Software Failure: Management Failure : Amazing Stories and Cautionary Tales (Wiley Series in Software Engineering Practice)

Rating:
Summary: Software management cannot replace business management
Review: The gist of this fascinating book is that so-called software failures are really failures of the business environment, not the coders. In not one of the case studies are the software developers to blame. The culprit is always bigger-picture management, who are often trying to use a computer system to fix a broken business practice. So far I haven't read the entire book, but the author does not seem to think practices such as CMM or Software Process Improvement will really help. The entire system, not just the computer components, must be evaluated holistically. Software must be used only where it will really help. Trying to automate a broken business practice will only result in a broken automated system.