One of the things that makes AYE a different kind of conference is
the way we gather before and after the conference to discuss your
kinds of problems, in your software and IT development, testing, and
management communities. We all struggle with how to create an
environment in which people can best work.
The hosts, guest presenters, and attendees from this year and
previous years have written numerous articles, exploring both the
technical and the human sides of software and IT development.
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Advice for Software
Development Managers by Jerry Weinberg (2004)
What makes a bad manager? What can you do to become a better
manager? In this interview, Jerry Weinberg answers these questions
and shares his views on how to be a better manager.
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Advice on How to Hire
Testers: A Plea for Hiring Managers by Johanna Rothman (2002)
What’s the best way to wade through those thousands of
resumes you’ve received for the new testing position? To
start, you could ruthlessly weed out those who don’t show
experience with your organization’s particular toolset.
Johanna Rothman warns against this type of approach to hiring. By
not looking at the person beyond the tools, you might be letting a
star slip through your fingers.
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Aggressive
Congruence by Bob King (2000)
Behaving congruently is hard. We don’t always say those
tough things that need to be said. But to reach our potential for
effectiveness we must work congruently and aggressively. Bob King
shares what he learned about congruence while working at a start
up company.
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Always be Second by
Gerald M. Weinberg (2002)
Our culture places high value on being first. But is that
always the best strategy? Gerald M. Weinberg looks at the virtues
of being second.
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Amplifying A Book's
Effectiveness by Naomi Karten (2000)
Have you ever wondered what its like to put a book together or
work with a professional editor? Naomi Karten tells the story of
how the AYE Book came to be.
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Amy the Architect
by Bob King (2002)
What does a software architect do? It might depend on who you
ask. Join Amy as she fashions a new role for herself on an
important project.
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Appreciate
Differences by Richard Brenner (2001)
In group problem-solving, diversity of opinion and healthy,
reasoned debate ensure that our conclusions take into account all
of the difficulties we can anticipate. Lock-step thinking and
limited debate expose us to the risk of unanticipated risk. Rick
Brenner proposes appointing a Curmudgeon to keep teams from
groupthink.
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The Appreciation Gap
by Esther Derby. (2005)
Learn how to give people what they really crave: meaningful
recognition.
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Are we solving
the real problems? by Nynke Fokma (2001)
Nynke Fokma tells the story of a major process improvement
effort and asks the question: Are we solving the real problems?
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At What Cost? by Esther
Derby (2002)
Now that many dot-coms have become dot-bombs, have we heard the
last of Internet Time? Heck, no! It’s alive and well and
living under a different name. Esther Derby looks at trade-offs
and the questions we should be asking before embarking on a
project that absolutely must be done fast, fast, fast.
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Beyond Belief by
Esther Derby (2001)
We all have mental models and beliefs about the world that help
us organize the information we take in. Esther Derby tells a
little story, a true story, about how our beliefs influence what
we see in the world and affect our ability to solve problems.
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Beyond Blaming:
Congruence in Large Systems Development Projects by Jean
McClendon & Gerald M. Weinberg (2003)
Blaming cultures are too busy finding fault to solve
problems... and since they aren't solving problems, there's plenty
of blame to go 'round. See how blaming communication can effect
projects.
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Beware of the Quick
Fix by Gerald M. Weinberg (2003)
"P.T. BARNUM said there's a sucker born every minute, but
Barnum was a conservative estimator - or else he didn't know any
IT managers." Jerry Weinberg ruminates on technology
managers' addiction to quick fixes.
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Bi-Quinary Search
by Gerald M. Weinberg (2004)
How would you find a single bug in 1,073,741,823 lines of code?
Your resource is the knowledge where previous bugs have been found
before. Your motivation is trying to prevent your spaceship from
colliding with a sun. Would you choose the logical method, or the
illogical method chosen by our hero, John?
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The Black Hole by Naomi
Karten (2003)
Have you ever reported a problem to customer support and NEVER
heard back? Then you know about the Black Hole. Naomi Karten
writes about where the problems go...and what you can do about it.
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Building a
Requirements Foundation Through Customer Interviews, by Esther
Derby (2005)
Esther has advice about how to interview a customer, what to
ask, how to ask, and when to ask.
