Software Configuration Management Patterns: Effective Teamwork, Practical Integration

Effective software configuration management (SCM) strategies promote a healthy, team-oriented culture that produces better software. Software Configuration Management Patterns alleviates software engineers' most common concerns about software configuration management―perceived rigidity and an overemphasis on process.

Through the use of patterns, the authors show that a properly managed workflow can avert delays, morale problems, and cost overruns. The patterns approach illustrates how SCM can be easily and successfully applied in small- to mid-size organizations. By learning how these patterns relate to each other, readers can avoid common mistakes that too often result in frustrated developers and reduced productivity.

Key coverage includes instruction on how to:

Develop the next version of a product while fixing problems with the current one.

Develop code in parallel with other developers and join up with the current state of codeline.

Identify what versions of code went into a particular component.

Analyze where a change happened in the history of a component's development.

Use current tools more effectively, and decide when to use a manual process.

Incrementally introduce good practices into individual workspaces and throughout the organization.

Identify crucial aspects of the software process so that team projects can run smoothly.

Build and foster a development environment focused on producing optimal teamwork and quality products.

Software Configuration Management Patterns also includes a detailed list of SCM tools and thorough explanations of how they can be used to implement the patterns discussed in the book. These proven techniques will assist readers to improve their processes and motivate their workforce to collaborate in the production of higher quality software.

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Stephen P. Berczuk has been developing object-oriented software applications since 1989, often as part of geographically distributed teams. He has been an active member of the Software Patterns community since the first PLoP conference in 1994, and did early work on the relationship between organization, software architecture, and design patterns. He has an M.S. in Operations Research from Stanford University and an S.B. in Electrical Engineering from MIT.

Brad Appleton has been a software developer since 1987 and has extensive experience using, developing, and supporting SCM environments for teams of all shapes and sizes. A former Patterns++ section editor for the C++ Report, Brad is also well versed in object-oriented design and agile software development, and cofounded the Chicago Patterns and Chicago Agile Development Groups. He holds an M.S. in Software Engineering and a B.S. in Computer Science and Mathematics.

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