Articles

Myth 26: It’s Fine to Micromanage Management Myth 26: It’s Fine to Micromanage

Johanna Rothman explains the challenges and pitfalls of micromanagement. Sometimes, managers micromanage when they need information. In that case, it’s easier to create an information radiator rather than have the manager come running to you every thirty minutes.

Johanna Rothman's picture Johanna Rothman
An Architect in the Agile World An Architect in the Agile World

Jonathan Wiggs explains that in 2001, the agile process began to emerge and roles began to change. So, in the modern agile world, is there still room for the architect? If there is, how has that role changed in the last twelve years?

Jonathan  Wiggs's picture Jonathan Wiggs
Mowing through an Application of Agility Mowing the Lawn: An Application of Agility

Anthony Akins explains how he used agile methods to modify the way he mowed his lawn. Learn how any project can benefit from using an agile approach and how large projects can be broken down into smaller chunks, each complete and with value.

Tony Akins's picture Tony Akins
How to Know When Things Are Really Done How to Know When Things Are Really Done

Do you know when your work is done? Are you sure your feature is done? How about your release? Do you know when it’s done? Leyton Collins has some suggestions for you, your team, and your organization on how to know when things are really done.

Leyton Collins's picture Leyton Collins
 Visualization Boards Can Benefit Your Team How Visualization Boards Can Benefit Your Team

While many teams can use help structuring their conversations, some teams also need some way to know whether the structured conversations that have taken place have provided sufficient information. Kent McDonald explains how using visualization boards can help in these situations.

Kent J. McDonald's picture Kent J. McDonald
 Thinking Up Front about Agile Requirements An Agile Approach to Thinking Up Front about Requirements

Thinking about interacting with the customer at the start of the project? Who would argue against that? Well, it depends on what you call it. It also depends on whether you then do it without the benefit of the rest of the project team. Here, Ulrika Park helps us see what an agile approach to thinking about the requirements might look like.

Ulrika Park's picture Ulrika Park
Fix Your Agile Project by Taking a Systems View Fix Your Agile Project by Taking a Systems View

Kathy Iberle writes that when working on a project, you should take a systems view, which allows you to see the whole development system at once. When you put on your “systems view” glasses, you’ll see that you need to deal with the whole system, not just a single team’s part of it.

Kathy Iberle's picture Kathy Iberle
A Product Owner’s First Glimpse of Agile

Kent McDonald introduces us to Arthur, a middle manager and product owner in a medium-sized insurance company who has been assigned to take on an agile project. For those unfamiliar with agile, the terminology and techniques of agile approaches can seem strange and often a little silly when not accompanied with an explanation as to why those techniques exist. Kent explains the challenges product owners like Arthur face and how to make product owners understand agile better.

Kent J. McDonald's picture Kent J. McDonald
Management Myth #12: I Must Promote the Best Technical Person to Be a Manager

Managing requires a different skill set from technical work, yet many companies promote their best technical workers to management positions. Here are some things to consider when it's time to promote your technical workers.

Johanna Rothman's picture Johanna Rothman
Management Myth #11: The Team Needs a Cheerleader!

If you have a cheerleading manager (or, worse, if you are a cheerleading manager) in a troubled organization, then your team is likely missing its purpose. Replace those cheers with transparency, and you might be surprised by the solutions your team will come up with.

Johanna Rothman's picture Johanna Rothman

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