Software Process and Measurement Cast

SPaMCAST 323 features our essay, “Five Factors Leading to Failing With Agile.” Not all Agile implementations succeed.  There are five categories of behaviors that lead Agile implementations toward failure. Failure due to these behaviors is avoidable if an organization recognizes them before the damage is done AND has the will to solve them. Forewarned is forearmed! We also have a new Form Follows Function column from Gene Hughson. This column begins a three column arc on micro-services and architecture.  We begin with a “Microservice Principles and Enterprise IT Architecture.”  Check out Gene’s blog at . We also have a new Explaining Communication column from Jo Ann Sweeney.  In this installment of Jo Ann’s column she discusses determining relevant and helpful objectives for communication activities as a precursor to getting value from project communication. Call to action! We are in the middle of a re-read of John Kotter’s classic  on the Software Process and Measurement Blog.  Are you participating in the re-read? Please feel free to jump in and add your thoughts and comments! After we finish the current re-read will need to decide which book will be next.  We are building a list of the books that have had the most influence on readers of the blog and listeners to the podcast.  Can you answer the question? What are the two books that have most influenced you career (business, technical or philosophical)?  Send the titles to . First, we will compile a list and publish it on the blog.  Second, we will use the list to drive future  “Re-read” Saturdays. Re-read Saturday is an exciting new feature that began on the Software Process and Measurement blog on November 8th.  Feel free to choose you platform; send an email, leave a message on the blog, Facebook or just tweet the list (use hashtag #SPaMCAST)! Next The next Software Process and Measurement Cast will feature our interview with Charley Tichenor and Talmon Ben-Cnaan on the Software Non-functional Assessment Process (SNAP).  SNAP is a standard process for measuring non-functional size.  As any developer knows, non-functional size can eclipse the functional requirements and therefore a tool that shines a light on that part of software development is useful for analyzing, planning and estimating work. 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

SPaMCAST 322 features our interview with Clareice and Clyneice Chaney. Clareice and Clyneice provide insights and practical advice into how Agile and contracting work together.  The focus of the interview is on contracting and acquisition of Agile testing, however the concepts we discussed can be applied to contracting for any type of service using Agile techniques. Clyneice Chaney brings over 30 years of testing, quality assurance, and process improvement experience. Clyneice holds certifications from the American Society for Quality as a Certified Quality Manager/Organizational Excellence and Project Management Institute's Professional Project Manager. She has participated as an examiner for Baldrige state quality awards for Georgia and Virginia. She is currently an instructor for an International Testing Certification organization and has presented technical papers at the Software Engineering Institute: SEPG Conference, American Society for Quality: Quality Manager's conference, Quality Assurance Institute International Testing Conference, International Conference on Software Process Improvement and Software Test and Performance Testing Conferences. Clareice Chaney has over 30 years’ experience in Commercial and Government Contracting with an emphasis in contracting within the information technology arena.  She holds a PMP certification with the Project Management Institute and is a certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM) through the National Contract Management Association (NCMA). She has presented at the National Contract Management Association World Congress and provided recent collaborations on agile testing and contracting at the Quality Assurance Institute International Conferences. Call to action! We are in the middle of a re-read of John Kotter’s classic  on the Software Process and Measurement Blog.  Are you participating in the re-read? Please feel free to jump in and add your thoughts and comments! After we finish the current re-read will need to decide which book will be next.  We are building a list of the books that have had the most influence on readers of the blog and listeners to the podcast.  Can you answer the question? What are the two books that have most influenced you career (business, technical or philosophical)?  Send the titles to . First, we will compile a list and publish it on the blog.  Second, we will use the list to drive future  “Re-read” Saturdays. Re-read Saturday is an exciting new feature that began on the Software Process and Measurement blog on November 8th.  Feel free to choose you platform; send an email, leave a message on the blog, Facebook or just tweet the list (use hashtag #SPaMCAST)! Next The next Software Process and Measurement Cast will feature our essay on the Attributes Leading to Faiure with Agile. Agile projects don’t work when there isn’t open and honest communication within a team. Problems also can occur when all team members are not involved, or if the organization has not bought into the principles of Agile. Knowing what can go wrong with Agile implementations and projects is a step to making sure they do not happen! We will also have the next Form Follows Function column from Gene Hughson and Explaining Change with Jo Ann Sweeney. 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.

