Comments on: Why Software Projects are Terrible and How Not To Fix Them

By: Most interesting links of August ’13 « The Holy Java

Most interesting links of August ’13 « The Holy Java — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 16:10:42 +0000

[…] Why Software Projects are Terrible and How Not To Fix Them – many teams are not ready to embrace new/better software practices, primarly for two reasons: 1) most of them are nonintuitive (f.ex. adding more people will slow dev down) and need to be sold through a high hierarchy of managament – but people/managers/organizations don’t really care, it takes years for good/bad practices to have an impact, which is not relevant “now.” 2) Businss objectives change too quickly and SW is blamed for not delivering. Based on evaluating many failed projects. Conclusion: Choose carefully people/organizations your work with. Avoid blame-driven ones. Quote on middle managers: “He has to put more developers on the project, call a meeting and yell at people, and other arbitrary bad ideas. Not because he thinks those will solve the problem. In fact, managers often do this in spite of the fact that they know it’s bad. Because that’s what will convince upper management that they’re doing their best.” “In the vast majority of failed projects I’ve been called to looked at, the managers have not read one book on software engineering.“ […]

By: Reading List: August 21, 2013 | A Thrift Store

Reading List: August 21, 2013 | A Thrift Store — Wed, 21 Aug 2013 17:53:54 +0000

[…] can explain to someone who can explain what you’re saying to the real customer.” – Why Software Projects are Terrible and How Not to Fix Them by Drew […]

By: Alexey

Alexey — Wed, 21 Aug 2013 10:14:58 +0000

In “Turning around a software project is like turning around a tugboat…” you probably meant “barge”, rather than tugboat as the latter are not really big.

By: Andrei Rinea

Andrei Rinea — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 11:30:31 +0000

The most comprehensive and objective analysis I’ve seen so far.

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 19:38:22 +0000

So what can be done if you are not a contractor but an in-house dev?

By: Software costs are a step function

Software costs are a step function — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 17:01:26 +0000

[…] in conference calls with people who explain to me how long it will take to do my job. In fact, that is the state of the industry. Perhaps eventually, the project will fail, and you can whip out some e-mail from six months ago […]

By: Write to the converted, teach to the believers | Mikado Software

Write to the converted, teach to the believers | Mikado Software — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 13:50:27 +0000

[…] /rants/why-software-projects-are-terrible-and-how-not-to-fix-them/ […]

By: Lex Ein

Lex Ein — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 12:24:49 +0000

Correction: tugboats are agile and very strong. It’s the supertankers that are difficult to accelerate, decelerate, turn around quickly. That’s where the tugboats come in.

By: Of Wizards and Magical Machines | Sealed Abstract

Of Wizards and Magical Machines | Sealed Abstract — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 06:42:18 +0000

[…] […]

By: Stephan Swart

Stephan Swart — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 13:38:20 +0000

Great article!!! I totally agree.

Could you please put some social network sharing buttons on your blog?! It’ll really help spread the word!