Fred Grossman

Introducing agile development (XP) into a corporate Webmaster environment - an experience report

In this paper we examine the challenges of moving a large, traditionally waterfall-driven organization toward an agile development methodology. In particular we address the problems/successes we encountered in our attempts to adhere to the 12 practices of extreme programming given: 1) this was a first attempt with agile techniques and in particular extreme programming and 2) an organization that while supportive, is still driven by its own set of governance processes which seem to be in contradiction to extreme programming. We discuss how we prepared our development and customer teams in order to achieve an agile mindset along with the issues we encountered in our attempts to mesh IBMs internal processes with our implementation of extreme programming. Finally we address some of the lessons learned as revealed by our final project retrospective and out future plans using agile techniques.

Extreme construction: making agile accessible

In recent years agile software development methodologies have become important. Extreme programming (XP) is perhaps the best known of these. XP involves about a dozen key practices that work synergistically to provide quality software in an environment in which change is likely to occur. Here we present an exercise that we have developed and used successfully to train novices in the techniques. This exercise is novel in that it is accessible to programmers and non-programmers alike. In an industrial setting, this makes it available to managers and customers. In the educational setting, it becomes possible to teach the techniques to novices before they have learned any programming. It is intended for those who require some deep understanding of the synergies of agile methodology. Extreme construction is a game that is both fun and informative. It teaches the fundamentals of any agile methodology while helping build a closely-knit team

A language for automated programming of mathematical applications

Abstract A new language system, the AUTOMATED PROGRAMMER, has been designed and implemented. It aims to automate a great deal of routine effort for scientific, engineering, and mathematical application programming. Its notation is modeled after conventional textbook mathematical representation so that mathematical expressions may be entered just as they appear in conventional solution specifications. It employs a flexible vocabulary and syntax that emulates technical English. This approach enhances self-documentation, diminishes programming error, and eases maintainability and verifiability. System design is highly user-oriented so as to make the system easy to learn and use. Programs are input via a two-dimensional screen editor using a four-case English, Greek, and mathematical symbol alphabet. Lexical restrictions are minimal, keyword synonyms are available, and various common synonymous syntactic structures, mimicking technical English, are acceptable. Matrix arithmetic is accomplished using standard textbook notation. Powerful input and output facilities are provided.

A language for high-level programming of mathematical applications

A language system called the Automated Programmer automates a great deal of routine effort for scientific, engineering, and mathematical application programming. Its notation is modeled after conventional textbook mathematical representation, so that mathematical expressions can be entered just as they appear in conventional solution specifications. It uses a flexible vocabulary and syntax that emulates technical English. This approach enhances self-documentation, diminishes programming error, and eases maintainability and verifiability. System design is highly user-oriented, making the system easy to learn and use. Programs are input using a two-dimensional screen editor. Lexical restrictions are minimal, keyword synonyms are available, and various common synonymous syntactic structures are acceptable. Powerful input and output facilities are provided.<<ETX>>

Developing a professional doctorate in computing: a fifth-year assessment

Pace Universitys Doctor of Professional Studies in Computing program, a fusion of academic and professional cultures, started as a venture into largely uncharted educational territory. One part of the mission was, and remains, a one hundred percent student retention rate, with each student successfully defending a dissertation with original research in three years. Yet, throughout, the students retain full-time employment as high-level computing and IT professionals. Another part of the mission is to provide breadth and currency across the computing disciplines (specifically, computer science, information systems, and telecommunications) as well as depth in annually selected areas of emerging technology. This is in a context in which entering students have masters degrees and generally at least five years of professional experience in diverse computing-related areas and therefore lack a common foundational background. As a new program at the University and in the country, penetrating assessments have been conducted each semester. This report describes the assessments, the anticipated and unanticipated challenges, and the steps that have made the evolutionary development of this program successful.

