Software Process and Measurement Cast

SPaMCAST 571 features our essay titled the Art of Saying No.  I recently presented a workshop on saying no -- a simple word that is very difficult to say.  During the session, three specific reasons why participants could not say no generated a huge debate. Today we ask you to decide how you feel about the impact of a history of performance, interruptions, and demands. Feel free to share your opinion.  We will also have a visit from Jeremy Berriault.  In the QA Corner this month, Jeremy provides observations about outside interests and their ability to improve focus and reduce burnout. Jeremy’s outside interests are Jiu-Jitsu and his family.  Jeremy can be reached at or by email at Jeremy.Berriault@Berriaultandassociates.com.  We had planned to have Michael Larsen on the cast this week, however, Mr. Larsen was affected by power outages in the Bay Area of California due to wildfires.  Re-Read Saturday News In this week’s installment of our re-read of we consider Chapter 25, Bernoulli’s Errors. When I first read the chapter I struggled with how Kahneman’s ideas translated to process improvement and change programs.  I was naive enough to believe that the majority of outcomes could be predicted based on the economic outcome. After seeing more than one change program fail even though they could have had a positive return on investment, it dawned on me that the context and preexisting conditions as described in Chapter 25 should play a part in planning for change. Remember, if you do not have a favorite, dog-eared copy of , please buy a copy.  Using the links in this blog entry helps support the blog and its alter-ego, The Software Process and Measurement Cast. ,  It’s time to get reading! The current installment of Re-read Saturday      Next SPaMCAST SPaMCAST 572 will feature our interview with Michael Larsen -- assuming the fires and Santa Ana winds cooperate.  Michael and I will discuss testability. Anyone that has participated in delivering software EVER has wrestled with this problem.  Michael brings fresh and actionable insights into how to assure testability.

SPaMCAST 570 features our essay on the components of good sprint goals. Sprint goals provide direction and energy, and they communicate with the outside world. A sprint goal should be a straightforward statement that a product owner should be able to craft quickly and then agree upon with a team. We provide a structure to keep goals simple and impactful.   We will also have a visit from Susan Parente. In this installment of Susan’s Not a Scrumdamentalist column, we discuss value.  Value is core to many practices, the problem is that value is a very nebulous concept. Susan provides guidance. Continue the conversation with Susan at and visit her company at Re-Read Saturday News And we are back! Kahneman titled chapter 24 The Engine of Capitalism. Optimism, Kahneman's engine of capitalism, convinces entrepreneurs to take risks and start new firms even when statistically most will fail for a myriad of reasons. In addition, this type of bias pushes start-ups to be resilient in the face of adversity.  We are describing a double-edged sword. Long live optimism because with a bit of tempering it is a force that can define the future.  Remember, if you do not have a favorite, dog-eared copy of , please buy a copy.  Using the links in this blog entry helps support the blog and its alter-ego, The Software Process and Measurement Cast. ,  It’s time to get reading! The current installment of Re-read Saturday  -    Next SPaMCAST SPaMCAST 571 with feature our interview with Michael Larsen,  Michael and I will discuss testability. Anyone that has participated in delivering software EVER, has wrestled with this problem.  Michael brings fresh and actionable insights into how to assure testability.

SPaMCAST 569 features our essay on the five types of meetings.  Meetings are the most important event in any organization — well that is what it seems like.  It can also be said that meetings are the bane of every human that isn’t buying or selling something (and that caveat might be an overstatement). Let's put a name on the five most common types in software-centric organizations. We will also have a visit from Jeremy Berriault.  In the QA Corner this month, Jeremy provides observations about the inclusion (and sometimes the lack of inclusion) of QAs in ceremonies such as the Daily Scrum.  Jeremy can be reached at or by email at Jeremy.Berriault@Berriaultandassociates.com.  Re-Read Saturday News We added Mt Hood (last active in 1800s) to our tour of volcanoes so I did not get back on track, but never fear we really will be back next week (unless volcanoes pop up in Midwest…) Remember, if you do not have a favorite, dog-eared copy of , please buy a copy.  Using the links in this blog entry helps support the blog and its alter-ego, The Software Process and Measurement Cast. ,  It’s time to get reading! If you have not, check out the last installment!   Upcoming Events I am doing a webinar on value stream and process flow mapping for The Great IT Professional Organization on October 22, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM EST. The registration link is   The webinar is free!  I hope you have time to be in the audience! Next SPaMCAST SPaMCAST 570 will feature our essay on the components of good sprint goals. Sprint goals provide direction and energy, and they communicate to the outside world. A sprint goal sounds like a simple, straightforward statement that a product owner should be able to craft quickly and then agree upon with a team with relative ease -- in theory.  We will sort it out. We will also have a visit from Susan Parente!