SPaMCAST 321 features our essay on the reasons for success with Agile.  I asked friends and colleagues what they think are the top reasons an organization succeeds with Agile.  The answers were not always what I expected. We review the top 11 factors leading to success with Agile. Listen and share your feedback. This episode also includes the next installment of ’s new column Explaining Change.  Jo Ann discusses whether communication always adds value to a project. Visit Jo Ann’s website at http://www.sweeneycomms.com/ and let her know what you think of her new column. The third segment of this podcast is a new installment of the Software Sensei, where Kim Pries shines light on the area of cloud development. Development for cloud computing is red hot. Understand the nuances that developing for the cloud to enhance your effectiveness! Call to action! We are in the middle of a re-read of John Kotter’s classic  on the Software Process and Measurement Blog.  Are you participating in the re-read? Please feel free to jump in and add your thoughts and comments! After we finish the current re-read will need to decide which book will be next.  We are building a list of the books that have had the most influence on readers of the blog and listeners to the podcast.  Can you answer the question? What are the two books that have most influenced you career (business, technical or philosophical)?  Send the titles to . First, we will compile a list and publish it on the blog.  Second, we will use the list to drive future  “Re-read” Saturdays. Re-read Saturday is an exciting new feature that began on the Software Process and Measurement blog on November 8th.  Feel free to choose you platform; send an email, leave a message on the blog, Facebook or just tweet the list (use hashtag #SPaMCAST)! Next The next Software Process and Measurement Cast will feature our interview with Clareice and Clyneice Chaney. Clareice and Clyneice provide insights and practical advice into how Agile and contracting can work together. 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.

SPaMCAST 320 features our interview with Alfonso Bucero. We discussed his book, . Attitude is an important tool for a project manager, team member or executive.  In his book Alfonso provides a plan for honing your attitude. Alfonso Bucero, MSc, PMP, PMI-RMP, PMI Fellow, is the founder and Managing Partner of BUCERO PM Consulting.  He managed IIL Spain for almost two years, and he was a Senior Project Manager at Hewlett-Packard Spain (Madrid Office) for thirteen years. Since 1994, he has been a frequent speaker at International Project Management (PM) Congresses and Symposiums. Alfonso has delivered PM training and consulting services in Spain, Mexico, UK, Belgium, Germany, France, Denmark, Costa Rica, Brazil, USA, and Singapore. As believer in Project Management, he teaches that Passion, Persistence and Patience as keys for project success. Alfonso co-authored the book Project Sponsorship with Randall L. Englund published by Josse-Bass in 2006. He has authored the book Today is a Good Day – Attitudes for achieving project success, published by Multimedia Publishing in Canada in 2010. He has also contributed to professional magazines in Russia (SOVNET), India (ICFAI), Argentina and Spain. Alfonso co-authored The Complete Project Manager and The Complete Project Manager Toolkit published with Randall L. Englund published by Management Concepts in March 2012. Alfonso published The Influential Project Manager in 2014 with CRC Press in the US. Alfonso has also published several articles in national and international Project Management magazines. He is a Contributing editor of PM Network (Crossing Borders), published by the “Project Management Institute”. Contact Alfonso: Twitter: Website:  Call to action! We are in the middle of a re-read of John Kotter’s classic  on the Software Process and Measurement Blog.  Are you participating in the re-read? Please feel free to jump in and add your thoughts and comments! After we finish the current re-read will need to decide which book will be next.  We are building a list of the books that have had the most influence on readers of the blog and listeners to the podcast.  Can you answer the question? What are the two books that have most influenced you career (business, technical or philosophical)?  Send the titles to . First, we will compile a list and publish it on the blog.  Second, we will use the list to drive future  “Re-read” Saturdays. Re-read Saturday is an exciting new feature that began on the Software Process and Measurement blog on November 8th.  