Avsnitt
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Definitions provide several benefits. The first is that once a definition for an object or concept is agreed upon, it is far easier to have a discussion without getting confused. A second and equally important benefit is that definitions provide a platform for establishing attributes that can be used to describe the object or idea. Attributes are critical because even with a definition we need to communicate and measure nuances. Just think if you only had one word to describe rain or hot; a lot would be lost. Today we identify four basic attributes of flow.
We will also have a visit from Tony Timbol who brings his “To Tell A Story” column to the podcast. In this installment, Tony and I talk about agile requirements. They really exist…really!
Re-read Saturday News
This week we began our re-read of Coaching Agile Teams by Lyssa Adkins (SPaMCAST Amazon affiliate line https://amzn.to/38G0ZD3 buy a copy). I am re-reading my Kindle version of the book. The front matter includes Forwards by Mike Cohn, Jim Highsmith, Acknowledgments, Introduction, and a section titled, About the Author. The main body of the book is in three parts comprised of 13 chapters. It is indexed -- useful for reference books! I estimate 16 or 17 weeks to complete the re-read depending on my travel. Note: The Kindle edition of the book has not been updated and will not run on the Paperwhite Version 10 models, so we will re-read it on the iPhone and Laptop -- I did not have a happy chat with Kindle support on this issue. Wake up, Addison Wesley!
Read all of Week 1’s Entry https://bit.ly/3A1aNTe and next week we will cover Part 1, Chapter 1: Will I Be A Good Coach.
Remember to buy a copy of Coaching Agile Teams by Lyssa Adkins and read along.
If you are still catching up on the re-read of Why Limit WIP are are all of the links”:
Week 1: Preface, Foreword, Introduction, and Logistics – https://bit.ly/3iDezbp
Week 2: Processing and Memory – https://bit.ly/3qYR4yg
Week 3: Completion - https://bit.ly/3usMiLm
Week 4: Multitasking - https://bit.ly/37hUh5z
Week 5: Context Switching - https://bit.ly/3K8KADF
Week 6: Creating An Economy - https://bit.ly/3F1XKkZ
Week 7: Healthy Constraints - https://bit.ly/3kM8xqh
Week 8: Focus - https://bit.ly/3PkE0hg
Week 9: Awareness - https://bit.ly/3LBZfIl
Week 10: Communication - https://bit.ly/39Tji7Q
Week 11: Learning - https://bit.ly/38HQNtJ
Week 12: Epilogue and Final Notes - https://bit.ly/3y3LH4M
Next SPaMCAST
Daniel Dorion returns to the podcast next week to talk about his new book, Throughput Accounting - Seeing Money Clearly. Daniel begins the Prologue of his new book with the statement “My aim is to have you think differently and lose your reflexes and cognitive biases that are the fabric of society.” You will have a lot to think about after you listen!
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107 podcasts ago (just a little over two years ago) on SPAMCAST 601 I interviewed Brian Weaver of Torch.AI about leadership. Lots of things have happened since then, a pandemic, Europe in flames again and Torch.AI thriving. It was great to touch base with Brian to talk about how his perspective as a leader has changed. While not needed for this interview, I highly recommend listening to SPaMCAST 601 either before or after.
Brian serves as CEO of Torch.AI and has more than 20 years of experience leading mission-driven, high-growth, technology-focused companies. Torch.AI helps leading organizations leverage artificial intelligence in a unique way via a proprietary enterprise data management software solution. Today, Torch.AI supports clients like H&R Block with fraud detection and mitigation and the U.S. Department of Defense with machine learning-enabled background investigations for all federal employees, supporting the determination of an individual’s trustworthiness and security credentialing.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briangweaver/
Torch.AI – https://torch.ai/
Re-read Saturday News
Completing a re-read is always bittersweet. Today we say goodbye to a friend, Why Limit WIP: We Are Drowning In Work. The final chapter is the Epilogue and interwoven are our final notes. Next week we lay out the logistics for our re-read of Coaching Agile Teams by Lyssa Arkins https://amzn.to/38G0ZD3.
Remember to buy a copy and read along. Amazon Affiliate LInk: https://amzn.to/36Rq3p5
Previous Entries
Week 1: Preface, Foreword, Introduction, and Logistics – https://bit.ly/3iDezbp
Week 2: Processing and Memory – https://bit.ly/3qYR4yg
Week 3: Completion - https://bit.ly/3usMiLm
Week 4: Multitasking - https://bit.ly/37hUh5z
Week 5: Context Switching - https://bit.ly/3K8KADF
Week 6: Creating An Economy - https://bit.ly/3F1XKkZ
Week 7: Healthy Constraints - https://bit.ly/3kM8xqh
Week 8: Focus - https://bit.ly/3PkE0hg
Week 9: Awareness - https://bit.ly/3LBZfIl
Week 10: Communication - https://bit.ly/39Tji7Q
Week 11: Learning - https://bit.ly/38HQNtJ
Week 12: Epilogue and Final Notes - https://bit.ly/3y3LH4M
Next SPaMCAST
Everyone has a set of attributes they use to describe and measure flow. Let's narrow the field to the most important few and start from there.
We will also have a visit from Tony TImbol and his To Tell A Story Column.
