Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!van-bc!rsoft!mindlink!a1157
From: a1157@mindlink.UUCP (Reece Markowsky)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: Today's Software Standards (was RE:some advice to a sw eng
Message-ID: <3242@mindlink.UUCP>
Date: 19 Sep 90 23:04:28 GMT
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Lines: 47

> nancy@murphy.ICS.UCI.EDU writes:
> 
> I know that it is impossible to provide perfect software.  But there is a
> difference between putting out the best product we can or one that we feel
> meets minimum professional standards and putting out something we know
> does not meet those standards.


I am a third year student at Simon Fraser University and do not have a great
amount of experience in the commercial world, but I do have a strong feeling
that these "standards" may be too high.  Let me first put in perspective what I
am referring to as standards.  There are many standards associated with
software development, and the standards I feel are set too high are those
related to development time.  Does the commercial world expect too much in too
little time?
Tom DeMarco states "I am convinced that most project failures are of this
nature (referring to inflated and unreasonable expectations) and are not the
fault of the project team at all.  It is rather the fault of inflated and
unreasonable expectations.  The sad consequence of unreasonable expectations is
that projects are dubbed failures without any regard for the quality and
quantity of work done."

It is not just the lack of estimating experience that is the cause of these
inflated or unreasonable expectations.  With most anything in this world, and
unfortuately with estimation in software development, is the influence of
politics.  Political problems can hamper the extimating process...  The
politcal problems I speak of are those associated with an "expected right
answer".  DeMarco puts forward a good example to display this:
"Suppose your boss asks you for a set of estimates and, each time you produce
one, checks it against a little black notebook that you aren't allowed to see.
suppose further that your boss shows evident displeasure at some of your
numbers because they don't compare favorable with the numbers in the book.  If
you're a political animal, you catch on quickly - soon you aren't estimating
the work at all, your're just trying to guess what's written in the little
black book.  Your reward is to be considered a team player.  But you didn't
build any estimating skills"

Now my feeling is that the standards of software development are set too high
on average.  Companies that have mastered the art of estimation and have
developed good estimating models which they continually build on can cope with
these standards, but the others (who are poor estimators) are the junk dealers,
or innoncently fail at there software projects and are unfortunately classified
as junk dealers.

Can someone please comment on this.  All that I say is from what I read and the
little I have seen.  Your input would be very much appreciated
 R J M