Feel free to choose you platform; send an email, leave a message on the blog, Facebook or just tweet the list (use hashtag #SPaMCAST)! Next In the next Software Process and Measurement Cast we will feature our essay on the requirements for success with Agile.  Senior management, engagement, culture and coaches are components but not the whole story Upcoming Events DCG Webinars: Date: December 18th, 2014Time: 11:30am EST The Software Process and Measurement Cast has a sponsor. As many you know I do at least one webinar for the  (ITMPI) every year. The ITMPI provides a great service to the IT profession. ITMPI’s mission is to pull together the expertise and educational efforts of the world’s leading IT thought leaders and to create a single online destination where IT practitioners and executives can meet all of their educational and professional development needs. The ITMPI offers a premium membership that gives members unlimited free access to 400 PDU accredited webinar recordings, and waives the PDU processing fees on all live and recorded webinars. The Software Process and Measurement Cast some support if you sign up . All the revenue our sponsorship generates goes for bandwidth, hosting and new cool equipment to create more and better content for you. Support the SPaMCAST and learn from the ITMPI. 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.

SPaMCAST 319 includes three segments! The first segment is our essay, Why Are Requirements So Hard To Get Right?  Much of the problems with requirements boil down to people, and while people are not the only factor driving the quality of requirements, they are a critical factor.  Pay attention to how people are being deployed, provide support and instruction and make darn sure the right people are in the right place at the right time. The second segment marks the debut of Jo Ann Sweeny’s new column Explaining Change.  Jo Ann’s first installment tackles the need for defining the impact you expect communication activities to make – knowledge, attitudes, action.  Visit Jo Ann’s website at http://www.sweeneycomms.com/ and let her know what you think of her new column. The third segment features a new entry of Gene Hughson’s column: Form Follows Function.  In this installment, Gene talks about his blog entry,  Gene points out that credibility is a precious commodity that, if squandered, is difficult to recover even when you are correct! Call to action! We are in the middle of a re-read of John Kotter’s classic  of on the Software Process and Measurement Blog.  Are you participating in the re-read? Please feel free to jump in and add your thoughts and comments! After we finish the current re-read will need to decide which book will be next.  We are building a list of the books that have had the most influence on readers of the blog and listeners to the podcast.  Can you answer the question? What are the two books that have most influenced you career (business, technical or philosophical)?  Send the titles to .  First, we will compile a list and publish it on the blog.  Second, we will use the list to drive future  “Re-read” Saturdays. Re-read Saturday is an exciting new feature that began on the Software Process and Measurement blog on November 8th.  Feel free to choose you platform; send an email, leave a message on the blog, Facebook or just tweet the list (use hashtag #SPaMCAST)! Next In the next Software Process and Measurement Cast we will feature our interview with Alfonso Bucero. We discussed his book, Today Is A Good Day. Attitude is an important tool for a project manager, team member or executive.  In his book Alfonso provides a plan for honing your attitude. Upcoming Events DCG Webinars: Date: December 18th, 2014Time: 11:30am EST The Software Process and Measurement Cast has a sponsor. As many you know I do at least one webinar for the  (ITMPI) every year. The ITMPI provides a great service to the IT profession. ITMPI’s mission is to pull together the expertise and educational efforts of the world’s leading IT thought leaders and to create a single online destination where IT practitioners and executives can meet all of their educational and professional development needs. The ITMPI offers a premium membership that gives members unlimited free access to 400 PDU accredited webinar recordings, and waives the PDU processing fees on all live and recorded webinars. The Software Process and Measurement Cast some support if you sign up . All the revenue our sponsorship generates goes for bandwidth, hosting and new cool equipment to create more and better content for you. Support the SPaMCAST and learn from the ITMPI. 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.

