Building Software That Lasts - A Guide to Maintainable Software

Will your software outlast the original developers? Almost certainly yes. But will you be able to maintain it? This course will teach you how to maintain cost-efficient and functioning software through planning and development strategies.

Studies show that software maintenance represents 50%-80% of the lifetime cost of software. Failing to respond to platform changes, increased demand or newly discovered security flaws can bring down software - and kill a business. In this course, Building Software That Lasts - A Guide to Maintainable Software, you'll discover how advanced planning strategies and factoring maintainability into the development process from the beginning will dramatically reduce the costs and risks related to keeping your software running long after the original developers have left. First, you'll learn about why software needs to be maintained at all and how maintenance is shaped by the nature of the software. Next, you'll learn how to reduce costs by keeping maintainability in mind at every step in development and how to manage any potential risks. Finally, you'll cover how to maintain software for the long term and prepare for the possibility of your software needing a rebuild after a long period of time. By the end of this course, you will have a much more comprehensive understanding of software maintenance, why it's important, and how to build software that lasts.

• Course Overview 1min
• Understanding Software Maintenance in the Real World 37mins
• Reducing Costs: Reinventing the Software Life Cycle 54mins
• Managing Risk: Avoiding Runaway Costs and Obsolescence 37mins
• Planning for the Long Term: Building Institutional Memory 22mins