Collaboration Explained: Facilitation Skills for Software Project Leaders (Agile Software Development Series)
By: Jean Tabaka

To succeed, an agile project demands outstanding collaboration among all its stakeholders. But great collaboration doesn’t happen by itself; it must be carefully planned and facilitated throughout the entire project lifecycle. Collaboration Explained is the first book to bring together proven, start-to-finish techniques for ensuring effective collaboration in any agile software project.

Since the early days of the agile movement, Jean Tabaka has been studying and promoting collaboration in agile environments. Drawing on her unsurpassed experience, she offers clear guidelines and easy-to-use collaboration templates for every significant project event: from iteration and release planning, through project chartering, all the way through post-project retrospectives.

Tabaka’s hands-on techniques are applicable to every leading agile methodology, from Extreme Programming and Scrum to Crystal Clear. Above all, they are practical: grounded in a powerful understanding of the technical, business, and human challenges you face as a project manager or development team member.

• Build collaborative software development cultures, leaders, and teams
• Prepare yourself to collaborate–and prepare your team
• Define clear roles for each participant in promoting collaboration
• Set your collaborative agenda
• Master tools for organizing collaboration more efficiently
• Run effective collaborative meetings–including brainstorming sessions
• Promote better small-group and pair-programming collaboration
• Get better information, and use it to make better decisions
• Use non-abusive conflict to drive positive outcomes
• Collaborate to estimate projects and schedules more accurately
• Strengthen collaboration across distributed, virtual teams
• Extend collaboration from individual projects to the entire development organization

Software Project Management in Practice
By: Pankaj Jalote

This book will give a very close look at what real high level Software Project Management (SPM) really is. It will provide you with the scope, practices, techniques even formats that a high maturity organization uses to manage projects with remarkable results for the organization it self for the individuals that perform the task and for the customers. The book is organized in very logical way introduction and concepts in software project management through process, project planning, project execution and project closure.

In-depth coverage of the Infosys software project management process includes:

• Requirement change management
• Process planning, tailoring, monitoring, and auditing
• Effort estimation and scheduling
• Quantitative quality management
• Risk assessment and control
• Measurement and tracking planning
• Project team planning
• Customer communication
• Configuration management
• Reviews
• Project tracking and closure analysis
• Milestone analysis
• Activity level analysis using SPC
• Defect prevention
• The process database

CMM in Practice: Processes for Executing Software Projects at Infosys
By: Pankaj Jalote

CMM in Practice comprises such a resource. Examining the various stages in the life cycle of a typical software project at Infosys Technologies, the book describes the technical and management processes used to initiate, plan, and execute the project. To enhance the discussion, an actual Infosys project is used as a running example throughout the book. The author, who was one of the main architects behind the quick transition from ISO to CMM at Infosys, shows how these working processes relate to the Key Process Areas of the CMM. He also illustrates how relatively simple and familiar approaches can be combined to raise an organization's software maturity level.

CMM in Practice covers these topics and more:

• Requirements change management process
• Process tailoring
• Software metrics and statistical process control
• Process database
• Process capability baseline
• Effort and schedule estimation
• Quantitative quality management and defect estimation
• Risk management and configuration management
• Peer reviews and their quantitative control
• Implementing reviews and the NAH syndrome
• Data collection and analysis
• Quantitative project monitoring and control
• Milestone analysis
• Audit process
• Project closure analysis

A Practical Approach to Software Quality
By: O'Regan , Gerard

This book offers a comprehensive introduction to the field and pragmatic guidance on the implementation of a sound quality system in the organization. It provides an enhanced knowledge of software inspections, metrics, process involvement, assessment of organization, problem solving, customer satisfaction surveys, the CMM, SPICE, and formal methods. Sample material on software inspections, metrics, and customer satisfaction can be adapted by readers to their respective organizations. In addition, readers will gain a detailed understanding of the principles of software quality management and software process improvement. Concepts can then be readily applied to assist improvement programs within organizations.

Managing Risk: Methods for Software Systems Development
By: Elaine M. Hall Ph.D.

Risk is inherent in the development of any large software system. A common approach to risk in software development is to ignore it and hope that no serious problems occur. Leading software companies use quantitative risk management methods as a more useful approach to achieve success. Written for busy professionals charged with delivering high-quality products on time and within budget, Managing Risk is a comprehensive guide that describes a success formula for managing software risk. The book is divided into five parts that describe a risk management road map designed to take you from crisis to control of your software project.

Highlights include:

Six disciplines for managing product development. Steps to predictable risk-management process results. How to establish the infrastructure for a risk-aware culture. Methods for the implementation of a risk management plan. Case studies of people in crisis-and in control.

Free Software Project Management Tutorial and Course and Guide

Software Project Management can be hard to handle sometimes. But if you know what to do and what to expect, project life can be a walk in the park. SoftwareProjects.org has the right courses to prepare you for software project management (also great for IT project management), software selection and, software development. And, by the way, they are FREE!