Waltzing with Bears MANAGING RISK ON SOFTWARE PROJECTS

Any software project that’s worth starting will be vulnerable to risk. Since greater risks bring greater rewards, a company that runs away from risk will soon find itself lagging behind its more adventurous competition.

By ignoring the threat of negative outcomes—in the name of positive thinking or a Can-Do attitude—software managers drive their organizations into the ground.

In Waltzing with Bears, Tom DeMarco and Timothy Lister—the best-selling authors of Peopleware—show readers how to identify and embrace worthwhile risks. Developers are then set free to push the limits.

You’ll find that risk management

makes aggressive risk-taking possible protects management from getting blindsided provides minimum-cost downside protection reveals invisible transfers of responsibility isolates the failure of a subproject. Readers are taught to identify the most common risks faced by software projects:

schedule flaws requirements inflation turnover specification breakdown and under-performance. Packed with provocative insights, real-world examples, and project-saving tips, Waltzing with Bears is your guide to mitigating the risks—before they turn into problems.

Review" . . . destined to become the Bible for serious IT professionals and project managers." — Edward Yourdon

«Advice projects must not ignore (but often do) … A must for the project manager (and his or her boss).» — Conrad Weisert, IDINews

“Bold, provocative yet coolly pragmatic . . ." — Michael Schrage, Co-Director of MIT Media Lab’s e-Markets Initiative, Author of Serious Play

«The book is a brilliant tour de force. . . . should be on your bookshelf . . . .» — Paul Gray, Information Systems Management

«The seminal work on managing software project risk. … Finally we have a guide to risk management . . . .» — Rob Austin, Professor, Harvard Business School