Reference from today's meeting

[Marina Zabelshansky]

Even for enterprise projects, it's good to do a basic "sanity check" of your development practices with Joel's test, which is surprisingly relevant even 20 years later.
No, this does not replace understanding the marketplace, the customer's needs, and the technology, and doing your homework, and picking which practices out of Disciplined Agile Development  fit your environment,
but you might be surprised at how many organizations fail this one.
https://www.joelonsoftware.com/2000/08/09/the-joel-test-12-steps-to-better-code/

1. Do you use source control?
2. Can you make a build in one step?
3. Do you make daily builds?
4. Do you have a bug database?
5. Do you fix bugs before writing new code?
6. Do you have an up-to-date schedule?
7. Do you have a spec?
8. Do programmers have quiet working conditions?
9. Do you use the best tools money can buy?
10. Do you have testers?
11. Do new candidates write code during their interview?
12. Do you do hallway usability testing?

And yes, I have had literally angry reactions from managers (rarely developers) to these simple questions.

After this, Code Complete is the reference book for improving development "sanity."
https://www.amazon.com/Code-Complete-Practical-Handbook-Construction/dp/0735619670

[standard disclaimer] YMMV

-- 
Regards,
Marina Zabelshansky
Project Manager / Scrum Master
mzabel...@gmail.com	

[Ned]

Thanks, Marina - link added to the Spolsky note in the discussion notes.