Vague requirements, undocumented design, poor code, and impossible schedules-these are the typical complaints of many developers. Whose fault is it? Of course, it is "their" fault-senior management, customers, users, etc. But, could we be part of the problem? Codependent behavior is defined as "a way of getting needs met that doesn't get needs met. We do all the wrong things for all the right reasons." When we agree to develop systems without understanding user needs, we teach others that participation in the project is not important. When we agree to absurd schedules, we teach others that our legitimate needs do not matter. In this compelling session, learn what codependency is, recognize codependent behavior in yourself and others, evaluate the negative effects of codependent behavior, and ways to respond more appropriately to unreasonable demands.

Experience demonstrates that no matter the end product-financial services, insurance, beer, construction, etc.-the foundation for and focus on implementing process improvement remains consistent. Using models as the basis for improving processes makes success more likely; however, no single model has all the right answers. In this presentation, Barbara Ainsworth provides an overview and comparison of popular software process models: Software Engineering Institute's Software CMM® and CMMI®; Project Management Institute’s PMI Common Body of Knowledge; and Quality Assurance Institute's Bodies of Knowledge for Quality Assurance and Testing. See the influence of both the old and new quality masters-Juran, Crosby, Humphrey, and others-and learn from them how to get your process improvement initiative on the right track.

• An overview of popular software process models

Through the application of a rigorous measurement model, which includes both quantitative and qualitative analysis, organizations can identify high impact areas of software development performance. With these organizational practices identified, you can more effectively align process improvement programs and realize significant gains in productivity and quality. Using three case studies, David Herron describes what leading organizations are doing to reduce costs and to produce higher quality deliverables. One company was able to measure and model the impact of an SEI CMM®-based process improvement program to analyze performance results from the program. Another organization quantitatively compared practices of high versus low performance projects to identify the factors contributing to better results. A third company used qualitative and quantitative analysis techniques to model performance and identify their best practices.

Scrum is an agile, lightweight and team-based process to manage software and product development within iterative software development lifecycles. By wrapping around existing engineering practices such as XP or RUP, Scrum generates many benefits of agile development with the advantages of simple implementation. Properly understood and implemented, Scrum significantly increases productivity and facilitates adaptive, pragmatic systems development. Scrum is a proven way to improve communications, increase cooperation, and remove things that get in the way of delivering products. Brad Grant, a Certified ScrumMaster, shares his knowledge and experiences facilitating stakeholder involvement with Scrum and improving the engineering practices of development teams. Join Brad to discover the roles, practices, team dynamics, and metrics that make up Scrum projects, and find out if Scrum is right for your team.