Death March: The Complete Software Developer's Guide to Surviving 'Mission Impossible' Projects (Yourdon Computing Series)

In the course of a career, practically every software developer and manager will encounter projects with outrageous staffing, scheduling, budgeting, or feature constraints: projects that seem destined to fail. In the wake of re-engineering, such "Death March" projects have become a way of life in many organizations. Surviving projects that are "doomed to fail" ! Negotiating the best deal up-front. more >>

In the course of a career, practically every software developer and manager will encounter projects with outrageous staffing, scheduling, budgeting, or feature constraints: projects that seem destined to fail. In the wake of re-engineering, such "Death March" projects have become a way of life in many organizations. Surviving projects that are "doomed to fail" ! Negotiating the best deal up-front. Managing people and setting priorities. Choosing tools and technologies. When it's time to walk away.

Now, best-selling author Edward Yourdon brings his unique technology and management insights to the worst IS projects, showing how to maximize your chances of success--and, if nothing else, how to make sure your career survives them.

Yourdon walks step-by-step through the entire project life cycle, showing both managers and developers how to deal with the politics of "Death March" projects--and how to make the most of the available resources, including people, tools, processes, and technology.

Learn how to negotiate for the flexibility you need, how to set priorities that make sense--and when to simply walk away. Discover how to recognize the tell-tale signs of a "Death March" project--or an organization that breeds them.

If you've ever been asked to do the impossible, "Death March" is the book you've been waiting for. << less