Software Process and Measurement Cast

Software Process and Measurement Cast 343 includes two features.  The first is our essay, Commitment, Revisited: Is Commitment Anti-Agile?  We think not!  Commitment is a core behavior for delivering business value effectively. Our second feature is a visit from the Software Sensei, Kim Pries.  Kim reflects on hiring practices for software development.  Among the nuggets from Kim is the reminder to keep in mind that the perfect employee does not exist, and you are unlikely to ever find someone who fulfills every item on your job description.  How does that simple fact impact hiring? A Call to action! Reviews of the Podcast help to attract new listeners.  Can you write a review of the Software Process and Measurement Cast and post it on the podcatcher of your choice?  Whether you listen on ITunes or any other podcatcher, a review will help to grow the podcast!  Thank you in advance! Re-Read Saturday News The Re-Read Saturday focus on Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox’s The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement began on February 21nd. The Goal has been hugely influential because it introduced the Theory of Constraints, which is central to lean thinking. The book is written as a business novel. Visit the  and catch up on the re-read. Note: If you don’t have a copy of the book, buy one.  If you use the link below it will support the Software Process and Measurement blog and podcast.  or  Our next re-read is  Get a copy now and start reading!We will start in 4 weeks! Upcoming Events 2015 ICEAA PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING WORKSHOPJune 9 – 12San Diego, Californiahttp://www.iceaaonline.com/2519-2/I will be speaking on June 10.  My presentation is titled “Agile Estimation Using Functional Metrics.” Let me know if you are attending! Also upcoming conferences I will be involved in include and SQTM in September. More on these great conferences next week. Next SPaMCast The next Software Process and Measurement Cast will feature our conversation with Susan Parente.  We talked about Agile risk management.  If you do not have a plan to address risk, you are asking for risk to transform into pain for you and everyone around you. Shameless Ad for my book!  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.” Support SPaMCAST by buying the book . Available in English and Chinese._

Software Process and Measurement Cast 342 features our interview with Ellen Gottesdiener and Mary Gorman.  We discussed their great book, Discover to Deliver: Agile Product Planning and Analysis, requirements and Agile.  Ellen and Mary provided penetrating insight into how to work with requirements in an Agile environment, from discovery to delivery and beyond. This is the second time Ellen, Mary and I talked Agile requirements.  After listening to this interview turn back the hands of time and listen to . Ellen Gottesdiener is an internationally recognized leader in the convergence of agile + requirements + product management + project management. She is founder and principal of , which helps organizations adapt how they collaborate to improve business outcomes. Ellen’s passion is helping people use modern product requirements practices to build valued products and great teams. She provides coaching, training, and facilitates discovery and planning workshops across diverse industries. Ellen is a world-renowned writer, speaker, and presenter. Her most recent book, co-authored with Mary Gorman, is . Ellen is author of two other acclaimed books:  and . Here’s where you digitally connect with Ellen:  |  |  |  Mary Gorman, a leader in business analysis and requirements, is Vice President of Quality & Delivery at . Mary coaches product teams, facilitates discovery workshops, and trains stakeholders in collaborative practices essential for defining high-value products. She speaks and writes for the agile, business analysis, and project management communities. Mary is co-author with Ellen Gottesdiener of Discover to Deliver: Agile Product Planning and Analysis.    A Certified Business Analysis Professional™, Mary helped develop the IIBA®’s A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® and certification exam. She also served on the task force that created the PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline. You can reach Mary via:  |  Call to action! Reviews of the podcast help to attract new listeners.  Can you write a review of the Software Process and Measurement Cast and post it on the podcatcher of your choice?  Whether you listen on ITunes or any other podcatcher, a review will help to grow the podcast!  Thank you in advance! Re-Read Saturday News The Re-Read Saturday focus on Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox’s The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement began on February 21nd. The Goal has been hugely influential because it introduced the Theory of Constraints, which is central to lean thinking. The book is written as a business novel. Visit the  and catch up on the re-read. Note: If you don’t have a copy of the book, buy one.  If you use the link below it will support the Software Process and Measurement blog and podcast.  or  Next up on Re-Read Saturday:  Get a copy now and start reading! Upcoming Events 2015 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING WORKSHOPJune 9 – 12San Diego, Californiahttp://www.iceaaonline.com/2519-2/I will be speaking on June 10.  My presnetaiton is titled “Agile Estimation Using Functional Metrics.” Let me know if you are attending! Also upcoming conferences I will be involved in include and SQTM in September, BIFPUG in November. More on these great conferences next week. Next SPaMCast The next Software Process and Measurement Cast will feature our essay on Commitment, Part 2. Is commitment anti-Agile?  We think not!  Commitment is a core behavior for effective Agile! Shameless Ad for my book!  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.” Support SPaMCAST by buying the book . Available in English and Chinese.