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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In SPaMCAST 707 Susan Parente and I discuss the difference between leadership and management in her Not A Scrumdamentalist column. These two concepts are related but not the same.
The votes are in! The next three books for Re-read Saturday are:
Coaching Agile Teams by Lyssa Arkins https://amzn.to/38G0ZD3
Extraordinarily Badass Agile Coaching by Bob Galen https://amzn.to/3wJsbtS
Team Topologies by Matthew Skelton, Manuel Pais, and Ruth Malan https://amzn.to/3yXINzo
Re-read Saturday News
This week, we are revisiting (and re-editing) the conclusion of the first re-read to tide you over to the completion of Why Limit WIP. I have been backpacking, glamping, and visiting my father for the past eight days. That in its own right would not have precluded completing our re-read, but I also forgot the power cord for my laptop. Next week we will conclude our re-read of Why Limit WIP: We Are Drowning In Work.
Remember to buy a copy and read along. Amazon Affiliate LInk: https://amzn.to/36Rq3p5
Previous Entries
Week 1: Preface, Foreword, Introduction, and Logistics – https://bit.ly/3iDezbp
Week 2: Processing and Memory – https://bit.ly/3qYR4yg
Week 3: Completion - https://bit.ly/3usMiLm
Week 4: Multitasking - https://bit.ly/37hUh5z
Week 5: Context Switching - https://bit.ly/3K8KADF
Week 6: Creating An Economy - https://bit.ly/3F1XKkZ
Week 7: Healthy Constraints - https://bit.ly/3kM8xqh
Week 8: Focus - https://bit.ly/3PkE0hg
Week 9: Awareness - https://bit.ly/3LBZfIl
Week 10: Communication - https://bit.ly/39Tji7Q
Week 11: Learning - https://bit.ly/38HQNtJ
Next SPaMCAST
Brian Weaver returns to the Software Process and Measurement Cast to discuss the impact of AI on business, leadership, and development.
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SPaMCAST 706 features a conversation with Tom Henricksen. Tom makes a strong case that ignoring soft skills will limit your ability to deliver real value. Tom says, "Humans Are Hard, Code Is Easy."
Tom’s Bio:
Tom Henricksen is a problem-solving technology professional. He has worked in various roles in technology for over twenty years. Tom has learned how to solve challenging issues in technology and lead technical teams. He can help you develop those skills too!
URL: codeiseasy.co
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tomhenricksen
Twitter: @tomhenricksen
Re-read Saturday News
The bottom line to Chapter 10 of Why Limit WIP: We Are Drowning In Work is simple (assuming you have been re-reading along): too much WIP interferes with learning. Without the time or inclination to experiment, the best scenario is learning by accident. In Chapter 10, the author discusses how knowledge workers learn.
Remember to buy a copy and read along. Amazon Affiliate LInk: https://amzn.to/36Rq3p5
Previous Entries
Week 1: Preface, Foreword, Introduction, and Logistics – https://bit.ly/3iDezbp
Week 2: Processing and Memory – https://bit.ly/3qYR4yg
Week 3: Completion - https://bit.ly/3usMiLm
Week 4: Multitasking - https://bit.ly/37hUh5z
Week 5: Context Switching - https://bit.ly/3K8KADF
Week 6: Creating An Economy - https://bit.ly/3F1XKkZ
Week 7: Healthy Constraints - https://bit.ly/3kM8xqh
Week 8: Focus - https://bit.ly/3PkE0hg
Week 9: Awareness - https://bit.ly/3LBZfIl
Week 10: Communication - https://bit.ly/39Tji7Q
Week 11: Learning - https://bit.ly/38HQNtJ
Next SPaMCAST
In SPaMCAST 707 it is back to flow basics with a discussion of the attributes of flow. Scott Ambler described two attributes of flow as smoothness and scent. We will discuss.
We will also have a visit from Susan Parente who will bring her Not A Scrumdamentalist column to the podcast.
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In the SPaMCAST 705 we stay with the basics and define the term flow. I recently listened to a conversation where the term flow was used 30ish times in 30 minutes. Each use of the term meant something different. Today we draw a line in the sand to improve communication.
We also have a visit from Jeremy Berriault from the QA Corner. Jeremy and I discussed the mistaken belief that Scrum Master and Coach can be translated to administrative assistant.
Re-read Saturday News
In Chapter 9 of Why Limit WIP: We Are Drowning In Work, the author extols the virtues of transparency. The Kanban board provides a platform for everyone (I am not being hyperbolic) to understand how much work is in process.
Remember to buy a copy and read along. Amazon Affiliate LInk: https://amzn.to/36Rq3p5
Previous Entries
Week 1: Preface, Foreword, Introduction, and Logistics – https://bit.ly/3iDezbp
Week 2: Processing and Memory – https://bit.ly/3qYR4yg
Week 3: Completion - https://bit.ly/3usMiLm
Week 4: Multitasking - https://bit.ly/37hUh5z
Week 5: Context Switching - https://bit.ly/3K8KADF
Week 6: Creating An Economy - https://bit.ly/3F1XKkZ
Week 7: Healthy Constraints - https://bit.ly/3kM8xqh
Week 8: Focus - https://bit.ly/3PkE0hg
Week 9: Awareness - https://bit.ly/3LBZfIl
Week 10: Communication - https://bit.ly/39Tji7Q
Next SPaMCAST
In SPaMCAST 706 we have a visit from Tom Henricksen. We walked about programmers and soft skills… like communication. As Tom says, "Humans Are Hard, Code Is Easy."
