front matter
I’ve been thinking for a very long time about writing this book. At the beginning of my software engineering career, I could not have cared less about processes and procedures for getting things done. It all seemed so boring. But given some inspiration from my managers, I started diving into API development, Agile processes, unit testing, continuous delivery, and integration, and I soon found myself drowning in resources, guides, and conference talks.
It wasn’t until I read The Phoenix Project by Gene Kim, George Spafford, and Kevin Behr that it all clicked. Here was a story about a company struggling to develop and ship quality software products. Where was this book when I started out?! I paired The Phoenix Project with The Pragmatic Programmer, by Andy Hunt and Dave Thomas, and felt like I had gained a brand-new perspective on my career.
Like all young idealists, I annoyed my colleagues with my newfound knowledge and sense of superiority, only to be brought back to earth by others who showed me where we had already implemented some of the concepts I learned. I interviewed coworkers and those who’d worked in the industry for many years and then used this information, along with books by Martin Fowler and Kent Beck, to help me understand areas where my company could improve.