Sun, 19 May 2013
Welcome to the Software Process and Measurement Cast 238 The Software Process and Measurement Cast features my interview with Bram Meyerson. We discussed benchmarking. Benchmarking is the process of knowing yourself and it is the first step in process improvement. Bram Meyerson is the founder and CEO of QuantiMetrics and QVIP. He holds a double major BSc degree in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science and an Honours degree in Computer Science, both from the University of the Witwatersrand. For the last 20 years, Bram has managed and delivered a range of assessment and benchmarking services. In this role, Bram has worked closely with CIOs, IS directors and systems development managers in assessing, benchmarking and optimising their project performance. Currently much of this activity involves the ongoing independent assessment and benchmarking of supplier (outsourced) performance on behalf of IT user organisations. Email: bram@quantimetrics.net Do you have a Facebook account? If you do please visit and like the Software Process and Measurement Cast page on Facebook. http://bit.ly/16fBWV The Daily Process Thoughts is my project designed to deliver a quick daily idea, thought or simple smile to help you become a better change agent. Each day you will get piece of thought provoking text and a picture or hand drawn chart to illustrate the idea being presented. The goal is to deliver every day; rain or shine, in sickness or in health or for better or worse! Check it out at www.tcagley.wordpress.com. Shameless Ad for my book! Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received unsolicited reviews like the following: "This book will prove that software projects should not be a tedious process, neither for you or your team." NOW AVAILABLE IN CHINESE! Have you bought your copy? Contact information for the Software Process and Measurement Cast Email: spamcastinfo@gmail.com One more thing! Help support the SPaMCAST by reviewing and rating the Software Process and Measurement Cast on ITunes! It helps people find the cast. THe Software Process and Measurement Cast is a proud member of the Tech Podcast Network. Listen to the SPaMCAST and othe great podcasts, like Day In Tech History a podcast on tech hitory 365 days a year at http://www.techpodcasts.com/ Next: The Software Process and Measurement Cast 239 will feature my essay on commitment. Committed individuals are the building blocks for building committed teams. While teams are generally required for achieving results in software development, individuals are never optional.
Direct download: SPaMCAST_238_-_Bram_Meyerson_Benchmarking.mp3
Category:Measurement -- posted at: 8:56 PM |
Sun, 12 May 2013
Welcome to the Software Process and Measurement Cast 237 The Software Process and Measurement Cast includes my essay on a few of the issues that can plague stand-up meetings. The SPaMCAST 237 marks the return of Philippe Back with an essay on Information Overload. The Daily Process Thoughts is my project designed to deliver a quick daily idea, thought or simple smile to help you become a better change agent. Each day you will get piece of thought provoking text and a picture or hand drawn chart to illustrate the idea being presented. The goal is to deliver every day; rain or shine, in sickness or in health or for better or worse! Check it out at www.tcagley.wordpress.com. Shameless Ad for my book! Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received unsolicited reviews like the following: "This book will prove that software projects should not be a tedious process, neither for you or your team." NOW AVAILABLE IN CHINESE! Have you bought your copy? Contact information for the Software Process and Measurement Cast Email: spamcastinfo@gmail.com One more thing! Help support the SPaMCAST by reviewing and rating the Software Process and Measurement Cast on ITunes! It helps people find the cast. THe Software Process and Measurement Cast is a proud member of the Tech Podcast Network. Listen to the SPaMCAST and othe great podcasts, like Day In Tech History a podcast on tech hitory 365 days a year at http://www.techpodcasts.com/ Next:
Direct download: SPaMCAST_237_-_Stand-up_Meetings_Philippe_Back_Information_Overload.mp3
Category:Agile -- posted at: 10:50 PM |
Sun, 5 May 2013
Welcome to the Software Process and Measurement Cast 236! SPaMCAST 236 feature my interview with Peter Taylor, Ron Rosenhead and Vicki James's we discussed their new book, Strategies for Project Sponsorship. Sponsors are not necessarily born to the role and unless we want to take pot luck we better understand what makes a good sponsor. Vicki James, PMP, CBAP (Seattle, WA, USA) Peter Taylor, PMP (Coventry UK) Previous Appearances: Ron Rosenhead (London, UK) http://www.ronrosenhead.co.uk/ Appreared on SPaMCAST 152 talking about project management Order the book at http://strategies4sponsors.com/ The Daily Process Thoughts is my project designed to deliver a quick daily idea, thought or simple smile to help you become a better change agent. Each day you will get piece of thought provoking text and a picture or hand drawn chart to illustrate the idea being presented. The goal is to deliver every day; rain or shine, in sickness or in health or for better or worse! Check it out at www.tcagley.wordpress.com. Shameless Ad for my book! Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received unsolicited reviews like the following: "This book will prove that software projects should not be a tedious process, neither for you or your team." NOW AVAILABLE IN CHINESE! Have you bought your copy? Contact information for the Software Process and Measurement Cast Email: spamcastinfo@gmail.com One more thing! Help support the SPaMCAST by reviewing and rating the Software Process and Measurement Cast on ITunes! It helps people find the cast. THe Software Process and Measurement Cast is a proud member of the Tech Podcast Network. Listen to the SPaMCAST and othe great podcasts, like Day In Tech History a podcast on tech hitory 365 days a year at http://www.techpodcasts.com/ Next:
Direct download: SPaMCAST_236_-_Taylor_Rosenhead_James_Strategies_for_Project_Sponsorship.mp3
Category:Project Management -- posted at: 9:00 PM |
Sun, 28 April 2013
Welecome to the Software Process and Measurement Cast 235 Over the past seven years at the end of every interview I have asked "what two issues would you fix and why" or some close variant of that question. In that question each of my interviewees has left thier own mark on how I think about software process and measurement. This week I am continuing with a walk down memory lane with three of the most popular segments from 2010. In SPaMCAST I have also included an entry from the Daily Process Thoughts titled "Grief?" Daily Process Thoughts: Grief? , February 7, 2013 In the States it has become fairly common to find an impromptu memorial where a major traffic accident has occurred. I recently on a hike ran across a memorial to someone’s favorite dog. It has become easy and acceptable to memorialize loss. Kubler-Ross in her book “On Death and Dying” identified five stages of grief which include denial, arguing bargaining, depression and acceptance I would suggest that memorialization reflects acceptance. Change and loss tend to follow similar paths. Memorializing how we worked in the past may well be a reflection of acceptance of what is being done now. As a change agent you do not need to react to every memorialization as a sign of push back. Reflect carefully what is being really said and try to help your organization through acceptance. The Daily Process Thoughts is my project designed to deliver a quick daily idea, thought or simple smile to help you become a better change agent. Each day you will get piece of thought provoking text and a picture or hand drawn chart to illustrate the idea being presented. The goal is to deliver every day; rain or shine, in sickness or in health or for better or worse! Check it out at www.tcagley.wordpress.com. Shameless Ad for my book! Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received unsolicited reviews like the following: "This book will prove that software projects should not be a tedious process, neither for you or your team." NOW AVAILABLE IN CHINESE! Have you bought your copy? Contact information for the Software Process and Measurement Cast Email: spamcastinfo@gmail.com One more thing! Help support the SPaMCAST by reviewing and rating the Software Process and Measurement Cast on ITunes! It helps people find the cast. Next: In the next SPaMCAST I will shift back to standard programming with an interview with Peter Talor, Ron Rosenhead and Vicki James in which we discussed thier new book, Strategies for Project Sponsorship. Sponsors are not neccesarily born to the role and unless we want to take pot luck we better understand what makes a good sponsor. |
Thu, 11 April 2013
Welecome to the Software Process and Measurement Cast 234 Over the past seven years at the end of every interview I have asked "what two issues would you fix and why" or some close variant of that question. In that question each of my interviewees has left thier own mark on how I think about software process and measurement. This week I am continuing with a walk down memory lane with three of the most popular segments from 2011 SPaMCAST 136 - Ginger Levin and LeRoy Ward, Program Management Complexity I have also included an entry from the Daily Process Thoughts titled "Perception." Daily Process Thoughts: Perception, January 25, 2013 A few months ago I arrived at a conference in Chicago a few hours early and spent the afternoon wandering around the downtown area. I love Chicago! There are always new things to see and do. Regardless of my mission, I always try to make time to see the Cloud Gate (the metal bean); rain or shine, hot or cold). Why? Cloud Gate reminds me that regardless of how I try to see things from different angles there are always different ways to see and experience the world around me. Seth Godin, the marketing guru, counsels us to have a bias toward action; to have the guts deliver our products, ideas and processes to market. The advice is sound because