software engineering

Articles

Programming with an Agile Mindset
Agile is recognized as a system-software development approach used to get quick feedback to keep the customer involved at every stage, building a disciplined team, and having working software at any given point in time. Sameer Arora writes on how things can fall out of place when agility on the programming side is ignored.
Less Is More

Twentieth Century architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, who coined the dictum, "less is more," is known for his simple designs. Interestingly, this concept has proven true time and time again in the software industry. In this week's column, Linda Hayes explains reasons why simplifying your team when it comes to quantity is so vital and shares some surprising statistics on how team size can affect quality.

The Goldilocks Parable: How Much Process is Just Right
Getting process improvement "just right" is difficult. Go too far in the definition of processes, and it really does get too hot, with the heat coming from the people trying to use the processes. On the other hand process definitions that are too short to contain anything of value will leave users in the cold, and then there will be no improvement in the organization. Ed Weller states that a useful process improvement activity develops a set of process artifacts that meets the needs of the user. This helps the organization capture "tribal lore" and cast it into a set of process definitions that eliminates waste and improves time-to-market.
Agile Codeline Management
Software developers often view version management tools and techniques as a necessary evil. This is particularly true of developers practicing agile techniques. However, version management, can be an aid to agility rather than something that gets in the way.

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Better Software Magazine

Catch Them Doing It Right

Rewards can be powerful management tools, but only if you implement them effectively. In this installment of the Management Chronicles, discover how the right timing and getting to know your employees better can improve the impact of your recognition method.

Three Kinds of Measurement and Two Ways to Use Them

Are software development and testing sciences subject to the same kind of numerical measurement that we use in physics? If not, what kinds of measurements should we use? How could we think more usefully about measurement?

Solve the Real Problem

There is more to problem solving than processes and tools. Discover a way to get to the heart of a problem with none of the hacks, shortcuts, and workarounds that have become the industry norm.

Getting to the Root of Software Security

Vendors try to protect their source code from would-be attackers, but it takes only one chink in the armor for a good reverse engineer to penetrate all the defenses so carefully put in place. Find out how to methodically uncover patterns to help you predict where the attacks will be focused and how they will be carried out.

A Look at the Build Tool Ant

Tool selection is an important choice in the development process. For any project that relies heavily on Java technology, Ant is a valuable tool for the build process. It is portable, packed with features, and is open source. Moreover, since it is easily extensible, a growing number of additional tasks are available on the Internet.

Hidden Risks in Web Code

A look at the HTML source code behind Web sites can often reveal security issues that would never be uncovered by those blissfully ignorant of the code. This bug report will examine two common methods of maintaining state and passing data in Web-based systems–hidden form fields and the HTTP GET method–and demonstrate some of the associated security risks through an examination of HTML code.

Not a Game of Random() Chance

Online gaming poses a myriad of security risks. These hazards include various forms of player cheating and the possibility of unfair gaming software, in addition to the risks normally associated with any e-commerce business. Matthew Schmid describes a specific design flaw in an online poker game.

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Interviews

Software Engineering State of the Practice: An Interview with Jerry Weinberg

Jerry Weinberg's workshops and writings have taught, encouraged, and inspired many people over the years. In this interview by Beth Layman, Jerry gives insightful and entertaining answers about the state of the practice, becoming a technical leader, and the future of software engineering.

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TechWell Stories
Removing Waste in Software Projects
Create a Vendor Contract While Keeping Agile
How Agile Teams Use DevOps for Deployment
Build a List of Things—But Don't Call It Agile
Can Agile and Lean Six Sigma Coexist?

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