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Change is a Disease
by James Bach (2000)
"That idea won't work here, because we're different."
is a refrain familiar to the ears of consultants everywhere. Some
people respond to this defense by using evidence and argument. I
use a different tactic: I say "you're right, it might not
work here, because you are different." This works pretty much
every time. James Bach tells us why.
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Change that Fits by
Esther Derby (2003)
Cedric's been hired to improve quality at ShipFast. Find out
what happens to Cedric when he applies a one-size-fits-all
solution. And learn what you can do to avoid Cedric's fate.
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Charting a
Course for Requirements by Becky Winant (2002)
Projects are like voyages; they both start with a launch. What
could point us in the right direction and guide our exploration?
Becky Winant explains how to create a project charter.
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Chinese Contracts
by Jim Bullock (2003)
Why do some contracts chafe and bind while others leave
both
parties feeling well-served and satisfied? James Bullock
examines the elements of congruent contracts in this article.
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Choosing
Facilitation by Johanna Rothman (2003)
Most of the time we don't need a facilitator to help move our
meeting along; we can manage to accomplish the goals of the
meeting without a formal facilitator. However, there are times
when a facilitator makes sense. When could your group benefit from
choosing an outside facilitator?
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Client 101 by Sherry
Heinze (2001)
Testers often have to work to convince the customer of the
benefits they will receive for the money they spend on testing.
Most clients actually believe that testers do useful work by the
end of the project. Sherry Heinze shares some ideas on selling the
value of testing up front.
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Climbing out of
Technical Debt by Johanna Rothman (2002)
Technical debt is defined as what a company “owes”
to a product they persisted in shipping in an incomplete or
unstable condition. As the technical debt increases, the load on
the customer support staff becomes overwhelming, and the
developers have trouble adding or changing system features.
Johanna Rothman tell you how to recognize the signs, understand
how you got there and begin to dig out.
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Collaborating With Other
Consultants by Johanna Rothman (2004)
A consultant can exist in one of two states; State I (idle) or
State B (busy). In this article, Johanna Rothman shares ideas how
consultants can deal with additional business when they are busy,
what to do when they are idle, and how to successfully collaborate
with other consultants.
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Communicate
Early and Often by Naomi Karten (2002)
How often do you make decisions that affect your customers
without considering their perspective, communicating your plans,
explaining your rationale, and inviting their input? When you do,
they will form their own, sometimes unfavorable, opinions. In this
article, Naomi walks us through two examples to help us examine
how we communicate what we do.
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Communicating Up,
by Esther Derby (2004)
We study ways to communicate better with our direct reports.
What about communication problems that occur with our bosses? How
do we decide how to handle these issues? Esther looks at several
possible ways to improve "communicating up".
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Communications Gaps
by Don Gray (2003)
Have you ever delivered software that met requirements but
didn't meet expectations? Don looks back at a project that did,
and then looks at several models that can help avoid communication
gaps.
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Competence Isn't
Enough by Stuart Scott (2006)
Competence is wonderful. In this article Stuart Scott looks at
competence and how being competence might adversely affect
effectiveness.
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Confessions
of a Confused User by Naomi Karten (2000)
Asking for help is difficult – especially when we feel
vulnerable. Often, when we need help the most, we do not ask. In
this article, Naomi offers advice for how to break through this
insidious cycle.
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Consulting Lessons
from Ron, My Shiatsu Therapist by Becky Winant (2000)
Shiatsu. Wonder what it is and what application it might have
for our work? Becky opens us up to Shiatsu Therapy and shows how
its energy can improve our work enjoyment and performance.
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Convincing Management
that Context Switching is a Bad Idea, by Johanna Rothman
(2006)
Is context switching useful? What happens when development
teams work on more than one project? Johanna considers these
questions, and demonstrates that while managers may be able to
switch contexts, developers become less efficient when they do.
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Creativity in
Accounts Receivable by Jerry Weinberg (2003)
If you're in business for yourself, you've been on the
receiving end of another company's accounts payable process. Jerry
tells how he's gotten creative with the process of getting paid.
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Danger: Couple at
Work by Sharon Marsh Roberts (2000)
Can a married couple work together? When working together, can
a married couple be viewed as equal to the sum of the parts?
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Decisions, Decisions
by Sue Peterson (2000)
My husband bought his father's business last month. It was not
an easy decision. Like most modern managers, I've been taught that
the best decisions are the product of logical, deductive thinking.
But we didn't have time for that. Was our decision the absolutely
best one we could have made?