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In the Software Process and Measurement Cast 704, we talk leadership with Stuart Leo Founder & CEO of Waymaker.io. One of the reasons I enjoy interviews is that I often stumble across great stories. Stuart’s entrepreneurial origin story includes golf balls, icy Tasmanian lakes, and scuba divers -- I will remember this story until I die.
Stuart is a global thinker in strategy, systems, and leadership development. As the founder of Waymaker.io he has led the creation of Waymaker’s Leadership Curve - a revolutionary way of building clarity, alignment, and remarkable results for any organization.
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/stuartleo
Company Website waymaker.io
Blog waymaker.io/blog-feed/
Twitter @stuartleo
Re-read Saturday News
This week’s chapter of Why Limit WIP: We Are Drowning In Work opens with a quote from The Dalai Lama linking effective self-discipline with awareness of consequences. The chapter, titled Awareness, speaks to me of redemption. Awareness is a precursor to shedding helplessness and ignites the desire to act. I have spent a large part of my career participating, influencing, and/or leading change. Struggle is a common thread in nearly all of these efforts when entrenched leaders push back against ideas that bubble up from teams or other levels of the organization. Whether from fear or myriad other reasons, there are consequences for everyone involved. Learned helplessness, as noted in Chapter 7, or a dawning awareness that there are other possibilities creates an impetus for change. Whether change creates better processes, products, relationships, or changes in the workforce (that means people leaving) boils down to agency.
Remember to buy a copy and read along. Amazon Affiliate LInk: https://amzn.to/36Rq3p5
Previous Entries
Week 1: Preface, Foreword, Introduction, and Logistics – https://bit.ly/3iDezbp
Week 2: Processing and Memory – https://bit.ly/3qYR4yg
Week 3: Completion - https://bit.ly/3usMiLm
Week 4: Multitasking - https://bit.ly/37hUh5z
Week 5: Context Switching - https://bit.ly/3K8KADF
Week 6: Creating An Economy - https://bit.ly/3F1XKkZ
Week 7: Healthy Constraints - https://bit.ly/3kM8xqh
Week 8: Focus - https://bit.ly/3PkE0hg
Next SPaMCAST
In the SPaMCAST 705 we define the term flow. I listened to a conversation last week. The term flow was used 30ish times in 30 minutes. Each use of the term meant something different. Let's draw a line in the sand to improve communication.
We will also have a visit from Susan Parente who brings another fabulous installment of Not A Scrumdamentalist to the podcast.
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In the Software Process and Measurement Cast 703, we wrestle with one of the basics of agile. What is the power of making a commitment? Making and keeping commitments are core components of professional behavior. It is a promise to perform. Whether Agile or Waterfall, commitments are used to manage software projects. They are used to drive the behavior of teams.
We also have a visit from Jon M Quigley who brings his Alpha and Omega of Product Development column to the podcast.
Re-read Saturday News
Chapter 7 is one of my favorites in Why Limit WIP: We Are Drowning In Work. One of the chronic problems I help teams deal with is the perceived need to start everything that comes to them, generating huge amounts of WIP. Many of the items sit in an on-hold status until something else happens. The iron-willed self-discipline of starting is great at creating on-hold items and crap at getting work done. There is a gap in understanding the impact of the consequences.
Remember to buy a copy and read along. Amazon Affiliate LInk: https://amzn.to/36Rq3p5
Previous Entries
Week 1: Preface, Foreword, Introduction, and Logistics – https://bit.ly/3iDezbp
Week 2: Processing and Memory – https://bit.ly/3qYR4yg
Week 3: Completion - https://bit.ly/3usMiLm
Week 4: Multitasking - https://bit.ly/37hUh5z
Week 5: Context Switching - https://bit.ly/3K8KADF
Week 6: Creating An Economy - https://bit.ly/3F1XKkZ
Week 7: Healthy Constraints - https://bit.ly/3kM8xqh
Week 8: Focus - https://bit.ly/3PkE0hg
Next SPaMCAST
In the SPaMCAST 704, we talk leadership with Stuart Leo Founder & CEO at Waymaker.io. Leadership is incredibly important and requires constant attention.
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In SPaMCAST 702, Matthew Stibbe and I talk about the impact of leadership when building a technology-driven business. Mathew shared stories about learning to type, how he has reinvented himself numerous times, and why he blogs at https://geekboss.com/.
Note: I have not edited out the parts of the interview just before I welcome Matthew to the podcast. Mr. Stibbe told a couple of very endearing stories that help set the tone for the entire interview. He agreed to allow me to share them.
MATTHEW STIBBE is a serial entrepreneur, marketing maven, writer, pilot, and wine enthusiast. But not necessarily in that order.
He created marketing strategies, content, and campaigns for clients including Microsoft, Google, LinkedIn, and HP and contributed to Wired, Forbes, and Popular Science.
