Guy kolbis

So, what are the most frequently development mistakes?

Well, Construx recently submitted a list of classic mistakes and then conducted a survey to assess the prevalence and impact of these mistakes.

NOTE: This survey is based on Steve McConnell book Rapid Development.

Mistakes That are Most Frequently Reported to Occur Almost Always or Often

1. Overly optimistic schedules
2. Unrealistic expectations
3. Excessive multi-tasking
4. Shortchanged quality assurance
5. Noisy, crowded offices
6. Feature creep
7. Wishful thinking
8. Insufficient risk management
9. Confusing estimates with targets
10. Omitting necessary tasks from estimates

Mistakes That are Least Frequently Reported to Occur Almost Always or Often

1. Switching tools in mid-project
2. Lack of automated source control
3. Research-oriented development
4. Premature or too frequent convergence
5. Overestimating savings from tools/methods
6. Push me, pull me negotiation
7. Silver-bullet syndrome
8. Subcontractor failure
9. Letting a team go dark
10. Uncontrolled problem employees

Mistakes That are Most Frequently Reported to Produce Catastrophic or Serious Consequences When They Occur

1. Unrealistic expectations
2. Weak personnel
3. Overly optimistic schedules
4. Wishful thinking
5. Shortchanged quality assurance
6. Inadequate design
7. Lack of project sponsorship
8. Confusing estimates with targets
9. Excessive multi-tasking
10. Lack of user involvement

You can get the complete white paper here.