SPaMCAST 627 - Collaboration, Fit for Use, Essays and Conversations
Software Process and Measurement Cast
Release Date: 11/29/2020
Software Process and Measurement Cast
The Nine Core Principles of Work Intake are a key backbone of Mastering Work Intake by Jeremy Willets and Tom Cagley. Teams and organizations need to apply these principles to avoid chaos. In the SPaMCAST 804, we illustrate the application of the Nine Core Principles based on role and organizational hierarchy beginning with the classic Scrum team roles. We also have a visit from Susan Patente, who brings her Not A Scrumdamentalist column to the podcast. This installment discusses why organizations do projects and their role in society. Learn To Tame Your Work Intake Beast! Jeremy...
info_outline Mastering Work Intake - What is Work Intake?Software Process and Measurement Cast
Our video provides a quick overview of Work Intake and its importance. Enjoy and let's discuss the concept. Learn to solve IT’s dirtiest secret — work intake. Stop ignoring it. Start fixing it. Today we are also announcing two new Mastering Work Intake training opportunities. Diagnose and solve work intake anti-patterns Become a work intake master. Work intake is the biggest challenge facing organizations today. If you don’t get work intake right, you won’t be in business for very long. We offer two different versions of the cohort — One with pre-recorded videos and less...
info_outline Time For Agile To Buy Mom or Dad Jeans? A Conversation with Mark Metze, Jeremy WIllets, and Tom Cagley, SPaMCAST 802Software Process and Measurement Cast
The SPaMCAST 802 features a panel discussion. Mark Metze, Jeremy Willets, and myself. discuss “Is agile still a movement or has it reached middle age?” We weigh the appropriateness of wailing and gnashing of teeth, hand wringing and sullen withdrawal, or pragmatism and philosophy. In the end perhaps the right answer is to buy a pair of mom or dad jeans and accept that all great movements reach middle age at some point. We look forward to your opinions and comments. Panelists Mark Metze: With a career spanning over 30 years in the software industry, Mark has evolved...
info_outline Winning Without Focus, Myth Debunked and Soft Skills Are Hard - SPaMCAST 801 with Kies KostaqiSoftware Process and Measurement Cast
The SPaMCAST 801 will examine the question, “When is not having clear priorities a winning strategy?” While the answer might seem self-evident, I am not sure people and organizations put their money where their mouth is. We also have Kies Kostaqi’s You Are Not Alone column. This installment highlights the soft skills required to be an effective Scrum Master. Soft does not mean unimportant or easy to develop. How can you spread the word about ? The best way is to leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or wherever you buy your books. Reviews increase the likelihood that someone like...
info_outline Mastering Work Intake - Principles Matter, A Conversation with Johanna Rothman, Jeremy Willets, and Tom Cagley - SPaMCAST 800Software Process and Measurement Cast
In the Software Process and Measurement Cast 800 Johanna Rothman takes over the podcast and interviews Jeremy Willets and me. We discussed , why principles make more sense than best practices, and how disciplined work intake is the core to getting work done. We learn that in practice, stop starting and start finishing only works when you pay attention to the work that goes into a system. Contact info: Johanna Rothman LinkedIn: Website: Jeremy Willets LinkedIn: Website: Tom Calgey LinkedIn: Website: https://tomcagley.com/ I was asked the best way...
info_outline Beyond Buzzwords - Rethinking Collaboration in Software Development and Prioritization vs. Micromanagement - Finding the Right Balance - SPaMCAST 799Software Process and Measurement Cast
The Software Process and Measurement Cast 799 discusses why all communication is not collaboration. It is a commonly held belief that complex problems require collaborative efforts to solve. Couple that with an almost fad-like insistence that if a little collaboration is good, more is better, which leads to everything being deemed collaboration. We can do better with a little effort. We will also have a visit from Jon M Quigley and his Alpha and Omega of Product Development column. Mr Quigley and I talk about prioritization as micromanagement. And how if you are not there to pick up the...
info_outline Exploring the Power of Nearshore Software Development and Uplifting Organizational Culture An Interview with Steve Taplin, SPaMCAST 798Software Process and Measurement Cast
The Software Process and Measurement Cast 798 features my interview with Steve Taplin of Sonatafy Technology. Steve and I discussed the nuances and benefits of nearshore software development. Steve also provided his thoughts on why building an uplifting culture both inside and outside the organization reaps powerful rewards for everyone it touches. Steve Taplin leads Sonatafy Technology as its CEO, bringing an entrepreneurial flair and inspirational leadership to the forefront of nearshore software development. His career is marked by a series of successful business scalings, showcasing his...
