Software Project Survival Guide (Pro -- Best Practices) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Our standards for software product performance are unbelievably exacting compared to our standards for software project performance..." (more)
Key Phrases: Software Project History, Software Project Log, Survival Check (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Read the entire review of this book.

Targeted at managers (from the top of organizations down through technical leads), McConnell's book provides a blueprint for a successfully managed project; the postulated development effort involves "3 to 25 team members and schedules of 3 to 18 months." At 288 pages, the book could be thinner, but it's easy enough to get through. McConnell has an engaging, conversational style, with a tinge of irreverent humor -- both of which make this book easy to approach. He uses little jargon and includes a comprehensive glossary, so nontechies should find it easy enough to follow.

-- Chris Jaekl, Dr. Dobb's Journal -- Dr. Dobb's Journal

Product Description

The author of the classics "Code Complete" and "Rapid Development" throws a lifeline to the industry's huge and indispensable population of rookie managers and technical leads. This book is a roadmap to how an effective software project works--understandable even for those with limited project experience.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Microsoft Press; 1 edition (November 14, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572316217
• ISBN-13: 978-1572316218
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (64 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #190,581 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

120 of 133 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars "Best Practice" is not the same as "Survival", May 18, 1998

By	John Boddie (Landenberg, PA, United States) - See all my reviews

I was disappointed in this book - perhaps it was a problem with expectations. McConnell's previous books - Code Complete and Rapid Development -were very well written and provided valuable insights into best practices in the computer industry. By attempting to do the same thing here, the author missed the mark. The Software Project Survival Guide presents a road map marked with good practice applied in a mature organization that understands the nature of software and responds rationally, providing the resources and time required to do the job right. The overwhelming majority of people who are taking on their first project management job will have few, if any, of the benefits that this book takes for granted.

Don't get me wrong. This is a great collection of really good ideas and it's really well written, but it doesn't give much guidance to the first-time project manager who needs to deal with misdirection and misunderstanding from those who he or she reports to. The book presents a fine set of suggestions on "Techniques for Really Good Project Management," but there isn't much on "Survival."

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Superb project roadmap and cheklists, November 17, 1999

By	Tom O Bjorkholm (Stockholm, Sweden) - See all my reviews

Most (but not all) information in "Software Project Survival Guide" was also presented in "Rapid Development" by the same author.

The value of this book is not in the amount of information, because "Rapid Development" provides much more information and many different best practices.

The value of this book is the clear road map it gives you for running a project according to the "staged delivery" model. The checklists in the book are invaluable.

This book is a blessing for everyone who is overwhelmed by the amount of information in "Rapid Development".

I think this book is the perfect companion to "Rapid Development". "Rapid Development" is the authoritative reference for a lot of good practices. "Software Project Survival Guide" provides the checklists and road maps to keep the project on track in every phase of the project.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for Technical and Business Managers, January 5, 2000

By	Brian Jones "i blink, therefore i am" (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is especially helpful to those either: 1) new to managing projects 2) have never been formally trained in managing projects 3) are more on the business side of the fence and need insight into the software development process

I highly recommend this book if you fall into any of the above categories. I also recommend buying this book for any non-technical bosses.