People & Teams

Articles

Taking Off to the Smart Shore

Offshore and onshore development, outsourcing, and the relocation of IT jobs to low-cost countries are headlines we see in everyday news. Jochen Krebs has played several different roles in software engineering throughout his career. From those experiences he shares some thoughts and ideas about current industry trends regarding outsourcing. The scenarios in this article, "Inside the Project," lead to the second part, which will offer a critical view on those trends. The last part, will address trends for a better offshore approach.

Jochen Krebs
Be a Sub Commander

Projects involving subcontracts have their own special kinds of risks and problems. In this column, Peter Clark offers advice on how to use leverage and visibility to minimize the risks and help ensure the successful delivery of the required scope when working with subcontractors.

Peter Clark
Hurdling Roadblocks

We all encounter things at work that impede our progress. Having the skill to effectively deal with the roadblocks makes a big difference in your overall productivity. Will you get a reputation as a whiner or as someone who pushes through obstacles? In this week's column, Danny Faught offers help with two common types of roadblocks and gives suggestions for reducing the chances that any barricade will impact your schedule.

Danny R. Faught's picture Danny R. Faught
Approaching a Conflict in Style

Conflict is inevitable at work. Sooner or later, you will disagree about what to test, when to test, or how long to test software. How you and the person you disagree with approach the conflict affects both the outcome and how you feel about the exchange. In this column, Esther Derby explains some of the ways people approach conflict and how they affect solutions and relationships.

Esther Derby's picture Esther Derby
When In Doubt, Throw It Out

Peter Clark's company recently embarked on a "Lean Office" initiative. Now, Peter thinks many of you have steam shooting out of your ears just from reading those words. You probably think that it is just another lame management initiative that will take valuable time away from what is really important: coding and (maybe) testing. But in this week's column, Peter explains why this is the best initiative yet.

Peter Clark
Pair Programming Observations

Say "pair programming" to a programmer and he'll probably frown or turn his back on you. But add some rules the programmers must follow--rules that help maintain each person's sanity--and he just might come to find this practice rewarding and beneficial. This article, originally published on Jeff Langr's website, explains the rules and how certain teams have reacted to this structured version of pair programming.

Jeff Langr's picture Jeff Langr
Communication During a Crisis

When a crisis hits a business, you've got to work hard and fast to mitigate the negative consequences--a process which includes communicating with your clients. In this week's column, Payson Hall reminds us that keeping clients in the know is critical to a successful recovery and will stabilize the clients' faith in you, even when all has failed. Drawing from a recent crisis in which he was the client, Payson gives us key points to consider the next time we are overwhelmed by customers who want to know when business will return to normal.

Payson Hall's picture Payson Hall
Understanding Introversion and Extroversion

Personality differences often pose challenges for people who need to work together. One such difference is that which separates introverts and extroverts. Just by being themselves, introverts and extroverts can drive each other crazy. But they can also benefit from each other's strengths. In this column, Naomi Karten explains this personality difference and helps introverts and extroverts better understand and appreciate each other.

Naomi Karten's picture Naomi Karten
The Test Team Paradox

Successful testers need to be continually critical of other people's work. Yet this critical approach can spill over into other aspects of our work. Therein lies the paradox within every test team. How do we prevent that continual criticality from denting our own motivation and leaving the test team dispirited? In this article, William Echlin helps us look to the bright side of testing.

William Echlin
Going the Distance: Five Tactics to Compensate for Distance on Distributed Teams

Teams communicate quickly and freely when they work in the same room. There's no time wasted walking down the hall, going to another floor, or waiting for a return email or call back. Collocation is the most effective arrangement for teams, but that's not always possible. Esther Derby shares five tactics that help teams compensate for distance.

Esther Derby's picture Esther Derby

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