info_outline Unraveling the Paradox of Process, QAs As Servants, Essays and Conversations SPaMCAST 797Software Process and Measurement Cast
In the Software Process and Measurement Cast 797 we ponder a statement from Roger Turnau in SPaMCAST 796, “You can’t expect the process to save you from yourself in every circumstance.” The statement poses a leadership quandary leading to questions every leader must ask. When does process guidance make sense? When do processes infantilize teams and leaders? These are not the basis for an after-work philosophical discussion. Vast movements within the software industry have been spawned as cultures have swayed between directive and laissez-faire poles. We also have a visit from...
info_outline Roger Turnau - Taming the Backlog with Cost of Delay, A Conversation, SPaMCAST 796Software Process and Measurement Cast
The Software Process and Measurement Cast 796 features a conversation with Roger Turnau. Roger and I talk about prioritization using the cost of delay. Every organization and team I have ever worked with has a backlog of work and lots of people screaming that their piece of the backlog is the most important. The cost of delay is an important tool to filter out the noise and it can be as nuanced as you need it to be. Roger Turnau is an Agile Coach at Accenture. His mission is to empower and inspire leaders and organizations to create an environment where high performance feels effortless. His...
info_outline Jargon - Bridging Bonds or Building Barriers, Essays and ConversationsSoftware Process and Measurement Cast
Part of every profession is the jargon practitioners adopt. Having a language links people together and creates a sense of community. It also creates private gardens: a profession set off from those around it. Jargon is a form of secret handshake. Jargon is a two-edged sword, both gathering and excluding people. Be wary! We also have a visit from Susan Parente and her Not A Scrumdamentalist column. We discussed her recent mini-sabbatical. Stepping back has the power to clear your mind. Slay Work Intake Chaos: Become a Master in 5 Weeks! Based on Tom Cagley and Jeremy WIllet’s new...
info_outlineThe Software Process and Measurement Cast 627 features our essay on collaboration. Collaboration is a word that gets thrown around A LOT in team-oriented environments. I am not sure everyone means the same thing when they use the term.
This week we also have a visit from Jon M Quigley and his Alpha and Omega of Product Development column. Jon and I talked about the idea of fit for use and its connection to quality.
Re-Read Saturday News
This week we begin the long-anticipated re-read of Great Big Agile, An OS for Agile Leaders by Jeff Dalton. The book was published by Apress in 2019. The 356 pages (335 pages in Arabic numbers and 21 pages in Roman) are organized into an acknowledgment, foreword, preface, 73 chapters, appendix, glossary, and an index. I called this long-anticipated because the poll before the last re-read, Tame you Work Flow, had such intense competition between three books, I decided to re-read all three. Fixing Your Scrum will be next.
This re-read will be a little different. We will not cover all 73 chapters. This is not to say that all 73 are not important; as matter of fact, the chapters we are not going to cover are the ones that I use the most. I divide Great Big Agile into three parts, part 1 covers the Agile Performance Holoarchy (Jeff breaks this into 2 parts) and includes chapters 1 - 7. The second part is a wonderful explanation of 65 agile techniques which spans chapters 8 - 72. I use these chapters as a reference and have given the book to several clients as gifts for just that reason. The third chunk is chapter 73 which discusses how to use the Agile Performance Holarchy. We will re-read the front matter, chapters 1 - 7 and 73. My intent is to complete the re-read in 10 installments over the next 11 weeks (I assume I will miss one week due to the holidays).
Remember, buy a copy and read along.
This week’s installment
Week 1: Re-read Logistics and Front Matters - https://bit.ly/3mgz9P6
The Software Process and Measurement Cast is the proud media sponsor of the live@manning conference: Math for Data Science to be held on 01 December 2020 12:00 - 5:00 pm EST live on Twitch. Register for FREE for a unique chance to learn from statisticians and math masters: http://mng.bz/8GAZ #manningontwitch
Next SPaMCAST
Next week we will talk to David Nicolette, author of Software Development Metrics from Manning Publications. David and I talked about the value of measurement regardless of the approach you are taking to deliver value. Measurement is feedback and measurement is leadership for guiding and improving how work is done.