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Delivering
Effective Feedback by Esther Derby. (2003)
Providing timely feedback is part of every manager's job.
Giving feedback isn't always easy, and sometimes our efforts go
a-wry. Esther provides some guidance on getting your feedback
heard.
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Designing Useful
Metrics: Using Observation, Modeling, and Measurement to Make
Decisions by Esther Derby (2000)
As a manager, you want to increase effectiveness and improve
the quality of software. Using measurement as a tool for
accomplishing this, however, may be something you're skeptical
about. I'd like to encourage you to take another look at metrics,
and show you how you can use observation, modeling and measurement
to manage more effectively within your team.
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Destroying Communication and
Control in Software Development by Gerald M. Weinberg (2003)
Why do so many projects fail? When communication systems are
out of commission, project managers don't have the information
they need to steer the project. Read on to understand how the
lines of communication are broken, and what PMs can do to keep
information flowing.
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A Different
Kind of Conference by Sherry Heinze (2003)
You’ve probably attended a conference at some point in
your professional career. The format is nearly always the same,
although the focus may be slightly different. At the front of the
room is a speaker with overheads. The speaker comes to teach and
everyone else comes to sit quietly, listen politely and be filled
with information. Sherry Heinze tells us about a different kind of
conference.
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A Different Kind
of Family: Reconstruction Lessons for the Participants and the
Guide by Eileen Strider (2000)
I first experienced a family reconstruction in the 1989
Congruent Leadership Change Workshop. I was stunned by its power.
It was as if a special key had been oh-so-gently inserted into
this man's lock box of memories. On that day, I never imagined
that one day I would be guiding a reconstruction. Or that -- as a
guide -- I would still be stunned by its power.
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Disposable Programs
by Gerald M. Weinberg (2/14/05)
Not sure how to explain the cost of "throw-away"
code? Jerry has suggestions...
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Don't Just Do
Something, Stand There! by Don Gray (2003)
Maybe you're the kind of person who attacks a problem as soon
as it crops up. Many times, it's good to act fast. But for a
different point of view, read this article by Don Gray, who
advises us to "take ten" and evaluate a situation before
making a response.
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Don't Tell Doreen,
by Steven M. Smith (2005)
Steve discusses possibilities when people at work hide
information from others--and one way to deal with people who want
to hide information.
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Driving from the
Back Seat by Sharon Marsh Roberts (2001)
A common confusion is between leading and managing. Leading is
influencing others to do what needs to be done. Effective leaders
succeed regardless of their location in the organizational chart.
Sharon provides information and techniques in this article that
will help you guide your team and project to a successful end,
even though you may be driving from the back seat.
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Emerging by David Irvine
(2001)
Life is a mirror. What we see in others is the reflection of
what we see in ourselves. As we continue through life, we change,
grow, and emerge. How do you plan for these experiences and
opportunities? After all, though we have different journeys, our
destination is the same.
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Entomology by Laurent
Bossavit (2003)
What's in a word? Laurent Bossavit tells a tale of a trouble
team and shows how the way we use words can effect the results of
our efforts.
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Estimates:
Precision vs. Accuracy by Johanna Rothman. (2003)
When is it accurate to state an estimate precisely? When is it
inaccurate to be precise? Johanna explores the notions of accuracy
and precision and show us how they can get us in trouble.
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An Exercise in
Ambiguity by Naomi Karten (2000)
My son wants a car that’s “bad”. I want him
to have a car that’s “good”. Can this be the
same car? And what about numbers? If we quantify our values, do we
clarify the information shared? Find out by reading this article
about being a “106-pound 27-year-old whose three-minute
rating at level 6 is a perfect 44!”
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Exception is the Rule
by Gerald M. Weinberg (2005)
See how a walk through the yellow pages helped Jerry understand
and articulate what was missing at a client.
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Extreme Testing by
Todd Berbert (2000)
Testing is change. So is moving to extreme programming.
In this article, Todd reviews some of the extreme programming
ideas and makes suggestions for testers, no matter what kinds of
projects they work on.
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Facing Up to the
Truth by Esther Derby (2002)
You can’t handle the truth? is a famous line from a
movie, and can be excruciating at work. Esther has ideas about how
to face up to the truth by first starting with the current state.