without delivering there is no possibility of feedback. Incorporating techniques such as diverse, cross functional teams, short development cycles, incremental deliveries and constant feedback loops into how you deliver process improvements will let you deliver and then gather feedback. In other words use techniques from agile and lean development to change how you improve your processes. Deliver and then stand under your own Cloud Gate and watch, listen and gather feedback from all of the possible perspectives then deliver again. The Daily Process Thoughts is my project designed to deliver a quick daily idea, thought or simple smile to help you become a better change agent. Each day you will get piece of thought provoking text and a picture or hand drawn chart to illustrate the idea being presented. The goal is to deliver every day; rain or shine, in sickness or in health or for better or worse! Check it out at www.tcagley.wordpress.com. Shameless Ad for my book! Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received unsolicited reviews like the following: "This book will prove that software projects should not be a tedious process, neither for you or your team." NOW AVAILABLE IN CHINESE! Have you bought your copy? Contact information for the Software Process and Measurement Cast Email: spamcastinfo@gmail.com One more thing! Help support the SPaMCAST by reviewing and rating the Software Process and Measurement Cast on ITunes! It helps people find the cast. Next:
Direct download: SPaMCAST_234_-_Levin_Ward_Taylor_Sweeney.mp3
Category:Project Management -- posted at: 1:08 PM |
Sun, 14 April 2013
Welecome to the Software Process and Measurement Cast 233 Over the past seven years at the end of every interview I have asked "what two issues would you fix and why" or some close variant of that question. In that question each of my interviewees has left thier own mark on how I think about software process and measurment. Over the next three weeks I am going to share three of the most popular responses from each of the last three years. Today we begin with three segments from 2012 I have also included an entry from the Daily Process Thoughts titled "Transatlantic Crossing." Daily Process Thoughts: Transatlantic Crossing, January 30, 2013 Last year my wife took a transatlantic cruise on the Queen Mary II (Southampton to New York City) with her cousin. The crossing was made on the 100th anniversary of the the sinking of the Titanic and followed the same basic path. While the trip on Barb’s part was last second to fill in for another traveler, the planning required by the Cunard Line to make the crossing and meet the needs of a demanding contingent of guests is awe inspiring. By the way it is hard to conceive of what 14 tons of meat would look like piled up on the dock waiting for the ship to be loaded. Any significant mistake in planning could not only jeopardize the revenues of the Cunard Line but also potentially safety of the crew and guests. Just think of the riot that might happen if there was no milk for people’s coffee! Planning any project requires balancing flexibility so that change can be accommodated and looking forward in an attempt to avoid risk. Barb had to rearrange a number of projects to take advantage of the opportunity. Barb’s planning techniques had to be extremely flexible. Cunard’s planning techniques did not have to be as flexible to deal with the one passenger being switched for another but it did have to show some flexibility. Agile uses techniques that include backlogs, short iterations, feedback loops and re-planning to address in a focus on flexibility and risk avoidance. Other techniques can be leveraged based on your organizations culture however regardless of how you “do it” planning is needed to increase the chances of making the crossing safely. Organizational process improvement programs might not require a plan that calls for 2.5 tons of rice but like a transatlantic crossing you will need to know where you are headed, have a good compass and know when to change direction. The Daily Process Thoughts is my project designed to deliver a quick daily idea, thought or simple smile to help you become a better change agent. Each day you will get piece of thought provoking text and a picture or hand drawn chart to illustrate the idea being presented. The goal is to deliver every day; rain or shine, in sickness or in health or for better or worse! Check it out at www.tcagley.wordpress.com. Shameless Ad for my book! Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received unsolicited reviews like the following: "This book will prove that software projects should not be a tedious process, neither for you or your team." NOW AVAILABLE IN CHINESE! Have you bought your copy? Contact information for the Software Process and Measurement Cast Email: spamcastinfo@gmail.com One more thing! Help support the SPaMCAST by reviewing and rating the Software Process and Measurement Cast on ITunes! It helps people find the cast. Next: In the next SPaMCAST I will continue with the vacation format with excerpts from 2011.
