It's better to wait for a productive programmer to become available than it is to wait for the first available programmer to become productive.
Steve McConnellThe job of the average manager requires a shift in focus every few minutes. The job of the average software developer requires that the developer not shift focus more often than every few hours.
Steve McConnellA brute force solution that works is better than an elegant solution that doesn't work.
Steve McConnellEngineering is the application of scientific principles toward practical ends. If the engineering isn't practical, it's bad engineering.
Steve McConnellTesting by itself does not improve software quality. Test results are an indicator of quality, but in and of themselves, they don't improve it. Trying to improve software quality by increasing the amount of testing is like trying to lose weight by weighing yourself more often. What you eat before you step onto the scale determines how much you will weigh, and the software development techniques you use determine how many errors testing will find. If you want to lose weight, don't buy a new scale; change your diet. If you want to improve your software, don't test more; develop better.
Steve McConnell