Value-Based Software Engineering

Book Description

The IT community has always struggled with questions concerning the value of an organization’s investment in software and hardware. It is the goal of value-based software engineering (VBSE) to develop models and measures of value which are of use for managers, developers and users as they make tradeoff decisions between, for example, quality and cost or functionality and schedule – such decisions must be economically feasible and comprehensible to the stakeholders with differing value perspectives. VBSE has its roots in work on software engineering economics, pioneered by Barry Boehm in the early 1980s. However, the emergence of a wider scope that defines VBSE is more recent. VBSE extends the merely technical ISO software engineering definition with elements not only from economics, but also from cognitive science, finance, management science, behavioural sciences, and decision sciences, giving rise to a truly multi-disciplinary framework.

Biffl and his co-editors invited leading researchers and structured their contributions into three parts, following an introduction into the area by Boehm himself. They first detail the foundations of VBSE, followed by a presentation of state-of-the-art methods and techniques. The third part demonstrates the benefits of VBSE through concrete examples and case studies.

This book deviates from the more anecdotal style of many management-oriented software engineering books and so appeals particularly to all readers who are interested in solid foundations for high-level aspects of software engineering decision making, i.e. to product or project managers driven by economics and to software engineering researchers and students.

Customer Reviews:

Book Contents.......2006-03-10

The "search inside this book" feature was not available when this review was posted. Hope it helps.

BOOK CONTENTS
01 Value-Based Software Engineering: Overview and Agenda
02 An Initial Theory of Value-Based Software Engineering
03 Valuation of Software Initiatives Under Uncertainty: Concepts, Issues, and Techniques
04 Preference-Based Decision Support in Software Engineering
05 Risk and the Economic Value of the Software Producer
06 Value-Based Software Engineering: Seven Key Elements and Ethical Considerations
07 Stakeholder Value Proposition Elicitation and Reconciliation
08 Measurement and Decision Making
09 Criteria for Selecting Software Requirements to Create Product Value: an Industrial Empirical Study
10 Collaborative Usability Testing to Facilitate Stakeholder Involvement
11 Value-Based Management of Software Testing
12 Decision Support for Value-Based Software Release Planning
13 ProSim/RA - Software Process Simulation in Support of Risk Assessment
14 Tailoring Software Traceability to Value-Based Needs
15 Value-Based Knowledge Management: the Contribution of Group Processes
16 Quantifying the Value of New Technologies for Software Development
17 Valuing Software Intellectual Property

More information on this topic can be obtained at http://sunset.usc.edu/cse/pub/research/valueroi.html.

A Software Library for Boundary-Value Problem Based Simulation Problems

Average customer rating:

A Software Library for Boundary-Value Problem Based Simulation Problems
H. -Y Chang
Manufacturer: distributed by American Institute of Chemical Engineers]
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Book Description

In Rewiring Organizations for the Networked Economy— a book in The Practicing Organization Development Series— OD expert Stan Herman and a stellar group of contributors have written a definitive resource book for OD practitioners that focuses on the effects of information technology on organizing, managing, and leading people within organizations. Throughout the book, you'll learn what new structures, processes, and attitudes are needed if organizations are to succeed in the new economy.

Customer Reviews:

Heavy, But Loaded.......2002-05-27

This book is written for organizational development professionals. Those not educated and engaged in the field will find the text slow reading, but loaded with information and insight. OD types will enjoy this volume, as will thought leaders in the human resource profession. It will also be well-received by futurists and strategists interested in gaining knowledge about life in the Information Age environment. Information Technology professionals will also find the book of interest . . . and validating.

I have given this book a Five Star rating because, for the intended market, that's certainly the ranking it deserves. For the general public, including business executives, the book will be slow reading, but with frequent gems to highlight or write down.

The book is organized into five sections: Setting the Stage, The New Strategic Basics, Collaborative Challenges, HR, OD, and Information Technology, and Conclusions and Implications. The first section is written by the editor, Stan Herman (no relation to the reviewer), who presents Uncertainty is Unavoidable, Technology, and Commerce are the Key Drivers of Organizational Change, and Three Imperatives of Change Derived from Information Technology.

Part Two contains three chapters, each written by a different contributor: Strategic Navigation: Learning Viability in a World Wired for Speed, Strategic Conversations in the Networked Economy, and Inside the AOL Experience. Part Three also includes three chapters each written by a different author: Virtual Teamwork, Ready for Virtuality: A Case, and The Whole System Transformation Conference: Fast Change for the 21st Century.

