Planning

Better Software Magazine Articles

Focused Improvement

Improving processes takes planning, time, and effort. A formal improvement project that applies the best practices of development to process improvement can help focus your team and effect real and lasting change.
Karen King
August 1, 2002
What Are You Worth?

Jerry Evans reports on Software Testing and QA compensation issues. He also provides a list of some of the best job sites on the Web for testers.
Jerry W. Evans, CSTE's picture Jerry W. Evans, CSTE
June 26, 2002
Time Management and the Art of Software

Tried and true techniques for getting a grip on priorities and schedules can mean the difference between breaking your neck to get a passable software product out the door and emerging from a project with a quality product and a sane staff. Alyn Wambeke relays some software-specific time management suggestions.
Alyn Wambeke
June 26, 2002
Book Nook: A Book Review

Steve Whitchurch reviews the latest edition of Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams, by Tom DeMarco and Tim Lister, describing it as a "must-read for all management wannabes, as well as those who are currently leading project teams and organizations."
Steve Whitchurch
June 26, 2002
Project Planning: It's in the Cards

Spend two days with an engineer named Eddie, and see how one skeptic learned the value of a low-tech, team-intensive, Cards-on-the-Wall planning technique.
Dwayne Phillips
June 26, 2002
Managing the End Game: Avoiding End-of-Project Complications by putting the Test Team in Charge

Experiencing end-of-project woes? Read how one test team guided the work at the end of a project by establishing daily goals to meet weekly objectives; by grading the product with a two-tiered approach; and by posting frequent status reports.
Cindy Necaise
June 26, 2002
A Study in Failures

Examples of mistakes, manifestations, and problems help us understand all parts of the software. Brian Marick suggests Web resources that examine software failures.
Brian Marick
June 26, 2002
Tactical Project Management at a Startup

Ulla Merz explains the role of a project manager at a startup company. She addresses topics such as requirements definition and project schedule; project status meetings; and establishing a change control board.
Ulla Merz
June 26, 2002
Reference Point: The Software Project Manager's Handbook

The Software Project Manager's Handbook is an excellent reference for the experienced or moderately experienced project managers who are looking to expand their "bag of tricks." Use this book as a reference to bone up on a specific topic, or use the case studies and questions to help you design and implement a feasible project plan.
Maureen A. O’Hara
June 26, 2002
How to Survive the Software Swamp

For a project to make long-term progress, it must build a platform of basic engineering practices. On this platform are set the ladders of advanced techniques that you select using risk analysis. Properly managed, these processes help you avoid falling back into the swamp whenever the project is under pressure.
Michael Deck
June 26, 2002

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