Dispelling much of the folklore surrounding software maintenance, Software Maintenance Success Recipes identifies actionable formulas for success based on in-depth analysis of more than 200 real-world maintenance projects. It details the set of factors that are usually present when effective software maintenance teams do their work and instructs on the methods required to achieve success.

Donald J. Reifer—an award winner for his contributions to the field of software engineering and whose experience includes managing the DoD Software Initiatives Office—provides step-by-step guidance on how to structure the job to complete the work related to the task. Covering all phases of maintenance up to software retirement, he identifies the resources required to ready support system operation during transition and turnover, details best practices for establishing a maintenance infrastructure, and spells out a wealth of best practices aimed at maintaining and sustaining the product once it is deployed.

This book tells you how to manage today’s ever-evolving maintenance environment so you can build the foundation for sound maintenance work. It explains how to create a robust management infrastructure, ensure proper resources are available, establish a user support structure, and conduct a meaningful measurement program. Filled with real-world examples and a detailed case study that is threaded across chapters, it provides you with the understanding and tools to plan for a major upgrade and determine the best time to retire your current software systems.