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 More Quotes by Steve McConnell More Quotes From Steve McConnell Good code is its own best documentation. As you're about to add a comment, ask yourself, "How can I improve the code so that this comment isn't needed?" Improve the code and then document it to make it even clearer. Steve McConnell documentation funny-inspirational add It's better to wait for a productive programmer to become available than it is to wait for the first available programmer to become productive. Steve McConnell computer waiting firsts Testing by itself does not improve software quality. Test results are an indicator of quality, but in and of themselves, they don't improve it. Trying to improve software quality by increasing the amount of testing is like trying to lose weight by weighing yourself more often. What you eat before you step onto the scale determines how much you will weigh, and the software development techniques you use determine how many errors testing will find. If you want to lose weight, don't buy a new scale; change your diet. If you want to improve your software, don't test more; develop better. Steve McConnell code-quality simplicity errors Building software implies various stages of planning, preparation and execution that vary in kind and degree depending on what's being built. [...] Steve McConnell feet beer hands The trouble with quick and dirty is that dirty remains long after quick has been forgotten. Steve McConnell forgotten long dirty A brute force solution that works is better than an elegant solution that doesn't work. Steve McConnell programming force design Good code is its own best documentation. Steve McConnell documentation computer technology The default movement on a software project should be in the direction of taking elements of the software away to make it simpler rather than adding elements to make it more complex. Steve McConnell simplicity elements movement Motivation is undoubtedly the single greatest influence on how well people perform. Most productivity studies have found that motivation has a stronger influence on productivity than any other factor. Steve McConnell stronger motivation people Even when you have skilled, motivated, hard-working people, the wrong team structure can undercut their efforts instead of catapulting them to success. A poor team structure can increase development time, reduce quality, damage morale, increase turnover, and ultimately lead to project cancellation. Steve McConnell hard-work teamwork people ... programming requires more concentration than other activities. It's the reason programmers get upset about 'quick interruptions' - such interruptions are tantamount to asking a juggler to keep three balls in the air and hold your groceries at the same time. Steve McConnell upset three air 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 failing teamwork two Engineering is the application of scientific principles toward practical ends. If the engineering isn't practical, it's bad engineering. Steve McConnell engineering principles ends It's hard enough to find an error in your code when you're looking for it; it's even harder when you've assumed your code is error-free. Steve McConnell coders funny-inspirational errors In software, the chain isn't as strong as its weakest link; it's as weak as all the weak links multiplied together. Steve McConnell strong teamwork together It's OK to figure out murder mysteries, but you shouldn't need to figure out code. You should be able to read it. Steve McConnell murder-mysteries able needs Heuristic is an algorithm in a clown suit. It’s less predictable, it’s more fun, and it comes without a 30-day, money-back guarantee. Steve McConnell heuristics guarantees fun Good visual layout shows the logical structure of a program. Steve McConnell code-quality program logical The primary purpose of software estimation is not to predict a project's outcome; it is to determine whether a project's targets are realistic enough to allow the project to be controlled to meet them. Steve McConnell target outcomes purpose A blanket attempt to avoid mistakes is the biggest mistake of all. Steve McConnell biggest-mistake blanket mistake
