development

Articles

The Bugs That Deceived Me The Bugs That Deceived Me

Every time we look at the data, we perform an analysis that helps us make decisions—hopefully the right ones. In this article, Gil Zilberfeld describes a few traps where bug data misled him to make bad decisions. These traps are in the data itself, not the tools, and can lead us in the wrong direction.

Gil Zilberfeld's picture Gil Zilberfeld
2013: A Year of Software Development and Testing in Quotes

In this roundup of noteworthy quotes from industry experts interviewed in 2013, read about what constitutes effective agile methods, the year in testing techniques, and why you shouldn't put too much trust in the latest and greatest tools.

Jonathan Vanian's picture Jonathan Vanian
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
Culture Change with Visual Management Creating a Culture Change with Visual Management

Have you heard the old maxim “What gets measured gets done”? Management expert Peter Drucker said it, and here, Bill Donaldson shows us how a smart manager uses visual management to apply measurement to change what gets done.

Bill Donaldson's picture Bill Donaldson
Agile Is Cheaper, Right? Agile Is Cheaper, Right?

Kenneth Grant explains whether or not being agile is really as cheap for an organization as its proponents claim it to be. Agile’s relentless focus on business value and just-enough work can help teams identify waste—or poor return on investment (ROI) requirements—and gives them the opportunity to change it or leave it out all together.

Kenny Grant's picture Kenny Grant
Be an Effective Leader When Working Remotely Can a ScrumMaster Be an Effective Leader When Working Remotely?

Mariya Breyter explores the role of a ScrumMaster and whether or not one can work effectively when working remotely. If the ScrumMaster is not available to orchestrate product delivery, bridge any gaps, and remove any obstacles, a product will never be delivered—even worse, a wrong product will be delivered. In order to achieve this understanding, the ScrumMaster must show value to the team as a natural leader, no matter if he is onsite or remote.

Mariya Breyter's picture Mariya Breyter
A Software Team's Journey to Agile A Software Team's Journey to Agile

Did you ever wonder if a team needs some prerequisites before transitioning to agile? In this true story, John Lynch shows us the story of a team who teetered on the brink of dysfunction and then was able to create its foundation so team members could begin their agile transition.

John Lynch's picture John Lynch
On Sumo, Architecture, and Enterprise Agile

In order to be successful in the ring, a sumo wrestler needs to maintain a heavy body weight and at the same time be in peak physical condition. Just as these Japanese athletes have to find the right balance through a well thought-out combination of diet and training regimen, software development organizations need a balanced approach to implementing application architecture on agile projects.

Identifying and Improving Bad User Stories

A written user story is a very short narrative—a sentence or two—describing some small piece of functionality that has business value. User stories are intended to foster collaboration and communication, but writing these short narratives poorly can negate agile’s flexibility. Charles Suscheck and Andrew Fuqua explain some common failure patterns that will help you focus on the right role, value, and business functionality when writing stories.

The Two Metrics that Matter

This article is designed to provide specific steps for understanding your development effectiveness. Getting this right will help move your software development group toward being a true business partner, if it is not already.

Neil Fox's picture Neil Fox

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