Balancing Agility and Discipline in Complex Software System Development Guide (Photo-offset Edition)

Author: (USA) Boehm, Turner
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-06-01
Features: Agility and discipline, these two completely opposite 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 is finding the right balance between the two. Depending on the environment and risks, this balance point may vary from project to project. Those who always go 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 in the book the bureaucracy and stagnation caused by disciplined but unagile practices, as well as the looseness 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, and shows the best development strategy that combines all characteristics. After an objective and down-to-earth analysis, the book ultimately provides clear and practical guidance for all software professionals—how to find the best balance between agility and discipline in any project.