Use Understood Methods Rule
Over the years I have refined the approach I use to write code. Recently I codified a key aspect of this approach as a practice I call the Use Understood Methods Rule. The basic formulation of the rule...
View ArticleUsing To Do Comments in Code
I am a big proponent of using to do comments – comments prefixed by a specific identifier such as "TODO" – in a code base to indicate outstanding tasks or issues with the code. I have encountered...
View ArticleUsing Feature Done Checklists
I have written previously about the importance of having a definition of done that the team understands and adheres to. At the level of features (use cases, user stories, etc.) a comprehensive...
View ArticleFilter by Failure Mode Matrix: A Method for Planning Quality
For any software development effort a core component of planning how to achieve high quality is the selection of the quality-enhancing activities and practices that will be performed to assess the...
View ArticleTop Seven Quality Principles in Software Development
How do you ensure high quality when developing software? The processes that are used, the decisions that are made, and the actions that are taken must be aligned with proven quality principles. In this...
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The Shocking Truth about Agile and Waterfall
There is a common perception within I.T. that Agile methods are recent innovations - the new kids on the block - and they are contrasted with the traditional waterfall approach - the old-timer that has...
View ArticleMy System for Writing
People from time to time ask me how I manage to write all the articles on my website despite having a family and a demanding full-time job. My simplistic, off-the-cuff answer is "one sentence at a...
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My Concerns with Process Certification
In I.T. there are a number of process-based certifications that organizations can obtain based on standards like ISO-9001, ITIL via ISO 20000, and CMMI. The process of qualifying for a certification is...
View ArticleScaling Up From One Developer
I have noticed a common problem afflicting small development teams formed to make significant enhancements to an application that was previously maintained by just one developer. Both the original...
View ArticleBalancing Order and Chaos with Process
Whether it is software development projects or I.T. operations, many larger organizations seem enamored with process as the solution to their problems. The default reaction to negative outcomes or...
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