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First Things First by
Esther Derby (2004)
What do you do when you're upset about something at home and
you know you need to focus on work? Do you try to push your
emotions aside and tough it out? Paradoxically, when we ignore our
emotional responses they poke back up and get in the way. When
emotions are acknowledged, people are better able to focus on the
task at hand. Esther Derby offers some advice for dealing with the
"human stuff."
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Five Frequent Feedback
Flaws by Naomi Karten (2004)
We all agree on feedback's importance. Feedback tells us what
works and what needs to change. Do you sabotage your feedback
efforts? Naomi's article points to five areas you may be able to
improve.
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From the Shadows of
the Past by Stuart Scott (2005)
Stuart shows you an example of rules and when they don't help
anymore.
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Focus Your Project,
by Johanna Rothman (2003)
Do you know the Number One Goal of your project? When you (and
the organization) are clear on the Number One Goal, you can make
trade-offs within context. And when you don't know the Number One
Goal, shifting priorities can act like quicksand and suck the
project into failure. Johanna offers advice on how to focus your
project for success in context.
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A Guide to Fine Whines
by Mark Manduke. (2005)
Mark explains the most common whines he sees when discussing
product development process with teams.
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Getting to Know
You: Using a Round Table to Start an Event, by Adrian Segar
(2006)
Have you ever thought about using a Round Table so people can
quickly meet other participants? Adrian Segar explains how it can
be done, and the results he's obtained.
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Hang Loose by Stuart
Scott (2005)
Change involves letting go, accepting the unfamiliar, coping
with confusion or even chaos. Letting go is actually pretty easy.
It’s deciding to let go that’s so hard. Even
when the changes are trivial.
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Healing the Ailing
Workplace by Jean McLendon (2003)
Is your work environment healthy? What does a healthy work
environment look like anyway? And what can you do to help create a
healthy place to work? AYE guest speaker Jean McLendon explores
all these questions in this article.
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Hear Ye! Hear Ye! by
Naomi Karten (2001)
What’s the difference between listening and hearing?
Naomi Karten, author of Communication Gaps, has tips to make sure
you’re hearing what’s being said.
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Highpoints of the AYE
Conference by Elizabeth Starrett (2003)
Curious about what you might learn at the AYE Conference? AYE
participant Elizabeth Starrett shares some of her learning
highlights.
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How2 Create A Buddy, by
Johanna Rothman (2004)
You interviewed the applicants, and the new hire starts on
Monday. How can you help them be productive more quickly? In this
article Johanna Rothman reviews what new hires need to know, and
how the buddy system helps share the knowledge.
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How to Improve
Meetings When You’re Not in Charge, by Esther Derby
(2004)
Improperly conducted meetings create a drain. They drain
energy, commitment and time from the participants. In this week's
article, AYE Host Esther Derby suggests "How to Improve
Meetings When You're Not in Charge" helping you avoid the
draining meetings.
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How Did This Happen?
by Don Gray (2005)
Causal loop diagrams are wonderful tools when you want to
understand the problem behind the problem behind the problem. In
this article, Don Gray explains a typical use of causal loop
diagrams, how to build and use them.
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How to Kill a
Software Company by Don Gray (2002)
Is software just a necessary evil or can it be a positive force
for good in the company? Don Gray has tips to recognize a failing
software project and how to fix it.
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Humor and Stress by
Diane Gibson (2004)
It is the best of times. It is the worst of times. It is the
time you spend at work. What do you do when you get stressed at
work? In this article Diane Gibson shares her experience and
recommendations for dealing with stress.
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I want it, I have
it, I hate it! by Naomi Karten (2006)
The requirements process ensures that we deliver what the
clients want. It's a nice theory. With her characteristic insight,
Naomi Karten shares why clients may not know what they want until
they get what they've asked for.
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Keep Your Eye on
the Prize by Pat O'Toole (2000)
"Level 2 or Bust" is a slogan we’ve heard
before. Instead of process for process sake, Pat O’Toole, a
well-known SEI assessor has suggestions to turn your process
improvement into something that helps your projects.
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Learning What
You Don't Know by Don Gray (2005)
Don provides some suggestions for understanding a project's
non-obvious risks.
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Lullaby Language by
Jerry Weinberg (2004)
Words occasionally give us a sense of security. When we look
more closely at the words, they often mean something different. In
this article, Jerry Weinberg introduces and translates some
"lullaby" words.
