Most software development companies know that they could be doing things better. Many have 'process improvement' programmes to work out how to do just that. Only a few of these will have any appreciable effects.

This book provides insight into how to improve software processes. It doesn't labour why you'd want to do this, which is a benefit - if you're reading the book, you know the why already. It is a concise, practical guide aimed at the people directly involved in implementing the improvement process.

It is well thought out and sympathetically laid out. Comprising just three chapters, the book jumps pretty much straight in to the deep end without waffle. Starting with 'Developing a plan' the authors suggest practical and pragmatic ways to identify areas to improve and also suggest how to 'sell' the improvement process to co-workers. The 'Implementing the Plan' and 'Checking Progress' chapters follow on logically.

This is a well-written book, the authors certainly convey their wealth of experience. There are plenty of examples, but they are not taken overboard. The level of detail is pitched carefully and the book defers to other texts in many places where the material is not core to the main thrust of the discussion.

In fact most of book is done by page 115. The rest is a set of (useful) appendixes, which contain subject matter that was pulled out of the main body of chapters to prevent breaking up the flow.

Although potentially appealing to only a restricted number of readers, if this is a subject that you need to read about, this is an excellent reference.General Computing