Software Teamwork

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"If your desire is to effect change or have more influence on a software team, you could either stumble around in the dark for a few years, experimenting with different techniques, or you could buy, read, and apply the techniques in this book. This choice, of course, is up to you." —  Matt Heusser

"This book is a must for those of us who are committed to getting the job done, the project delivered and the benefits realized in this lifetime. For the truth is that many Projects (Software and otherwise) simply fail to achieve the original promise. Understanding the key factors and behaviors which underpin success is not a trivial matter - but Jim's presentation is readable and entertaining. So now there is no excuse..." —  Michael McCulloch, Director, Michael McCulloch and Associates LLP

"Jim Brosseau's understanding of the true dynamics of the IT workplace shows through in Software Teamwork. For those on the IT solution delivery front lines, and for those who manage them, his insights and wisdom will lead to not only better projects, but a better work life as well." — Bruce A. Stewart, Chief Executive Officer, Accendor Research, Inc.

Here is one more comment that popped up on the web recently, here is an independent review (9 horseshoes!) by Jeanne Boyarsky that can also be found on Amazon.com, and here are some thoughts from Dmitri Zimine, one of the reviewers of the book.

Jim Brosseau's first book has been released from Addison Wesley Professional. This book distills Jim's experience with a wide range of teams over the years, both as an employee and as a consultant. Visit InformIT to view sample chapters that have been posted there:

• Chapter 2 - Do the Right Thing

• Chapter 22 - Flexibility and Rigor

There are also 3 Podcasts available where the book is discussed. You can access them by subscribing to the OnSoftware (audio) podcasts on iTunes, download the MP3 files from InformIT's website, or get them directly right here:

• Software Teamwork: Taking Ownership for Success (part 1)
• Software Teamwork: Taking Ownership for Success (part 2)
• Software Teamwork: Taking Ownership for Success (part 3)

From the preface:

"Books such as Tom Demarco and Tim Lister’s Peopleware and Fred Brooks’ Mythical Man-Month are timeless. This is both because the advice provided is practical and this advice is still rarely adopted. We all read these calls to action and imagine a better work environment, then we lament that our managers aren’t taking charge of change.

Tagging along for the ride is easy, but to be effective you need to be an active, proactive, and intentional team member. We must each take active responsibility for making things happen, for committing to and fostering a healthy environment where great products can be built.

This is a book for everyone involved in software development, not just the managers or anointed change agents who are deemed as the point people to drive change. We all need to actively drive our work environment - it is not simply a management concern. As individuals, we can all significantly improve our productivity. Practitioners are the ones best suited to propose and contribute to changes to our overall team performance..."

The responsibility for building effective software teams is more than just a management issue. Indeed, in some situations, management could easily rationalize that there is limited business value in focusing on team effectiveness.

Our current reliance on processes, methodologies, and tools is misguided in that it largely looks outward, rather than inward for solutions. There must be a better way!

This book examines the challenges and barriers we face with typical approaches when attempting to build effective teams. Each of us can take responsibility for personal and team success and the book describes a meaningful progression of steps to achieve this goal.

In doing so, Software Teamwork helps you look beyond the traditional team building approaches to explore personal motives, attitudes, skills and interpersonal relationships - all fair game as potential opportunities for improvement.

Please contact us for information regarding this book, or visit the Software Teamwork Training page for a description of the team-building course based on the principles in this book.

Errata

If you have purchased the Adobe Reader version of the book, pages 2 and 3 of the 4-page navigation guide (on the inside covers of the physical book) are missing. Please contact us for softcopies of these two pages.