SPaMCAST 318 features our interview with Rob Cross.  Rob and I discussed his InfoQ article “.”  Rob provides ideas on how the theory of big data can be incorporated in to big action that provides “ah-ha” moments for executives and developers alike. Rob Cross has been in the software development industry for over 15 years in various capacities.  He has worked for several start-up businesses including his current company, PSC.  These companies have been focused on providing software quality, security and performance data to organizations leveraging state of the art technologies.  Rob's current company has analyzed over 8 billion lines of code as an independent software assessment company on products ranging from military systems, medical devices, satellite systems, video games to Wall Street exchanges.   Rob's email: rc@proservicescorp.com Call to action! We are in the middle of a re-read of John Kotter’s classic  of on the Software Process and Measurement Blog.  Are you participating in the re-read? Please feel free to jump in and add your thoughts and comments! After we finish the current re-read will need to decide which book will be next.  We are building a list of the books that have had the most influence on readers of the blog and listeners to the podcast.  Can you answer the question? What are the two books that have most influenced you career (business, technical or philosophical)?  Send the titles to .  First, we will compile a list and publish it on the blog.  Second, we will use the list to drive future  “Re-read” Saturdays. Re-read Saturday is an exciting new feature that began on the Software Process and Measurement blog on November 8th.  Feel free to choose you platform; send an email, leave a message on the blog, Facebook or just tweet the list (use hashtag #SPaMCAST)! Next Why Are Requirements So Hard To Get Right? IT projects have been around in one form or another since the 1940’s. Looking back in the literature describing the history of IT, the topic of requirements in general and identification of requirements specifically have been top of mind since day one.  Upcoming Events DCG Webinars: Date: December 18th, 2014Time: 11:30am EST The Software Process and Measurement Cast has a sponsor. As many you know I do at least one webinar for the  (ITMPI) every year. The ITMPI provides a great service to the IT profession. ITMPI’s mission is to pull together the expertise and educational efforts of the world’s leading IT thought leaders and to create a single online destination where IT practitioners and executives can meet all of their educational and professional development needs. The ITMPI offers a premium membership that gives members unlimited free access to 400 PDU accredited webinar recordings, and waives the PDU processing fees on all live and recorded webinars. The Software Process and Measurement Cast some support if you sign up . All the revenue our sponsorship generates goes for bandwidth, hosting and new cool equipment to create more and better content for you. Support the SPaMCAST and learn from the ITMPI. 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.

SPaMCAST 317 tackles a wide range of frequently asked questions, ranging from the possibility of an acceleration trap, the relevance of function points, whether teams have a peak loads and safe to fail experiments. Questions, answers and controversy! We will also have the next installment of Kim Pries’s column, The Software Sensei! This week Kim discusses robust software. The essay starts with “Agile Can Contribute to an Acceleration Trap” I am often asked whether Agile techniques contribute to an acceleration trap in IT.  In an article in The Harvard Business Review,  (April 2010) define an acceleration trap as the malaise that sets in as an organization fails prey to chronic overloading. It can be interpreted as laziness or recalcitrance, which then elicits even more pressure to perform, generating an even deeper malaise. The results of the pressure/malaise cycle are generally a poor working atmosphere and employee loss. Agile can contribute to an acceleration trap but only as a reflection of poor practices. Agile is often perceived to induce an acceleration trap in two manners: organizational change and delivery cadence. Listen to the rest now Call to action! We are in the middle of a re-read of John Kotter’s classic  of on the Software Process and Measurement Blog.  Are you participating in the re-read? Please feel free to jump in and add your thoughts and comments! After we finish the current re-read will need to decide which book will be next.  We are building a list of the books that have had the most influence on readers of the blog and listeners to the podcast.  Can you answer the question? What are the two books that have most influenced you career (business, technical or philosophical)?  Send the titles to . First, we will compile a list and publish it on the blog.  Second, we will use the list to drive future  “Re-read” Saturdays. Re-read Saturday is an exciting new feature that began on the Software Process and Measurement blog on November 8th.  Feel free to choose you platform; send an email, leave a message on the blog, Facebook or just tweet the list (use hashtag #SPaMCAST)! Next SPaMCAST 318 features our interview with Rob Cross.  Rob and I discussed his INFOQ article “.”  Rob provides ideas on how the theory of big data can be incorporated in to big action.   Upcoming Events DCG Webinars: Date: December 18th, 2014Time: 11:30am EST The Software Process and Measurement Cast has a sponsor. As many you know I do at least one webinar for the  (ITMPI) every year. The ITMPI provides a great service to the IT profession. ITMPI’s mission is to pull together the expertise and educational efforts of the world’s leading IT thought leaders and to create a single online destination where IT practitioners and executives can meet all of their educational and professional development needs. The ITMPI offers a premium membership that gives members unlimited free access to 400 PDU accredited webinar recordings, and waives the PDU processing fees on all live and recorded webinars. The Software Process and Measurement Cast some support if you sign up . All the revenue our sponsorship generates goes for bandwidth, hosting and new cool equipment to create more and better content for you. Support the SPaMCAST and learn from the ITMPI. 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.

