Software Project Survival Guide

Software Project Survival Guide (SPSG) is responsive to the problem that many people in the software industry are thrust into positions in which they are given responsibility for the outcome of a software project but are not given any formal or informal training in how to make that happen. SPSG provides an introduction to the steps that successful software projects follow that can be read by both technical and nontechnical readers.

Unlike Code Complete and Rapid Development, SPSG does not provide you with limitless options. It lays out one specific approach to software development that works pretty well for most projects most of the time. The plan described in SPSG is designed to address the most common weaknesses that software projects face. The beginning project leader can use the approach described in SPSG as a pre-fab project plan. The extremely knowledgeable software developer will sometimes be able to come up with a more customized development plan than the one described in SPSG. But the plan described in SPSG will work much better than no plan at all, and “no plan at all” is the most common alternative.

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About the author

Steve McConnell is an internationally recognized thought leader on software development best practices. He is the author of several best-selling books, including the highly influential Code Complete, often cited as the most popular software development book of all time. His books have sold more than one million copies overall and have been translated into 20 languages. Steve founded Construx in 1996 to help companies apply proven best practices to their software development. In his role as CEO and Chief Software Engineer, Steve teaches classes, writes books and articles, and oversees software engineering practices.