Software Assessments, Benchmarks, and Best Practices

Rating:
Summary: Comprehensive and supported by data
Review: Jones is a master at data collection, distilling it, and drawing supportable conclusions. Like his other books (especially Estimating Software Costs, ISBN 0079130941), this one is wide in scope and deep with data and techniques.

He begins with background material on software process assessments, comparing his company's technique to SEI's, and correlating the two. Note that Jones' approach predates the one developed by SEI and was first published in his 1986 book "Programming Productivity", ISBN 0070328110. This book is a natural extension of that earlier work.

The next part of this book is an exhaustive survey of benchmarks and baselines, including pitfalls and an interesting discussion on activity-based software benchmark data. This material is a lead-in to 36 key factors that Jones identifies, including software classification, project-specific, technology, sociological, ergonomic, and international factors.

Subsequent chapters address best and worst practices, process improvement, and benchmarks and best practices for various software classes and development approaches, including internal IS, outsourced development, systems, commercial, military and end-user software development and delivery. Each class is treated in a comprehensive manner and the findings are well supported.

This book is an ideal resource for any organization wishing to establish a baseline before implementing initiatives such as CMMI, SPICE, etc. More importantly, much of this book is as applicable to the SEI assessment approach as it is to Jones's SPR methodology. I also recommend using Software Program Managers Network (ASIN B0001M00RA)in conjunction with this book (paste the ASIN number in the search box at the top of this page to reach it).

Rating:
Summary: A assessment guide for sofware development process
Review: The success or failures of software projects are dependent on various parameters. Software assessments & benchmarks provide qualitative methods and quantitative data on factors that lead to project success and failure. Assessing organizational standards and comparing them with industry standards helps to identify weaknesses and strengths in the software project development process. The book provides a valuable insight into the best practices in the industry and also lays down a clear framework for process improvement and software project excellence. For a Industry that is driven by metrics, the book is a 'must read' for any professional in the field.

Rating:
Summary: A assessment guide for sofware development process
Review: The success or failures of software projects are dependent on various parameters. Software assessments & benchmarks provide qualitative methods and quantitative data on factors that lead to project success and failure. Assessing organizational standards and comparing them with industry standards helps to identify weaknesses and strengths in the software project development process. The book provides a valuable insight into the best practices in the industry and also lays down a clear framework for process improvement and software project excellence. For a Industry that is driven by metrics, the book is a `must read' for any professional in the field.

Rating:
Summary: This author is a very good writer and technical expositor.
Review: This author is a very good writer and technical expositor. I find him easy to read and the book hard to put down, which is not something one can say about every technical text. I particularly liked the author's frequent lists of pros and cons. He is well aware that every design process is a series of tradeoffs. Knowing what they are is a big help. This book is the culmination of a technology development scenario. It mentions competitive and ancillary software metric methodologies and closes each chapter with an extensive bibliography. The best previous books on this subject were written by this author. This book is the 1999/2000 upgrade.