Computer Architecture/Software Engineering

In an economy where efficiency and delivery are key, Software Product Management Essentials is required reading for any software product manager. This hands-on guide will help new product managers sift through the numerous tasks and responsibilities involved in this pinnacle job. The book is loaded with tips and best practices to help even experienced product managers optimize their time and effectiveness. The book focuses on the unique challenges of being a Product Manager in a small to mid-sized software company. It provides a framework for the role of the Product Manager in an environment where there are few resources available to help in tackling the many crucial tasks needed for a quality, on-time delivery of software. Whether you are already a Product Manager or considering a new career in product management, Software Product Management Essentials details a day-in-the-life experience of a PM with both the glory and challenges one faces in this role. Engineers, marketing personnel, quality assurance teams, technical writers, and anyone involved in the product delivery process will find this book extremely useful right away in optimizing the day-to-day interactions across a smaller software organization.Emphasizing that code is only part of the overall software product, Software Product Management Essentials stresses the importance of championing a product. Critical topics covered in the book include the product delivery process, beta testing, launching a software product, and software pricing. An entire chapter is dedicated to the issues of expanding the business internationally and the issues a Product Manager must consider before and during expansion. Numerous templates are provided to fast track the Product Manager's work including a sample non-disclosure agreement, product delivery checklist, and beta test agreement and summary.

About the Cover: Although capacity may be a problem for a doghouse, other requirements are usually minimal. Unlike skyscrapers, doghouses are simple units. They do not require plumbing, electricity, fire alarms, elevators, or ventilation systems, and they do not need to be built to code or pass inspections. The range of complexity in software design is similar. Given available software tools and libraries—many of which are free—hobbyists can build small or short-lived computer apps. Yet, design for software longevity, security, and efficiency can be intricate—as is the design of large-scale systems. How can a software developer prepare to manage such complexity? By understanding the essential building blocks of software design and construction. About the Book: Software Essentials: Design and Construction explicitly defines and illustrates the basic elements of software design and construction, providing a solid understanding of control flow, abstract data types (ADTs), memory, type relationships, and dynamic behavior. This text evaluates the benefits and overhead of object-oriented design (OOD) and analyzes software design options. With a structured but hands-on approach, the book: Delineates malleable and stable characteristics of software design Explains how to evaluate the short- and long-term costs and benefits of design decisions Compares and contrasts design solutions, such as composition versus inheritance Includes supportive appendices and a glossary of over 200 common terms Covers key topics such as polymorphism, overloading, and more While extensive examples are given in C# and/or C++, often demonstrating alternative solutions, design—not syntax—remains the focal point of Software Essentials: Design and Construction.

Creating effective, eye-catching designs and layouts is a matter of both inspiration and practical know-how. This book integrates clear explanations of the concepts behind great design with instruction in the use of the core software packages - Photoshop, Illustrator, and Indesign. It helps beginner learn the essentials of graphic design.

Software testing can be regarded as an art, a craft, and a science. The practical, step-by-step approach presented in this book provides a bridge between these different viewpoints. A single worked example runs throughout, with consistent use of test automation. Each testing technique is introduced in the context of this example, helping students see its strengths and weaknesses. The technique is then explained in more detail, providing a deeper understanding of underlying principles. Finally the limitations of each technique are demonstrated by inserting faults, giving learners concrete examples of when each technique succeeds or fails in finding faults. Coverage includes black-box testing, white-box testing, random testing, unit testing, object-oriented testing, and application testing. The authors also emphasise the process of applying the techniques, covering the steps of analysis, test design, test implementation, and interpretation of results. The book's web site has programming exercises and Java source code for all examples.

"A guide to the seven leading software programs in graphic design, presenting the essential basics that students and professionals need on a day-to-day basis to use Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, QuarkXPress, Dreamweaver, Flash, and Acrobat, including: seven chapters that focus on a separate program and familiarize the user with the screen, menus, windows, tools, navigation system, and basic procedures specific to each piece of software; overviews of all the software applications and descriptions of how they interact with one another, and features a full glossary of terms; information on such wider aspects of digital technology as color management and printing processes; and instructions in both Mac and PC formats." - product description.

Learning by doing is the best way to get to grips with new ideas, and graphic design is no different. Weaving together creative strategies and design principles with step-by-step Adobe software guidance, this unique book helps you to immediately put into practice the concepts as you're learning them so they become second nature. Covering all the introductory topics a designer needs to know – from working with colour and layout, to editing images and designing apps – this fully updated edition of the hugely popular Graphic Design Essentials includes plenty of hands-on instruction and real-life examples to give you a thorough grounding in the fundamentals. This new edition includes: - Coverage of Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign - Examples of designs from the UK, US, Canada, Europe, Hong Kong, China, the Middle East and Australia - Smaller supporting activities alongside major project exercises - New design formats, including apps and infographics - Downloadable resources to use within the software instruction