In Part 4, the first chapter presents Basic Info-Tech for Consultants. The second chapter, HR and IR: Metamorphosis and Opportunities delves into some practical aspects of dealing with the issues of telecommuting, e-learning, knowledge management, e-cruiting (internet-based recruiting), and approaches to HR/IT integration. These topics will be "hot" in the near future as both HR and IT cope with the problem of how to not just get along, but be happily intertwined. I was glad to see this chapter included, lending a bit of a pragmatic strength to the book. While there isn't a lot of how-to in this representative chapter that caught my attention, there's enough for HR, IT, and OD professionals to advance their work. A case study contributes to the "this is real world" aspect, but this book is oriented toward raising issues to be explored in organizations, rather than to offer step-by-step solutions. The chapter includes references to web sites and other resources to help readers go deeper. Chapter author Jana Markowitz offers insights into emerging roles in organizations-Chief Learning Officer, Chief Knowledge Officer-as she explores some of the changes underway in today's corporations.

Organizational life is moving at a rapid rate. Technology is indeed a powerful driver, so those leaders concerned with the human side of the enterprise should read this book to gain a deeper understanding of what's happening . . . and what they might do to help their organizations through the evolution to a new way of operating. They'll discover some pioneering ideas, some practical guidance, and a look at some of the theory behind some major shifts in our corporate world.

Book Description

This book critically analyzes and discusses available options for all aspects of the rice-wheat cropping system of South Asia, addressing the question, "Are the sustainability and productivity of this system in a state of decline?" It compiles information gathered from research institutions, government organizations, and farmer surveys to analyze the condition of this regional system, suggest policy changes, and predict directions for future growth.

The Rice-wheat Cropping System of South Asia; Trends, Constraints, Productivity, and Policy.

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The Rice-wheat Cropping System of South Asia; Trends, Constraints, Productivity, and Policy.
Palit K. Kataki
Manufacturer: Food Products Pr.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N63Y8G

Book Description

Enter the delicate, complex world of underwater life through extraordinarily detailed, hand-drawn illustrations and newly updated text. The Marine Biology Coloring Book will serve as an excellent resource and guide.

The process of coloring will focus your attention and leave a visual imprint on your memory.

Details on the natural coloration of the plants and animals illustrated will help you create an accurate picture of the ocean world.

The text provides a clear introduction to major marine environments as well as an examination of the lifestyles and interactions of the organisms that inhabit them.

This expanded edition offers vital information on ocean currents and global weather, including an explanation of El Nino, the deep-sea realm, and the newest deep-sea diving research vessels.

Enjoy the process of creating your own beautiful, full-color reference while you explore a fascinating hidden world. Both the serious student of marine biology and the weekend beachcomber will gain a better understanding of ocean life by coloring The Marine Biology Coloring Book.

Customer Reviews:

Homeschoolers - Pay attention!.......2007-08-29

My first grade daughter has had it in her mind to become a marine biologist for the past 2 years. I decided for science this year we would delve into marine biology using this book. We have been working in it for 3 weeks. The text isabove her head, but works well with my 4th grader. My first grader is enjoying coloring the different ocean currents, and will love it when we get to actual sea life!!

Not For Young Kids.......2007-01-18

I bought this for my 6 year old nephew, big mistake! He is crazy about marine biology and will probably color the pictures, but the text is for adults.

These aren't run of the mill coloring books.......2002-02-12

This might be the greatest way to self teach a topic ever devised! You have to follow the instructions. What the authors want you to do is read along as you color the book. Each coloring page has an associated page of text. As you read the text it makes reference to certain parts of the drawing. You can't help but learn. The topics range over all areas and habitats of marine biology and hit all the key points covered in any introductory class. They are grouped by habitat, physiology, ethology and again by taxonomic groups. As far as learning style? If you where isolated in the middle of the dessert with this book and a decent set of color pencils then you would come out with an excellent broad base introductory knowledge of marine biology. It would go well with any beginners course also. Don't let the "coloring book" title fool you, a child of five wold enjoy it but an adult would be able to reap all the rewards as well.

everyone loves coloring!.......2002-01-17

Being a high school teacher, i use this book and the biology coloring book to supplament my class text. It offers very insightful text to accompany each picture. The pictures are very detailed with complete coloring instructions. I was skeptical at first to use it, but the students really get excited about it and seem to get a great deal from finishing them.

Very helpful.......2000-11-29

I am a college student who found this to be a great secondary resource. Many of the form and function and reproductive strategy summaries contain great information that I have not found in textbooks. The coloring pages are great too, if for no other reason than they reiforce what the organisms look like.

Average customer rating:
The Last Great Places Postcard Book
Nature Conservancy
Manufacturer: Falcon Press Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1560441488

Average customer rating:

Feherty's No Idiot

Feherty writes as he speaks

great service and book in perfect shape

Absolutely hysterical! Laugh out loud funny!

