Recommended Books and Resources

Compiled by
Tom Gilchrist, CSQA, CSQE
01/03/02

Control charts and measurement


Understanding Variation: The Key to Managing Chaos
by Dr. Donald J. Wheeler, SPC Press, Inc., Knoxville, TN
A great book on control charts and analysis. Very practical tools and techniques for overcoming "numerical illiteracy".

TQM for Computer Software, Second Edition,
by Robert H. Dunn and Richard S. Ullman, McGraw-Hill, 1994
Presents traditional quality management in a software context.

Software Engineering Economics
by Boehm, Prentice-Hall, 1981.
A standard reference for software measurement tools, techniques, and research findings.

Software engineering

Managing the Software Process
by Watts Humphrey, Addison-Wesley, 1990

A Discipline for Software Engineering
by Watts Humphrey, Addison-Wesley, 1995
Excellent. Addresses the thorny problem of how to get started on software engineering. Stresses immediate measurement to demonstrate improvement.

Managing Software Maniacs
By Ken Whitaker,John Wiley and Sons, Inc.,1994
Rules, checklists, and tips on how to find, reward and manage software development teams.

Software Engineering, A Practitioner's Approach
by Roger S. Pressman, Ph. D., McGraw-Hill, 1992
A standard reference for software engineers.

Software Engineering, Fourth Edition
by Ian Sommerville, Addison-Wesley, 1992
Excellent. Addresses the thorny problem of how to get started on software engineering. Stresses immediate measurement to demonstrate improvement.

Structured Computer Project Management,
by William H. Roetzheim, Prentice-Hall, 1988

Quality Software Management, Volume 1, Systems Thinking
by Weinberg, Dorset House, 1993.

Quality Software Management, Volume 2, First-Order Measurement
by Weinberg, Dorset House, 1993.

Software Quality
by Joc Sanders and Eugene Curran, Addison-Wesley, 1994
A good alternative book employing the ISO 9000 framework rather than the SEI Capability Maturity Model.

Process documentation and networking

The TeamNet Factor
by Lipnack & Stamps, Oliver Wright Publications, Inc., Essex Junction, VT
Use of TeamNets: networks of people in teams, crossing traditional, formerly forbidden boundaries to come together to achieve a common goal.

Software Process Design, Out of the Tar Pit
by Jacqueline Holdsworth, McGraw-Hill, 1994
A detailed study of organizational problems and process definition and measurement in that context.

Software walkthroughs, reviews, and inspections

Software Inspection
Tom Gilb & Dorthy Graham, 1993 Addison-Wesley Publishing Company
Theory and details on software inspections. Includes forms and inspection rules.

Handbook of Walkthroughs, Inspections, and Technical Reviews
by Freedman and Weinberg, Little, Brown and Company
Good overview of the different review methods.

Design and Code Inspections To Reduce Errors In Program Development
by M.E. Fagan, IBM Systems Journal, No 3, 1976 pg 183
Fagan's article on his inspection technique...good for historical references.

Advances in Software Inspections
by M.E. Fagan, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, VOL SE-12, No 7, July 1986
Another of Fagan's articles...good data.

Standards: IEEE Standard for Software Reviews and Audits
IEEE Std 1028-1988, June 9, 1988
A good set of standards on which to base processes.

Software Inspection and Review Organization (SIRO)
PO Box 61015, Sunnyvale, CA., 94088-1015
Audrey Alicee, editor, email: a.alicee@az05.bull.com

Principles of Software Engineering Management
Tom Gilb, Addison-Wesley, 1988
The book on the real world of software engineering. Including Evolutionary Development (ISD), software inspections, and sound software management and planning techniques...great ideas and tools!

Systems thinking and profound knowledge

The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook
Peter Senge, et. al.Currency Doubleday, 1994
The theory of learning organizations and practical tools and techniques for transforming organizations of any type or size.

The New Economics
by W. Edwards Deming, MIT CAES Press, Cambridge, MA., 1993.

Out of the Crisis
by W. Edwards Deming, MIT CAES Press, Cambridge, MA.
Along with The New Economics, the ideas and philosophy for Deming's profound knowledge.

The Deming Dimension
by Henry Neave, SPC Press, Inc., Knoxville, TN
An overview of Deming and his work. A good companion for books by Deming.

Stewardship
by Peter Block, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, San Francisco, CA
Transforming management from controlling and directing to a shared governance, partnership and total ownership of a business by all team members.

Facilitation tools and techniques

The Team Handbook: How to use teams to improve quality
By Peter R. Scholtes and others, Joiner Associates, Inc. Madison, WI., 1988
An excellent book on creating and facilitating teams.

The Memory Jogger
Goal/QPC, Methuen, MA, 1988
A pocket sized reference for the tools of quality improvement.

The Memory Jogger Plus +
By Michael Brassard, Goal/QPC, Methuen, MA, 1989
Features the seven management and planning tools.

Quality Function Deployment

Better Designs in Half the Time
By Bob King, Goal/QPC, Methuen, MA., 1989
The "Bible" of QFD. Good for all levels of reader from first time to practitioner. Many examples and figures.

Facilitating and Training in Quality Function Deployment
By S. Marsh and others, Goal/QPC, Methuen, MA., 1991
Good book for implementation training and consulting.

Return To SOFTE

Books and Resouces ver 01/03/02 17:17 , Tom Gilchrist, CSQA, CSQE. For updates, suggestions, and corrections, please contact tomg@tomgtomg.com . The opinions and views expressed in SOFTE are my own and do not reflect the views of my employers.