Book Topics

Book Of The Month

• Agile Methods
• Extreme Programming
• Scrum
• Crystal Clear
• DSDM
• Agile Techniques
• Good Programming
• Use Cases/Stories
• UML
• Good Management
• General Reading

As with all good computing orientated websites, these books can be purchased via the Amazon Associates scheme. However all profits made from this scheme from this website, will be donated to Cancer Research. So you get to read some of the best IT books ( in our opinion ) and also contribute to the fight against Cancer.

Agile Development

Probably the most popular book todate on the Agile movement, very XP focused but has some excellent experience based insites into agile practices that can be applied across all methods. Has become something of a desktop bible for me of late. Well recommended, you'll learn something new from this book, no matter what your experience

Agility and Discipline Made Easy

If you are working with a team that still needs to use waterfall or RUP type methods due to internal constraints An interesting book for those who do not have the pleasure of a green field agile development project

Agile Software Development

More than just software development, this is a book about the entire spectrum of agile, from communication and team dynamics through to choosing and implementing the right agile process. Read it cover to cover in one sitting, its one of those books that switches on light bulb after light bulb as you read it.

Agile Software Development Ecosystems

An excellent if rather indepth exploration of the various Agile techniques available today. Useful for project and programmer managers looking at which one best suites their business. Would love to see a shorter version thats a little easier to read, but all in all a good book on the various Agile tools available.

Agile Estimation and Planning

Its books like these that you wonder what you did before they where written, usually as you turn the last page. If you are involved in real world agile projects either as a project manager trying to get to grips of how to plan and estimate work, or a developer who is required to produce estimates this book is essential reading. Mine has got to the stage that its so thumbed a second copy is going to be ordered soon

Agile & Iterative Development

Craig Larmans books are always worth reading, not just becuase they are so well written and easy to read, but also for the various perspectives and comments he provides on the subject matter. This book is aimed at people taking up agile or looking to use agile. Provides an excellent background to where Agile came from, and its current state of play. Not quite a history book of the agile movement, but well worth a read to understand why its right for you.

Lean Software Development

The subtitle is "An Agile Toolkit", and thats exactly what this book is. A series of easily implementable steps and processes for any agile project. The first chapter on Eliminating Waste is so obvious, so why don't we all do it all of the time. This is another book that rarely stays on my bookshelf long, and instead is constantly referred back to over and over again. Mary and Tom actively support the book and its topics on some of the agile news groups Websites

Practices of an Agile Developer

Another book from The Pragmatic Programmer range, and an interesting read. More a book about anecdotes, hint, tips and tricks for programmers or people involved in agile projects.

The Object Primer

Review Pending

Agile Modeling: Effective Practices for EXtreme Programming and the Unified Process

Review Pending

Agile Management for Software Engineering: Applying the Theory of Constraints for Business Results

Review Pending

Agile Project Management: Creating Innovative Products

Review Pending

Managing Agile Projects

Review Pending

Agile Project Management: How to Succeed in the Face of Changing Project Requirements

Review Pending

Agile Documentation: A Pattern Guide to Producing Lightweight Documents for Software Projects

Review Pending

eXtreme Programming Explained

Kent Beck's eXtreme Programming eXplained provides an intriguing high-level overview of the author's Extreme Programming (XP) software development methodology. Written for IS managers, project leaders or programmers, this guide provides a glimpse at the principles behind XP and its potential

Planning eXtreme Programming

Programming continues to refuse to be engineering. This is why there are so many cancelled projects, cost and time overruns and customer dissatisfaction. Planning Extreme Programming offers a way to run small-to-medium size programming projects in such a way as to produce the required product.

Testing eXtreme Programming

Focuses on how the rules of Extreme Programming affect testing, and illustrates how testing can and should be carried out on an XP project

eXtreme Programming Installed

The quick, hands-on guide to Extreme Programming (XP) practices and implementation!

eXtreme Programming Applied

The complete guide to applying XP -- today's fastest growing software methodology! Covers all stages of the development lifecycle- design, testing, implementation, and deployment.

eXtreme Programming Explored

The "best practices" guide for every XP beginner. Integrating software architecture and design patterns in XP development. Pragmatic and hands-on! Includes real-world war stories, extensive examples

eXtreme Programming in Practice

Theory is fine but practice makes perfect. Extreme Programming in Practice is the story of the Object Mentor company's first foray into XP after the Web site it designed and implemented failed

eXtreme Programming for Web Projects

ased on years of real-world experience, the book offers proven best practices that enable developers to deal efficiently and effectively with the challenges they face and, ultimately, to produce Web-based projects that meet and/or exceed customer expectations

eXtreme Programming Perspectives

Helping the reader gain perspective on extreme programming, this text shows how best to implement this practice in an organization. It contains papers from the worlds two leading Extreme programming conferences XP 2001 and XP Universe

Agile Project Management with Scrum

Ken Schwaber is one of the founders of the Scrum movement, and this book is an excellent description of the process. Essential reading for all budding Scrum Masters or developers involved in a Scrum project

Agile Software Development with Scrum

The synopsys states Arguably the most important book about managing technology and systems development efforts and I would partially agree, its one of the most important books, describing probably one of the most important technologies to come from the agile movement. Another example of a book that can be read cover to cover in a single session but manages to convey a huge amount of information.