If you read the column, buy the compilation

Somewhere in Ireland A Village is Missing An Idiot
David Feherty
Manufacturer: Rugged Land
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Golf | Sports | Subjects | Books
General | Sports | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

An Idiot for All Seasons

A Nasty Bit of Rough

David Feherty's Totally Subjective History of the Ryder Cup: A Hardly Definitive, Completely Cockeyed, But Absolutely Loving Look at Golf's Most Exciting Event

Who's Your Caddy?: Looping for the Great, Near Great, and Reprobates of Golf

Missing Links

ASIN: 1590710223
Release Date: 2004-05-04

Book Description

Golf's multitalented combination of Dave Barry, P.J. O'Rourke, and Rick Reilly, David Feherty is the nation's funniest and most popular on-screen golf personality. His "Sidespin" column is the most popular feature in Golf Magazine, and his first novel, A Nasty Bit of Rough, cracked the New York Times bestseller list. Now, at long last, an omnibus of Feherty's best nonfiction hilarity. Somewhere in Ireland, A Village is Missing an Idiot is a collection of Feherty's most popular Golf Magazine columns, intermingled with his most outrageous work from Golfonline.com. As an added bonus, readers will be treated to some notorious pieces from his work at the British publication Golf Monthly. Edited by and with a running commentary by Feherty, and accompanied by some of the priceless letters to the editor from readers across the country and around the globe complaining about Feherty's perversity, Somewhere in Ireland is the perfect Father's Day gift for the crankiest duffer in every family.

Customer Reviews:

Feherty's No Idiot.......2007-01-19

The book is great. Feherty's an Idiot like Columbo was stupid! His writing is genuine, refreshing and entertaining; IF you like stories about golf and golfers, which I do. Feherty may not have been much of a golfer, by his own admission, but he is a natural when it comes to writing.

Feherty writes as he speaks.......2006-11-06

If Feherty cracks you up from time to time with his bizarre musings during his job as a TV golf analyst, expect more of the same, except in the book, he doesn't have to worry about the FCC. I laughed out loud at times, and at least snickered at others. Totally politically incorrect and worth the read.

great service and book in perfect shape.......2005-08-22

thanks for the great delivery and outstanding produce. the book was exactly as you described it.
thanks for doing a good job.

Absolutely hysterical! Laugh out loud funny!.......2005-04-07

I just read the first two chapters and have been laughing out loud! He has amazing creativity and is truly a wordsmith. Well worth the price paid. I hope Feherty continues to write more books because they keep getting funnier!

If you read the column, buy the compilation.......2004-07-02

I only recently picked up on David Feherty and his writing. Being on the far side of the Pacific from where he plies his trade sets me back as to the happenings off the green in the golf world by, well, years. I found this one book helpful not only with catching up on golf in general, but also in getting aquainted with Mr. Feherty and his pen.

Most I think will go after this book because they want to see "the lighter side of golf". As anyone who has read this book or regularly looks at the column itself can tell you, this is off-color humor that is best taken in small amounts over a vast period of time. Not that there are any boring segments (some are less interesting than others, but none outright boring), but rather the parade of gradeschool humor that is presented in just about every other chapter can be wearing.

What will likely keep a reader coming back (perhaps once a week at most) is that he is a fairly good writer. Containing selections from his column over the past five years and more does carry the trap of repition in phrases and cliche, but this isn't tiring in the least. He is very capable of retelling stories better than most in the sports world. His "letters" do tend to wear on one's patience at times, however.

If you are a David Feherty fan, you will want to have this to glance through to get you through a gloomy day.

Average customer rating:
Somewhere in Ireland a Village is Missing an Idiot
David Feherty
Manufacturer: Rugged Land
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000J0FBB4

Book Description

Addressing the continuing interest in liberal arts issues, interdisciplinary themes, diverse perspectives, and critical thinking, The McGraw-Hill Reader provides students with a full range of quality prose works spanning various disciplines, ages, cultures, and subjects.

The McGraw-Hill Reader with Student Access to Catalyst

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The McGraw-Hill Reader with Student Access to Catalyst
Gilbert H. Muller
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OGD3N6

Average customer rating:

You Must Be Kidding!!!!!!!!!!!! $1000.00??????????

Warren Ellis' magnum opus.

A must have for any Planetary fan!!!!

One of the best comics produced today in a great package

Beware...this is a reprint...