SPaMCAST 316 features a return visit from Dr. David Rico. We talked about the cost of quality and Agile. Does Agile impact the cost of quality? The cost of quality is a measure of the time and cost that is required to ensure that what is delivered meets quality standards. Dr. Rico walks us through the evidence that not only does Agile improve customer satisfaction, but it also improves the cost of quality. Dr. Rico has been a technical leader in support of NASA, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Army for over 30 years. He has led numerous projects based on Cloud Computing, Lean Thinking, Agile Methods, SOA, Web Services, Six Sigma, FOSS, ISO 9001, CMMI, Baldrige, TQM, Enterprise Architecture, DoDAF, and DoD 5000. He specializes in IT investment analysis, IT portfolio valuation, and IT enabled change. He has been an international keynote speaker, presented at leading industry conferences, written seven textbooks, published numerous articles, and is a reviewer for multiple systems engineering journals. He is a Certified PMP, CSEP, ACP, CSM, and SAFe Agilist, and teaches at four Washington, DC-area universities. He has been in the field of information systems since 1983. Contact Dr RicoBlog:  davidfrico.comEmail: Twitter: @dr_david_f_rico Call to action! We are in the middle of a re-read of John Kotter’s classic  of on the Software Process and Measurement Blog.  Are you participating in the re-read? Please feel free to jump in and add your thoughts and comments! After we finish the current re-read will need to decide which book will be next.  We are building a list of the books that have had the most influence on readers of the blog and listeners to the podcast.  Can you answer the question? What are the two books that have most influenced you career (business, technical or philosophical)?  Send the titles to . First, we will compile a list and publish it on the blog.  Second, we will use the list to drive future  “Re-read” Saturdays. Re-read Saturday is an exciting new feature that began on the Software Process and Measurement blog on November 8th.  Feel free to choose you platform; send an email, leave a message on the blog, Facebook or just tweet the list (use hashtag #SPaMCAST)! Next SPaMCAST 317 will tackle a wide range of frequently asked questions, ranging from the possibility of an acceleration trap, the relevance of function points, whether teams have a peak loads and safe to fail experiments. We will also have the next instalment of Kim Pries’s column, The Software Sensei!   Upcoming Events DCG Webinars: How to Split User StoriesDate: November 20th, 2014Time: 12:30pm EST Date: December 18th, 2014Time: 11:30am EST The Software Process and Measurement Cast has a sponsor. As many you know I do at least one webinar for the  (ITMPI) every year. The ITMPI provides a great service to the IT profession. ITMPI’s mission is to pull together the expertise and educational efforts of the world’s leading IT thought leaders and to create a single online destination where IT practitioners and executives can meet all of their educational and professional development needs. The ITMPI offers a premium membership that gives members unlimited free access to 400 PDU accredited webinar recordings, and waives the PDU processing fees on all live and recorded webinars. The Software Process and Measurement Cast some support if you sign up . All the revenue our sponsorship generates goes for bandwidth, hosting and new cool equipment to create more and better content for you. Support the SPaMCAST and learn from the ITMPI. 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.