Crystal Clear

Still on my reading list, but other Amazon reviews state :

An excellent description of how to make headway with development teams. This offering really puts Agile into perspective with lots of practical examples. What ever state your developement team is in there should be advice in this book that will help you move forward

DSDM Business Focused Development

An excellent and much easier readable book than the DSDM Manual. Clear and concise description of one of the older Agile methodologies.

Refactoring

One of the seminal books of the computing world, has become a standard tome on just about every good developers desktop. How many have read it cover to cover is another question, but it does provide an excellent introduction to the art of refactoring code, key to any XP teams.

Collaboration

A key aspect of Agile methods is communication, but very books cover it in any detail. This books provides a wide range of examples and techniques for the various types of communication, required within an Agile team. Especially good are the sections on how to get a team to open up and extract information from themselves. I found it extremely useful when preparing for retrospectives with new Agile teams.

Test Driven Development

The description calls it "A practical treatment of Test Driven Development", and I must agree, excellent example driven guide to of the the most fundamental principals in the Agile movement. Certainly one of the best of bunch of books on this topic.

Clean Code

Working Effectively with Legacy Code

Design Patterns

Does this book need a review these days. Its been on my book shelf for years, long before the Agile movement got into the mainstream, yet some of the ideas presented are as relevant today as they everwhere. All programmers and designers should know patterns, be able to implement them, but more importantly be able to communicate with them to their peers.

Head First Design Patterns

The Pragmatic Programmer

An interesting book in that reading it is a lot like reading about your Own work. You end up gaining one of 2 things from this book, either it re-affirms you own behaviour and patterns at work, or it provides pointers to improving various aspects, from real world examples.

User Stories Applied

Another book I just love for being simple and easy to read, but providing the solution to requirements gathering that provides real value I used a lot of the topics in this book on my last project, described in Agile From The Trenches and it really allowed is to get control of out requirements.

Writing Effective Use Cases

Another heavyweight book, but well worth the read. Use Cases are like the Design Patterns of the Requirements world, and this book ( as noted by several other people ) is the bible of Use Cases. Comprehensive coverage of all aspects of modelling with Use Cases.

Use Case Modelling

Review Pending

Managing Software Requirements: A Use Case Approach

Review Pending

Applying Use Cases: A Practical Guide

Review Pending

The Elements of UML 2.0 Style

Peopleware

Along with Programmers at Work, this book provided inspiration to me when I was just starting out. A stunning book on the soft side of man management. The section of office layout is just so annoying, in that so many offices do not follow its recommendations. A book that everyone should own and read several times.

Behind Closed Doors

Just arrived from Amazon, top of the review pile at the moment. Have always like the Pragamatic series of books

The Manager Pool

For managers what Design Patterns did for developers and designers. Provides excellent insightful advice for a wide variety of management problems. If you are a manager or a team leader and you have a specific issue you need advice with, then its probably covered as a "pattern" in this book. I like it alot.

Herding Cats

A lot of people get into management through osmosis, they just happen to be given more responsibility, which usually means more people, and all of a sudden you are classes as a manager. This book is for people like that, people who need to know management, but have no formal training, think they are a manager, or really want to be known as a fulltime manager. Excellent read.

Leading a Software Development Team

Another one in the same vein as "Herding Cats", its aimed at developers who are becoming team leaders and managers. Its aimed squarely at the team leaders, those who have to manage a few staff but still need to keep technical and delivery focused. Another good read.

Waltzing With Bears

Another on my pile of "should have read 6 months ago", review pending...

The Mythical Man Month

Another reviewer called it "the absolute must read book", and I tend to agree, while a lot of the book focuses on the work at IBM in the 1970s its still a fresh and relevant today as a lot of new books. Can be a terse read sometimes, but well worth it for the raft of information contained within

Programmers At Work

This is the book that started it all for me. I picked this up during my under graduate years in a pile of books with 50% discount. I don't think I put it down from the first page to the last.

Its amazing to read interviews which are 10, 15 years old with some of todays elder statesmen. Its even more amazing to read about yesterdays hot topics as if they were the latest things.

This book confirmed to me that I wanted to work in Software, buy it, read it, and remember the good old days.