2nd Edition
Antipatterns Managing Software Organizations and People, Second Edition
Emphasizing leadership principles and practices, Antipatterns: Managing Software Organizations and People, Second Edition catalogs 49 business practices that are often precursors to failure. This updated edition of a bestseller not only illustrates bad management approaches, but also covers the bad work environments and cultural traits commonly found in IT, software development, and other business domains. For each antipattern, it describes the situation and symptoms, gives examples, and offers a refactoring solution.
The authors, graduate faculty at Penn State University, avoid an overly scholarly style and infuse the text with entertaining sidebars, cartoons, stories, and jokes. They provide names for the antipatterns that are visual, humorous, and memorable. Using real-world anecdotes, they illustrate key concepts in an engaging manner. This updated edition sheds light on new management and environmental antipattems and includes a new chapter, six updated chapters, and new discussion questions. Topics covered include leadership principles, environmental antipatterns, group patterns, management antipatterns, and team leadership.
Following introductory material on management theory and human behavior, the text catalogs the full range of management, cultural, and environmental antipatterns. It includes thought-provoking exercises that each describe a situation, ask which antipatterns are present, and explain how to refactor the situation. It provides time-tested advice to help you overcome bad practices through successful interaction with your clients, customers, peers, supervisors, and subordinates.
Patterns and Antipatterns
A Timeless Way of Building
Pattern Structure
Antipatterns
Many Eyes
Antipattern Structure
Management and Environmental Antipatterns
Consistency and Completeness
References
Human Patterns and Antipatterns
Human Antipatterns and Negative Personality Types
Chapter Exercises
References
Group Patterns and Antipatterns
Tuckman’s Theory of Teams
Overcoming Team Dysfunction
Sports Analogies to Teams
Evolution to Antipatterns
Chapter Exercises
References
Successfully Leading Teams
The Growth of Team Size
Micromanagers and Laissez-Faire Managers
Theory X
Theory Y
Theory Z
Leadership Theories
General Advice
Chapter Exercises
References
Management Antipatterns
All You Have Is a Hammer
Cage Match Negotiator
Doppelgänger
Fruitless Hoops
Golden Child
Headless Chicken
Leader Not Manager
Manager Not Leader
Managerial Cloning
Metric Abuse
Mr. Nice Guy
Mushroom Management
Planning with Gantt Regard
Proletariat Hero
Rising Upstart
Road to Nowhere
Spineless Executive
Three-Headed Knight
Ultimate Weapon
Warm Bodies
Chapter Exercises
References
Environmental Antipatterns
Atlas Shrug
Autonomous Collective
Boiling Frog Syndrome
Burning Bag of Dung
Buzzword Mania
Divergent Goals
Dogmatic about Dysfunction
Dunkirk Spirit
The Emperor’s New Clothes
Fairness Doctrine
Fools Rush In
Founderitis
French Waiter Syndrome
Frienemies By Design
Geek Hazing
Institutional Mistrust
Kiosk City
Mediocracy
One-Eyed King
Orange Stand Economics
Pitcairn Island
Potemkin Village
Process Clash
Rubik’s Cube
Shoeless Children
Work Breakdown Architectures
Worshipping the Golden Calf
Reference
General Advice in Dealing with Antipatterns
Do Not Blame Other People
Learn to Deliver Bad News
Do Not Worry for Other People
Do Not Shoot the Messenger
Let People Learn from Their Mistakes
Just Get It Done
Remember the Law of Unintended Consequences
Listen
Negotiate
Never Give Up
Never Attribute to Malice What Stupidity Can Explain
Remember that Luck Can Play a Role
Remember that No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
Remember that People Despise in Others What They Hate in Themselves
Use Golden Rule Management
Never Mess with Space, Title, or Salary
Be a Mentor
Always Set and Meet Expectations
Remember that You Take the Same Person with You Wherever You Go
References
Appendix
WBS Construction
WBS Rules
Estimation
Cone of Uncertainty
COCOMO II
COSYSMO
Scheduling
Critical Path Method
Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM)
Note
References
Index
Biography
Joanna F. DeFranco
Dr. DeFranco received her BS in electrical engineering from Penn State, MS in computer engineering from Villanova University, and PhD in computer and information science from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. She is a member of ASEE and has had numerous publications in journals and conference proceedings. She is also on the curriculum advisory board for a local technical high school.
Phillip A. Laplante
is professor of software engineering and affiliate professor of information science and technology at The Pennsylvania State University. Before joining Penn State, he was a professor and senior academic administrator at several other colleges and universities.Prior to his academic career, Dr. Laplante spent nearly eight years as a software engineer and project manager working on avionics (including the Space Shuttle), CAD (Computer Aided Design), and software test systems. He was also director of business development for a boutique software consulting firm. He has authored or edited 27 books and more than 200 papers, articles, and editorials.Dr. Laplante received his BS, MEng, and PhD degrees in computer science, electrical engineering, and computer science, respectively, from Stevens Institute of Technology and an MBA from the University of Colorado. He is a fellow of the IEEE and a member of numerous professional societies, program committees, and boards. He is consultant to Fortune 500 companies, the U.S. Department of Defense, and NASA on technical and management issues. He also serves as a CIO/CEO coach.
Colin J. Neill
is associate professor of software and systems engineering and associate division head of engineering at The Pennsylvania State University. Prior to joining Penn State, he worked as a research officer at the University of Wales Swansea, as a certified software process assessor and auditor, and as a software engineering consultant for a number of organizations in the United Kingdom and Europe. Notable experiences during this period included working on manufacturing strategies with Rover Cars and enterprise system selection, installation, and enhancement with British Aerospace.Dr. Neill received his BEng in electrical and electronic engineering, MS in communication systems, and PhD in software and systems engineering from the University of Wales Swansea. He is a member of the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) and a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and he is the author of more than 70 articles and book chapters. Additionally, he serves as a member of several journal editorial boards and academic conference committees. He conducts research for a number of companies and government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Defense and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). He is a rabid fan of Philadelphia professional sports teams.