The automated programmer system: an automatic program generator of programs in conventional languages

Some of the principal features of the AUTOMATED PROGRAMMER system are discussed. The input language is oriented toward scientific, engineering, and mathematical applications. Mathematical formulas in conventional textbook two-dimensional notation and technical English, using a multi-clause and multi-line sentence structure with flexible syntax, are acceptable as input. A major goal is to minimize the difference between conventional problem specification and executable program so as to achieve self-documenting programs. Ambiguity resolution is accomplished by contextual analysis, reliance on a cognitive model of the user, and feedback of system interpretation. Programming rules are minimal and explicit declarations are usually unnecessary. Output is generated as a computationally equivalent program in a conventional language (such as FORTRAN) permitting linking with user manually coded programs or libraries.

A research doctorate for computing professionals

Looking back on the first decade of the Doctor of Professional Studies in Computing---an ambitious doctoral track for people who want to do research in an industrial setting.

Automating the Ada programming process: a domain-specific approach

This paper addresses the problem of automating the process of programming in general, and offers a solution for the scientific computation application domain. The goal of an automated programming system is to minimize the linguistic and notational difference between the problem solver’s specification of an application solution and an equivalent program, i.e., approach the ideal of an executable specification. By raising the level of the executable specification to the analysisldesign stage, and permitting the user to refine development via the interleaving of specification and implementation, a true prototyping parad@ for automated sofhvare development is achieved. An automatic program generation system, the AUTOMATED PROOIUMMER, has been developed for the mathematics-scientific-engineering application domain. It accepts an executable specification expressed in conventional twodimensional mathematical notation and technical English, and currently produces executable target programs written in such conventional languages as Fortran and C. The extension to the generation of A& is under development. The software engineering implications such as reusability, maintainability and verifiability of automated programming approach is examined.

Editing and Type Composition of Two-Dimensional Mathematical Text via Computer

This paper discusses various strategies and techniques used for editing two-dimensional programs or text and for automatic type-composition of conventional mathematical expressions. The techniques may be used for input prepared on a typewriter that is on-line to a computer or that generates off-line machine-sensible documentation, such as punched paper tape. These techniques, with minor modification, may also be used with a keyboard-controlled cathode ray tube as an input device. Methods of driving a special typewriter in the preparation of composed text can be extended for photocomposition or for a high-speed printer with a special character set. The basic algorithms for the regeneration and internal storage of the two-dimensional document, input in an arbitrary character-by-character order, are discussed, as are other basic techniques for recognizing and parsing two-dimensional mathematical forms and symbols. Illustrations show applications to the automatic composition of mathematical tables and to computer-assisted typing of mathematical text using a newly-designed typewriter terminal (see Fig. 8 of text).

The impact of project retrospectives on process improvement initiatives: A case study

The impact of project retrospectives on process improvement initiatives has been questioned for many years. It is an important question because project retrospectives can be demanding in terms of time and organizational resources. Therefore, measuring whether retrospectives are an efficient methodology for instigating continuous process improvements is extremely important. Many have been committed to the notion that retrospectives are essential to continuous process improvement in organizations but unfortunately could not prove their efficacy in a scientific manner. This paper details how one company has used project retrospectives to change its organizational practices and improve processes related to software development. The case companys business process improvement department conducted project retrospectives, with software development teams and other project-related staff, for more than five years. These development teams subsequently created action plans, which were independently monitored. Action plans were comprised of precise and measurable action items, which were assigned to sub-teams and sponsored by management. Management support and sponsorship for process improvement was critical to continuity of the retrospective process as well as to provide for the availability of resources to implement improvements. Moreover, management was imperative in ensuring accountability for the completion of process improvement initiatives. The companys business process improvement department conducted the project retrospectives, helped teams to craft action plans and aided in the assignment of actions items. This department comprehensively documented the implementation of many of these action items and their impact on process improvement initiatives and ultimately provided much of the conclusive evidence for this research. This research paper uses case study analysis, supported by unstructured interviews, to identify how one company developed process improvement initiatives and ultimately tracked their assignment and successful implementation. This is possibly the first case study analysis to scientifically prove that project retrospectives do have a measurable impact on process improvement initiatives. The study also illustrates the importance of the retrospective facilitator in facilitating organizational process improvement.