Surviving Object-Oriented Projects (Agile Software Development Series)

By Alistair Cockburn

While books on software engineering and project management abound, Alistair Cockburn's Surviving Object-Oriented Projects stands out as a lively view from the trenches of project management. It provides plenty of tips and tricks that will help you avoid the most common hazards of working with objects, especially for the first time. The first part of the book concentrates on the common myths of object-oriented development. (For example, he clearly prefers Smalltalk and Java to C++ as a development language and he is not enthusiastic about today's computer-aided software engineering [CASE] tools.) He also cuts through the mire of software-engineering methodologies for development by stressing an incremental approach to creating software and gives many useful and practical suggestions for setting up and managing projects of varying sizes. Throughout this lively and well-written text, the author mixes in anecdotes from actual managers and developers. He also presents actual case histories for projects (both small and large) and analyzes what was done correctly and what went wrong. The author develops 12 strategies for creating successful, on-time software using objects, which are collated in a handy appendix--there is even a detachable "crib sheet." With its mix of common sense and real-world savvy, Surviving Object-Oriented Projects offers a refreshing take on the realities of developing object-oriented software. This concise and engaging title can improve the odds of success for your next programming project. --Richard Dragan This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0201498340
• ISBN13: 9780201498349
• Release Date: January 1998
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 7.2" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Sound advice for the first steps in moving to OOT

Even though it was written in 1998, the advice in this book has not diminished with age. There are many claims made about the advantages of moving to object-oriented technologies (OOTs), and while most are true, the difficulties are almost always understated. Not in this book. Cockburn is very explicit in his descriptions of how complex the move is and how valuable training can be, as well as the many inherent limitations...

Essential reading for OO management

This book is essential reading for anyone interested in running an OO project, or for anyone who simply wants a balanced view of OO development. Unlike most other OO authors I've encountered, Alistair Cockburn is not interested in selling OO as the answer to all our prayers, but uses a wealth of case studies to show us the limits, pitfalls and negative side of OO development, as well as the benefits. Perhaps because of...

I wished I read this book two years ago....

Simply said, I loved this book!This book provides ALL kind of managers as well as team members with VERY valuable information about the project process, project control, pitfalls and ways to (bigger chances on) success.I wish we had read this book two years ago when we updated our software to a GUI-environment. Pitfall after pitfall were encountered, already clearly written down in this book. Reading it beforehand, might...

Experience proved it works

The book is permeated with loads of practical, advice ranging from everyday tricks to long-term management. Experience with several projects in our company has proved that transition to objects is tremendously hard, but also that the advice contained in the book works.

Working with Object Technology? Read the Book!

Surviving Object-Oriented Projects is a must-read for all people working with Objects or thinking about adopting Object Technology. It gets down to the practical, pragmatic issues that object projects face, and provides sound, experience based strategies for addressing these issues. For anyone in the process of adopting Object Technology, this book gives the real information about OO Methodologies, it is not the notation that...