Currently, he is CEO at Articulate Marketing, a UK marketing agency specializing in the technology sector. Also, his geek credentials are strong. Previously, he was founder and CEO at Intelligent Games, a 70-person computer games company where he designed games for LEGO and produced two games based on Dune.
Matthew also has his commercial pilots license and an advanced wine diploma. (Have you seen the film Somm? Like that!) At some point in the previous millennium, he studied history at Oxford University. These days, he blogs about modern management at www.geekboss. com, about marketing at www. articulatemarketing.com and wine at www.vincarta.com
Re-read Saturday News
This week, we talk about Healthy Constraints in Why Limit WIP: We Are Drowning In Work. Many years (think decades) ago a friend of mine, Danny Bailus, had a cool mini-bike. He rode it around our neighborhood in Howland, Ohio all summer. It was the third coolest (text me the first two) thing that held my attention that summer. That was until Danny decided that it did not go fast enough and removed the governor from the small engine. He removed the constraint from the system and the engine burned out. His father was not very happy, Danny was not very happy, and I was very happy I was not riding it when it happened. In this chapter, Mr. Benson discusses the difference between healthy and unhealthy constraints.
Remember to buy a copy and read along. Amazon Affiliate LInk: https://amzn.to/36Rq3p5
Previous Entries
Week 1: Preface, Foreword, Introduction, and Logistics – https://bit.ly/3iDezbp
Week 2: Processing and Memory – https://bit.ly/3qYR4yg
Week 3: Completion - https://bit.ly/3usMiLm
Week 4: Multitasking - https://bit.ly/37hUh5z
Week 5: Context Switching - https://bit.ly/3K8KADF
Week 6: Creating An Economy - https://bit.ly/3F1XKkZ
Week 7: Healthy Constraints - https://bit.ly/3kM8xqh
Next SPaMCAST
We continue on the basics with an essay on Teams and team design.
We will also have a visit from Jon M Quigley who will regale us with tales of the Alpha and Omega of Product Development.
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With SPaMCAST 701 we go back to basics. Whether you call that quick meeting to coordinate the day the Daily Scrum, Stand-up, or a huddle is not material. Daily coordination is phenomenally powerful and useful unless it isn’t. Just making teams meet without benefit is a really bad idea. What else can be done?
We also have a visit from Tony Timbol with another installment from his Tell A Story Column. In this installment, Tony discusses agile requirements. Getting work done in agile is not just user stories and a cloud of dust.
Re-read Saturday News
The chapter of Why Limit WIP: We Are Drowning In Work this week is titled, Creating An Economy. In the past decade, certain words have become toxic. Words like process, waterfall, and output have become taboo in certain corners of software-related industries. Add the word productivity to the mix and many people would grab torches and pitchforks. The vilification of these words (or any words – it is sort of like burning books in my mind) makes it difficult to talk about systemic improvement. As a Kanban practitioner, I focus on flow. But not just flow, I advise my clients that they should keep their eye on continuously improving the flow. Continuous improvement yields better outcomes. Organizations, teams, and individuals that overextend and exceed their WIP limit are not improving their delivery of outcomes but rather in Jim Benson’s words “disrespecting your ability to create amazing things.” More bluntly they are neither effective nor efficient.
Remember to buy a copy and read along. Amazon Affiliate LInk: https://amzn.to/36Rq3p5
Previous Entries
Week 1: Preface, Foreword, Introduction, and Logistics – https://bit.ly/3iDezbp
Week 2: Processing and Memory – https://bit.ly/3qYR4yg
Week 3: Completion - https://bit.ly/3usMiLm
Week 4: Multitasking - https://bit.ly/37hUh5z
Week 5: Context Switching - https://bit.ly/3K8KADF
Week 6: Creating An Economy - https://bit.ly/3F1XKkZ
Next SPaMCAST
Next week, Matthew Stibbe and I talk about the impact of leadership when building a technology-driven business.
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SPaMCAST 700 features our interview with Slater Victoroff. Slater suggests that what we think of as AI today will be overtaken by human-machine partnerships. He uses the metaphor of a bionic arm. AI is the future and that future is not very far away.
Slater Victoroff is the Founder and CTO of indico data solutions, an Enterprise AI solution for unstructured content with an emphasis on text and NLP. He has been building machine learning solutions for startups, governments, and Fortune 100 companies for the past 5 years and is a frequent speaker at AI conferences.
linkedin.com/in/slatervictoroff
Twitter: @sl8rv
Website: https://indicodata.ai/
Re-read Saturday News
The chapters of Why Limit WIP: We Are Drowning In Work this week and last are interrelated. Last week we focused on multitasking. For those with a short memory, human multitasking is in the same category as unicorns and shiny vampires: a fun concept but dangerous to believe in. This week we deal with context switching. Because humans don’t have multiple cores and processors instead of multitasking we bounce between things. Each bounce requires shifting context – this takes time and effort. Remember that the author established earlier that things that are not done are sitting in the back of your mind sucking up capacity and an occasional conscious thought (another contest switch).
