% is intangible capital. Partnerships are used to make up for gaps. Most companies make decisions quickly as they are based on a flat team-based organizational structure. Besides stock options, their culture has successfully overcome factors such as a variety of work styles and high turnover. Almost all companies do daily builds as stress causes 40% of all software errors and late fixes in design could cost 200 times an immediate fix. To conclude, a must read for anyone who wants to be a part of the digitized future.
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Summary: Secrets of Software Success Has What it Takes
Review: The McKinsey team does an excellent job of identifying what it takes to succeed as a software company. A good first read for anyone wanting to get into the software industry, Secrets of Software Success could be rather repetitive and too simplistic for industry veterans as they spend a lot of time covering the basics. Nevertheless, I read it cover-to-cover in less than 10 days and have purchased copies for other members of our team.
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Summary: Excellent book for software industry
Review: This book was exactly what I was waiting for. I good addition to my software industry book collection. I read the whole book in one go, easy to read and good examples
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Summary: Fascinating
Review: This is a fascinating book. Never before have I seen such a comprehensive look at what goes on behind-the-scenes in the software industry. The insights into what management practices lead to success in this field are invaluable, and many could easily be translated into other industries. I plan to apply many in my own business.
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Summary: How to Survive as a Snowball in Hell
Review: What does it take to thrive in an industry where "more than 60% of companies that make it to IPO eventually go bankrupt or create very little value"? Five young German business consultants decided they needed to know urgently, and have come up with some original conclusions. Not only are the winners significantly different from the also-rans, they are significantly different from successful companies in other industries. The book reads as though the the five authors split up the task of the book between them, and some sections are stronger than others. Whoever did the hard research and formed the major conclusions did a thorough and superb job - the reason for the five stars. The chapter on the technical aspects of producing good products were mostly derivative of Steve McConnell (" Software Project Survival Guide") and Fred Brooks ("Mythical Man Month"). The section on what it takes to attract good employees bordered on the silly, and the thumbnail sketches of such corporations as SAP, Baan and Platinum were uncritical to the point of reading like recruiting brochures. Who would I recommend the book to? Certainly, anybody who's thinking of starting a software company. I'd also recommend it to anyone wanting to invest in hi-tech, and any software professional who's job-hunting. Personally, I'm going to mail my copy to Judge Penfield Jackson.
Rating:
Summary: How to Survive as a Snowball in Hell
Review: What does it take to thrive in an industry where "more than 60% of companies that make it to IPO eventually go bankrupt or create very little value"? Five young German business consultants decided they needed to know urgently, and have come up with some original conclusions. Not only are the winners significantly different from the also-rans, they are significantly different from successful companies in other industries. The book reads as though the the five authors split up the task of the book between them, and some sections are stronger than others. Whoever did the hard research and formed the major conclusions did a thorough and superb job - the reason for the five stars. The chapter on the technical aspects of producing good products were mostly derivative of Steve McConnell (" Software Project Survival Guide") and Fred Brooks ("Mythical Man Month"). The section on what it takes to attract good employees bordered on the silly, and the thumbnail sketches of such corporations as SAP, Baan and Platinum were uncritical to the point of reading like recruiting brochures. Who would I recommend the book to? Certainly, anybody who's thinking of starting a software company. I'd also recommend it to anyone wanting to invest in hi-tech, and any software professional who's job-hunting. Personally, I'm going to mail my copy to Judge Penfield Jackson.