Software Process and Measurement Cast 341 features our essay titled Agile Team Decision Making. Team-based decision-making requires mechanisms and prerequisites for creating consensus among team members. The prerequisites are a decision to be made, trust, knowledge and the tools to make a decision. No one should assume that that team members have the required tools and techniques in their arsenal to effectively make decisions. Remember: Jo Ann Sweeney, author of the Explaining Change column, is running her annual Worth Working Summit.  Please visit  Call to action! Reviews of the Podcast help to attract new listeners.  Can you write a review of the Software Process and Measurement Cast and post it on the podcatcher of your choice?  Whether you listen on ITunes or any other podcatcher, a review will help to grow the podcast!  Thank you in advance! Re-Read Saturday News The Re-Read Saturday focus on Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox’s The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement began on February 21nd. The Goal has been hugely influential because it introduced the Theory of Constraints, which is central to lean thinking. The book is written as a business novel. Visit the  and catch up on the re-read. Note: If you don’t have a copy of the book, buy one.  If you use the link below it will support the Software Process and Measurement blog and podcast.  or  I am beginning to think of which book will be next. Do you have any ideas? Upcoming Events CMMI Institute Global CongressMay 12-13 Seattle, WA, USAMy topic - Agile Risk Management DCG will also have a booth! Also upcoming conferences I will be involved in include ICEAA in June and SQTM in September. More on these great conferences next week. Next SPaMCast The next Software Process and Measurement Cast will feature our interview with Ellen Gottesdiener and Mary Gorman.  We discussed their great book, Discover to Deliver, requirements and Agile.  Ellen and Mary are provided penetrating insight into how to work with requirements in an Agile environment from discovery to delivery and beyond. Shameless Ad for my book!  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.” Support SPaMCAST by buying the book . Available in English and Chinese.

Software Process and Measurement Cast 340 features our interview with Tom Howlett.  Tom is a Scrum Master.  We talked about teams, collaboration and how to effectively be Agile in distributed teams. Tom’s bio: Tom's been building and working with teams that focus on continuous improvement for 15 years. In that time he's written about the difficulties he faced and how he overcame them in over 100 blog posts on "Diary of a Scrummaster", and a book called "A Programmer's Guide To People". He has a strong focus on breaking down the barriers that restrict collaboration (whether remote or co-located) and ensuring the people who do the work can effectively decide how it's done. He's becoming well known in the Agile community through his speaking and running his local group the "Cheltenham Geeks'. His company LeanTomato provides help forming new teams and helping existing ones meet people’s needs more effectively. Contact informationBlog: Twitter: Website:  Remember: Jo Ann Sweeny (Explaining Change) is running her annual Worth Working Summit.  Please visit  Call to action! Reviews of the Podcast help to attract new listeners.  Can you write a review of the Software Process and Measurement Cast and post it on the podcatcher of your choice?  Whether you listen on ITunes or any other podcatcher, a review will help to grow the podcast!  Thank you in advance! Re-Read Saturday News The Re-Read Saturday focus on Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox’s The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement began on February 21nd. The Goal has been hugely influential because it introduced the Theory of Constraints, which is central to lean thinking. The book is written as a business novel. Visit the  and catch up on the re-read. Note: If you don’t have a copy of the book, buy one.  If you use the link below it will support the Software Process and Measurement blog and podcast.  or  I am beginning to think of which book will be next. Do you have any ideas? Upcoming Events CMMI Institute Global CongressMay 12-13 Seattle, WA, USAMy topic - Agile Risk Management DCG will also have a booth! Next SPaMCast The next Software Process and Measurement Cast will feature our essay on Agile team decision making. Team based decision making requires mechanisms and prerequisites for creating consensus among team members. The prerequisites are a decision to be made, trust, knowledge and the tools to make a decisions. In many instances team members are assumed to have the required tools and techniques in their arsenal. In many instances team members are assumed by management and other team members to have the required tools and techniques in their arsenal.  Next week we will explore decision making and give you tools to make decisions. Shameless Ad for my book!  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.” Support SPaMCAST by buying the book . Available in English and Chinese.

