Wild West to Agile

Description

Foreword by Martin Fowler xvii
Foreword by Heidi J. Musser xix
Preface xxi
Acknowledgments xxv
About the Author xxvii

Chapter 1: The Adventure Begins 1
Career overview 4
Software 7
Software development 8
Software development eras 10
Six decades of change 13
Observations 17

Chapter 2: Wild West 21
Apollo 21
Technology and the world 25
Esso Business Systems 28
Exxon to Oglethorpe 33
Software development 35
Management trends 37
Era observations 42

Chapter 3: Structured Methods and Monumental Methodologies 45
Era overview 49
Software methods 50
Methods, methodologies, and mindsets 57
CSE/Telco 58
Structured pioneers 59
Information Architects, Inc. 66
Technology 68
Monumental Methodologies 70
Waterfall 72
Management 76
CASE tools 79
Era observations 83

Chapter 4: The Roots of Agile 85
Era overview 86
Structured methods to RAD 88
Microsoft 90
RAD to RADical 92
Portland Mortgage Software 92
Information technology 93
Nike 98
Consultants’ Camp and Jerry Weinberg 101
RADical to adaptive 105
Collaboration 105
Complex adaptive systems 106
Adaptive software development book 109
Additional agile roots 113
Era observations 116

Chapter 5: The Agile Era 119
New challenges 120
Martin Fowler 122
Trimble Navigation 124
The Agile Manifesto 126
Agile organizations 131
Agile ecosystems 141
Agile methodologies 142
Agile periods 145
Era observations 147

Chapter 6: Rogue Teams 149
Cutter and travels 152
The Mustang Team at Cellular, Inc. 155
Technology (1995–2007) 157
Three agile stories 163
Agile project management 165
Period observations 169

Chapter 7: Courageous Executives 173
Sciex 174
A new generation of pioneers 178
Integrated Financial Software 180
Southern Systems Software 186
Agile project management 187
Organizational change 196
Software development 200
Scaling agile 203
Athleta 208
Period observations 208

Chapter 8: Digital Transformation 211
Thoughtworks 214
A world accelerating 217
Digital transformation 219
Tech@Core 224
EDGE operating model 226
The unFIX organization model 228
Empathetic and adaptive leadership 232
Period observations 235

Chapter 9: Prepare to Engage the Future 237
Why history? 238
Agile and agility 239

Afterword 245

Appendix 251

References 257
Bibliography 263
Index 265

Jim Highsmith is a well-known agilist and author, whose career spanned six decades of rapid technology and business change. Jim has been at the forefront of software technologies’ response to that change, from working on 1970s COBOL business applications, to recent engagements for digital transformation. With decades of business, management, and software development experience, he is uniquely qualified to explore the history of software development to help us prepare for the ever more chaotic future.

Jim is the author of EDGE: Value-Driven Digital Transformation (Addison-Wesley, 2020); Adaptive Leadership: Accelerating Enterprise Agility (Addison-Wesley, 2014); Agile Project Management: Creating Innovative Products (Addison-Wesley, 2009); Agile Software Development Ecosystems (Addison-Wesley, 2002); and Adaptive Software Development: A Collaborative Approach to Managing Complex Systems (Dorset House, 2000), winner of the prestigious Jolt Award and of the 2005 international Stevens Award for outstanding contributions to software development.

Jim is a coauthor of the Agile Manifesto, a founding member of Agile Alliance, coauthor of the Declaration of Interdependence for project leaders, and cofounder and first president of the Agile Leadership Network. Jim has consulted with IT, product development organizations, and software companies in the US, Europe, Canada, South Africa, Australia, Brazil, China, Japan, India, and New Zealand.

