Changing Software Development: Learning to Become Agile

By Allan Kelly

Changing Software Development explains why software development is an exercise in change management and organizational intelligence. An underlying belief is that change is learning and learning creates knowledge. By blending the theory of knowledge management, developers and managers will gain the tools to enhance learning and change to accommodate new innovative approaches such as agile and lean computing.

Changing Software Development is peppered with practical advice and case studies to explain how and why knowledge, learning and change are important in the development process. Today, managers are pre-occupied with knowledge management, organization learning and change management; while software developers are often ignorant of the bigger issues embedded in their work. This innovative book bridges this divide by linking the software world of technology and processes to the business world of knowledge, learning and change.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 047051504X
• ISBN13: 9780470515044
• Release Date: February 2008
• Publisher: Wiley
• Length: 264 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 7.5" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

A must read. More than once.

Agile development is becoming mainstream. However, succeeding with it is more difficult than what it seems. Just picking an agile methodology (e.g., XP, Scrum, DSDM, etc.) and implementing it in an "out of the book" fashion is not enough--as many have already found by trying this approach only to see their projects improve only marginally, or, in many cases, fail. This book goes beyond the process mechanics and explains what is truly important for creating successful Agile companies and teams independently of the methodology used--i.e., creating a "learning organization", where continuous change and improvement are the norm. If you are trying to improve the way your company or team works, then you'll find the practical advice inside this book really invaluable.

Thought Provoking

One of the useful idea I gained by reading this book was that in order to change, you must first learn a new way of doing things. This thoughtful book explains how to help a software team to change, and challenges the idea that developing software is an engineering discipline. Instead Kelly proposes it is an exercise in learning and knowledge creation. This book explains how to promote knowledge and learning within your company, with the end goal being to create a learning organisation. It also talks about change and how to make it happen. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to improve a software team, department or company.