The Latest

Goal, Goal, Who's Got the Goal? [article]

Don Gray explains why software development teams need three common goals: long term, mid term, and short term. These goals focus a team and provide the glue that holds the team together.

How to Cope with Troublesome People [article]

Dealing with difficult people should not be a skill that only some possess. There are difficult people in almost any project or office, and your inability to work with them could hold back the entire team. Taking the time to learn exactly why someone is difficult could be the solution.

Testing in Twos [article]

Studies show that programmers who pair produce higher-quality code at faster rates. How can testers work better in pairs? Lisa Crispin offers some tips from personal experience.

Thoughts on Infrastructructure, Technical Debt, and Automated Test Framework [article]

I’ve had several conversations in email and with clients recently that have all been about this question: “What do we do about our infrastructure?” Either the project or the program has to create/update/upgraded their architecture or automated test infrastructure, pay down technical debt, or somehow do something that’s not part of a story.

Transformative Development: How to Begin Application Development in the Cloud [article]

There is a lot of buzz in the IT industry around cloud computing and its impact on driving greater efficiency across an IT organization, but when considering adoption of cloud computing infrastructure, where should an organization begin? The application development lifecycle can be a good starting point.

Low-Tech Tools for the Thinking Tester [article]

Contrary to what some vendors may lead you to believe, a whole-team approach to quality doesn't require a lot of complex, integrated tools and services to achieve. Paul Carvalho explains how to perform good testing with readily available, low-tech tools. These tools are all either free or cheap.

Wherever You Go: Testing Mobile Applications, Part 1 [article]

In this interview with mobile testing expert Jonathan Kohl, he discusses some of the finer points of exploring the software that we carry with us everywhere.

To Whom It May Concern: Thank You [article]

Taking the time to thank someone to show your appreciation can speak volumes about you, but leaving off a personal touch can lessen the impact of your sincerity. Learn how just a few short words can dramatically improve the expression of your gratitude.

Podcast about Transparency Posted [article]

Tom Cagley interviewed me a few weeks ago on his Software Process and Measurement Cast. It’s posted now, as # 180.

When Tom interviews me, he makes me think. This is good. I would love to hear your comments about this one. We started with transparency and wove our way around to several topics. I even ranted about the craziness of individual raises and how that disturbs the system of working in teams.

Testing in the Agile World with Vu Lam [article]

In this Sticky ToolLook interview, QASymphony CEO Vu Lam discusses testing in the agile world, from documentation to communication and improving the feedback loop.