Agile Modeling

Posted by timothy on Tuesday May 7, 2002 @04:45AM from the cat-with-superglue dept.

RickHigh writes: "I've been waiting for a book like this. If you are doing software development of any kind, you should read this book. Especially if you are doing Extreme Programming and you errantly believe modeling has no place in XP. Or, your doing the Unified Process and you feel that your models and documents are more important than a working system, or you feel you are bogged down in documentation and required artifacts (more likely). Agile Modeling (AM) is a modeling methodology that enhances your modeling endeavors, whatever your process methodology inclination. Agile modeling will help you effectively incorporate modeling into your organization." Read the rest of Rick's review below. Agile Modeling: Effective Practices for Extreme Programming and the Unified Process author Scott Ambler pages 400 publisher Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated rating 7.5 reviewer RickHigh ISBN 0471202827 summary A worthwhile melding of XP techniques with modeling of general interest to programmers of all stripes.

The title is only partially accurate as the book covers a lot more than modeling. I know from experience that picking titles is tricky (you can't please everyone). You don't need to be a UML expert to get value of this book. Any software developer should be able to appreciate it. Modelers, software developers and Yes, managers will find this material useful. In fact you may want to buy a copy and put it on your manager's desk. This book is original and well thought out. It is also well written and very readable. I wish there were more examples of applying the different artifacts in different phases of the XP life-cycle, but there has to be room for the next edition. The depth is appropriate.

Many UP developers (and those working with other prescriptive processes) get bogged down in the tonnage of documents and artifacts that are required. They wonder if they are ever going to have time to actually write the code.

XP offers a methodology for building high quality software fast. However, many XP developers, and I've spoken to them about this very subject on many occasions, find that XP does include time to do models. This books shows how to integrate XP and modeling.

This book sets the record straight about design and Extreme Programming. Actually, Kent Beck set the record straight with the first book on XP when he said 'In the time it would take you to code one design, you can compare and contrast three designs with pictures.' Kent Beck's views were corrupted over the years for various reasons that Agile Modeling explains, as it clarifies once and for all the relationship between XP and modeling.

The book emphasizes that you should model to understand the problems and only apply the right artifacts, i.e., that not all modeling must lead to writing code.

Despite the title, he AM book transcends just being a book on modeling; the book covers many aspects of developing software. Agile Modeling endeavors to be real. By real I mean it talks about real issues and how things are handled in the real world, not the perfect world covered by most books. For example, the chapter on documentation is an excellent coverage of the subject, but not idealized beyond all usefulness.

Like the original XP book, the AM book lists values, core principles and practices. It also adds supplementary principles like 'Content Is More Important Than Representation.' A key lesson from the book is that models are important if they help you understand and solve problems. And, models do not have to be perfect -- in fact they can be thrown away when you are done with them. After all is said and done, 'Software is your Primary Goal.'

The author, Scott Ambler is the author of numerous books (and by numerous I mean a lot) for the Unified Process, and UML. He also contributed to the Mastering EJB Book, and the Java Elements of Style book. All his work in UP seems strange since AM seems to have closer ties to XP than UP, but that is probably my own warped misconceptions of the world. Bottom line, Scott has mastered the craft of writing and I really enjoyed his writing style. The first few chapters seemed a little slow, probably because their content has been covered before in other books. The chapters on AM and XP, though, were informative and useful (as was the chapter on agile documentation mentioned earlier).

If you are doing software development of any kind, you should read this book. It is an informative and enjoyable read.

What's covered? Here are the chapter headings:

Table of Contents:
PART I: INTRODUCTION TO AGILE MODELING.
- Introduction.
- Agile Modeling Values.
- Core Principles.
- Supplementary Principles.
- Core Practices.
- Supplementary Practices.
- Order from Chaos: How the AM Practices Fit Together.
PART II: AGILE MODELING IN PRACTICE.
- Communication.
- Nurturing an Agile Culture.
- Using the Simplest Tools Possible?
- Agile Work Areas.
- Agile Modeling Teams.
- Agile Modeling Sessions.
- Agile Documentation.
- The UML and Beyond.
PART III: AGILE MODELING AND eXTREME PROGRAMMING (XP)
- Setting the Record Straight.
- Agile Modeling and eXtreme Programming.
- Agile Modeling Throughout the XP Lifecycle.
- Modeling During the XP Exploration Phase.
- Modeling During an XP Iteration: Searching for Items.
- Modeling During an XP Iteration: Totaling an Order.
PART IV: AGILE MODELING AND THE UNIFIED PROCESS.
- Agile Modeling and the Unified Process.
- Agile Modeling Throughout the Unified Process Lifecycle.
- Agile Business Modeling.
- Agile Requirements.
- Agile Analysis and Design.
- Agile Infrastructure Management.
- Adopting AM on an UP Project.
PART V: LOOKING AHEAD.
- Adopting Agile Modeling or Overcoming Adversity.
- Conclusion: Choose to Succeed.
- Glossary of Definitions and Abbreviations.
- References and Suggested Reading.
Appendix A: Modeling Techniques.

Sites of interest

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