Software projects fail for one of two general reasons: the project team lacks the knowledge to conduct a software project successfully, or the project team lacks the resolve to conduct a project effectively. Steve McConnell More Quotes by Steve McConnell More Quotes From Steve McConnell The job of the average manager requires a shift in focus every few minutes. The job of the average software developer requires that the developer not shift focus more often than every few hours. Steve McConnell teamwork average jobs Trying to apply formal methods to all software projects is just as bad as trying to apply code-and-fix development to all projects. Steve McConnell projects development trying In my experience, you either have encapsulation and abstraction or you have neither. There is no middle ground. Steve McConnell middle-ground abstraction middle A typical software project can present more opportunities to learn from mistakes than some people get in a lifetime. Steve McConnell mistake opportunity people 95% on content and the computer language remains the same. Steve McConnell computer-language computer language In software, consultants sometimes tell you to buy into certain software-development methods to the exclusion of other methods. That’s unfortunate because if you buy into any single methodology 100 percent, you’ll see the whole world in terms of that methodology. In some instances, you’ll miss opportunities to use other methods better suited to your current problem. Steve McConnell use missing opportunity 11 years is a long time in this industry. Steve McConnell long-time time long years