SPaMCAST 315 features our essay on Scrum Masters.  Scrum Masters are the voice of the process at the team level.  Scrum Masters are a critical member of every Agile team. The team’s need for a Scrum Master is not transitory because they evolve together as a team. In this edition of the Software Process and Measurement Cast we debut a new column.  Gene Hughson brings the wisdom from his  to the SPaMCAST.  Gene appeared on  to talk architecture, people and process.  We are glad to have him back on a regular basis.  This first column discusses the idea that quick fixes might not always be the right answer! The essay on Scrum Masters begins: The difference between facilitating and enabling is at the core of the Agile concept of self-organizing and self-managing teams. An effective scrum master should be a facilitator in a well functioning Agile team. However, when there is a breakdown in a self-organizing and self-managing team, sometimes scrum masters become enablers. This makes scrum masters more like project managers. A facilitator helps to unstick something that has stopped or creates an environment where progress can be made by the team.  An enabler provides the team with permission for making a decision.  For example, I recently watched as a team asked their scrum master if they were allowed to hold an interim show and tell/demonstration to prompt the product owner for feedback. The team saw the scrum master as an enabler rather than a facilitator. Listen to the rest on the Software Process and Measurement Cast! Call to action! What are the two books that have most influenced you career (business, technical or philosophical)?  Send the titles to .  What will we do with this list?  We have two ideas.  First, we will compile a list and publish it on the blog.  Second, we will use the list to drive “Re-read” Saturday. Re-read Saturday is an exciting new feature that bagan on the Software Process and Measurement blog on November 8th with a re-read of . So feel free to choose you platform and send an email, leave a message on the blog, Facebook or just tweet the list (use hashtag #SPaMCAST)! Next SPaMCAST 316 features a return visit from Dr. David Rico.  We talked about the cost of quality and Agile. Does Agile impact the cost of quality?  Dr. Rico walks us through the evidence that not only does Agile improve customer satisfaction but it also improve the cost of quality.  If you are interested in effectiveness, efficiency and quality then this interview for you! Upcoming Events DCG Webinars: How to Split User StoriesDate: November 20th, 2014Time: 12:30pm EST Date: December 18th, 2014Time: 11:30am EST The Software Process and Measurement Cast has a sponsor. As many you know I do at least one webinar for the  (ITMPI) every year. The ITMPI provides a great service to the IT profession. ITMPI’s mission is to pull together the expertise and educational efforts of the world’s leading IT thought leaders and to create a single online destination where IT practitioners and executives can meet all of their educational and professional development needs. The ITMPI offers a premium membership that gives members unlimited free access to 400 PDU accredited webinar recordings, and waives the PDU processing fees on all live and recorded webinars. The Software Process and Measurement Cast some support if you sign up . All the revenue our sponsorship generates goes for bandwidth, hosting and new cool equipment to create more and better content for you. Support the SPaMCAST and learn from the ITMPI. 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 edition of the Software Process and Measurement Cast we debut a new column.  Gene Hughson brings the wisdom from his  to the SPaMCAST.  Gene appeared on  to talk architecture, people and process.  We are glad to have him back on a regular basis.  This first column discusses the idea that quick fixes might not always be the right answer! The essay on Scrum Masters begins: The difference between facilitating and enabling is at the core of the Agile concept of self-organizing and self-managing teams. An effective scrum master should be a facilitator in a well functioning Agile team. However, when there is a breakdown in a self-organizing and self-managing team, sometimes scrum masters become enablers. This makes scrum masters more like project managers. A facilitator helps to unstick something that has stopped or creates an environment where progress can be made by the team.  An enabler provides the team with permission for making a decision.  