Software Project Secrets—Why Software Projects Fail

Experienced team leader and software developer Stepanek analyzes project management methodology and finds it sorely lacking when applied to software development; in fact, failure is built into the methodology in software projects. Stepanek describes the various systems of management and thereby develops the best bits into seven techniques that help managers create a plan that works and stick to it. He explains why software is different die to its vast domain and new ideas, why such methods as quality and risk management are doomed if left on their own, how such new, agile technologies as "crystal" and "extreme programming" work and why they also do not, how budgeting agile projects works, and how his seven-part scheme applies in a case study. Annotation c2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

George Stepanek is a senior software developer and team leader for Unisys New Zealand. He earned a master's degree from the University of Cambridge and certification as an architect in J2EE and Microsoft's .NET.