Better Software - September 2008 - (Page 3) September 2008 Volume 10, Issue 7 Cover Story SO, YOU’VE GOT A PROBLEM … 30 Defect reports are among the most important deliverables to come out of test. It’s worth the effort to learn how to write an effective defect report that conveys the proper message and simplifies the process for everyone. by Kelly Whitmill Features FROM HERE TO ACCEPTANCE TEST-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT 24 Acceptance test-driven development (ATDD) means different things to different people based on their experiences. These nine landmarks will help you navigate ATDD no matter where you are coming from. by Antony Marcano A CULTURE OF TRUST 36 So, you’ve been asked to take over the leadership of a struggling, disconnected team. Now what? Discover how to create a culture where trust between team members is fostered, flourishes, and thrives. by Pollyanna Pixton Columns & Departments In Every Issue Mark Your Calendar 4 Contributors 6 eLightenment 9 Product Announcements 42 10 Things You Might Not Know About … 46 Ad Index 48 TECHNICALLY SPEAKING 15 Is “Agile” Distracting You? • by Jonathan Kohl If a process, tool, or service claims to be agile it must be good, right? Not necessarily. Let’s look beyond the label to what really matters—value. CODE CRAFT 16 Idioms and Idiosyncrasies • by Pete Goodliffe Common language idioms help to show the elegance, beauty, and artistry of a piece of code. But sometimes the desire for beautiful, idiomatic code can trip us up. TEST CONNECTION 20 It’s in the Way that You Use It • by Michael Bolton Rapid testers think of test automation as any use of tools to support testing. With that definition in mind, it may not be the most obvious automation tool that is the most useful. Exit, Stage Left • by Patrick Bailey Many technology workers are drawn to the industry from seemingly unrelated professions. Don’t discount the importance of the experiences these workers can bring to your team. Keys to Top-Notch Estimates • by Howard Smallowitz and George Stark Inaccurate project estimates have become the norm in the software industry. Find out how you can turn your estimates into reasonable predictions of project performance. StickyMinds.com We invite you to visit StickyMinds.com, the online companion to Better Software magazine. StickyMinds.com covers the same pertinent topics as the magazine, putting the power of information at the click of your mouse. Weekly columns, headline-making bugs, hundreds of technical papers, an online tools guide, discussion boards, and so much more make StickyMinds.com your site for 24/7 brainfood to help you build better software. www.StickyMinds.com SEPTEMBER 2008 BETTER SOFTWARE MANAGEMENT CHRONICLES 22 Better Software magazine—The print companion to StickyMinds.com brings you the hands-on, knowledgebuilding information you need to run smarter projects and deliver better products that win in the marketplace and positively affect the bottom line. Subscribe today to get ten issues. Visit www.BetterSoftware.com or call 800.450.7854. THE LAST WORD 47 3 http://StickyMinds.com http://StickyMinds.com http://StickyMinds.com http://StickyMinds.com http://www.BetterSoftware.com http://www.StickyMinds.com
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.