communication

Articles

Matthias Bohlen shares with us the importance of self organization. As a manager, you must set time or organizational boundaries that serve a purpose and let team members do what they think is appropriate and necessary within those boundaries.

Nasty Knuckleheads? Not!

When two parties within the same company begin to bicker and disagree, things can go downhill quickly. Neither party may want to accept the blame for the poor relationship, but an improvement must be made in the communication between the two parties so that the disagreements don't extend further.

Doyouspeaktoofast? (Do You Speak Too Fast)

You may have a lot you need to say in a very short timeframe, but speak too quickly and those listening may not get the full message and they could end up missing out on crucial information. Make sure that the individuals you're speaking to can understand you clearly, or face the consequences.

Testing in the Agile World with Vu Lam

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

Better Software Magazine

The Whorfian Hypothesis

Benjamin Whorf hypothesized that the language we speak constrains the thoughts we can have. Learn how a well-developed organizational vocabulary can help increase the quality of your products.

Want Better Software? Just Ask

An effective Project Customer can turn a good product into a great one. But he's got to know how. Mike Cohn gives Project Customers seven simple rules for communicating product goals effectively to development.

Remote Control

Between outsourcing and flextime, virtual development teams are fast becoming the rule rather than the exception. But can team members work together when they're so far apart? Read two stories of how real-life programmers are making it work.

In Other Words

Take one phrase, throw in three different interpretations, and add zero communication: It all adds up to one big defect. Find out how paraphrasing can help you to uncover hidden problems.

Making Virtual Teams a Reality

What all virtual teams have in common is that they are working on a project, but may not be located in close physical proximity, and they must find ways to communicate, track progress, and manage tasks without being able to physically meet regularly. The prerequisites for success with virtual teams are 1) clear, manageable objectives; 2) management's commitment to necessary resources; and 3) mature management and technical personnel. Learn how to lead a workgroup you cannot see.

It's in the Bag

Kristi Wheeler wanted to create a forum in which all of the testers in her company could come together to talk about their skills, learn more about testing, and bring individual experiences into a group setting. Here, she describes how she started up brown bag groups for testers and developers in her organization–and how you can start them in your own company.

Interviews

Why the BA Is Essential to Agile Development: An Interview with Steve Adolph

Video

Steve Adolph explains why the BA's role on an agile project cannot be overvalued, due to their immense communication and collaboration skills. Steve describes the best BA's as "boundary spanners" who know the importance of keeping everyone sitting together, and most importantly—talking.

Sticky ToolLook Interview: Improving QA-Development Communication with Amit Chopra

In this Sticky ToolLook interview, Microsoft senior program manager Amit Chopra takes a look at some of the common communication breakdowns between QA and development teams and offers suggestions for avoiding or repairing those situations.