Remember to buy a copy and read along. Amazon Affiliate LInk: https://amzn.to/36Rq3p5
Previous Entries
Week 1: Preface, Foreword, Introduction, and Logistics – https://bit.ly/3iDezbp
Week 2: Processing and Memory – https://bit.ly/3qYR4yg
Week 3: Completion - https://bit.ly/3usMiLm
Week 4: Multitasking - https://bit.ly/37hUh5z
Week 5: Context Switching - https://bit.ly/3K8KADF
Next SPaMCAST
Back to basics, whether you call that quick meeting to coordinate the day the Daily Scrum, Stand-up or a huddle is not material. Daily coordination is phenomenally powerful and useful unless it isn’t. Just making teams meet without benefit is a really bad idea. What else can be done?
We will also have a visit from Tony Timbol with another installment from his Tell A Story Column.
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This week we feature our interview with Eric Daimler, PhD. Eric and I discussed how AI can unlock the potential of humanity.
Dr. Eric Daimler is an authority in Artificial Intelligence with over 20 years of experience in the field as an entrepreneur, executive, investor, technologist, and policy advisor. Daimler has co-founded six technology companies that have done pioneering work in fields ranging from software systems to statistical arbitrage.
Daimler is the author of the forthcoming book "The Coming Composability: The roadmap for using technology to solve society’s biggest problems." A frequent speaker, lecturer, and commentator, he works to empower communities and citizens to leverage AI for a more sustainable, secure, and prosperous future.
As a Presidential Innovation Fellow during the Obama Administration, Daimler helped drive the agenda for U.S. leadership in research, commercialization, and public adoption of AI. He has also served as Assistant Dean and Assistant Professor of Software Engineering in Carnegie Mellon’s School of Computer Science. His academic research focuses on the intersection of Machine Learning, Computational Linguistics, and Network Science (Graph Theory). He has a specialization in public policy and economics, helped launch Carnegie Mellon’s Silicon Valley Campus, and founded its Entrepreneurial Management program.
A frequent keynote speaker, he has presented at venues including the engineering schools of MIT, Stanford, and Harvard. Daimler studied at Stanford University, the University of Washington-Seattle, and Carnegie Mellon University, where he earned his PhD in its School of Computer Science.
Contact Information
Twitter: @ead
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ericdaimler
Website: http://www.conexus.com/
Re-read Saturday News
Multitasking is the first or second greatest LIE in the modern business world. The best description of multitasking would include thrash, waste, and hubris. The problem is that EVERYONE thinks they are special and can multitask their way to the effective delivery of value. Chapter 3 of Why Limit WIP: We Are Drowning In Work blasts away at multitasking (another take on the topic from 2015: Multitasking Yourself Away From Efficiency | Software Process and Measurement https://bit.ly/37XmrSY). Multitasking is bad, don’t do it.
Remember to buy a copy and read along. Amazon Affiliate LInk: https://amzn.to/36Rq3p5
Previous Entries
Week 1: Preface, Foreword, Introduction, and Logistics – https://bit.ly/3iDezbp
Week 2: Processing and Memory – https://bit.ly/3qYR4yg
Week 3: Completion - https://bit.ly/3usMiLm
Week 4: Multitasking - https://bit.ly/37hUh5z
Upcoming Events:
Final Call! Free Webinar
When Prioritization Goes Bad
https://www.greatpro.org/Webinar-Live-Register?id=1954
April 19, 2022 11 AM EDT to 1230 EDT
Next SPaMCAST
Next week for SPaMCAST 700 we will feature our interview with Slater Victoroff. Slater presents an alternate definition for AI. Compare and contrast to Dr. Daimler’s definition?
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This week Susan Parente and I had an extraordinary conversation about team leads in agile and leadership. In some cases, the role of a team leader is treated as if it were superfluous to requirements in other cases it is a tool to delegate work to people in an effort to subvert self-organization and when organizations get it right the role is a vehicle to unlocking the capabilities of teams.
Contact Susan at [email protected] or on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/susanparente
Re-read Saturday News
Week 3 of our re-read of Why Limit WIP: We Are Drowning In Work by Jim Benson talks about the thrill of getting things done. People with a lot of WIP look for more work, things they can grab and complete to feel good about themselves. I am as guilty as anyone else. Sometimes when items on my shortlist get stuck instead of breaking the items down into smaller chunks to progress the work I will grab a less valuable task and just do it so I can check something off. Susan Parente, who you just heard from in one of her great “Not A Scrumdamentalist” podcast columns described the same scenario.
Remember to buy a copy and read along. Amazon Affiliate LInk: https://amzn.to/36Rq3p5
Previous Entries
Week 1: Preface, Foreword, Introduction, and Logistics – https://bit.ly/3iDezbp
Week 2: Processing and Memory – https://bit.ly/3qYR4yg
Week 3: Completion - https://bit.ly/3usMiLm
Upcoming Events:
Free Webinar
When Prioritization Goes Bad
https://www.greatpro.org/Webinar-Live-Register?id=1954
April 19, 2022 11 AM EDT to 1230 EDT
Special Call to Action
If you are a team lead I need your help! I believe the TL role is the least understood and least talked about in agile. It is time to change that. I am working on testing a model of TL behaviors in agile. I need examples of REAL TL job descriptions to map into the model. The glittering generalities that you find on the web don’t match what really happens in the real world. I do not need anything sensitive like salary or product details. I will happily share the first cut of the model with anyone that helps and sponsor a virtual meeting to discuss the model with all participants.