Direct download: SPaMCAST_233_-_Marquet_Rothman_Gottesdiener_Gorman.mp3
Category:Agile -- posted at: 9:00 PM |
Sat, 6 April 2013
Welcome to the Software Process and Measurement Cast 232 The Software Process and Measurement Cast 232 features a column for Kim Pries titled "Introduction To Scrum Planning." The column is based on Kim's experience in both hardware and software. Contact Kim at http://ow.ly/jOzvK I have also included audio versions of three Daily Process Thoughts on planning. The format of the Software Process and Measurement Cast will be a little different through show 236. My intent is to provide a bit of new content combined with some special highlights from years one through six. I will be on vacation in China or recovering. SPaMCAST listeners in China shoot me an email and perhaps we can have a listeners meet up. Daily Process Thoughts: Birthdays, March 27, 2013 Every project has a birthday, whether it is every two weeks or every month. It is an opportunity to remember that we are one step closer to our final goal. The calendar is the most important measuring stick used to gauge progress on any project. Regardless of whether the it is really the most important measure, it is the measure everyone understands and can keep track of. Pay attention to the markers that show that time is passing (sprint reviews, demonstrations or milestones), and let everyone know what has been accomplished since the last important date. Everyone likes a celebration whether it is because of a piece of cake or the demonstration of some tasty bit of promised functionality. Daily Process Thoughts: Feedback and Planning, March 16, 2013 Hand Drawn Chart Saturday The word ‘plan’ evokes many emotions, not all of them pleasant. The root of the problem is a nearly racial memory (I have been reading Jung again) of an intricate project schedule developed before the first requirement was ever collected. The plan even went so far as to promise a delivery date. The knee jerk reaction to what is perceived as over-planning has always been to avoid planning altogether and to trust that feedback loops will guide you to the goal. The problem is that without even the most rudimentary planning, you are just reacting you are guilty of tampering. Paraphrasing a bit, tampering is defined by Dr. W. Edward Deming as changes to the system based on feedback without at least some knowledge of the path you want to take and the capacity of the system. Deming’s Funnel Experiment (changes are made to the system based on single observations of an outcome – see http://www.spcforexcel.com/over-controlling-process-funnel-experiment) proves that tampering with a system without a bigger picture will cause greater variance than if you do nothing at all, and we know how well that works. Having enough of a plan, for example a release plan in Agile, can provide the context needed to reduce variability, or at least saving the variability for the real surprises. Our goal in any project is to deliver value as fast and as well as possible. The right kind of plan and feedback will help stop you from wandering aimlessly. Daily Process Thoughts: Check With Your Carrier, March 13, 2013 You can have a plan, a destination and a ticket and still not get where you want to go. In the end it all comes down to execution. Disasters, big or small, can lay waste to the best plans unless you stay observant and ready to react (some planning and muscle memory also helps). Remember to check with your carrier before you travel to the airport to begin your trip and also, it never hurts to have a clean pair of socks just in case you are delayed. The Daily Process Thoughts is my project designed to deliver a quick daily idea, thought or simple smile to help you become a better change agent. Each day you will get piece of thought provoking text and a picture or hand drawn chart to illustrate the idea being presented. The goal is to deliver every day; rain or shine, in sickness or in health or for better or worse! Check it out at www.tcagley.wordpress.com. Shameless Ad for my book! Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received unsolicited reviews like the following: "This book will prove that software projects should not be a tedious process, neither for you or your team." NOW AVAILABLE IN CHINESE! Have you bought your copy? Contact information for the Software Process and Measurement Cast Email: spamcastinfo@gmail.com One more thing! Help support the SPaMCAST by reviewing and rating the Software Process and Measurement Cast on ITunes! It helps people find the cast. Next:
The next few Software Process and Measurement Casts will continue swtch thing around just a bit with a combination of new content and highlights from years past! I hope that until I get back from vacation that the content in the feed will provide a bit of pleasant surprise!
Direct download: SPaMCAST_232_-_Kim_Priess_Intro_To_Scrum_Planning_Planning_Process_Thoughts.mp3
Category:Agile -- posted at: 11:56 PM |
Sun, 31 March 2013
Welcome to the Software Process and Measurement Cast 231 The Software Process and Measurement Cast 231 features an entry in the Metrics Minute. In the SPaMCAST 231 we tackle burden rate. Burden rate is the tax paid for not having perfect engineering practices. Perfection is ruined by many factors including miscommunication, mistakes, poor processes or management overhead. Daily Process Thoughts! Many of you visit or have subscribed to the Daily Process Thoughts. Others of you have not been introduced yet. The Daily Process Thought is delivering a quick daily idea, thought or simple smile to help you become a better change agent. I am including one of my favorite entries after the essay, to whet your whistle so to speak. Check it out at www.tcagley.wordpress.com. The entry I have included is titled, A Map Is Not Enough! for March 6, 2013. Shameless Ad for my book! Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received unsolicited reviews like the following: "This book will prove that software projects should not be a tedious process, neither for you or your team." NOW AVAILABLE IN CHINESE! Have you bought your copy? Contact information for the Software Process and Measurement Cast Email: spamcastinfo@gmail.com One more thing! Help support the SPaMCAST by reviewing and rating the Software Process and Measurement Cast on ITunes! It helps people find the cast. Next: The next few Software Process and Measurement Casts may well swtch thing around just a bit with a combination of new content and highlights from years one through six. I will be on vacation in China or recovering. SPaMCAST listeners in China shoot me an email and perhpas we can have a listeners meet-up.
