This document discusses the importance of technical practices in sustainable software development. It emphasizes that Agile leaders must demand technical excellence in the coming years to avoid failures. Various technical practices are presented that can help improve code quality, such as reducing variable scope, simplifying conditional logic, and following the "Boy Scout Rule" of leaving the code cleaner than how you found it. Pair programming, simple design, and software craftsmanship are also highlighted as pillars for sustainable development.

1. Sustainable Software
Development
(Technical Practices Really Do Matter)
Alistair McKinnell
@amckinnell

2. I❤
Scrum

3. VersionOne: http://www.versionone.com/state_of_agile_development_survey/10/

4. “Scrum is not a process or
a technique for building products;
rather, it is a framework within
which you can employ various
processes and techniques.”
Scrum Guide

5. State of Agile Survey 2010
VersionOne: http://www.versionone.com/state_of_agile_development_survey/10/

7. http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/
scrumdevelopment/message/52553

8. http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/
scrumdevelopment/message/52553
I Promise

9. http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/
scrumdevelopment/message/52553
I Promise
To Read

10. http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/
scrumdevelopment/message/52553
I Promise
To Read
Jeff Sutherland’s Message

11. Technical Debt

12. The Long Function

13. “Every year I spend more on
R & D and I get less”

14. 6,000
lines

15. 120
pages

16. 25
metres

17. Tiny Code Smells

18. Reducing Variable Scope

19. bool bStatus;
(250 lines)
bStatus = SomeFunction();
if (! bStatus )
continue;

20. bool bStatus;
bStatus = SomeFunction();
if (! bStatus )
continue;

21. bool bStatus = SomeFunction();
if (! bStatus )
continue;

22. if (! SomeFunction())
continue;

23. Role Based Variable Name

24. CComBstr sVal;

25. CComBstr calibrationToolName;

26. Simplify Conditional Logic

27. if (iterToolEleCali ==
vecToolEleCaliGuids.end())
{
bFound = true;
break;A
}
else
break;B

28. if (iterToolEleCali ==
vecToolEleCaliGuids.end())
{
bFound = true;
break;A
}
else
{
bFound = false;
break;B
}

29. if (iterToolEleCali ==
vecToolEleCaliGuids.end())
{
bFound = true;
}
else
{
bFound = false;
}
break;

30. bFound = (iterToolEleCali ==
vecToolEleCaliGuids.end());
break;

31. The Boy Scout Rule
“Leave the campground
cleaner than you found it”

32. The Boy Scout Rule (For Programmers)
“Leave the
checked-in code
cleaner than
when you
checked it out”

33. Technical Debt

34. www.XProgramming.com

36. Pair Programming

41. Simple Design

43. Software Craftsmanship

44. 8 Pillars of Software
Craftsmanship
® Care
® Learn
® Practice
® Share
Prepared exclusively for Alistair McKinnell Copyright ©2011 Pragmatic Programmers

45. “The prime directive that was
unanimously agree upon by all
present was that in the next
tens years Agile leaders must
Demand Technical Excellence.”
Jeff Sutherland

46. “The prime directive that was
unanimously agree upon by all
present was that in the next
tens years Agile leaders must
Demand Technical Excellence.”
Jeff Sutherland

47. “Failure to do that means
you are not an Agile leader.”
Jeff Sutherland

49. Photo Credits
http://www.hostingwiththemostzing.com/?p=12
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54087404@N00/4638056301/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/36829973@N04/3546657245/
http://bsatroop174.tripod.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54087404@N00/4638056301/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/49016492@N08/4534101229/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42644641@N07/5702962303/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/59707463@N00/1312377396/