“THE BOOK”
Welcome to your gateway to 10x software engineering delivery! This article curates an essential list of books, carefully selected to accelerate your software engineering expertise. Each recommendation is geared to arm you with knowledge and skills to transform your software delivery process, multiplying your effectiveness tenfold. So, are you ready to leap into the world of superior software engineering? Let’s dive into this exciting journey of discovery and growth.
Mindset & systems
Establishing the right mindset and understanding the underlying systems is paramount for effective software engineering and product development. This section features readings that inspire a 10x mindset specifically tailored to software engineering, alongside an exploration of the systems that streamline product delivery. These essential resources will empower you to build a solid foundation, enabling you to unlock your full potential in the realm of software engineering.
- Extreme Programming Explained by Kent Beck
- Planning Extreme Programming by Kent Beck
- The Pragmatic Programmer by Andy Hunt
- Thinking in Systems by Donella H. Meadows
- Software Craftsman by Sandro Mancuso
- Pragmatic Thinking and Learning: Refactor Your Wetware by Andy Hunt
- The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt (best in Audiobook form, because it’s a business novel)
- If you liked this and want to get deeper into the Theory of Constraints, then look below for the whole section on it.
- The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
- The Phoenix Project by Gene Kim (can be good in Audiobook form, because it’s a business novel)
- Software Faster by Dan North
- Video: How to Break Rules by Dan North
- Video: Heart of Agile by Alistair Cockburn
- Video: The Pivotal Way by Josh Knowles
- Accelerate by Nicole Forgsren PhD
Design & architecture & approach
In the ‘Design, Architecture, and Approach’ section, we delve into the heart of software engineering. These timeless books, though written a decade or more ago, still hold relevance in shaping the foundation of any successful project. They present crucial insights and proven methodologies in creating robust, scalable, and efficient systems. Understand the art and science behind exceptional software design to achieve 10x software engineering delivery.
- Growing Object-Oriented Software Guided by Tests by Steve Freeman
- Practical Object-Oriented Design in Ruby: An Agile Primer by Sandi Metz
- Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software by Erich Gamma
- Article: Is Design Dead by Martin Fowler
- Domain-Driven Design Quickly by InfoQ
Feedback & difficult conversations
In the ‘Feedback & Difficult Conversations’ section, we explore the integral role of communication in successful software engineering. These selected reads will arm you with strategies and techniques to engage in effective feedback loops and handle tough conversations. Bolster your soft skills and learn to navigate challenging interpersonal scenarios with grace, thereby creating a collaborative and productive software engineering environment.
- Radical Candor by Kim Scott
- Video: Feedback Sandwich by Dan North
- Difficult Conversations by Douglas Stone
- Managing Up by Mary Abbajay
Specific techniques & tools
Immerse yourself in the ‘Specific Techniques & Tools’ section. This part of our reading list covers a broad spectrum of generalist approaches, principles, and practices, essential to any software engineering domain. Instead of being confined to specific languages or frameworks, these books will equip you with transferrable skills and approaches that will enable you to excel across different areas of software engineering.
- Clean Code by Robert C. Martin
- Refactoring 2nd Edition by Martin Fowler
- Test-Driven Development by Example by Kent Beck
- The Art of Unit Testing by Roy Osherove
- Refactoring to Patterns by Joshua Kerievsky
- Pair-programming
- Classic book: Pair-programming Illuminated by Laurie Williams (can also borrow the digital version on archive.org public library)
- Book: Strong-Style Pair-Programming by Maaret Pyhäjärvi
- Article: Pair-Programming by AgileAlliance
- Ensemble-programming:
- Continuous Integration (missing comprehensive resource)
- Continuous Delivery & Deployment (missing comprehensive resource)
- Working Effectively with Legacy Code by Michael Feathers
- Behaviour-Driven Development (missing comprehensive resource)
- Ports & Adapters Architecture / Hexagonal Architecture (missing comprehensive resource)
- Retrospective (missing comprehensive resource)
- The Coding Dojo Handbook by Emily Bache
Soft skills & personal growth
Dive into the ‘Soft Skills & Personal Growth’ section, where you’ll explore the softer side of software engineering, often overlooked but vital for long-term success. These recommended reads go beyond the code to touch on crucial aspects like interpersonal communication, emotional intelligence, leadership, and self-development. Equip yourself with these skills and perspectives to truly stand out in your software engineering career.
- Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman
- Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry
- Adversity Quotient by Paul Stolz (can obtain electronic version on archive.org in a form of “public library” digital book lease)
- Psyho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz, MD, FICS
- How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- The 5AM Club by Robin Sharma (personal development taught via a business novel)
- Mindset by Carol Dweck
- Deep Work by Cal Newport
- Seneca’s Letters from a Stoic by Lucius Annaeus Seneca
- 212 Degrees by Sam Parker
Accountability & ownership
Uncover the power of ‘Accountability & Ownership’ in this section. These selections shed light on the value of taking responsibility for your actions and owning the outcomes in the software engineering landscape. The books listed here inspire a mindset shift, fostering a culture of ownership that drives team performance and boosts delivery quality.
- Extreme You by Sarah Robb O’Hagan
- Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink
- 4 Disciplines of Execution by Chris McChesney
- 10x Rule by Grant Cardone
- Be Obsessed or be Average by Grant Cardone
The Goal series by E. Goldratt (Theory of Constraints)
(best in Audiobook form, because these are business novels)
Dive deeper with ‘The Goal series by E. Goldratt’. If ‘The Goal’ resonated with you, continue exploring Goldratt’s revolutionary Theory of Constraints in this series. These books provide a rich, narrative-driven exploration of complex systems and process optimization. By extending the principles into diverse contexts, you’ll further unravel how to transform bottlenecks into opportunities in your software engineering journey.
- The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt
- It’s Not Luck by Eliyahu Goldratt
- Critical Chain by Eliyahu Goldratt
- Isn’t it Obvious by Eliyahu Goldratt
- The Choice by Eliyahu Goldratt
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