Winning With Software

"Every senior executive needs to read this book." --Robert Musson Vice President, Business Strategy Cenus Technologies "An informative book for any business person (not just technologists) who has ever been associated or involved with a software development effort and thought 'there must be a better way!' Watts has provided that better way-- the PSP/TSP, and a great book." --Roy Kinkaid, Head of Continuous Improvement and Software Quality Assurance, EBS Dealing Resources Watts Humphrey is the well-known author of methods and models widely used by organizations, teams, and individuals to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of software development. In Winning with Software, he shows corporate executives and senior managers why software is both a business problem and a business opportunity. "This book is extremely well written and targets the right audience. I plan to buy a copy for each of my executives." --Kevin J. Berk, Director, Process Improvement, Total Quality Systems Humphrey, drawing on his own extensive executive and management experience, first demonstrates the critical importance of software to nearly every business, large and small. He then outlines seven steps needed to gain control of a software operation and transform it into a professional, businesslike engineering function. Failure to recognize the importance of software, and to take charge of its development process, runs the risk of damaging the entire business. By contrast, Humphrey relates the substantial benefits real organizations have obtained from such awareness and control, and he concludes with an analysis of the impressive financial returns the recommended transformations typically yield. "This is a great book that will play a valuable role. It has excellent anecdotes that illustrate the points being made, as well as good examples depicting the problems faced by teams and managers. I look forward to sharing it with my colleagues." --Steven Sliwa, President & CEO, Insitu Group Inc. and former President of Embry-Riddle University "The logical approach, the high level explanations, and the application of real-life experiences make the book not only credible but easily understood. If a large number of CEOs don't at least try out the book's concepts, I will be greatly surprised." --David Webb Software Engineering Project Manager, Hill Air Force Base

"Every senior executive needs to read this book."--Robert Musson Vice President, Business Strategy Cenus Technologies "An informative book for any business person (not just technologists) who has ever been associated or involved with a software development effort and thought 'there must be a better way!' Watts has provided that better way-- the PSP/TSP, and a great book." --Roy Kinkaid, Head of Continuous Improvement and Software Quality Assurance, EBS Dealing Resources Watts Humphrey is the well-known author of methods and models widely used by organizations, teams, and individuals to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of software development. In Winning with Software, he shows corporate executives and senior managers why software is both a business problem and a business opportunity. "This book is extremely well written and targets the right audience. I plan to buy a copy for each of my executives." --Kevin J. Berk, Director, Process Improvement, Total Quality Systems Humphrey, drawing on his own extensive executive and management experience, first demonstrates the critical importance of software to nearly every business, large and small. He then outlines seven steps needed to gain control of a software operation and transform it into a professional, businesslike engineering function. Failure to recognize the importance of software, and to take charge of its development process, runs the risk of damaging the entire business. By contrast, Humphrey relates the substantial benefits real organizations have obtained from such awareness and control, and he concludes with an analysis of the impressive financial returns the recommended transformations typically yield. "This is a great book that will play a valuable role. It has excellent anecdotes that illustrate the points being made, as well as good examples depicting the problems faced by teams and managers. I look forward to sharing it with my colleagues." --Steven Sliwa, President & CEO, Insitu Group Inc. and former President of Embry-Riddle University "The logical approach, the high level explanations, and the application of real-life experiences make the book not only credible but easily understood. If a large number of CEOs don't at least try out the book's concepts, I will be greatly surprised." --David Webb Software Engineering Project Manager, Hill Air Force Base.

This text aims to help all members of the development team make the correct nuts-and-bolts architecture decisions that ensure project success.

The demonstration or presentation of complex products like technology or medical devices is like leading a person over a treacherous ravine. Throughout a demo or presentation, your prospect wants to run back to the relative safety of their existing world. This book will help you comfortably lead your prospect to your solution and make you the best demonstrator and presenter in your field! Tactics that you will find useful include: *Identifying and avoiding Demo Crimes *Winning demo techniques like "Tell-Show-Tell" *Building a value case for your solution *Managing your audience and reading their personalities *Creating winning themes *Performing differentiating Web demos and presentations *Conducting high value Discoveries *Managing your room environment *Winning teamwork techniques We are an idea company that has built a deep set of actionable techniques and strategies derived from years of working with the most innovative and successful companies in the world. Our clients include Microsoft, SAP, Oracle, IBM, Getinge and many others. We adapted the ideas in this book based upon training thousands of highly paid, highly experienced professional demonstrators and presenters in every region of the world thus making it globally applicable and effective. We understand that the very best ideas are judged by their impact, and our clients validate the impact of our concepts through increased sales effectiveness every day. Don't miss out on this opportunity to truly differentiate your products and services.

