Software Development from the Wild West to Agile, 1st edition

Published by Addison-Wesley Professional (May 8, 2023) © 2023

  • Jim Highsmith
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Foreword by Martin Fowler xvii
Foreword by Heidi J. Musser xix
Preface xxi
Acknowledgments xxv
About the Author xxvii

Chapter 1: The Adventure Begins 1
Career overview 4
Software 7
Software development 8
Software development eras 10
Six decades of change 13
Observations 17

Chapter 2: Wild West 21
Apollo 21
Technology and the world 25
Esso Business Systems 28
Exxon to Oglethorpe 33
Software development 35
Management trends 37
Era observations 42

Chapter 3: Structured Methods and Monumental Methodologies 45
Era overview 49
Software methods 50
Methods, methodologies, and mindsets 57
CSE/Telco 58
Structured pioneers 59
Information Architects, Inc. 66
Technology 68
Monumental Methodologies 70
Waterfall 72
Management 76
CASE tools 79
Era observations 83

Chapter 4: The Roots of Agile 85
Era overview 86
Structured methods to RAD 88
Microsoft 90
RAD to RADical 92
Portland Mortgage Software 92
Information technology 93
Nike 98
Consultants' Camp and Jerry Weinberg 101
RADical to adaptive 105
Collaboration 105
Complex adaptive systems 106
Adaptive software development book 109
Additional agile roots 113
Era observations 116

Chapter 5: The Agile Era 119
New challenges 120
Martin Fowler 122
Trimble Navigation 124
The Agile Manifesto 126
Agile organizations 131
Agile ecosystems 141
Agile methodologies 142
Agile periods 145
Era observations 147

Chapter 6: Rogue Teams 149
Cutter and travels 152
The Mustang Team at Cellular, Inc. 155
Technology (1995–2007) 157
Three agile stories 163
Agile project management 165
Period observations 169

Chapter 7: Courageous Executives 173
Sciex 174
A new generation of pioneers 178
Integrated Financial Software 180
Southern Systems Software 186
Agile project management 187
Organizational change 196
Software development 200
Scaling agile 203
Athleta 208
Period observations 208

Chapter 8: Digital Transformation 211
Thoughtworks 214
A world accelerating 217
Digital transformation 219
Tech@Core 224
EDGE operating model 226
The unFIX organization model 228
Empathetic and adaptive leadership 232
Period observations 235

Chapter 9: Prepare to Engage the Future 237
Why history? 238
Agile and agility 239

Afterword 245

Appendix 251

References 257
Bibliography 263
Index 265

Jim Highsmith is a well-known agilist and author, whose career spanned six decades of rapid technology and business change. Jim has been at the forefront of software technologies' response to that change, from working on 1970s COBOL business applications, to recent engagements for digital transformation. With decades of business, management, and software development experience, he is uniquely qualified to explore the history of software development to help us prepare for the ever more chaotic future.

Jim is the author of EDGE: Value-Driven Digital Transformation (Addison-Wesley, 2020); Adaptive Leadership: Accelerating Enterprise Agility (Addison-Wesley, 2014); Agile Project Management: Creating Innovative Products (Addison-Wesley, 2009); Agile Software Development Ecosystems (Addison-Wesley, 2002); and Adaptive Software Development: A Collaborative Approach to Managing Complex Systems (Dorset House, 2000), winner of the prestigious Jolt Award and of the 2005 international Stevens Award for outstanding contributions to software development.

Jim is a coauthor of the Agile Manifesto, a founding member of Agile Alliance, coauthor of the Declaration of Interdependence for project leaders, and cofounder and first president of the Agile Leadership Network. Jim has consulted with IT, product development organizations, and software companies in the US, Europe, Canada, South Africa, Australia, Brazil, China, Japan, India, and New Zealand.

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