"Software By Numbers" aims to address the difficulty of software development straight-on and offer realistic answers to the problem. Authors Mark Denne and Dr. Jane Cleland-Huang take the position that software development education and practice have become disconnected from the thoughts of those who define the requirements and articulate the needs for that software.

The book aims to teach the reader about creating value by linking software development directly to value creation. Readers should learn those features that increase value, and those that don't. The book also tries to show the reader how to deliver greater value, quicker.

The book shows how to:

• Link software development to value creation -- and optimize early returns

• Extend current methodologies with real financial discipline

• Prioritize new features based on their quantifiable business value

• Reduce software development risks and optimize cash flow

The book introduces the Incremental Funding Methodology (IFM), which is an ROI-informed approach to software development in which software is developed and delivered in carefully prioritized chunks of customer valued functionality. IFM is able to integrate traditional software engineering activities with financially informed project management strategies. IFM heuristics offer a clear view of important metrics such as project level NPV, ROI, initial start-up investment costs and time needed for a project to reach self-funding status.

The book additionally shows the reader how to:

• Identify the Minimum Marketable Feature (MMF)-the fundamental unit of value in software development

• Accelerate value delivery by linking iterative development to iterative funding

• Optimize architectural cost through incremental delivery

• Prioritize feature delivery based on "mini-ROI" assessments

• Involve the software customer more effectively

• Quantify financial risk and assess it at every step of the development sequence

• Manage "intangibles" throughout the software development process

The book aims to achieve important goals like reduced risk, better cash flow and higher ROI, no matter what methodology the reader is already using.

For more information on "Software By Numbers," visit:

http://www.sun.com/books/catalog/denne_software_by_numbers.xml [...read more...]

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