This week in SPaMCAST 568 marks the return of Sandeep Koorse.  Sandeep brings deep insight into the Agile mindset, passion, and experimentation. All three are required for a healthy team. Sandeep last appeared as part of SPaMCAST 511. Sandeep is an innovative leader with over 15 years of experience in helping companies achieve higher results through a careful evaluation of their processes and their technology. Known for determining the metrics and behaviors that promote consistent excellence then sharing those values with colleagues through influence and authority. Recognized by peers for exceptional problem-solving abilities, excellent communication skills, and a passion for the community. Reach out to Sandeep at sandeep@koorse.com Re-Read Saturday News I am hiking volcanoes this week, literally! The 400+ page copy of has not been in my day pack (it is in the luggage). We will be back next week.  Remember, if you do not have a favorite, dog-eared copy of , please buy a copy.  Using the links in this blog entry helps support the blog and its alter-ego, The Software Process and Measurement Cast. ,  It’s time to get reading! If you have not, check out last week’s installment!   Upcoming Events Pacific NW Software Quality Conference will be held in Portland, Oregon beginning October 14th through the 16th.  I will be speaking on the 15th! Register now: https I am doing a webinar on value stream and process flow mapping for The Great IT Professional Organization on October 22, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM EST. The registration link is   The webinar is free!  I hope you have time to be in the audience! Next SPaMCAST SPaMCAST 569 will feature our essay on the 5 types of meetings.  Meetings are the most important event in any organization — well that is what it seems like.  It can also be said that meetings are the bane of every human that isn’t buying or selling something (and that caveat might be an overstatement). Lets put a name on the 5 most common types in software-centric organizations. We will also have a visit from Jeremy Berriault who will bring his QA Corner to the podcast!

This week in SPaMCAST 567  we discuss the impact of herding on work entry.  Herding in decision making effectively takes “no” off the table, leading to uncontrolled work entry. This type of behavior is response-driven and dangerous. We will also have a visit from Gene Hughson to complete his three-part discussion of the solution architect. Today we discuss the solution architect as risk mitigation.  Re-Read Saturday News This week in our re-read of , we have a chapter that needs to be read by anyone ever who has been asked for an estimate… ever.  The chapter title is The Outside View and makes the case for another point of view when estimating. Remember, if you do not have a favorite, dog-eared copy of , please buy a copy.  Using the links in this blog entry helps support the blog and its alter-ego, The Software Process and Measurement Cast. ,  It’s time to get reading! This week’s installment!   Upcoming Events Last call for the Agile Online Summit!  This year’s summit will be held October 7 - 11th --- EVERYWHERE, it’s a virtual conference.  Visit the website to sign-up. The basic conference is FREE. Register now at Pacific NW Software Quality Conference will be held in Portland, Oregon beginning October 14th through the 16th.  I will be speaking on the 15th! Register now: https Webinar on value stream and process flow mapping for The Great IT Professional Organization on October 22, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM EST. The registration link is   The webinar is free!  I hope you have time to be in the audience! Next SPaMCAST SPaMCAST 568 will feature a discussion with Sandeep Koorse.  Sandeep returns to talk Agile mindset, passion, and experimentation.

SPaMCAST 566 features our interview with Christopher Gerg. Security issues can range from clicking on the wrong thing in emails to ransomware and is painful and costly. Security might be everybody’s responsibility however someone needs to lead the charge. Our conversation covered the role of the CISO in today’s organization, security in software development, and cybersecurity in the real world.   Chris’s bio: Christopher Gerg is the CISO and Vice President of Cyber Risk Management at Gillware. He is a technical lead with over 15 years of information security experience. Christopher has worked as a Systems Administrator, Network Engineer, Penetration Tester, Information Security Architect, Vice President of Information Technology, Director and Chief Information Security Officer.  He has experience in the challenges of information security in cloud-based hosting, DevOps, managed security services, e-commerce, healthcare, financial, and payment card industries. He has worked in mature information security teams and has built information security programs from scratch and leading them into maturity in wide variety of compliance regimes. While an expert in the theoretical aspects of information security best practice, he is also experienced in the practical aspects of building secure technical environments – and working with the boardroom to promote executive understanding and support. He also authored the O’Reilly and Associates book Company Website: Email Adress:   Re-Read Saturday News This week in our re-read of , Kahneman discusses when expert intuition can be trusted. A chapter that is germane to all walks of life.   Remember, if you do not have a favorite, dog-eared copy of , please buy a copy.  Using the links in this blog entry helps support the blog and its alter-ego, The Software Process and Measurement Cast. ,  It’s time to get reading!   The installments: Week 1: – Week 2: – Week 3: – Week 4: – Week 5: – Week 6: – Week 7: – Week 8: -   Week 9: -   Week 10:  -   Week 11: -   Week 12: -   Week 13: -   Week 14: -   Week 15: -   Week 16: -   Week 17: -   Week 18: —    Week 19: -    Week 20: -     Week 21: -   Week 22: -   Upcoming Events It is nearly time for the Agile Online Summit!  This year’s summit will be held October 7 - 11th --- EVERYWHERE, it’s a virtual conference.  Visit the website to sign-up. The basic conference is FREE. Register now at Pacific NW Software Quality Conference will be held in Portland, Oregon beginning October 14th through the 16th.  I will be speaking on the 15th! Register now Next SPaMCAST SPaMCAST 567 will tackle the concept of herding.  Herding is a pattern where an individual or team acts based on the behavior of others. Stated very simply, herding is just like the children’s game follow-the-leader. Sounds innocuous?  This type of behavior can lead to work entry problems and other team level snafus!   We will also have a visit from Gene Hughson!