If you have a TL job description you can share please email me at [email protected]
Next SPaMCAST
Next week we will feature our interview with Matthew Stibbe. Matt and I discussed how leadership (or the lack thereof) contributes to projects in wide a range of environments (software and marketing).
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This week we talked with Jardena London. We discussed her book Cultivating Transformations - A Leader's Guide to Connecting the Soulful and the Practical. Being soulful sounds fluffy, but isn’t. It is critical for delivering lasting change.
Jardena is a Business Transformation Consultant, Author, Keynote Speaker, and a Certified Facilitator of Dare to Lead; Brene Brown’s groundbreaking training program for organizations based on creating courageous workplaces. Jardena is also the Founder of [email protected] which is focusing on leading a movement to create workplaces that nourish our souls and exude positive energy.
Her recent book, “Cultivating Transformations: A Leader’s Guide to Connecting the Soulful and the Practical” has been described as “the book you buy and carry around with you everywhere.”
Her most recent successes have been transforming a large legacy organization into a modern workplace with breakout results. She also speaks at corporate events and on stages worldwide on the positive effects of organizational transformation. Jardena has also served as co-founder and CEO of Rosetta Technology Group since 1997.
Websites and Contact Information
Cultivatingtransformations.com
rosettaagile.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jardena/
Upcoming Events:
Free Webinar
When Prioritization Goes Bad
https://www.greatpro.org/Webinar-Live-Register?id=1954
April 19, 2022 11 AM EDT to 1230 EDT
Special Call to Action
If you are a team lead I need your help! I believe the TL role is the least understood and least talked about in agile. It is time to change that. I am working on testing a model of TL behaviors in agile. I need examples of REAL TL job descriptions to map into the model. The glittering generalities that you find on the web don’t match what really happens in the real world. I do not need anything sensitive like salary or product details. I will happily share the first cut of the model with anyone that helps and sponsor a virtual meeting to discuss the model with all participants.
If you have TL job description you can share please email me at [email protected]
Next SPaMCAST
We are finally going to tackle the difference between prioritization and sequencing. Sequencing is the forgotten cousin of prioritization, HOWEVER, just because you know the priority isn’t enough because if you don't get the order right value will be lost.
We will also have a visit from Susan “Not A Scrumdamentalist” Parente.
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We began the Re-Read Saturday feature in 2014 with a re-read of John Kotter’s classic Leading Change. The list of books we have re-read is quite long -- I am going to have to create a list. All that said, last week a person that regularly comments on the podcast indicated they really did not know what Re-Read Saturday was all about. So today to commemorate spring in the northern hemisphere (and the fact that it snowed) and the kick-off of the latest re-read (Why Limit WIP by Jim Benson) I am going to share an audio version of this week's entry. As we always say, buy a copy of the book and read Jim Benson’s Why Limit WiP (buy a copy using our Amazon Affiliate link https://amzn.to/3u6Feml get reading) along with us.
The written version: https://bit.ly/3iDezbp
This week we also have a visit from Jeremy Berriault, who brings his QA Corner to the podcast. Jeremy and I explored the difference between relative and absolute time.
Upcoming Events:
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Next SPaMCAST
Next week we will talk with Jardena London. We will discuss her book Cultivating Transformations - A Leader's Guide to Connecting the Soulful and the Practical. We will also explore why being soulful in the workplace is critical for facilitating change.
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This week we talk to Julianna Lamb, co-founder and CTO at Stytch about agile in start-ups, hybrid working, how to keep a product backlog under control, grow a business in the early 2020’s, and more.
Julianna is the Co-Founder and CTO of Stytch, a platform for user infrastructure and passwordless authentication. She was previously a software engineer at Strava and Plaid and an early product hire at Very Good Security.
Originally from Idaho, Julianna studied computer science and history at Stanford. A former professional figure skater, she started racing triathlons in college and is now an Ironman triathlete.
Contact Data:
Website: https://stytch.com/
Twitter: juliannaelamb
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/juliannaelamb
Re-Read Saturday News
Today we complete our re-read of Agile Conversations by Douglas Squirrel and Jeffrey Fredrick touching on the Conclusion, Further Resources, and our concluding notes. Next week we will begin re-reading Jim Benson’s Why Limit WiP (buy a copy using our Amazon Affiliate link https://amzn.to/3u6Feml get reading) as we run a poll to select the next of books for the series.
Agile Conversations: https://amzn.to/3vEjr55
Previous Installments:
Week 1: Logistics and Introduction - https://bit.ly/3EZspxT
Week 2: Escaping The Software Factory - https://bit.ly/3HIlivg
Week 3: Improving Your Conversations - https://bit.ly/3ty0nYe
Week 4: The Trust Conversation - https://bit.ly/3ApUrSk
Week 5 The Fear Conversation (Part 1) - https://bit.ly/3gahSpt
Week 6 The Fear Conversation (Part 2) - https://bit.ly/34lLON4
Week 7 The Why Conversation (Part 1) - https://bit.ly/3Jg6KE2
Week 8 The Why Conversation (Part 2) – https://bit.ly/34YAsPc
Week 9 The Commitment Conversation - https://bit.ly/3pmaooj
Week 10 The Accountability Conversation - https://bit.ly/3KCJXD1
Week 11 Conclusion and More - https://bit.ly/3wlGSn8
Next SPaMCAST
Next week, are sequencing and prioritization different sides to the same coin or are they different coins entirely. Is a keystone topic when wrestling with work entry.