“A magnum opus from master storyteller, adventurer, nonconformist, and adaptable agile maven Jim Highsmith. With this braided narrative, Jim defines what it means to be truly agile, both personally and organizationally. A must-read for a fascinating first-person perspective and invaluable insights into the past, present, and future of agility. I haven’t enjoyed a book as much in a very long, long time.”
—Sanjiv Augustine, Founder and CEO, LitheSpeed

“The phrase ‘been there, done that’ has rarely been as true as it is for Jim Highsmith and his long and varied career in software. Jim is a great storyteller, and this book tells great stories about many of the leaders of our industry. Enjoy the ride!”
—Rebecca Parsons, Chief Technology Officer, Thoughtworks

“What happened over the last six decades in the software field? How did our methods, methodologies, and mindsets evolve? Who played a key role along the way, and where are we headed today? Only a veteran practitioner, industry legend, master storyteller, and agile pioneer like Jim Highsmith could tell this tale with such detail and depth.”
—Joshua Kerievsky, CEO, Industrial Logic; author, Joy of Agility

“An entertaining and insightful book full of nostalgia and advice from a true leader in this space. This book has first-hand experiences and stories of the real struggles of becoming an adaptive organization. Coverage of topics such as the implementation of EDGE is a valuable addition.”
—Linda Luu, Enterprise Strategy, IBM; co-author, EDGE: Value-Driven Digital Transformation

“This is a valuable retrospective on a journey from Apollo to SpaceX, through the evolution of technologies from vacuum tubes to billions of transistors on a chip, from the perspective of a leader in software methodologies and a signatory of the Agile Manifesto. Jim Highsmith’s work with other experts on adaptive approaches to business and technology has turned agile software development from a great idea into an essential tool for business survival in the modern world for all successful technology companies.”
—Jeff Sutherland, Inventor and Co-creator of Scrum and Scale; Signatory of the Agile Manifesto

Wild West to Agile: The evolution and revolution of software development, drawn from personal experience, from the Apollo moon mission to digital transformations.

In 2023, “technology is your business–no matter what your business.” But how did we get here and how could a historical perspective prepare us for the future?

Jim Highsmith tackles the evolution and revolution of software development, embellishes them with personal experiences, from the Apollo moon mission to modern digital transformations, and introduces the adventurous pioneers–from structured era developer Ken Orr to Agile methodologist Kent Beck–who strived to make the world a better place, by building better software.

Jim’s six-decade career has encompassed the Wild West (1966-1979), to Structured Methods and Monumental Methodologies (1980s), to the Roots of Agile (1990s), to the present Agile Era (2001-present). In each era, he explores the evolution of software development methods, methodologies, and mindsets.

Whether you are from the 1970-1980’s generation looking for an “I was there too” moment, a newer generation interested in the evolution of software development, the Agile generation interested in how Agile methodologies were born and evolved, or have a general interest in information technology, Wild West to Agile has something for you.

“Jim Highsmith is the Forrest Gump of software development. What made the 1994 movie so entertaining was how frequently Forrest found himself in the right spot as history was being made. Unlike Forrest, though, Jim’s actions influenced that history.”
—Mike Cohn, cofounder of the Agile Alliance, and the Scrum Alliance; author of Succeeding with Agile

“If you want to understand the shape of software development today, this is the book for you. If you want to understand how to navigate a turbulent career with grace & style, this is also the book for you. If you enjoy memoirs, ditto. Enjoy his story.”
—Kent Beck, Chief Scientist, Mechanical Orchard; author, Extreme Programming Explained

“This entire journey–beginning with the Wild West era of software development through the Agile Era to today’s Digital Transformation era–is entirely empowered by people. Thank you, Jim, for sharing these beautiful stories and honoring the people that were a part of this amazing journey.”
—Heidi J. Musser, Vice President and CIO, USAA, retired

“I’ve always felt that understanding history is important, because it’s hard to understand where we are unless you understand the path that we took to get here. Jim’s memoir is an entertaining and astute odyssey through this history.”
—Martin Fowler, Chief Scientist, Thoughtworks

Additional information

Dimensions	0.63 × 7.38 × 9.13 in
Imprint	Addison-Wesley Professional
Format	gen
ISBN-13	09780137961009
ISBN-10	0137961006
Author	Jim Highsmith
Subjects	professional, higher education, Employability, IT Professional, Y-AD MISCELLANEOUS