Absolute Planetary
Warren Ellis , and John Cassaday
Manufacturer: Wildstorm
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
Science Fiction | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Science Fiction & Fantasy Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Absolute Batman: The Long Halloween

The Absolute Sandman, Vol. 1

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The Absolute Sandman, Vol. 2

ASIN: 1401203272

Customer Reviews:

You Must Be Kidding!!!!!!!!!!!! $1000.00??????????.......2007-04-25

Great book, yes. Great writer, no question. Great artist, without a doubt.
A must have for any Planetary fan but lets get real here, is there anyone out there who is willing to pay the $1000.00 price for this or any Absolute Edition of any title? If there is then let me tell you about some Florida swampland I have for sale. What are people thinking when they list items like this at such ridiculous prices. I thought the video game for $500.00 was bad but this is beyond that. If you want to read the material then buy the paperbacks and if you want to spend a little more and own the individual issues then buy them and you will still not spend a fraction of what this seller is asking for this book. If we all refuse to buy from this type of seller then maybe they will realize that they have to offer reasonable prices or get stuck with their items.

Warren Ellis' magnum opus........2007-04-01

Planetary is one of the most spectacular things to happen in comics in a long time. You may even consider it Warren Ellis' best work and considering the body of work he is responsible for, which is high praise indeed. What makes Planetary so special is that its story unfolds like a flower. It touches on so many favorites of popular culture and ties them together in a wonderfully interesting way.

This oversized volume contains the first twelve issues of what would turn out to be some 27 odd chapters published sporadically over a five-plus year period. It is in these chapters (issues), Ellis does some of the best work of the series. He takes his characters on a meandering voyage where they encounter touchstones from Silver Age Marvel comics, Pulp characters of the 30's, Japanese monster movies, 50's Scifi, 80's horror comics, Hong Kong action movies, even Dracula, Sherlock Holmes and other notable characters of fiction.

It is a brilliant piece of work and the oversized volume does it enormous justice with John Cassaday's art and Laura Martin's color popping off the page on thick, glossy stock. DC has bought out select few materials as part of its `Absolute' series and Planetary is well-deserving of the honor.

This tome is a delightful treasure, if you can find a copy of the out of print first run, you will be sure to pay a pretty penny for it. If DC decides to reissue it, grab it! You won't be disappointed. It is well worth the expense. If you haven't read a single issue of Planetary before you will find yourself hard-pressed to put the book down once you start reading it and even if you already have the individual issues or the softcover trade you will be floored by how grand the story is at the larger size on the better stock.

A must have for any Planetary fan!!!!.......2006-12-20

Planetary to me is Warren Ellis's (The Authority) masterpiece, his clever story telling and homage to the golden age heroes makes this book a endless treasure. His plots are well written and the connections un fall able. He put a lot of effort and time into this novel. John Cassadays (Astonishing X-men, Desperado)work is marvelous, a bit rough at the beginning but his ever daunting potential was visible even then, this collection is evidence of his talent and his beautiful artistic development. The oversize pages filled with Cassadays pencils are alone worth the cost. This is a must have for any planetary fan, a hard bound collection of today's best stories. Snatch this up while you still can, 1st prints were limited and quickly made there way onto ebay for upward of $100 plus. Thank God I found one for the retail price. Absolute Planetary collects issues 1-12 and the preview issue.

One of the best comics produced today in a great package.......2005-12-02

Planetary is the magnum opus of Warren Ellis and John Cassaday.
This edition collects issues 1 -12 in a gorgeous oversided hardcover edition.
Since these are the first issues of Planetary, this is a perfect place for newbies to start reading the series.
The series features an eclectic mix of superhero, archeology, secret histories,
ghost stories and good old fashioned mystery.
Each story fits beautifully into main story arc of the series.
The art by Cassaday is incredible and this edition's 12" x 8" glossy paper really brings that out.
Absolutely wonderful.

Beware...this is a reprint..........2005-01-28

I bought this because I really, really love the Planetary series and I thought this was the next in the series. However, upon receipt, I found that it is just a reprinting of the first one or two graphic novels.

Granted, the printing is gorgeous and vibrant and this would make a great collectors item, however, I was looking forward to the next graphics novel and was truly bummed.

So, if you would like a large-size reprint of the early Planetary story arcs, go for it! If not, wait for the next graphic novel for the story's continuation.

NASA Contractor Reports CR-7: planetary aeronomy XI- absolute intensity measurements in the vacuum Ultraviolet

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NASA Contractor Reports CR-7: planetary aeronomy XI- absolute intensity measurements in the vacuum Ultraviolet
Various
Manufacturer: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KGN4UC

A rare gas optics-free absolute photon flux and energy analyzer for solar and planetary observations final report (SuDoc NAS 1.26:197227)

Average customer rating:

A rare gas optics-free absolute photon flux and energy analyzer for solar and planetary observations final report (SuDoc NAS 1.26:197227)
D. L. Judge
Manufacturer: Dept. of Physics and Space Sciences Center, University of Southern California National Aeronautics and Space Administration National Technical Information Service, distributor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00010O6O0

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