Hacker's Guide to Project Management, Second Edition (Computer Weekly Professional) [Paperback]

Andrew Johnston (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0750657464 | ISBN-13: 978-0750657464 | Publication Date: February 27, 2003 | Edition: 2

Managing a software development project is a complex process. There are lots of deliverables to produce, standards and procedures to observe, plans and budgets to meet, and different people to manage. Project management doesn't just start and end with designing and building the system. Once you've specified, designed and built (or bought) the system it still needs to be properly tested, documented and settled into the live environment. This can seem like a maze to the inexperienced project manager, or even to the experienced project manager unused to a particular environment.

A Hacker's Guide to Project Management acts as a guide through this maze. It's aimed specifically at those managing a project or leading a team for the first time, but it will also help more experienced managers who are either new to software development, or dealing with a new part of the software life-cycle.

This book:

• describes the process of software development, how projects can fail and how to avoid those failures


• outlines the key skills of a good project manager, and provides practical advice on how to gain and deploy those skills


• takes the reader step-by-step through the main stages of the project, explaining what must be done, and what must be avoided at each stage


• suggests what to do if things start to go wrong!

The book will also be useful to designers and architects, describing important design techniques, and discussing the important discipline of Software Architecture.

This new edition:

• has been fully revised and updated to reflect current best practices in software development


• includes a range of different life-cycle models and new design techniques


• now uses the Unified Modelling Language throughout

Fully revised and updated to reflect developments in the field

Modified structure to represent the iterative and incremental development methods which are now more common than the past 'waterfall' approaches

New content added that describes and advises on the major advances in software engineering in the last 8 years

Editorial Reviews

Review

'A staggering proportion of software development projects fail. This book is the perfect comfort blanket for anyone who has just been promoted to running a small software development team and doesn't want their project to be one of the failures. This guide is worthy of any new project manager's attention.' - PC Magazine, August 1995

'Overall the book is comprehensive, easy to read and informative in an enjoyable way. You will find this book valuable if you are steering a project for the first time.' - I T for Local Government, July 1995

'...a well-structured, pragmatic handbook supported by an intelligently annotated bibliography.' - Project, July 1995 --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From the Publisher

Managing a computer project is a complex process; there are many deliverables to produce, plans and budgets to satisfy, and different people to report to. Once you've analyzed, designed and built (or bought) the system, you have to make sure it is properly tested, documented, and settled into the live environment. This can seem like a maze to the inexperienced project manager, or even to the experienced one. This book is a practical guide for all project managers. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 228 pages
• Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann; 2 edition (February 27, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0750657464
• ISBN-13: 978-0750657464
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,370,466 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A superb book that gives the ABCs of mgmt of s/w projects., August 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Hacker's Guide to Project Management (Computer Weekly Professional) (Paperback)

An excellent book on how to manage complex computer software projects. The book gives the complex steps in easy to follow manner and not only tells you what to do but why and how to do it. An essential tool for any budding Project Leader and/or Project Manager. Even ISO9000 certified companies will find such a book a mandatory weapon in their armoury for tackling issues related to project management.

1.0 out of 5 stars Too general...., January 30, 2004

By 

Mo' Data (Redmond, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hacker's Guide to Project Management (Computer Weekly Professional) (Paperback)

Can't really get any useful information out of this book. For example, has chapters on design, and systems integration. Being a hacker (the target group), I know more about this than the book does. The book however does not really tell how to manage these issues, which is what the book was supposed to be doing in the first place....(book about pm, not about design).