We will also have a visit from Jeremy Berriault and the QA Corner.
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Organizational design often collides with getting work done; generating friction that causes all manner of problems. No one goes out of their way to make things difficult, however poor operating metaphors and one size fits all solutions are never optimal. There is a way for agile and team leaders to coexist, but can you take that path?
Also this week, Jon M Quigley and his Alpha and Omega of Product Development column make time for the cast. In this installment, we talk about time (including a few time-related puns).
Re-Read Saturday News
The accountability conversation is the fifth and last conversation addressed in our re-read of Agile Conversations by Douglas Squirrel and Jeffrey Fredrick. In Chapter 7 the authors define accountability as “being obligated to render an account of what you have done and why.” Next week we will cover the conclusions and some final thoughts. Then we will have a quick interlude re-reading Jim Benson’s Why Limit WiP while we run a poll to select the next books.
https://amzn.to/3vEjr55
Week 1: Logistics and Introduction - https://bit.ly/3EZspxT
Week 2: Escaping The Software Factory - https://bit.ly/3HIlivg
Week 3: Improving Your Conversations - https://bit.ly/3ty0nYe
Week 4: The Trust Conversation - https://bit.ly/3ApUrSk
Week 5 The Fear Conversation (Part 1) - https://bit.ly/3gahSpt
Week 6 The Fear Conversation (Part 2) - https://bit.ly/34lLON4
Week 7 The Why Conversation (Part 1) - https://bit.ly/3Jg6KE2
Week 8 The Why Conversation (Part 2) – https://bit.ly/34YAsPc
Week 9 The Commitment Conversation - https://bit.ly/3pmaooj
Week 10 The Accountability Conversation - https://bit.ly/3KCJXD1
Next SPaMCAST
Next week, Julianna Lamb, co-founder and CTO at STYTCH. We talked agile, start-ups, security, and more.
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Today we speak with Prateek Joshi. Prateek and I talked about the definition of AI, machine learning, and an approach to using AI in the real world. AI is in your future and it won't be the Matrix or Skywarn (or will it).
Prateek Joshi is the founder of Plutoshift and a published author of 13 books on AI. He has been featured in publications such as Forbes, CNBC, TechCrunch, and Bloomberg. You can visit www.prateekj.com to learn more about him.
Plutoshift: https://plutoshift.com/
Re-Read Saturday News
We had a bit of home repair this week and I did not get the Week 10 of our re-read of Agile Conversations by Douglas Squirrel and Jeffrey Fredrick completed (thanks to Laurie and Todd for use of their condo). We will be back next week.
Buy a copy now! https://amzn.to/3vEjr55
Week 1: Logistics and Introduction - https://bit.ly/3EZspxT
Week 2: Escaping The Software Factory - https://bit.ly/3HIlivg
Week 3: Improving Your Conversations - https://bit.ly/3ty0nYe
Week 4: The Trust Conversation - https://bit.ly/3ApUrSk
Week 5 The Fear Conversation (Part 1) - https://bit.ly/3gahSpt
Week 6 The Fear Conversation (Part 2) - https://bit.ly/34lLON4
Week 7 The Why Conversation (Part 1) - https://bit.ly/3Jg6KE2
Week 8 The Why Conversation (Part 2) – https://bit.ly/34YAsPc
Week 9 The Commitment Conversation - https://bit.ly/3pmaooj
Next SPaMCAST
Next week, we revisit the role of the team lead and the concept of self-organizing teams. Can they co-exist?
We will also have a visit from Jon M Quigley who brings his Alpha and Omega of Product Development column to the podcast.
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In SPaMCAST 692 we discuss Process Improvement as a phrase or perhaps even a mantra. Uttering the phrase evokes all sorts of baggage and cognitive biases that affect behaviors, not always for the better. What are the listeners of the Software Process and Measurement Cast to do?
We also have a visit from Tony TImbol who brings his “To Tell A Story” column to the Podcast. We dive headlong into the tangled world of user stories and agile requirements. Tony also announces his new ebook on agile requirements.
Get your own copy! https://bit.ly/3plyiAu
Re-Read Saturday News
Week 9 of our re-read of Agile Conversations by Douglas Squirrel and Jeffrey Fredrick is about commitment. Over the years I have observed that there are some people who are very committed to adopting a new way of working, some people that pay lip service, and others who flat-out resist. This is obviously a continuum.
Update on last week’s experiment:
I was not able to leverage the concepts of joint design directly. I did use coherence busting techniques again (we are back to situational context). I am going to try again this week and I am also going to experiment with calculating the ratio of defined important words to total important words in conversations that people are trying to generate commitment.
