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Dynamics of Software Development

by Jim McCarthy (Author), Denis Gilbert (Foreword)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 37 ratings
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Dynamics of Software Development (Pro-Best Practices)
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Shipping great software can be done, insists McCarthy, and charts, in five sections, the progress from initial design to successful product. McCarthy is a software industry veteran and the director of the Microsoft Visual C++ development group.
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  1. ISBN-10
    1556158238
  2. ISBN-13
    978-1556158230
  3. Publisher
    Microsoft Press
  4. Publication date
    July 1, 1995
  5. Language
    English
  6. Dimensions
    7.75 x 0.75 x 9.5 inches
  7. Print length
    184 pages
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

McCarthy has distilled a veteran's hard-won know-how into 54 memorable, pragmatic maxims - short essays on defining, building, shipping, and marketing software successfully, whether commercially or in-house. With a grown-up wit that's by turns homespun and sophisticated, McCarthy tells you how to maintain your cool (""Don't Flip the Bozo Bit""), organize a crack team (""Get Their Heads into the Game""), analyze the customer and the competition (""Alone? A Market Without a Competitor Ain't""), handle uncertainty and schedule slips (""When You Slip, Don't Fall""), make commitments with integrity (""Be like the Doctors""), and stabilize the product so that you can ship it (""Don't Shake the Jell-O""). McCarthy shows you how to develop a marketing message and how to launch your product too, and in the appendix, he tells you how to hire smart people and keep them happy and productive. Along the way, McCarthy meditates on software aesthetics and familiar software development phenomena - the ""death march to Egghead"", burn-out, internecine quarrels, being lost in software, the software dream and successive awakenings, the self-critical customer. McCarthy's preoccupation with the dynamics of the process infected his brother, artist Patrick McCarthy, with a sense of the ""rich, deep, psychocultural extravaganza"" that is software development, and themes both humorous and dark emerge in the handsome illustrations for the book. You'll find Dynamics of Software Development as engrossing and exciting as software development itself. This book is destined to be read by software designers, developers, marketers, technical managers, and industry insiders for many years to come.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Microsoft Press (July 1, 1995)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 184 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1556158238
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1556158230
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.15 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.75 x 0.75 x 9.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 37 ratings

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Jim McCarthy

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
37 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Avid Reader Man
5.0 out of 5 stars From the Trenches
Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2010
Verified Purchase
Even though Jim McCarthy is a developer, he tells a great story. One thing I really like about this author is his writing style, which is smart, but not too geek. He speaks from real world experience, and speaks like a developer. His examples are specific, and he uses humor well. Any developer can relate to some of his terms that are memorable such as "don't go dark", "don't shake the jello" and "triage ruthlessly".

You could get into project management terminology, or get very geek-detailed, but this book is not about that. This book really gives you a sense of being there from someone who has actually shipped quality software on time. Learn from his wisdom, he has been around.

This author is one of the select group of software development professionals who get it. This book, along with "Peopleware", "Code Complete", and the "Mythical Man Month" are classics in software development. There are other best practice books out there, but this is a great place to start.
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Bas Vodde
5.0 out of 5 stars The "agile" story of Visual C++
Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2004
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This books describes Jim McCarthy's story on developing Visual C++ 1.0. The method of development has much in line with the agile development methods at this moment. Quotes like "embrace the change" are now quite common but were less common in 1995.
The book is written in a very funny way. It's not always easy to follow the author but that doesn't really make it much worse. Jim McCarty puts very much effort on the "group psyche" and focus on team work and communication. He tries to describe on how to make a team with a "winning mood" which then should take all responsibility and 'just' finish the product.
Parts like "Group psyche", "Don't flip the bozo bit", "The world changes and so should you" and "slip but don't fall" are extremly good and useful to read! When reading the book I really got the feeling that he knows how to ship great intellectual property. And the success of the Visual C++ compiler also shows that his methods have been very successfull.
The second edition of the book will be released in 2 days from now (6 Feb. 2004) and that's certainly a book which I will read again! Great stuff.
One person found this helpful
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Rafael Mizrahi
5.0 out of 5 stars A life changing book for software developers
Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2019
Verified Purchase
As a software programmer and manager, this book has changed my entire perspective on software development.
To the technical parts of project management and software development, Jim adds the emotional side.
Thinking with feeling. Maintain a shared vision. Deliver great software on time, every time.
Jim McCarthy, the author is team dynamics guru and was leading Microsoft Visual Studio and understood that team dynamics are the strongest forces in your office.
I bought this bestselling book many times, as a present to colleagues.
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Philip R. Heath
5.0 out of 5 stars Common Sense That Is Not So Common
Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2003
This book delivers great insight into what goes on in software development. Although presented in the context of work performed on Microsoft Visual C++ 1.0, the author does a good job of generalizing specific experience. McCarthy gives us an honest look into the ups and downs without sugar coating or promising silver bullets.
Presented in a format similar to Meyers' "Effective C++" books, the text flows very well and is a pleasure to read. When you read many of the pitfals presented, you may think "Duh!". However, these are things that I see happen regularly. Here are some of the highlights.
Rule #2 "Get Their Heads Into The Game". This sounds like a very simple rule. Everyone on the team needs to be contributing ideas toward creating intellectual property. However, most people know this is easier said than done. McCarthy goes on to explain the barriers to the flow of ideas.
Rule #4 "Don't Flip The Bozo Bit". This rule is necessary to keep #2 working. The author deals with the natural tendency that people have to become defensive when criticism is offered of their ideas. This can actually cause both the critic and the one being criticized to tune each other out. The author suggests that team members call each other on it when the Bozo Bit is being flipped.
Rule #25 "Don't Accept Dictation". This topic is addressed in many other texts, but that fact should tell us that we aren't getting it. McCarthy reminds us that it is foolish to accept dictation of scheudle, features, and resources. The "Holy Triangle" has to be balanced and tradeoffs are required when changing any one of these three. Managers are encouraged to be strong and take a stand when they find themselves in this situation. Eight years after this book was published, I still see this very thing happening. Until something changes, we will continue to see this issue addressed in software management texts.
Rule #31 "Beware Of A Guy In A Room". Software development is a collaborative effort. Don't let people isolate themselves. There is no opportunity for feedback or help when problems arise, and this can derail the project.
The appendix on "Hiring And Keeping Good People" is also very helpful. If you are like most managers, you didn't get to hire most of the people that work for you. Here you will find practical advice for letting your superstars reach their potential and getting something out of everyone.
15 people found this helpful
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Marc2912
3.0 out of 5 stars Started and it's just not all that.
Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2012
Verified Purchase
I read great things about this book. I started reading it and am just disappointed so far. I'll update the review as I get further into it to update but so far the read is mediocre and the ideas presented are far from stellar things people just don't know...
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2016
Verified Purchase
A Classic. Hands on Management tools - really not about software
One person found this helpful
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