Software Process and Measurement Cast 339 features our essay on demonstrations and a new Form Follows Function column from Gene Hughson. Demonstrations are a tool to generate conversations about what is being delivered.  Because a demonstration occurs at the end of every sprint the team will continually be demonstrating the value they are delivering, which reinforces confidence and motivation. The act of demonstrating value provides the team with a platform for collecting feedback that will help them stay on track and focused on delivering what has the most value to the business. Gene continues his theme of microservices.  This week we tackle, “” Gene says, “we recognize lines to prevent needless conflict and waste.” Two special notes: Jo Ann Sweeny of the Explaining Change column is running her annual Worth Working Summit.  Please visit  Jeremy Berriault will be joining the SPaMCAST family.  Jeremy will be focusing on testing and the lessons testing can provide to a team and organization. Call to action! Reviews of the Podcast help to attract new listeners.  Can you write a review of the Software Process and Measurement Cast and post it on the podcatcher of your choice?  Whether you listen on ITunes or any other podcatcher, a review will help to grow the podcast!  Thank you in advance! Re-Read Saturday News The Re-Read Saturday focus on Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox’s The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement began on February 21nd. The Goal has been hugely influential because it introduced the Theory of Constraints which is central to lean thinking. The book is written as a business novel. Visit the  and catch up on the re-read. Note: If you don’t have a copy of the book, buy one.  If you use the link below it will support the Software Process and Measurement blog and podcast.  or  I am beginning to think of which book will be next. Do you have any ideas? Upcoming Events CMMI Institute Global CongressMay 12-13 Seattle, WA, USAMy topic - Agile Risk Management DCG will also have a booth! Next SPaMCast The next Software Process and Measurement Cast will feature our interview with Tom Howlett.  Tom is the author of the Diary of a Scrummaster and is a Scrum Master’s Scrum Master. Tom and I talked Agile and being Agile outside of the classic software development environments. Shameless Ad for my book!  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.” Support SPaMCAST by buying the book . Available in English and Chinese.

Software Process and Measurement Cast 338 features our new interview with Stephen Parry.  We discussed adaptable organizations. Stephen recently wrote: “Organizations which are able to embrace and implement the principles of Lean Thinking are inevitably known for three things: vision, imagination and – most importantly of all - implicit trust in their own people.” We discussed why trust, vision and imagination have to be more than just words in a vision or mission statement to get value out of lean and Agile. Need more Stephen Parry?  .  We discussed adaptive thinking and command and control management! Stephen’s Bio Stephen Parry is an international leader and strategist on the design and creation of adaptive-lean enterprises. He has a world-class reputation for passionate leadership and organisational transformation by changing the way employees, managers and leaders think about their business and their customers. He is the author of Sense and Respond: The Journey to Customer Purpose (Palgrave), a highly regarded book written as a follow-up to his award-winning organisational transformations. His change work was recognised when he received Best Customer Service Strategy at the National Business Awards. The judges declared his strategy had created organisational transformations which demonstrated an entire cultural change around the needs of customers and could, as a result, demonstrate significant business growth, innovation and success. He is the founder and senior partner at Lloyd Parry a consultancy specialising in Lean organisational design and business transformation. Stephen believes that organisations must be designed around the needs of customers through the application of employee creativity, innovation and willing contribution. This was recognised when his approach received awards from the European Service Industry for the Best People Development Programme and a personal award for Innovation and Creativity. Stephen has since become a judge at the National Business Awards and the National Customer Experience Awards. He is also a Fellow at the Lean Systems Society. Website:  Call to action! Reviews of the Podcast help to attract new listeners.  Can you write a review of the Software Process and Measurement Cast and post it on the podcatcher of your choice?  Whether you listen on ITunes or any other podcatcher, a review will help to grow the podcast!  Thank you in advance! Re-Read Saturday News The Re-Read Saturday focus on Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox’s The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement began on February 21nd. The Goal has been hugely influential because it introduced the Theory of Constraints, which is central to lean thinking. The book is written as a business novel. Visit the  and catch up on the re-read. Note: If you don’t have a copy of the book, buy one.  If you use the link below it will support the Software Process and Measurement blog and podcast.  or  I am beginning to think of which book will be next. Do you have any ideas? Upcoming Events QAI Quest 2015April 20 -21 Atlanta, GA, USA DCG will also have a booth! Next SPaMCast The next Software Process and Measurement Cast will feature our essay on demonstrations!  **** Meg June 24 – 29 2013 / / /**** Demonstrations are an important tool for teams to gather feedback to shape the value they deliver.  Demonstrations provide a platform for the team to show the stories that have been completed so the stakeholders can interact with the solution. It is unfortunate that many teams mess them up.  We can help demonstrate what a good demo is all about.   Shameless Ad for my book!  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.” Support SPaMCAST by buying the book . Available in English and Chinese.

