Boost Contain Course

Overview

The Boost Contain™ course builds high performance teams capable of working effectively with legacy codebases.

The Boost Contain™ course teaches the use of sustainable software development practices to contain and improve legacy codebases. The course targets a wide range of techniques for identifying and rectifying code problems in systems built without sustainable practices. The techniques address improvements at small and large scales. The course focuses on building an effective team approach to containment and evolution of an existing system.

Outcomes

A team, and individuals, who are more motivated and can deliver software faster and with greater confidence.

The ability to work more effectively with your legacy systems in a way which improves the system incrementally over time, and in turn delivers improved business value.

An appreciation of how sustainable software development practices, such as Kickstart™ and Perform™ can build high performance teams which positively impact your software projects.

Highlights

Highly interactive team environment.
Extremely high coach to attendee ratio.
2 Sustainable Software Development coaches.
Over 70% of the course is allocated to hands on software development.
The option of improving your existing legacy system.
Free Refactoring Chocolate™ and Boost chocolate bars for the duration of the course.
Sustainable Software Development giveaways; custom lava lamps, books and more goodies.
Early access to the Sustainable Software Development wiki.
Early access to the Boost™ software project.

Venue

The Brisbane Polo Club - Naldham House, Cnr Eagle & Felix Streets, Waterfront Place, Brisbane.

Onsite deals available.

Availability

Currently courses are available on demand. Courses can be held onsite for clients with sufficient numbers. In this case an option is available to work on one of your legacy systems.

Booking

For bookings, queries and payment details, email boost@netstorm.net.au, or call 0423358827 / 07 38577786.

Prerequisites

In most cases, registrants should have completed the Kickstart™ course.

Registrants should be software developers, preferably with current Java experience.

Price

A$4350- / registration.

Discounts apply for multiple registrations; so group up :-)

Schedule

The following represents an overview of the 5 day schedule. More information is available on request.

Each day is themed and divided into a morning and afternoon session. Each session starts with a group demonstration by the coaches, moving quickly into hands-on mode.

Day 1 (Identitying Troublespots)

Session Description

Morning
Using the IDEs code inspector to identify smelly code. Assessing, working through and recording these areas within the context of a story card. Splitting the problem across the team.

Afternoon
More small refactors. Motivating the team. How small, incremental improvement works. Common code smells. All smells lead to the worst code. Small refactors pave the way to large refactors (and returns).

Session	Description
Morning	Using the IDEs code inspector to identify smelly code. Assessing, working through and recording these areas within the context of a story card. Splitting the problem across the team.
Afternoon	More small refactors. Motivating the team. How small, incremental improvement works. Common code smells. All smells lead to the worst code. Small refactors pave the way to large refactors (and returns).

Day 2 (Lockdown)

Session Description

Morning
Using checkstyle, duplication and coverage tools to lockdown a position (drawing a line in the sand). Which screws to start turning first in the refactoring journey.

Afternoon
Incorporating lockdown into the development cycle. waivers and suppressions; how many make sense. How to measure overall progress.

Session	Description
Morning	Using checkstyle, duplication and coverage tools to lockdown a position (drawing a line in the sand). Which screws to start turning first in the refactoring journey.
Afternoon	Incorporating lockdown into the development cycle. waivers and suppressions; how many make sense. How to measure overall progress.

Day 3 (Kneading the Mess Apart)

Session Description

Morning
Separation techniques. Using decomposition and recomposition to untangle the mess. Inversion of control issues. Use of Factories. Eradication of singletons and static lurkers.

Afternoon
Cleaning up hierarchies. The all powerful Interface.

Session	Description
Morning	Separation techniques. Using decomposition and recomposition to untangle the mess. Inversion of control issues. Use of Factories. Eradication of singletons and static lurkers.
Afternoon	Cleaning up hierarchies. The all powerful Interface.

Day 4 (Catching a Big One)

Session Description

Morning
Following the smells to identify the large refactors. Marking large refactors and determining an approach.

Afternoon
Aligning the team on a large refactor. How to perform a large refactor without breaking the current system. Staying focused.

Session	Description
Morning	Following the smells to identify the large refactors. Marking large refactors and determining an approach.
Afternoon	Aligning the team on a large refactor. How to perform a large refactor without breaking the current system. Staying focused.

Day 5 (Shoring up and Speeding the Spin)

Session Description

Morning
Shoring up existing code to permit safe refactoring. Atomic tests. The risk / return tradeoff. Use of mock object to separate and test smaller components.

Afternoon
The importance of a fast spin (feedback loop). How to ramp up the development cycle. Using a counterintuitive build process. Keeping the team on track.

Session	Description
Morning	Shoring up existing code to permit safe refactoring. Atomic tests. The risk / return tradeoff. Use of mock object to separate and test smaller components.
Afternoon	The importance of a fast spin (feedback loop). How to ramp up the development cycle. Using a counterintuitive build process. Keeping the team on track.