Balance Agility and Discipline: A Guide to Developing Complex Software Systems

Author: [USA] Boehm [USA] Turner Richard Turner
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: Agility and discipline, these two contrasting attributes, are complementary factors in software development. Planning-driven developers must possess a certain level of agility, while agile developers must also maintain a degree of discipline. The key to success lies in finding the right balance between the two. Depending on the environment and risks, this balance point may vary from project to project. Developers who always push to extremes based on passion must eventually learn how to allocate their focus according to actual circumstances. This book directly introduces actionable core concepts and provides constructive methods for defining a balanced software development strategy. The author demonstrates the bureaucracy and stagnation caused by disciplined yet unagile practices, as well as the slackness and result-ignoring technical fervor caused by uncontrolled agility. By introducing a day in the lives of two development teams and analyzing case studies, the book illustrates the differences and similarities between agile and plan-driven methods, showcasing the best development strategy that combines all characteristics. After an objective and down-to-earth analysis, it ultimately provides clear and practical guidance for all software professionals—how to find the optimal balance between agility and discipline in any project.