In this episode of the Software Process and Measurement Cast we feature three columns!  The first is our essay on the Agile release plans.  Even after 12 years or more with Agile we are still asked what we will deliver, when a features will be delivered and how much the project will cost.  Agile release plans are a tool to answer those questions.  Our second column this week is from the Software Sensei, Kim Pries. Kim asks why is baselining so important. Kim posits that if we do not baseline, we cannot tell whether a change is negative, positive, or indifferent—we simply do NOT know. Finally Jo Ann Sweeney will complete the communication cycle in her Explaining Change column by discussing delivery with a special focus on social media. Call to action! Reviews of the Podcast help to attract new listeners.  Can you write a review of the Software Process and Measurement Cast and post it on the podcatcher of your choice?  Whether you listen on ITunes or any other podcatcher, a review will help to grow the podcast!  Thank you in advance! Re-Read Saturday News The Re-Read Saturday focus on Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox’s The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement began on February 21nd. The Goal has been hugely influential because it introduced the Theory of Constraints, which is central to lean thinking. The book is written as a business novel. Visit the  and catch up on the re-read. Note: If you don’t have a copy of the book, buy one.  If you use the link below it will support the Software Process and Measurement blog and podcast.  or  I am beginning to think of which book will be next. Do you have any ideas? Upcoming Events QAI Quest 2015April 20 -21 Atlanta, GA, USA DCG will also have a booth! Next SPaMCast The next Software Process and Measurement Cast will feature our interview with Stephen Parry.  Stephen is a returning interviewee.  We discussed adaptable organizations. Stephen recently wrote: “Organizations which are able to embrace and implement the principles of Lean Thinking are inevitably known for three things: vision, imagination and – most importantly of all - implicit trust in their own people.” We discussed why trust, vision and imagination have to be more than just words in a vision or mission statement to get value out of lean and Agile. Shameless Ad for my book!  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.” Support SPaMCAST by buying the book . Available in English and Chinese.

In this episode of the Software Process and Measurement Cast we feature our interview with , builder of community builders.  We discussed collaboration, coaching retreats and the future of Agile.  Yves is an Agile thought leader among thought leaders and he shared his wisdom the Software Process and Measurement Cast listeners. Yves' Bio: Yves Hanoulle has taken on almost every role in the software development field, from software support, developer, trainer, scrum master to agile coach. Over the last 10 years, Yves has focused on agile coaching. Yves grows community builders. His personal goal is to make his customers independent from him as soon as possible. Yves is the inventor of the Who is Agile series of books and the co-inventor of the leadership game. Although he co-invented Pair Coaching & Coach Retreats, Yves is not interested in being a rock star coach inventing new methodologies, he rather wants to mix existing ideas like a thought disc jockey, adjusting to the needs of the audience. Connect with Yves at: Twitter: @yveshanoulleLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yveshanoulle Call to action! Reviews of the Podcast help to attract new listeners.  Can you write a review of the Software Process and Measurement Cast and post it on the podcatcher of your choice?  Whether you listen on ITunes or any other podcatcher, a review will help to grow the podcast!  Thank you in advance! Re-Read Saturday News The Re-Read Saturday focus on Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox’s The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement began on February 21nd. The Goal has been hugely influential because it introduced the Theory of Constraints, which is central to lean thinking. The book is written as a business novel. Visit the  and catch up on the re-read. Note: If you don’t have a copy of the book, buy one.  If you use the link below it will support the Software Process and Measurement blog and podcast. If not use the link below and support the podcast at the same time!  or  @stevena510 (Steven Adams) has recommended that the next re-read be Fred Brooks masterpiece The Mythical Man-Month.  I think it is a great idea. Next In the next SPaMCAST we feature our essay on Agile release planning *** MEG june 10 – 15 2013****.  Unless your project consists of one or two sprints and a cloud of dust () you will need to tackle release planning.  It does not have to be as hard as many people want you to believe.  We will have new entries from the Software Sensei (Kim Pries) and Jo Ann Sweeney with her Explaining Change column.   Upcoming Events QAI Quest 2015April 20 -21 Atlanta, GA, USA DCG will also have a booth! Next SPaMCast The next Software Process and Measurement Cast will feature our interview with the builder of community builders, Yves Hanoulle.  Yves and I talked Agile communities, coaching retreats, why the factory metaphor for IT is harmful and the future of Agile. A wonderful interview, full of information and ideas that can improve your development environment! Shameless Ad for my book!  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.” Support SPaMCAST by buying the book . Available in English and Chinese.

