Debugging the Development Process: Practical Strategies for Staying Focused, Hitting Ship Dates, and Building Solid Teams
Author: Steve Maguire
List Price: $24.95
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ISBN: 1556156502
Publisher: Microsoft Press (August, 1994)
Sales Rank: 10,068
Average Customer Rating: 4.22 out of 5
Customer Reviews
Rating: 3 out of 5
Smooth reading but simplistic
The language is easy to read and the style contributes to fast and smooth reading. The book can also be read very fast because there is not enough new facts in the book to slow you down.The book mainly explains the obvious (although too often ignored) practices that helps your development project: stay focused, avoid distractions, avoid interruptions, avoid wasting time, avoid unnecessary meetings (meetings are interruptions and far too often a waste of time), fix bugs early. The book has some stories to explain the above practices. But, the book has no hard facts to help you fight for the above practices in case you have a "pointy haired" boss.
In my opinion "Rapid Development" by Steve McConnel is a far better book. "Rapid development" has all the hard facts that "Debugging the development process" lacks. "Rapid development" also describes more practices and has a broader view of the development project that "Debugging the development process".
Rating: 4 out of 5
An excellent guide for development managers seeking guidance
I recommend this book to anyone managing (or thinking of managing) a development team. It contains practical advice, good examples, and a real world feel for how developers work (and can improve their work) and how managers can "stay out of their way" so that they can get their work done. This is one of the only Microsoft Press books that I read from cover to cover. Highly recommended!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Too Bad it is Out of Print
This is really a very good book. I wanted to use it as a textbook for a Software Engineering class I am teaching, but now that it is out of print I felt I couldn't.Anyone who needs to manage programmers, or is dependent on programmers should read this book. It is also a good read for anyone looking to help improve the overall productivity of "information workers." Simple things like how and why you schedule your meetings make a big impact.
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