Do new Best Practices = old Best Practices

Back in the 90's we had a set of Six Best Practices that were published by Rational and formed the foundation of the Unified Process. These are:

• Develop Iteratively
• Manage Requirements
• Use Component-Based Architectures
• Model Visually (UML)
• Continuously Verify Quality
• Manage Change

Then some years ago, these were revised into the ABCDEF Best Practices:

• Adapt the Process
• Balance Stakeholder Priorities
• Collaborate across Teams
• Demonstrate Value Iteratively
• Elevate the Level of Abstraction
• Focus Continuously on Quality

So, do they still convey the same meaning to our teams ?

Preparing for your Project

A very valuable resource in preparation for a software project is this compact 400 page book from RUP experts Per Kroll and Bruce MacIsaac. It consists of 20 Practices that dramatically increase the likelihood of a successful outcome.

• P. Kroll, et al. (2006), Agility and Discipline Made Easy, Addison-Wesley.

If this book brings you nothing new, then you are already on the right track. Highly recommended.