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Metrics: Lunches,
Looks, and Loops, by Don Gray (2004)
Measurement forms the foundation for project management and
process improvement. Measurements occur in a system, and events in
a system affect the system. In this article AYE Host Don Gray
shows how measurement affects the system, and what to do about it.
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Managing a
Struggling Employee by Esther Derby. (2003)
Sooner or later every manager faces the same dilemma: What do I
do when I inherit or hire an employee who turns out to be a poor
fit for the job? Let's follow a manager named Tom to see what can
happen when you don't manage a struggling employee and learn from
his mistakes.
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Managing the
Interview by Johanna Rothman (2004)
Part of managing the interview is making sure you hear the
candidate's answers and questions. In this excerpt from Hiring the
Best Knowledge Workers, Techies & Nerds: The Secrets and
Science of Hiring Technical People, Johanna Rothman explains how
to listen to candidate's answers, how to evaluate a candidate's
answers, and when to consider replanning the interview.
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Managing the Group
Meeting by Johanna Rothman (2003)
Does your staff start to snooze during group meetings? Here's a
recipe for juicy meetings from Johanna Rothman.
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Managing in
Mayberry: An examination of three distinct leadership styles by
Don Gray and Dan Starr (2001)
Do you feel successful as a manager? Don Gray’s and Dan
Starr’s article can help you identify your style of
management: micromanager, motherly manager or masterly manager.
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Measuring Up by Esther
Derby (2003)
It's 10 a.m. You're about to ship to five beta sites. You've
met the date, you're within budget, and the defect counts have
been steadily declining for the last four weeks. Still, you're a
little nervous. How will the customers react to this new release?
Esther Derby shares a simple method to gauge how your product is
meeting expectations before you ship.
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Meeting Customer
Requirements, First Time, Every Time by James A. Ward (2000)
A key principle of TQM is intense focus on customers and their
satisfaction. What does this mean and how do we go about
accomplishing it? James Ward shares three principles that underlie
creating customer focus.
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Mistakes and
Insights Found at a Sale by Becky Winant (2001)
Not long ago, Becky had a garage sale and didn’t sell a
thing. But, her sale day wasn't a waste. She uses her experience
to remind us all about project planning pitfalls.
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Move Past
Distractions: Give Yourself and Ice Cream Cone by Dwayne
Phillips (2006)
Occasionally a thought gets in the way of making progress. The
blocking thought may not even be related to the work at hand, but
we get fixed on the thought, and nothing happens until we move
past the distraction. Here Dwayne shares some thoughts on how to
get beyond the distraction.
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Multiprojecting: The
Illusion of Progress by Johanna Rothman (2005)
It's very tempting to ask people to work on more than one
project at a time. But can people really do two things at once?
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My Company Won't Pay!
How To Get Approval To Attend Conferences or Training by John
Suzuki (2002)
Sometimes getting what you want requires a little creativity.
John Suzuki discusses several creative ways to get the backing to
attend conferences, seminars, workshops, and training sessions. He
looks at tools and strategies for use throughout the approval
process: before you attend, making the case to attend, and
obtaining the actual approval, as well as alternatives to consider
if your request is turned down. All of these strategies can be
used to help you get to the next AYE conference.
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My Days as a Barber,
by Jim Batterson. Jim has a fable about tools and how people use
them--whether those people are barbers or programmers.
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On Second Thought
by Dwayne Phillips (2003)
Have you ever had a bright idea that was rejected out of hand
when you presented it to your group? Timing and presentation may
be as important as the quality of the idea when it comes to
convincing others to give it a try.
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Our Management
Process Can't Tell Us How to Get From "Repeatable" to
"Defined" by Nynke Fokma and Erwin van der Bij
(2000)
You have some process improvement successes under your belt.
You’re ready for the next step, and… you’re
stuck. If you’ve ever been in this position, Nynke Fokma and
Erwin van der Bij have suggestions for you.
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Pennywise by Esther Derby
(2004)
What can you do when you're hiring technical people on a
budget? In this article Esther presents several strategies that
keep your hiring decisions in line with your goals and the work
moving forward.
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Peer-to-Peer
Feedback, by Esther Derby (2006)
Have you noticed that occasionally you want to share
information with someone, but aren't quite sure how to do it? This
article offers suggestions on helping difficult conversations go
smoother.