In this episode of the Software Process and Measurement Cast we feature three columns!  The first is our essay on the definitions of four critical words.  What do the words effectiveness, efficiency, frameworks and methodologies really mean?  These words get used ALL the time, however they really do have fairly specific meanings.  Meanings that, once understood and used to guide how we work, can help everyone to deliver more value and make our customers more satisfied!  The second column is from Jo Ann Sweeney with another of her stellar, Explaining Change columns.  In this segment, Jo Ann talks about content and a framework to guide the development of content.  Anchoring the Cast this week is Gene Hughson with another of his Forms Follows Function columns.  Gene extends his mini-series on microservices with a discussion of whether granularity is irrelevant.  Lots of content in this installment of the Software Process and Measurement Cast! Call to action! Reviews of the Podcast help to attract new listeners.  Can you write a review of the Software Process and Measurement Cast and post it on the podcatcher of your choice?  Whether you listen on ITunes or any other podcatcher, a review will help to grow the podcast!  Thank you in advance! Re-Read Saturday News The Re-Read Saturday focus on Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox’s The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement began on February 21nd. The Goal has been hugely influential because it introduced the Theory of Constraints, which is central to lean thinking. The book is written as a business novel. Visit the  and catch up on the re-read. Note: If you don’t have a copy of the book, buy one.  If you use the link below it will support the Software Process and Measurement blog and podcast.  or  I am beginning to think of which book will be next. Do you have any ideas? Upcoming Events

In this episode of the Software Process and Measurement Cast we feature our interview with Agile coach Mario Lucero.  Mario and I discussed the nuts and bolts of coaching Agile teams, what is and isn’t Agile and the impact of coaching on success. Mario provided insights on Agile that span both Americas! Mario describes himself as an Agile evangelist (including Kanban) delivering coaching for Agile transformations and Scrum mastery. He performs as a Scrum Master for several teams while mentoring and coaching other teams, Scrum Masters and product owners. Mario is as comfortable advising senior management on the Agile transformation strategy and implementation as he is working with teams. Email: metlucero@gmail.com Twitter:  Blog:  http://mariolucero.cl/ LinkedIn: http://cl.linkedin.com/in/luceromet/en Call to action! Can you tell a friend about the podcast? If your friends don’t know how to subscribe or listen to a podcast, show them how you listen and subscribe them!  Remember to send us the name of you person you subscribed (and a picture) and I will give both you and the horde you have converted to listeners a call out on the show.  Re-Read Saturday News The Re-Read Saturday focus on Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox’s The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement began on February 21nd. The Goal has been hugely influential because it introduced the Theory of Constraints, which is central to lean thinking. The book is written as a business novel. Visit the  and catch up on the re-read. Note: If you don’t have a copy of the book, buy one.  If you use the link below it will support the Software Process and Measurement blog and podcast.  or  I am beginning to think of which book will be next. Do you have any ideas? Upcoming Events CMMI Institute Conference EMEA 2015March 26 -27 London, UKI will be presenting “Agile Risk Management.”  QAI Quest 2015April 20 -21 Atlanta, GA, USA DCG will also have a booth! Next SPaMCast The next Software Process and Measurement Cast will feature our essay on the definitions of four critical words.  What do the words effectiveness, efficiency, frameworks and methodologies really mean?  These words get used ALL the time, however they really do have fairly specific meanings.  Meanings that, once understood and used to guide how we work, can help everyone to deliver more value and make our customers more satisfied!  Shameless Ad for my book!  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.” Support SPaMCAST by buying the book . Available in English and Chinese.