Summary

Industry developments for the functionality and capabilities of software development tools for project infrastructure over the past several years are truly amazing. Consider the following best practices when deploying these tools:

• Although the tools described here can significantly improve productivity and efficiency on software teams, the improvement does come at a cost. The best way to accelerate the learning curve is to employ someone on your project team who has deployed and used the tools extensively in the past.

• Don't forget that there is no substitute for formal training. You probably have a group of talented individuals who can learn and solve problems on their own. If that's the case, make an investment in the team and obtain training in the tools they will be using.

• The Return on Investment for these automated tools increases greatly if the same tools can be reused on subsequent projects. Always assume that the first project in which these tools are deployed will actually experience a negative impact as the team learns to use the tools.

• Don't skimp on hardware for the servers running these tools. As the team grows more proficient with the tools, they will also be more dependent on them. This means that server downtime seriously impacts team productivity. A few extra dollars spent on redundant disks, and a strong backup and recovery plan, can make the difference between making a deadline and missing one in the event of a server crash.