Making the Business Case for Best Practices

By Erik Dietrich
You've told your organization that it should adopt software development best practices. Learn how to prove it.
Course info
Rating
(73)
Level
Beginner
Updated
Dec 31, 2014
Duration
4h 40m
Table of contents
What Is a "Best Practice," Anyway?
Introduction 1m Defining Best Practice 3m Software Development Best Practices 3m The Main Goal of This Course 2m Summary 1m
And What Is a Business Case?
Introduction 1m Business Case Simply Defined 4m Business Basics: The Purpose of a Business 3m Business Basics: Revenue and Expense 3m Types of Expenses 3m Payback Period 2m Opportunity Cost 2m Return on Investment and Risk 4m Odds and Expected Value 3m Estimating Costs and Benefits 5m External Resources 2m Psychological Advantage of Knowing Business Terms 2m Notes About the Format 1m Summary 1m
Justifying Coding Practices
Introduction 2m Inversion of Control: Scenario 1m Inversion of Control: Benefits 4m Inversion of Control: Costs 2m Inversion of Control: Quantifying Benefits 7m Inversion of Control: Quantifying Costs 5m Inversion of Control: Making the Pitch 1m Inversion of Control: Overcoming Objections 1m DRY Principle: Scenario 1m DRY Principle: Benefits 5m DRY Principle: Costs 2m DRY Principle: Quantifying Benefits 4m DRY Principle: Quantifying Costs 3m DRY Principle: Making the Pitch 2m DRY Principle: Overcoming Objections 2m Open Closed Principle: Scenario 1m Open Closed Principle: Benefits 4m Open Closed Principle: Costs 2m Open Closed Principle: Quantifying Benefits 3m Open Closed Principle: Quantifying Costs 3m Open Closed Principle: Making the Pitch 2m Open Closed Principle: Overcoming Objections 1m Summary 1m
Justifying Code Inspection Practices
Introduction 2m Code Reviews: Scenario 1m Code Reviews: Benefits 3m Code Reviews: Costs 2m Code Reviews: Quantifying Benefits 4m Code Reviews: Quantifying Costs 1m Code Reviews: Making the Pitch 1m Code Reviews: Overcoming Objections 1m Pair Programming: Scenario 1m Pair Programming: Benefits 4m Pair Programming: Costs 2m Pair Programming: Quantifying Benefits 4m Pair Programming: Quantifying Costs 3m Pair Programming: Making the Pitch 3m Pair Programming: Overcoming Objections 1m Gatekeeper Inspection: Scenario 1m Gatekeeper Inspection: Benefits 4m Gatekeeper Inspection: Costs 3m Gatekeeper Inspection: Quantifying Benefits 4m Gatekeeper Inspection: Quantifying Costs 3m Gatekeeper Inspection: Making the Pitch 2m Gatekeeper Inspection: Overcoming Objections 1m Summary 1m
Justifying Testing Practices
Introduction 2m Unit Testing: Scenario 2m Unit Testing: Benefits 6m Unit Testing: Costs 2m Unit Testing: Quantifying Benefits 7m Unit Testing: Quantifying Costs 3m Unit Testing: Making the Pitch 2m Unit Testing: Overcoming Objections 3m Automated GUI/Integration Testing: Scenario 1m Automated GUI/Integration Testing: Benefits 3m Automated GUI/Integration Testing: Costs 3m Automated GUI/Integration Testing: Quantifying Benefits 3m Automated GUI/Integration Testing: Quantifying Costs 2m Automated GUI/Integration Testing: Making the Pitch 2m Automated GUI/Integration Testing: Overcoming Objections 2m Test Driven Development: Scenario 1m Test Driven Development: Benefits 4m Test Driven Development: Costs 2m Test Driven Development: Quantifying Benefits 5m Test Driven Development: Quantifying Costs 2m Test Driven Development: Making the Pitch 2m Test Driven Development: Overcoming Objections 2m Summary 1m
Justifying Meta-Coding Practices
Introduction 2m Coding Standards: Scenario 1m Coding Standards: Benefits 2m Coding Standards: Costs 2m Coding Standards: Quantifying Benefits 4m Coding Standards: Quantifying Costs 2m Coding Standards: Making the Pitch 2m Coding Standards: Overcoming Objections 1m Static Analysis: Scenario 1m Static Analysis: Benefits 4m Static Analysis: Costs 3m Static Analysis: Quantifying Benefits 4m Static Analysis: Quantifying Costs 3m Static Analysis: Making the Pitch 1m Static Analysis: Overcoming Objections 1m Summary 0m
The Politics of Change
Introduction 1m Politics? Really? 2m Why Doesn't This Exist? 2m The Importance of Your Role 5m Identify Your Targets 3m Know Your Enemy 5m Do Little Things to Prepare 2m Don't Get Into Hot Water 3m Short-Circuit the Process 2m Write a Script for Success 2m Summary 1m
Description
Course info
Rating
(73)
Level
Beginner
Updated
Dec 31, 2014
Duration
4h 40m
Description

A lot of developers like to stump for so-called "best practices." We should do TDD. We should be Agile. We should use an IoC container. But what defines a "best practice?" What does this mean? Unless the practice helps the business' bottom line, it's hard to justify. Organizations need to make money; they don't exist to pad developers' resumes. This course will help you evaluate whether or not various practices make sense for your business, and help you justify them if they do by making a bottom-line-based argument to important stakeholders.

About the author
Erik Dietrich
About the author

Erik is a software architect, team leader and technologist that enjoys working with a wide variety of programming languages, frameworks and tools. An active blogger with extensive experience teaching and demonstrating software development techniques, he is always up for any conversation about technology.

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