O'Reilly 2008. Soft cover, 459 pp
Even the best developers have seen well-intentioned software projects
fail - often because the customer kept changing requirements, and end
users didn't know how to use the software you developed. Instead of
surrendering to these common problems, let "Head First Software
Development" guide you through the best practices of software
development. Before you know it, those failed projects will be a thing
of the past. With its unique visually rich format, this book pulls
together the hard lessons learned by expert software developers over the
years. You'll gain essential information about each step of the
software development lifecycle - requirements, design, coding, testing,
implementing, and maintenance - and understand why and how different
development processes work. This book is for you if you are: tired of
your customers assuming you're psychic. You'll learn not only how to get
good requirements, but how to make sure you're always building the
software that customers want (even when they're not sure themselves);
wondering when the other 15 programmers you need to get your project
done on time are going to show up.You'll learn how some very simple
scheduling and prioritizing will revolutionize your success rate in
developing software; confused about being rational, agile, or a tester.
You'll learn not only about the various development methodologies out
there, but how to choose a solution that's right for your project; and,
confused because the way you ran your last project worked so well, but
failed miserably this time around. You'll learn how to tackle each
project individually, combine lessons you've learned on previous
projects with cutting-edge development techniques, and end up with great
software on every project. "Head First Software Development" is here to
help you learn in a way that your brain likes...and you'll have a blast
along the way. Why pick up hundreds of boring books on the philosophy
of this approach or the formal techniques required for that one? Stick
with "Head First Software Development", and your projects will succeed
like never before. Go on, get started...you'll learn and have fun. We
promise.