For the past 3 ½ months I’ve been writing a book called “Principles for Maturing Your System Development Life Cycle: The Ultimate Guide to the SDLC.” It’s a collection of best practices, activities and processes gathered from leading industrial nations and the minds of some of the greatest thought leaders in Information Technology in the latter half of the 20th and the 21st centuries. Its details incorporate a history and comparison of a dozen systems development methods and philosophies, from waterfall through agile, and many of today’s recognized best practices and standards all the way to continuous improvement and performance metrics. Its concepts, principles, practices, disciplines, guidelines and models are demonstrated to help deliver successful Information Technology projects and mature organizational practices from ability to capability.

Many authors say their books are a labor of love, but I’ll only admit to the labor part. Writing a book is an arduous task and one of the hardest projects I’ve ever undertaken. In all, I’ve invested over thirteen months bringing this project to fruition. This includes over ten months researching, reading and studying and about three and half months writing eight to ten hours a day, six days a week; all the while keeping up with family and parental responsibilities and service to the community. Believe me, it is labor! And it’s a labor undertaken with absolutely no assurance of financial reward. So why did I do it? I did it because there is a great need in the Information Technology world for this kind of book. I saw the need and had the availability, wherewithal, passion and drive to fulfill the need; and as far as I can tell, there isn’t anything else like it on the market. And even though it’s a labor, it is a labor well worth the effort and one that provides a deep satisfaction in knowing this is a job well done.

I’ve spoken to other authors who describe the experience as bringing a baby into the world. I’ll never know what it’s like to give birth and can’t compare the two, although I suspect writing a book is much easier. But now the book is done, the baby is born and I can wake up from my long hibernation to move forward on the job search. For the most part, I’m taking today off (okay, so I’m working about half the day). On Monday, I’ll emerge from my man-cave, stretch my legs and and reenter the human race.