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Planning for Delays
by Gerald M. Weinberg (2000)
Jerry's Iron Rule of Project Life says. "It Always Takes
Longer." Defy this Iron Law at your peril. Plan for delays,
and plan to be adaptable and forgiving when delays occur that
aren't part of your plan. You'll be more successful, and you might
even be happier.
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Plan to Re-plan by
Johanna Rothman (2003)
Do your projects unfold exactly the way you predicted in your
initial plan? Neither do ours! What can you do? Plan to re-plan.
Johanna tells you how in this week's article.
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Playing Hooky by Mike
Melendez (2005)
Mike shares some insights about testing, using a fish story.
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Predictions by Jerry
Weinberg (2003)
Predictions have a way of being wrong... Remember this one?
"Timesharing, most experts agree, is the key to the
computer's future, at least for general use." Jerry makes
some anyway. And they may just be right.
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Project Pitfalls by
James A. Ward (2000)
Despite the best efforts of the project manager and the project
team, organizational forces may work against project success,
especially on projects with tight time constraints. This article
will make you aware of the organizational pitfalls and obstacles
which a Project Team may encounter, so that you won't be caught
unawares.
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Purrfectly Obvious
by Naomi Karten. (2003)
We all make assumptions and those assumptions can lead us
astray. Naomi shares a real-life lesson in assumptions.
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Put Confer
Back in Conference by Pat O'Toole (2001)
What’s involved in maximizing your conference experience?
How can you gain from your time and your company’s money so
you’re not another “Blind man coming through!”?
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Reasons by Gerald M.
Weinberg (2001)
When you're supposed to be the change artist trying to
introduce something new - a tool, a process, a document, a
technique, anything new at all - you're going to find yourself
faced with an infinitely high wall piled with reasons, mortared in
place with that word, "because." [Or "so," or
other forms of pseudo-logic.] What will you do then? Rather than
go back and forth with a potentially infinite chain of "why-
because," save yourself some time and energy by recognizing
that you will always lose this game, so switch to another, as
explained in this article.
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Real-time Feedback
by Esther Derby. (2003)
Some managers save up performance feedback for a quarterly or
yearly performance discussion. But there's a price to pay for
waiting -- lost opportunity and lost relationship. Esther looks at
why it's important to provide timely feedback.
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Rewriting the Story
of Resistance by Dale Emery (2006)
Change usually
involves resistance. This resistance needs to be expected,
and dealt with. In this article Dale Emery demonstrates how
changing your viewpoint can help you deal with the resistance to
change.
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The ROTI Method of Gauging
Meeting Effectiveness by Esther Derby (2005)
Do your meetings bore everyone including you? Want to measure
how good your meetings are? Esther suggests a technique for
measuring your meeting effectiveness and small changes that can
make a big difference.
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Safety Check by Steve
Smith (2005)
If you've ever participated in a meeting where you didn't feel
free to share your ideas, see Steve's technique to making that
information visible.
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Safety Margin, by
Steve Smith (2006)
Sharing state information with upper management about resource
utilization requires careful constuction of the message. This
article helps you construct an effective message through the
concept of a safety margin.
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Saying No: A Short Course for
Managers by Richard Brenner (2000)
Saying "No" can be painful -- so painful that we
sometimes avoid it just to avoid short-term pain, only to find
later that the long-term pain is even worse. This article shows
project managers some of the costs of not saying no, and how to
avoid them, with lots of practical examples.
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The Secret of Agile
Development by C. Keith Ray (2003)
What makes Agile methods different from other software
development lifecycles? Keith Ray describes how frequent, timely
feedback allows agile teams to address problems before they become
truly painful.
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The Secret Ingredients
of High Morale, by Esther Derby, 2004
Do you build morale with "recognition and rah-rah"?
Does this really work? In this article, Esther Derby points out
techniques to build morale so the "recognition and rah-rah"
become the icing on the cake.
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Seeing the Other
Person's Big Picture by Gerald M. Weinberg (2000)
You're entering a new situation, and you're ready to gather the
Big Picture of the other people involved. You start by getting a
Big Picture of yourself, as discussed in the companion article.