The dates for the third Agile Online Summit is getting close! If history is a harbinger, Tom Henricksen will serve up marvelous content for all agile practitioners in easily consumed chunks. I hope to "see" you there!  Watch the video and then sign up at  October 7 -11th online!

SPaMCAST 565 tackles three ways to mess up sprint goals. Sprint goals are a statement of the value that teams strive to deliver.  It is possible to complete all of the stories or work items only to realize that the team has lost sight of the goal. Alternately, it is possible to meet the goal and not complete all of the stories.  We also have a promo for the Agile Online Summit This year’s summit will be held October 7 - 11th --- EVERYWHERE, it’s a virtual conference.  Visit the website to sign-up. The basic conference is FREE. Rounding out the cast, we have a visit from Jon M Quigley with an installment of The Alpha and Omega of Product Development.  Jon talks about his two new books and product roadmaps. Re-Read Saturday News This week in our re-read of , Kahneman opens with a discussion of a number of studies that show that professional predictions are far less accurate than simple algorithmic predictions. Remember, if you do not have a favorite, dog-eared copy of , please buy a copy.  Using the links in this blog entry helps support the blog and its alter-ego, The Software Process and Measurement Cast. ,  It’s time to get reading!    The installments: Week 1: – Week 2: – Week 3: – Week 4: – Week 5: – Week 6: – Week 7: – Week 8: -   Week 9: -   Week 10:  -   Week 11: -   Week 12: -   Week 13: -   Week 14: -   Week 15: -   Week 16: -   Week 17: -   Week 18: —    Week 19: -    Week 20: -     Week 21: -     Next SPaMCAST SPaMCAST 566 will feature our interview with Christopher Gerg. Our conversation covered the role of the CISO in today’s organization, security in software development, and cybersecurity in the real world.

SPaMCAST 564 is part 2 of my conversation with Steve Tendon and Daniel Dioron.  We discussed their new book . Steve and Danie ask the question “Do you need a high-performance enterprise management & governance approach improving planning, execution, and delivery while dealing with multiple projects, events, stakeholders and teams?”, the book and the interview probes potential answers. In order to answer the question, the three of us take a deep dive into applying Goldratt’s Theory of Constraints in the real world. Listen to part 1 before listing to SPaMCAST 564. Steve Tendon’s Bio With a background in software engineering (in his early career he lead the development of software applications in diverse fields, like banking, health care, legal, human resources, and more), Steve is the creator of the TameFlow ® Approach, a systems thinking approach for creating breakthrough performance innovation in knowledge-intensive digital businesses. The TameFlow Approach has been developed and used with great success since 2003, across numerous industries. Steve holds MSc in Software Project Management with the University of Aberdeen, an MIT Fintech Innovation: Future Commerce certificate with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and an Oxford Blockchain Strategy Programme certificate with the Oxford Saïd Business School. Daniel Dioron’s Bio Daniel has been involved in IT since 1981 in a wide range of roles and responsibilities, primarily in client-facing consulting projects covering the government, banking, insurance, and telecom industries to name a few. Daniel’s involvement with Agile started with Scrum in 2005 and more recently with Kanban and Management 3.0. Daniel is heavily involved with Steve Tendon’s TameFlow method. He is proficient with working expertise in Finance/Accounting/Managerial control (MBA-CPA-CMA), Agility (CSP), Project Management (PMP), Kanban (CKC and CKP) coupled with 38 years in IT (Bachelor studies & career). He loves systems, enjoys measuring improvement while embracing teamwork that actually works! For Tameflow Training, visit  Re-Read Saturday News A few nights ago severe thunderstorms rolled through northern Ohio.  There were lots of power outages and trees that were blown over. The next morning when I went to the grocery store, the store’s systems could not accept debit cards. I immediately made up a story that connected the storms to system failure. As we have seen before, System 1 thinking takes disparate facts and creates a coherent believable story.  No conclusion is too big a jump for System 1 thinking. My story and my belief that I had predicted the most probable cause is an illusion of validity which unless I can get System 2 involved stands a good chance at being wrong even though I believe I am correct! Remember, if you do not have a favorite, dog-eared copy of , please buy a copy.  Using the links in this blog entry helps support the blog and its alter-ego, The Software Process and Measurement Cast. ,  It’s time to get reading!   The installments: Week 1: – Week 2: – Week 3: – Week 4: – Week 5: – Week 6: – Week 7: – Week 8: -   Week 9: -   Week 10:  -   Week 11: -   Week 12: -   Week 13: -   Week 14: -   Week 15: -   Week 16: -   Week 17: -   Week 18: —    Week 19: -    Week 20: -     Next SPaMCAST SPaMCAST 565 will feature an essay on sprint goals. Everyone says they use sprint goals. While I am not convinced, those that do use them often mess them up. We will spend a few minutes straightening them out! We will also have a visit from Jon M Quigley who will bring his column, The Alpha and Omega of Product Development to the podcast!