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Summary: OK Survey & Review of Software Success Factors
Review: Written by a team from McKinsey following several man years interviews and analysis, 'Success' highlights business success factors through 100s of facts, quotes and anecdotes. The positively presented chapters span: * It's like riding a bull- some historical innovation, software in aerospace, cars & health, software industry overview, and research scope & methodology. * A new business called "software"- IT segmentation & evolution (mass products, enterprise solutions and professional services), volume vs productization chart, and market issues. * Exceptional software leaders are the rule- characteristics (visionaries, risk-takers, dynamic, create teams with talent). * Winning the war for software talent- recruiting (partner with universities, hiring workshops, internal referrals, freebies, learning), and issues of staff churn. * Software development: completing a mission impossible- good processes (clarify requirements, structured approach, quality control, reusable components, daily build, communication) * Marketing gods make software kings- law of increasing returns for being leader, good processes (customer segmentation, aggressive adventurist PR, value rather than technical approach), building trust for services (host conferences, discussion circles, online communities, trade & white papers/books), risk-sharing contracts, and life-time customer value. * Grow your partners to grow yourselves- webs of 100s/1000s credible partners (train, pamper & certify them, with incentives rather than controls to manage), shapers (set standards/foundations) & adapters, and great expansion when >60% benefits to adapters of web * The landscape of the future- growth- Internet applications, unbundelling of embedded software, digitized business system, convergence, component brokering, and market consolidation. * Staying on the bull- services priority areas (people, resource assignment, development, marketing, partnering), enterprise solutions priority areas (partnering, service strategy, marketing, people, development), mass-market priority areas (marketing, partnering, globalization, people, development). 'Success' is a fact-filled & referenced, positive, timely global review of mass products, enterprise solutions and professional services. Weaknesses include: the overwhelming positive (non-objective) viewpoint; factual inconsistency, omissions (e.g. Booch, Rumbaugh, Jacobsen, UML etc when taking about object-oriented analysis/design/implementations) & errors when discussing the technology; superficiality due to a lack of wider knowledge of technology & industry; poor use of sidebars/bullet charts/summaries & figures for effective communication; and a lack of interactivity for the reader or tools to use (beyond mimicking other success factors). Overall, this book is an enjoyable entertaining easy-read, which ultimately fails the "so what" test- there is little of direct use (beyond standard management texts) for the reader to launch or improve companies. As such, 'Success' is most suitable for newcomers to technology industries & service companies, job-seekers, and students.
Rating: 
Summary: lot's of info, little insight, nothing quantitative
Review: Written by a team from McKinsey following several man years interviews and analysis, `Success' highlights business success factors through 100s of facts, quotes and anecdotes. The positively presented chapters span: * It's like riding a bull- some historical innovation, software in aerospace, cars & health, software industry overview, and research scope & methodology. * A new business called "software"- IT segmentation & evolution (mass products, enterprise solutions and professional services), volume vs productization chart, and market issues. * Exceptional software leaders are the rule- characteristics (visionaries, risk-takers, dynamic, create teams with talent). * Winning the war for software talent- recruiting (partner with universities, hiring workshops, internal referrals, freebies, learning), and issues of staff churn. * Software development: completing a mission impossible- good processes (clarify requirements, structured approach, quality control, reusable components, daily build, communication) * Marketing gods make software kings- law of increasing returns for being leader, good processes (customer segmentation, aggressive adventurist PR, value rather than technical approach), building trust for services (host conferences, discussion circles, online communities, trade & white papers/books), risk-sharing contracts, and life-time customer value. * Grow your partners to grow yourselves- webs of 100s/1000s credible partners (train, pamper & certify them, with incentives rather than controls to manage), shapers (set standards/foundations) & adapters, and great expansion when >60% benefits to adapters of web * The landscape of the future- growth- Internet applications, unbundelling of embedded software, digitized business system, convergence, component brokering, and market consolidation. * Staying on the bull- services priority areas (people, resource assignment, development, marketing, partnering), enterprise solutions priority areas (partnering, service strategy, marketing, people, development), mass-market priority areas (marketing, partnering, globalization, people, development). `Success' is a fact-filled & referenced, positive, timely global review of mass products, enterprise solutions and professional services. Weaknesses include: the overwhelming positive (non-objective) viewpoint; factual inconsistency, omissions (e.g. Booch, Rumbaugh, Jacobsen, UML etc when taking about object-oriented analysis/design/implementations) & errors when discussing the technology; superficiality due to a lack of wider knowledge of technology & industry; poor use of sidebars/bullet charts/summaries & figures for effective communication; and a lack of interactivity for the reader or tools to use (beyond mimicking other success factors). Overall, this book is an enjoyable entertaining easy-read, which ultimately fails the "so what" test- there is little of direct use (beyond standard management texts) for the reader to launch or improve companies. As such, `Success' is most suitable for newcomers to technology industries & service companies, job-seekers, and students.
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