Jeff Lawson, developer turned CEO of Twilio (one of Bloomberg Businessweek's Top 50 Companies to Watch in 2021), creates a new playbook for unleashing the full potential of software developers in any organization, showing how to help management utilize this coveted and valuable workforce to enable growth, solve a wide range of business problems, and drive digital transformation. From banking and retail to insurance and finance, every industry is turning digital, and every company needs the best software to win the hearts and minds of customers. The landscape has shifted from the classic build vs. buy question, to one of build vs. die. Companies have to get this right to survive. But how do they make this transition? Software developers are sought after, highly paid, and desperately needed to compete in the modern, digital economy. Yet most companies treat them like digital factory workers without really understanding how to unleash their full potential. Lawson argues that developers are the creative workforce who can solve major business problems and create hit products for customers—not just grind through rote tasks. From Google and Amazon, to one-person online software companies—companies that bring software developers in as partners are winning. Lawson shows how leaders who build industry changing software products consistently do three things well. First, they understand why software developers matter more than ever. Second, they understand developers and know how to motivate them. And third, they invest in their developers' success. As a software developer and public company CEO, Lawson uses his unique position to bridge the language and tools executives use with the unique culture of high performing, creative software developers. Ask Your Developer is a toolkit to help business leaders, product managers, technical leaders, software developers, and executives achieve their common goal—building great digital products and experiences. How to compete in the digital economy? In short: Ask Your Developer.

Ken Whitaker offers invaluable advice on easing every aspect of programmer management, including attracting and keeping developers, office dynamics, building successful development teams, and more. Written in a humorous--yet practical style--the book includes case studies and examples throughout.

This is the eagerly-anticipated revision to one of the seminal books in the field of software architecture which clearly defines and explains the topic.

* Will appeal to the same (large) audience as Joel on Software * Contains exclusive commentary by Joel * Lots of free publicity both because of Joel’s influence in the community and the influence of the contributors

“Many books discuss high-tech decision making, but this is the only book I know of that provides a systematic approach based on objective analysis.” —Matthew Scarpino, author of Programming the Cell Processor “This book offers a unique approach to analyzing business strategy that changes the focus and attitude to a lively and fun exercise of treating business strategy as a game.” —Dave Hendricksen, Architect, Thomson-Reuters USE GAME THEORY TO SOLVE THE #1 PROBLEM THAT CAUSES NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO FAIL IN THE MARKETPLACE: LACK OF COORDINATION Too many advanced technologies fail the test of adoption, at immense cost to their creators and investors. Why? Many new technologies are launched into complex ecosystems where hardware, software, and/or connectivity components must work together—for instance, next-generation gaming and video platforms that can only succeed if they offer attractive, compatible content. Often, users aren’t ready to give up existing systems, and content or connectivity providers aren’t ready to move away from existing markets. In either case, the real issue is a lack of coordination. Fortunately, coordination problems have specific, proven solutions, and Winning the Hardware–Software Game shows you exactly how to find them. Drawing on advanced ideas from game theory, economics, sociology, and business strategy, author Ruth D. Fisher presents a systematic framework for identifying, assessing, and resolving coordination problems among all the participants in a product ecosystem. Writing in plain, nontechnical, nonmathematical English, Dr. Fisher helps you discover specific steps that will prepare your customers and partners for successful adoption. Using these techniques, you can shape strategy, systematically reduce risk, and dramatically increase profitability. Topics covered in this book include: Discovering the forces that drive or delay adoption by users and content providers Understanding networks, network effects, switching costs, technology compatibility, and other crucial issues Speeding the pace of adoption, and getting to the “tipping point” sooner Clarifying and restructuring the incentives that motivate users and software providers Engineering new systems to maximize the likelihood of adoption Creating expectations of adoption and decreasing the relative value of older systems Learning from Apple Newton versus Palm Pilot, HD DVD versus Blu-Ray, and other significant technology battles Leveraging lock-in, path dependence, standardization, and first-mover advantage With so much at stake, Winning the Hardware–Software Game is a required resource for everyone concerned with new technology adoption—executives, strategists, R&D leaders, marketers, product managers, industry analysts, and investors alike.