Code Complete

by Steve McConnell

Dozens of companies have found that simply focusing on correcting defects earlier rather than later in a project can cut development costs and schedules by factors of two or more (McConnell 2004). This is a healthy incentive to find and fix your problems as early as you can.

Which of these statements are self-fulfilling prophecies?

Determine the Kind of Software You're Working On

Table 3-2 shows three of the most common kinds of projects and lists the practices that are typically best suited to each kind of

the generalities in the table are illuminating.

Business systems projects tend to benefit from highly iterative approaches, in which planning, requirements, and architecture are interleaved with construction, system testing, and quality-assurance activities. Life-critical systems tend to require more sequential approaches— requirements stability is part of what's needed to ensure ultrahigh levels of reliability.