Software Craftsmanship: The New Imperative
by Pete McBreen
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Book Summary Information
Author: Pete McBreenEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2001-09-02
ISBN: 0201733862
Number of pages: 208
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional
Book Reviews of Software Craftsmanship: The New Imperative
Book Review: A grassroots movement manifesto
Summary: 5 Stars
I'll begin with a couple of quotes from the book which will set up the frame of further discussion.
---QUOTE---
In the [NATO 1969] report Peter Naur and Brian Randell stated "The phrase 'software engineering' was deliberately chosen to be provocative, in implying the need for software manufacture to be based on the types of theoretical foundations and practical disciplines that are traditional in the established branches of engineering."
...
In the same spirit, it is the intention of this book to be deliberately provocative in implying the need for practitioners to start paying attention to the craft of software development. Software craftsmanship is important because it takes us away from the manufacturing metaphor that software engineering invokes and makes us pay attention to the people who do software development.
...
This book is a call to arms: We must insist that developers really know their craft before we trust them to create systems for us or with us.
---/QUOTE---
Like some other books on the topic, this one is about the importance of the actual people who do the development. But this one is special in that it argues that the traditional approach to software development - exactly the "software engineering" has a viable alternative - the "software craftsmanship". Not only it suggests that good team is important, it goes further explaining how groups and individuals should be working differently.
The author draws a rather arbitrary line of 100 man/years of development and suggests that any project less than that would benefit from following software craftsmanship. Software craftsmanship thus does not deny the software engineering, but limits its niche to huge military projects and alike where a horde of average programmers work to rule.
Compared to that, software craftsmanship is a perpetual development of the team and each of its members while producing a high quality applications of typical size. In other words, both software engineering and software craftsmanship are ways of developing software, but whereas the former is about projects, the latter is about projects AND PEOPLE.
---QUOTE---
A key problem with the software engineering mindset is that programmers can be misled into thinking that they know everything there is to know about a subject. Software development does not work like that.
...
With software craftsmanship, the intention is to get the best possible tools into the hands of capable developers so that small teams can create applications that once required the services of the lots of people.
---/QUOTE---
One other aspect, just as important is that software craftsmanship is not only about the team dynamics. It also suggests the healthy long-term relationships between the developers and the customers where customers *gasp* actually work to help the developers build the application for them.
---QUOTE---
Overall, because developers who adopt the software craftsmanship approach accept responsibility for the applications they create, customers benefit from the long term relationship that this implies. A long-term relationship with developers is crucial because the best person to maintain an application is the person who developed it.
...
Software craftsmanship gives customers what they need - namely, stable, long-lived applications rather than old-style legacy applications that cause significant disruption and trauma every few years when they have to be replaced.
---/QUOTE---
My guess is that most of the developers that perform actual active development would support the idea. At the same time the common managerial practice, the belief in "one true way", "best practice" and "big M methodology" would prevent it from cutting to the core of many organizations. Well, too bad. Pete McBreen, you have grassroots support, that's for sure !
Developer, or manager alike, do read the book. It will give you a different perspective and hopefully will push you to action.
This book feels like an essay rather than "a book on software development". The language is free and relaxed, and there are practically no technical references or examples. The citations from other sources found in this book are often more concise, clear and to the point than the surrounding discussion.
As far as call to arms is concerned, the book outlines the attack direction, but does not give any ground for it. Take this book to the heart (like I did), you will still to engage in countless fights and arguments over ways of doing things.
Great book, a grassroots movement manifesto for better software development.
Summary of Software Craftsmanship: The New Imperative
Pete McBreen presents a method to nurture mastery in the programmer, develop creative collaboration in small developer teams, and enhance communications with the customer. Softcover.Software Development Books
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