SPaMCAST 563 is part one of my conversation with Steve Tendon and Daniel Dioron.  We discussed their new book Tame Your Work Flow. Steve and Daniel share deep insights into applying Goldratt’s Theory of Constraints in the real world. After you have listened to the conversation you will never view the flow of work as an esoteric topic.  Steve, Daniel, and I had a wide-ranging conversation, I decided to ignore my own guideline on two-part interviews and let the tape run (metaphorically). We will return with part 2 next week.  Steve Tendon’s Bio With a background in software engineering (in his early career he lead the development of software applications in diverse fields, like banking, health care, legal, human resources, and more), Steve is the creator of the TameFlow ® Approach, a systems thinking approach for creating breakthrough performance innovation in knowledge-intensive digital businesses. The TameFlow Approach has been developed and used with great success since 2003, across numerous industries. Steve holds MSc in Software Project Management with the University of Aberdeen, an MIT Fintech Innovation: Future Commerce certificate with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and an Oxford Blockchain Strategy Programme certificate with the Oxford Saïd Business School. Daniel Dioron’s Bio Daniel has been involved in IT since 1981 in a wide range of roles and responsibilities, primarily in client-facing consulting projects covering the government, banking, insurance, and telecom industries to name a few. Daniel’s involvement with Agile started with Scrum in 2005 and more recently with Kanban and Management 3.0. Daniel is heavily involved with Steve Tendon’s TameFlow method. He is proficient with working expertise in Finance/Accounting/Managerial control (MBA-CPA-CMA), Agility (CSP), Project Management (PMP), Kanban (CKC and CKP) coupled with 38 years in IT (Bachelor studies & career). He loves systems, enjoys measuring improvement while embracing teamwork that actually works! For Tameflow Training, visit  Re-Read Saturday News Part 3 of  is titled Overconfidence.  Chapter 19 begins by exploring several biases that affect overconfidence. Earlier in the book, we explored how System 1 thinking connects events to generate a coherent story.  This chapter begins by building on the attributes of fast thinking by stating that humans interpret behavior as a manifestation of general propensities and personal traits. One of the classic biases that cause this type of thinking is the halo effect. I overheard an example of a negative halo effect this week as I walked behind a group of people in Chicago. The group, tourists, pointed at a person sleeping rough along the river and exclaimed that the person was lazy.  One attribute of the person’s behavior was generalized into a larger narrative. Remember, if you do not have a favorite, dog-eared copy of , please buy a copy.  Using the links in this blog entry helps support the blog and its alter-ego, The Software Process and Measurement Cast. ,  It’s time to get reading!    The installments: Week 1: – Week 2: – Week 3: – Week 4: – Week 5: – Week 6: – Week 7: – Week 8: -   Week 9: -   Week 10:  -   Week 11: -   Week 12: -   Week 13: -   Week 14: -   Week 15: -   Week 16: -   Week 17: -   Week 18: — http://bit.ly/2kAHClJ  Week 19: - http://bit.ly/2lK954p    Next SPaMCAST SPaMCAST 564 will feature part 2 of our interview with Steve Tendon and Daniel Dioron discussing their new book Tame Your Work Flow. Steve and Daniel continue to share deep insights into applying the Theory of Constraints in the real world.