The Latest
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Dimensions of SCM Challenge #4 - Schedule & Technological Diversity[article] Technological Diversity-systems built atop multiple, varied technologies-is highly correlated with deployment rather than installation. This may be because diverse systems tend to have several contributing development teams, and because the natural modularity of the systems encourages the separate release of components. Because of this correlation, technologically diverse projects are a significant challenge for CM practitioners, and we will look at it here. |
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Software Configuration Management Project Baselines[article] A project baseline is the fundamental CM technique for release management. Configuration management has historically been about managing the acquisition of new products. To that end, a set of baselines is defined corresponding to various milestones in the product development cycle. These baselines reflect different expressions of the final product and include the functional, allocated, and released baselines. |
Austin Hastings
May 26, 2008 |
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How Release Management Can Help Agile Teams[article] As many have learned, using Agile methods can provide solid business benefits including earlier return on investment, earlier detection of failed efforts, and more satisfied stakeholders. However, when applying Agile methods to product-lines (and projects therein), often there are dependencies on other products (and their projects), services, and organizations that may run in a more waterfall or hierarchical manner. If the Agile project and product therein are self-sustaining with no dependencies on outside factors, life can be quite good. But most of the Agile projects I have worked with or visited have varying degrees of dependencies on other products or services that run in a more waterfall or hierarchical manner. |
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Testing Lessons Learned from Extreme Programmers[presentation]
Video
One of the things testers often notice about Extreme Programming (XP) is that there is no defined role for testers on the team. Yet XP teams describe themselves as “test infected.” They practice Test-Driven Development (TDD), writing executable unit tests before writing the code... |
Elisabeth Hendrickson, Quality Tree Software
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Optimizing CruiseControl for Continuous Integration[article] CruiseControl is a great tool for preventing against data loss and corruption. Michael Sayko explains in this article how this continuous integration tool can be implemented to assist development projects, even across the enterprise level. |
Michael Sayko
May 5, 2008 |
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Make Clean: Usman's Law[article] Usman's Law (named after a smart coworker of mine who spent months working with customer Makefiles). make clean is intended to take you back to a state where everything will be rebuilt from scratch. Often times it doesn't. Here's why. |
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When to Step Up, When to Step Back[magazine] Leaders can stifle progress when they unnecessarily interfere with team processes. However, as a leader, you don't want your project to go over the cliff and fail miserably or deliver the wrong results either. There are times when leaders should stand back and let the team work things out for themselves—and other times when leaders should step up and really lead. |
Pollyanna Pixton
May 1, 2008 |
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The Accidental Complexity of Logic[magazine] Much code complexity and no small number of program defects can be traced back to confusion over logical expressions and the expression of logic. Find out how you can get that complexity under control. |
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What's the Deal with Investigators?[magazine] "Investigators aren't sure" is a phrase that frequently pops up in the media. Information systems workers seem to share this uncertainty. So, what's the secret to success in this "aren't sure" world? |
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Let's Talk Agile[magazine] Agile development employs more oral communication, feedback, and interaction than traditional development. These communication tools can help ease the transition into the more interactive agile team relationship. |
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The Chivalrous Team Member[magazine] Using the ten virtues described in Brian Price's modern code of chivalry, Martin and Mike illustrate the similarities between the best performing software team members of today and the Knights of the Round Table. |
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It's a Bug![magazine] Bug triage, like labor and delivery triage, is about deciding a course of action on the spot, often with minimal information guiding decision making. Discover what other lessons Robert has learned from Anne's experience in nursing that have practical applications in his hunt for bugs. |
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Out of the Rut[magazine] Are you bored? Do feel as if all you do is repeat heavily scripted tests and as a result you aren't learning, discovering new problems, or finding bugs? These nine heuristics can help you get out of your rut and take back control of your testing process. |
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Communicate, Don't Assimilate[magazine] Opening an offshore office can be a tricky situation. Learn how to spread corporate values and processes to your new team members by working together instead of forcing them to adopt your way of thinking. |
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Transparency and Accountability[article] Regular reporting increases transparency and accountability, which, while some developers may initially grimace at, the process eventually makes everyone's job easier. By accurately capturing and compiling this data, efficiency can be increased in more areas than you might have thought possible. |
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