Amazon Affiliate Link https://amzn.to/3vEjr55
Week 1: Logistics and Introduction - https://bit.ly/3EZspxT
Week 2: Escaping The Software Factory - https://bit.ly/3HIlivg
Week 3: Improving Your Conversations - https://bit.ly/3ty0nYe
Week 4: The Trust Conversation - https://bit.ly/3ApUrSk
Week 5 The Fear Conversation (Part 1) - https://bit.ly/3gahSpt
Week 6 The Fear Conversation (Part 2) - https://bit.ly/34lLON4
Week 7 The Why Conversation (Part 1) - https://bit.ly/3Jg6KE2
Week 8 The Why Conversation (Part 2) – https://bit.ly/34YAsPc
Week 9 The Commitment Conversation - https://bit.ly/3pmaooj
Next SPaMCAST
More AI with a conversation with Prateek Joshi. Mr. Joshi and I talked about the definition of AI, machine learning, and how to test AI (this was just the tip of the iceberg). AI is in your future and it won't be the Matrix or Skywarn (or will it).
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In SPaMCAST 69, Kevin McKeel talks about using neurolinguistics to aid in software estimation tools. Is this the end of the world for the software estimating profession or the beginning of a golden age? Probably both, listen and draw your own conclusions.
Kevin’s Bio
Mr. Kevin McKeel has over 25 years of experience in software cost estimation. He is a CCEA and SAFe Architect and received the prestigious 2021 Technical Achievement of the Year award from ICEAA related to the research of automated software sizing using AI and NLP. Mr. McKeel holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration (Finance, ‘89) from James Madison University and a Master’s in Business Administration (Decision Systems, ’92) from The George Washington University.
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/kevin-mckeel-2457235
Website: logapps.com
Re-Read Saturday News
Week 8 of our re-read of Agile Conversations by Douglas Squirrel and Jeffrey Fredrick concludes our read of Chapter 5 addressing the ‘Why Conversation’. This week we spent time tackling the concepts of joint design and urging organizations to train team leads in decision making. They are not second class citizens
My experiment of the week:
Last week I proposed the experiment of creating a position-interest chart during the week. I actually used the technique to help frame an essay for the Software Process and Measurement Podcast within 12 hours of proposing the experiment. I also used the ideas in the approach to reframing several discussions (looking for the positions behind stated positions) during the week.
This week I will try to find a scenario to apply the concepts of joint design (no eggs will be harmed).
https://amzn.to/3vEjr55
Week 1: Logistics and Introduction - https://bit.ly/3EZspxT
Week 2: Escaping The Software Factory - https://bit.ly/3HIlivg
Week 3: Improving Your Conversations - https://bit.ly/3ty0nYe
Week 4: The Trust Conversation - https://bit.ly/3ApUrSk
Week 5 The Fear Conversation (Part 1) - https://bit.ly/3gahSpt
Week 6 The Fear Conversation (Part 2) - https://bit.ly/34lLON4
Week 7 The Why Conversation (Part 1) - https://bit.ly/3Jg6KE2
Week 8 The Why Conversation (Part 2) - https://bit.ly/34YAsPc
Next SPaMCAST
What would you call a person with little training, a lot of responsibility, and little to no real authority? This is not a Dad Joke. I suggest the answer is often a team lead.
Also, Mr. Tony Timbol is back to talk about user stories in his To Tell A Story column.
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This week we revisit the age-old statements, “I don't want to be measured” and its alter ego, “management will use metrics against me.” While often stated as if they are questions, both are positions. We weave in two recent techniques from our Re-read of Agile Conversations to consider the interests behind the statements
Also, Jeremy Berriault weighs in on the need for testing strategies in agile on this edition of this QA Corner.
Re-Read Saturday News
Week 7 of our re-read of Agile Conversations by Douglas Squirrel and Jeffrey Fredrick begins Chapter 5 addressing the ‘Why Conversation’. Like the ‘Fear Conversation’, we will approach this in two parts; focusing this week on two areas, positions and interests, and inquiry and advocacy. We will tackle joint design next week.
My experiment of the week:
I set out to create a fear matrix – that sounds like a movie title. I failed, BUT more importantly, I was able to use the fear matrix approach as a structure for a retrospective. It worked well. The idea of exposing and mitigating fears shifted perspectives nicely. Interestingly, what was hard was tying the fears and mitigations to an espoused norm. In conversations afterward, it became apparent that it is hard to admit that your behavior is or was at odds with the norms of the team and organization. It will be worth another conversation to make sure the link is clear.
Next week, I am going to explore building a position-interest chart.
https://amzn.to/3vEjr55
Week 1: Logistics and Introduction - https://bit.ly/3EZspxT
Week 2: Escaping The Software Factory - https://bit.ly/3HIlivg
Week 3: Improving Your Conversations - https://bit.ly/3ty0nYe
Week 4: The Trust Conversation - https://bit.ly/3ApUrSk
Week 5 The Fear Conversation (Part 1) - https://bit.ly/3gahSpt
Week 6 The Fear Conversation (Part 2) - https://bit.ly/34lLON4
Week 7 The Why Conversation (Part 1) - https://bit.ly/3Jg6KE2
Next SPaMCAST
Next week Kevin McKeel will visit the SPaMCAST to talk about AI and software estimation tools. Is this the end of the world for the software estimating profession or the beginning of a golden age?
- Visa fler