Direct download: SPaMCAST_231_-_Metrics_Minute_Burden_Rate.mp3
Category:Metrics Minute -- posted at: 9:00 PM |
Sun, 24 March 2013
Welcome to the Software Process and Measurement Cast 230 The Software Process and Measurement Cast 230 feature my interview with Alex Papadimoulis. We discussed continuous delivery and Dev Ops just to mention a few topics. Great interview on really important topics. Alex is speaker and writer who's passionate about looking beyond the code to build great software. In addition to founding Inedo – the makers of BuildMaster, the popular DevOps platform – Alex also started The Daily WTF, a fun site dedicated to building software the wrong way. You can also find Alex on Twitter as @apapadimoulis. Daily Process Thoughts! Many of you visit or have subscribed to the Daily Process Thoughts. Others of you have not been introduced yet. The Daily Process Thought is delivering a quick daily idea, thought or simple smile to help you become a better change agent. I am including one of my favorite entries after the essay, to whet your whistle so to speak. Check it out at www.tcagley.wordpress.com. The entry I have included is titled, A Map Is Not Enough! for March 6, 2013. Shameless Ad for my book! Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received unsolicited reviews like the following: "This book will prove that software projects should not be a tedious process, neither for you or your team." NOW AVAILABLE IN CHINESE! Have you bought your copy? Contact information for the Software Process and Measurement Cast Email: spamcastinfo@gmail.com One more thing! Help support the SPaMCAST by reviewing and rating the Software Process and Measurement Cast on ITunes! It helps people find the cast. Next: The Software Process and Measurement Cast 231 will feature my essay about burden rate or staffing . . . If staffing you can do it the hard way OR the easy way, it is up to you. If burden rate it will be about a tax on engineering.
Direct download: SPaMCAST_230_-_Alex_Papadimoulis_Continuous_Delivery_DEV_Ops.mp3
Category:Agile -- posted at: 9:00 PM |
Sun, 17 March 2013
Welcome to the Software Process and Measurement Cast 229! The Software Process and Measurement Cast 229 features my essay titled, Act or Be Acted Upon, Revisited.Stephen Covey's book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People has resonated with me across the years. The single most important principle for me has been “act or be acted upon”. I have thought a lot about that principle this week. Daily Process Thoughts! Many of you visit or have subscribed to the Daily Process Thoughts. Others of you have not been introduced yet. The Daily Process Thought is delivering a quick daily idea, thought or simple smile to help you become a better change agent. I am including one of my favorite entries after the essay, to whet your whistle so to speak. Check it out at www.tcagley.wordpress.com. The entry I have included is titled, A Map Is Not Enough! for March 6, 2013. Shameless Ad for my book! Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received unsolicited reviews like the following: "This book will prove that software projects should not be a tedious process, neither for you or your team." NOW AVAILABLE IN CHINESE! Have you bought your copy? Contact information for the Software Process and Measurement Cast Email: spamcastinfo@gmail.com One more thing! Help support the SPaMCAST by reviewing and rating the Software Process and Measurement Cast on ITunes! It helps people find the cast. Next: The Software Process and Measurement Cast 230 will feature an interview with Alex Papadimoulis. We discussed continuous delivery and Dev Ops just to mention a few topics. Great interview on really important topics.
Direct download: SPaMCAST_229_-_Act_or_Be_Acted_Upon_Revisited_Daily_Process_Thoughts.mp3
Category:Personal Growth -- posted at: 9:00 PM |
|
Software Process and Measurement Cast
Interviews, essays, facts and tips about process improvement and measurement in the Information Technology arena!
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
