Managing Risk: Methods For Software Systems Development

"The increasing rate of technological change we are experiencing in our lifetime yields competitive advantage to organizations and individuals who are willing to embrace risk and the opportunities it presents. Those who choose to minimize or avoid risk, as opposed to managing it, set a course for obsolescence. Hall has captured the essence of risk management and given us a practical guide for the application of useful principles in software-intensive product development. This is must reading for public and private sector managers who want to succeed as we begin the next century."

- Daniel P. Czelusniak, Director, Acquisition Program Integration Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition and Technology) The Pentagon

"Since it is more than just common sense, the newcomer to risk management needs an intelligent guide. It is in this role that Elaine Hall's book excels. This book provides a set of practical and well-delineated processes for implementation of the discipline."

- Tom DeMarco, from the Foreword Risk is inherent in the development of any large software system. A common approach to risk in software development is to ignore it and hope that no serious problems occur. Leading software companies use quantitative risk management methods as a more useful approach to achieve success.

Written for busy professionals charged with delivering high-quality products on time and within budget, Managing Risk is a comprehensive guide that describes a success formula for managing software risk. The book is divided into five parts that describe a risk management road map designed to take you from crisis to control of your software project.

Highlights include:

Six disciplines for managing product development.

Steps to predictable risk-management process results.

How to establish the infrastructure for a risk-aware culture.

Methods for the implementation of a risk management plan.

Case studies of people in crisis and in control.

Risk bears the potential that problems will occur, and risk is inherent in the development of any large software system. A common approach to risk in software development is to ignore it, and hope that no serious problems occur; another is to respond to problems only if and when they occur. A more useful approach, however, and one with which some leading software development companies have been able to minimize and combat risks, is to use formal, quantitative risk-management techniques and processes. These techniques and processes are the subject of this book.