Agile and iterative methods have emerged as the most popular approaches to software development, and with good reason. Research (examined and cited in detail within this book) shows that iterative methods reduce the risk of failure, compared to traditional models of development. This book is an efficient introduction for both managers and practitioners that need a distilled and carefully organized learning aid for the hands-on practices from planning to requirements to testing and the values that define these methods. The author also provides evidence of the value of switching to agile and iterative methods. By studying this book, the reader will learn to apply the key ideas in agile and iterative development, the details and comparison of four influential iterative methods (Scrum, Extreme Programming, Evo, and the Unified Process), answers to frequently asked questions, and important related management skills. The book's goal is quality information that can be quickly understood and applied.

Craig Larman是Valtech公司的首席科學傢。而Valtech公司是一傢國際化的技術谘詢公司,在歐洲.亞洲和北美洲都設有分支機構.同時,他還兼任獨立顧問.團隊教練.演講人等職務。

Craig是(Applying UML and Patterns：An Introduction to Object-Oriented Analysis and Design(UML和模式應用：麵嚮對象分析與設計導論))的作者. 此書是OOA／D和迭代開發方麵全球最為暢銷的書籍,被譯成多種語言,並在世界範圍的工業和大學中廣泛運用。

Craig有過一段作街頭音樂傢的失敗經曆.從那之後,也就是20世紀70年代,他用APL語言.PL／I語言和第四代語言創建軟件係統.20世紀80年代初期,經過全麵的調整之後,他開始對人工智能(這方麵很少有他自己的東西)和知識錶示産生瞭濃厚的興趣,並用Lisp機器.Lisp.Prolog和Smalltalk構建知識係統.他業餘時間還經營一個名為Changing Requirements的社團(這個社團曾經叫作Requirements,但成員已經有瞭一些變動……)。

Craig畢業於加拿大溫哥華美麗的Simon Fraser大學,取得瞭計算機科學的學士和碩士學位。