Better Software Articles

How one tester learned the hard way that quality is in the eye of the pocketbook holder.

All year long we've been asking people in every phase of the software development lifecycle to tell us what quality means to them. We found that while most agree on what quality is, there's still controversy over how to achieve it.

An Ounce of Prevention

Turn to The Last Word, where software professionals who care about quality give you their opinions on hot topics. This month, find out why Matthew Heusser thinks that quality problems should be prevented, not cured.

What Your Weekly Meetings Aren't Telling You

Need a place to go to get the solutions you've been craving? Management Fix is what you've been looking for. In this issue, find out how one-on-one meetings can reveal problems and opportunities that might otherwise not surface until it's too late.

The Many Faces of Quality

We're pleased to bring you technical editors who are well respected in their fields. Get their take on everything that relates to the industry, technically speaking. In this issue, Brian Marick explains why he believes the future of software lies in trust and teamwork among the many people who care about quality.

Want Better Software? Just Ask

An effective Project Customer can turn a good product into a great one. But he's got to know how. Mike Cohn gives Project Customers seven simple rules for communicating product goals effectively to development.

Make What's Counted Count

As a manager, how do you use the data you collect to actually steer your company's actions? One key is to know what the data actually means. Ben Linders shares how telecommunications giant Ericsson began getting the real story behind its numbers.

Domain-Centric Programming: Redefining the Universe

Sometimes to build better software you have to challenge long-standing assumptions. Find out what happened when one programmer realized his priorities were upside-down.

Hurry Up ... And Wait

Turn to The Last Word to find out why faster development tools may not be saving anyone any time.

Estimates: From Wrong to Real

Need a place to go to get the solutions you've been craving? Management Fix is what you've been looking for. In this issue, find out how to create estimates that make sense.