Rapid Development: Taming Wild Software Schedules

Slow development is reported to be the greatest problem facing the software industry today, but some organizations are developing rapidly. Researchers have found 10-to-1 differences in productivity between different companies within the same industries. Rapid Development tells the reader what is needed to move toward the “10” side of that 10-to-1 ratio. Designed to be read either as a reference or cover-to-cover, the book describes more than two dozen best practices including evolutionary prototyping, evolutionary delivery, designing for change, Joint Application Development (JAD), outsourcing, timebox development, signing up, and voluntary overtime.

General topics include rapid-development strategy, core issues in rapid development, classic mistakes, risk management, estimation, scheduling, motivation, teamwork, customer-oriented development, productivity tools, and project recovery. The book’s explanations are enhanced by the inclusion of 27 case studies, life-like descriptions of how the theory and practice of rapid development play out in real-world projects.

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About the authorSteve 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.