The business of software improvement

Leading software practitioners have an ongoing responsibility: the education of nontechnical software project stakeholders. Software practitioners sometimes perceive upper management and other nontechnical staff to be blocking the use of better practices. We complain that they fall to support better practices or even undermine them. I've generally found, however, that upper management, sales, marketing, product support, and other personnel are receptive to improved software practices when I take the time to explain those practices to them. Indeed, they are acutely aware of the problems caused by current practices and are eager to hear how they can help improve software projects.