Then you focus on the people you're going to work with on this
assignment. To do this, you look for the answers to the three Big
Picture questions:
- How do they happen to be here? (Past)
-
How do they feel about being here? (Present)
- What would they
like to have happen? (Future)
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Seeing Your Own
Big Picture by Gerald M. Weinberg (2000)
We're often called into an assignment because we're supposed to
be "experts," people who see the big picture. One method
of seeing the Big Picture is first to break down the question into
three parts: Self, Other, and Context, then apply three questions
to each part. To obtain a big picture of yourself, the three
questions are:
- How do I happen to be here? (Past)
- How do
I feel about being here? (Present)
- What would I like to have
happen? (Future)
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Shifting the Burden -
Whose Monkey Is It? by Don Gray (2005)
Don explains unintended consequences of some problem-solving.
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Software and
Society: What It Means to Be Professional by Don Gray (2002)
Why is our field struggling in its efforts to become and
engineering discipline? The answers lies in our heritiage as
symbol processors and the patterns of evolution from craft to
science.
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Some Barriers to
Team Coordination and Collaboration by John Suzuki (2000)
Executing software development activities across geographic and
time zone boundaries presents unique challenges to both management
and practitioners. These issues apply to any discipline in which
close coordination is required between members of a group.
Although tools and technology do help to improve productivity
within a team, the largest gains for improving coordination are
all related to the human aspects of relationships between people,
teams and organizations.
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Spending As If There's
No Tomorrow by Sherry Heinze (2002)
When a company spends money like there is no tomorrow and
forgets to consider the future, the repercussions are widespread.
But if you start your project with the integrated design, real
users, real requirements and a schedule based on realistic
estimates, you will save time and money, much of which was spend
in rework, often caused by redefining releases.
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Starting With Rolling Wave
Planning, by Johanna Rothman (2006)
How many ways exist to do project planning? How many of these
combine risk and detail planning in a manageable size? Johanna
describes Rolling Wave Planning in this article. What you do, what
you don't do, and how to get started.
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Staying Sharp by Jerry
Weinberg (2003)
The mind is a muscle, and if we let it become flabby, the
quality of our work will decline. What can you do to stay sharp?
Jerry Weinberg tells you how.
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The Liar's Contest, by
Don Gray and Gerald M. Weinberg (2006)
What happens when two parties get involved in Schedule
Games? Suppose you "blink"? This article provides
ideas about what to do if you get caught in the game, and how to
avoid the game.
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The Tao of
Communication and the Constancy of Change by Jean McLendon
(2003)
Lao Tsu and Virginia Satir seemed to have spoken a common
language when it came to speaking about the art of knowing, being
and doing. It is as if they sang from the same sheet of music. In
this article, Jean McLendon combines their melodies, intensifying
the power of each's message.
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ThankYouLess
Thank You's by Naomi Karten (2001)
Appreciations are essential feedback, but when is a thank you
not a thank you? Naomi shows you how to make people feel lifted by
your thanks, by thanking them personally, directly, and now.
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This Title May Change at
Any Time. How Do You Feel About That? by Don Gray (2005)
Don looks at our Change Quotients and how we respond to change
-- and how to select some of our choices about change.
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Trailblazer
Programs: A path for successful change by Marie Benesh and
Shiela Smith (2000)
Trailblazer projects provide the critical engine for change in
an organization. Through trailblazers, an organization can achieve
the structural and behavioral changes that it desires in its IT
organizational model. It is an essential, realistic and practical
way to create real culture change in an organization.
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Treaties to
Deal with Communication and Conflict by Gerald M. Weinberg
(2002)
What type of documentation should be created to support
important project agreements? How can we prevent mistaking hope
for reality? Have you seen two teams “bury the hatchet …
with the handle out?” Read how Jerry likes to handle these
situations, and how these treaties can avoid the hardest problems
of all.
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Twenty Years Ago by
Steven M. Smith (2000)
Who is worth more to an organization - the older employee with
a lot of experience, wisdom, and maturity; or the fresh college
grad with lots of enthusiasm, flexibility, and new ideas? In this
article, Steve Smith reflects on what situations favor which type,
and how each of you can make your type more valuable to potential
employers or clients.
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Two Left Feet, by Naomi
Karten (2004)
Giving someone our attention provides a valuable gift to the
recipient. Giving attention doesn't cost us. It pays us many times
over. In this article Naomi uses her experience to teach the
importance of individualized attention, and what it can do for us.
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Two
Rights Make a Wrong, by Naomi Karten (2003)
When you hear someone say "You can't miss it!" you
can be sure you will. Naomi tells us how our own familiarity with
a topic can lead to verbal shortcuts that will take others astray.
