Call for Papers

Below is the call for papers for the upcoming Cutter IT Journal issue Software Programming as Craft: The Impact of Agile Engineering Practices, guest edited by Jens Coldewey.

Software Programming as Craft: The Impact of Agile Engineering Practices

Forty years ago, the participants of the Garmisch NATO Conference on Software Engineering made the term "Software Engineering" popular. At the time, engineering was widely mis-interpreted as a counter-concept to craftsmanship. Instead of "just hacking", disciplined engineering based on scientific research would serve as a guide for software development. Programming -- at that time mostly done in machine or assembly language -- was considered a lower-level job.

Since then, the disregard for programming has taken deeper and deeper roots in our professional culture, despite the fact that today's programming languages and environments allow programming at a level the pioneers fifty years ago could not even design on. One of the most controversial aspects of agile methods in general and XP in particular was their new focus on programming -- not as an annoying task you'd either leave to generators or outsource to countries with cheap workforces but as a craft in which excellence is the key. In 2001, Pete McBreen published the first book about "Software Craftsmanship" -- which from today's perspective may be regarded as ahead of its time. It wasn't until seven years later that Robert Martin broached the issue again during his keynote at the Agile 2008 conference -- suggesting that "craftsmanship over crap" be added to the Agile Manifesto. This keynote started a discussion that finally led to the "Manifesto for Software Craftsmanship" -- published in April 2009 and intentionally phrased as an addendum to the Agile Manifesto.

Software professionals now find themselves in the middle of a new movement that celebrates the craft of programming. There are conferences with coding contests, groups doing private and public coding Katas (ritualized ten-to-fifteen minute exercises to train their skills within a programming environment), and two well-attended conferences on software craftsmanship. With this in mind, now is the perfect time to revisit the craft of programming in the pages of the Cutter IT Journal. Thus, the upcoming April 2010 issue focuses on the current state of programming as a craft -- both in agile and traditional programming environments. We'll explore the ideas, concepts and implications of software craftsmanship on software development organizations.

TOPICS OF INTEREST MAY INCLUDE (but are certainly not limited to) one or a combination of the following:

  • How has software craftsmanship been incorporated into training and education?
  • What are the organizational implications of software craftsmanship?
  • What kind of surveys /research are being done in the software craftsmanship arena?
  • What are the "war stories" about organizations that embark on craftsmanship?
  • What are the business effects of software craftsmanship?
  • What are effects of craftsmanship on project success?
  • What is the current state of the software craftsmanship community? Which route might it take in the future?

TO SUBMIT AN ARTICLE IDEA

Please respond to Jens Coldewey, jcoldewey[at]cutter[dot]com, with a copy to itjournal[at]cutter[dot]com, no later than 4 February 2010 and include an extended abstract and a short article outline showing major discussion points.

ARTICLE DEADLINE

Articles are due on 12 March 2010.

EDITORIAL GUIDELINES

Most Cutter IT Journal articles are approximately 2,500-3,500 words long, plus whatever graphics are appropriate. If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact CITJ's Group Publisher, Christine Generali at cgenerali@cutter.com or the Guest Editor, Jens Coldewey at jcoldewey@cutter.com. Editorial guidelines are available at http://www.cutter.com/content-and-analysis/journals-and-reports/cutter-it-journal/edguide.html

AUDIENCE

Typical readers of Cutter IT Journal range from CIOs and vice presidents of software organizations to IT managers, directors, project leaders, and very senior technical staff. Most work in fairly large organizations: Fortune 500 IT shops, large computer vendors (IBM, HP, etc.), and government agencies. 48% of our readership is outside of the US (15% from Canada, 14% Europe, 5% Australia/NZ, 14% elsewhere). Please avoid introductory-level, tutorial coverage of a topic. Assume you're writing for someone who has been in the industry for 10 to 20 years, is very busy, and very impatient. Assume he or she will be asking, "What's the point? What do I do with this information?" Apply the "So what?" test to everything you write.

PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

We are pleased to offer Journal authors a year's complimentary subscription and five copies of the issue in which they are published. In addition, we occasionally pull excerpts, along with the author's bio, to include in our weekly Cutter Edge e-mail bulletin, which reaches another 8,000 readers. We'd also be pleased to quote you, or passages from your article, in Cutter press releases. If you plan to be speaking at industry conferences, we can arrange to make copies of your article or the entire issue available for attendees of those speaking engagements -- furthering your own promotional efforts.

ABOUT CUTTER IT JOURNAL

No other journal brings together so many cutting-edge thinkers, and lets them speak so bluntly and frankly. We strive to maintain the Journal's reputation as the "Harvard Business Review of IT." Our goal is to present well-grounded opinion (based on real, accountable experiences), research, and animated debate about each topic the Journal explores.

FEEL FREE TO FORWARD THIS CALL FOR PAPERS TO ANYONE WHO MIGHT HAVE AN APPROPRIATE SUBMISSION.

Call for Papers: Software Programming as Craft: The Impact of Agile Engineering Practices