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Use All Four Parts
of Estimation, by Johanna Rothman (2004)
Properly used, estimation provides more information that the
initial "when-we-think-we'll-finish" guess. In this
article Johanna discusses how to use estimation for tracking
project completion, project status, and what's currently happening
for the project team.
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Using Appreciations,
Personalized Thank-You's by Johanna Rothman (2003)
Johanna gives us a short course in how to say "thank you"
so it really hits home...
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Watch for Falling
Rocks: Unpredictable Risks by Johanna Rothman (2000)
Unpredictable risks can turn a project into disaster, just as
falling rocks can do to you when you're driving on back roads.
This article explores seven different tactics you can use to do
something to lessen the impact of unpredictable risks.
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Welcoming New Hires
by Johanna Rothman (2000)
Being a new hire is a little bit like installing a piece of
software. The first thing you see when you buy software is the
installation. The first thing a new hire sees is how your
organization takes in people. This article contains a dozen tested
suggestions for creating a smooth first day for both your new hire
and yourself.
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What Could
Possibly Go Wrong? by Esther Derby (2002)
A software project is a complex thing. It involves many
players, many tasks, and lots of things that could go wrong (and
often do). If not for dogged optimism, some projects might not be
tackled at all. But optimism doesn’t mean turning a blind
eye to potential pitfalls. In this column, Esther Derby applies a
lesson about asking, "What if..."
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What Is It You
Want from Management? by Eileen Strider (2001)
It's easy to be frustrated by lack of executive management
support for QA. Executive management support for QA is absolutely
necessary, yet people think it's difficult, if not impossible, to
get. This article shows how a step-by-step process can bring you
support you never before imagined possible.
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What is Agile
Software Development? by Jim Highsmith (2003)
In the past two years, the ideas of "agile software
development" are being increasingly applied and causing
considerable debate. Read on to learn the answer to the
fundamental question "What is agile software development?"
Right now, we don't have the capability to send this article to a
friend.
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What To Do
When Your Project Slips by Johanna Rothman (2001)
Schedule slips are a useful indication that something is
not-quite-right on your project. This article shows you many
strategies for using that information to make the best decision
for your project, depending on whether the slip is early, middle,
or late in the project's life.
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What's so Special
About Software? by Dan Starr. (2005)
Dan examines a variety of projects to see how software might --
or might not be different.
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What's on Your
Not-To-Do List? by Johanna Rothman. (2005)
Johanna has some suggestions for how you recognize when you're
overwhelmed at work and what to do about all that work.
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What's Wrong
With Wednesday? by Johanna Rothman (2005)
If you've ever wondered how the schedule could look right but
be way off, Johanna explains how -- and suggests an alternative.
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What's Your IQ? by
Esther Derby (2003)
People who work in software are smart people. We take pride in
our ability to understand complex information and solve difficult
problems. What about that other IQ, our Influence Quotient? Much
of the work we do requires the help and cooperation of other
people and that means using influence. In this weeks column,
Esther Derby helps us listen in on two conversations to see what
we can learn about improving our every day influencing skills.
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When is Change for a
Dollar only $.82? by Richard Brenner (2000)
The costs of splitting one person's time over several tasks can
be significantly higher than most of us ever imagined. Hidden
costs include time to switch contexts, time lost to interruptions,
increased complexity of calendar management, unresolved conflicts
and the resulting emotional issues, damage to relationships,
stress, and many others detailed in this article.
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Where Does Your
Time Go? by Esther Derby (2003)
There's a saying that busy people get the most done... but do
they really?
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Yes. I Mean No by Stuart
Scott (2005)
Ever say yes, but you'd really like to say no? Not sure how to
make your No's stick? Stuart shares some experiential learning
from AYE 2004 and life.
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Yielding to Pressure
by Gerald M. Weinberg. (2005)
Jerry shows you how to create a successful negotiation without
yielding to pressure.
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You Can't Test the
Wings Back on an Airplane by Elisabeth Hendrickson (2001)
Quality problems originate long before the testers get their
hands on a product. Even in an environment where testers are
involved early, testers without training in quality techniques are
unlikely to lend much to a quality effort. In short, naming a
group QA seems to make some people in other groups think they are
officially absolved of the responsibility to promote quality
practices. Everybody has part of the quality job. Testing's part
of the job is to tell when something isn't right, but it can't fix
what's wrong.
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