For example, I recently watched as a team asked their scrum master if they were allowed to hold an interim show and tell/demonstration to prompt the product owner for feedback. The team saw the scrum master as an enabler rather than a facilitator. Listen to the rest on the Software Process and Measurement Cast! Call to action! What are the two books that have most influenced you career (business, technical or philosophical)?  Send the titles to .  What will we do with this list?  We have two ideas.  First, we will compile a list and publish it on the blog.  Second, we will use the list to drive “Re-read” Saturday. Re-read Saturday is an exciting new feature that bagan on the Software Process and Measurement blog on November 8th with a re-read of . So feel free to choose you platform and send an email, leave a message on the blog, Facebook or just tweet the list (use hashtag #SPaMCAST)! Next SPaMCAST 316 features a return visit from Dr. David Rico.  We talked about the cost of quality and Agile. Does Agile impact the cost of quality?  Dr. Rico walks us through the evidence that not only does Agile improve customer satisfaction but it also improve the cost of quality.  If you are interested in effectiveness, efficiency and quality then this interview for you! Upcoming Events DCG Webinars: How to Split User StoriesDate: November 20th, 2014Time: 12:30pm EST Date: December 18th, 2014Time: 11:30am EST The Software Process and Measurement Cast has a sponsor. As many you know I do at least one webinar for the  (ITMPI) every year. The ITMPI provides a great service to the IT profession. ITMPI’s mission is to pull together the expertise and educational efforts of the world’s leading IT thought leaders and to create a single online destination where IT practitioners and executives can meet all of their educational and professional development needs. The ITMPI offers a premium membership that gives members unlimited free access to 400 PDU accredited webinar recordings, and waives the PDU processing fees on all live and recorded webinars. The Software Process and Measurement Cast some support if you sign up . All the revenue our sponsorship generates goes for bandwidth, hosting and new cool equipment to create more and better content for you. Support the SPaMCAST and learn from the ITMPI. 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.

SPaMCAST 314 features our interview with Janet Gregory and Lisa Crispin.  We discussed their new book . Testing is core to success in all forms of development.  Agile development and testing are no different. More Agile Testing builds on Gregory and Crispin’s first collaborative effort, the extremely successful  to ensure everyone that uses an Agile frameworks delivers the most value possible. The Bios! Janet Gregory is an agile testing coach and process consultant with DragonFire Inc. Janet is the is the co-author with Lisa Crispin of  (Addison-Wesley, 2009), and  (Addison-Wesley 2014). She is also a contributor to 97 Things Every Programmer Should Know. Janet specializes in showing Agile teams how testers can add value in areas beyond critiquing the product; for example, guiding development with business-facing tests. Janet works with teams to transition to Agile development, and teaches Agile testing courses and tutorials worldwide. She contributes articles to publications such as Better Software, Software Test & Performance Magazine and Agile Journal, and enjoys sharing her experiences at conferences and user group meetings around the world. For more about Janet’s work and her blog, visit . You can also follow her on twitter @janetgregoryca. Lisa Crispin is the co-author, with Janet Gregory, of  (Addison-Wesley 2014),  (Addison-Wesley, 2009), co-author with Tip House of Extreme Testing (Addison-Wesley, 2002), and a contributor to Experiences of Test Automation by Dorothy Graham and Mark Fewster (Addison-Wesley, 2011) and Beautiful Testing (O’Reilly, 2009). Lisa was honored by her peers by being voted the Most Influential Agile Testing Professional Person at Agile Testing Days 2012. Lisa enjoys working as a tester with an awesome Agile team. She shares her experiences via writing, presenting, teaching and participating in agile testing communities around the world. For more about Lisa’s work, visit , and follow @lisacrispin on Twitter. Call to action! What are the two books that have most influenced you career (business, technical or philosophical)?  Send the titles to .  What will we do with this list?  We have two ideas.  First, we will compile a list and publish it on the blog.  Second, we will use the list to drive “Re-read” Saturday. Re-read Saturday is an exciting new feature we will begin on the the Software Process and Measurement blog on November 8th with a re-read of . So feel free to choose you platform and send an email, leave a message on the blog, Facebook or just tweet the list (use hashtag #SPaMCAST)! Next SPaMCAST 315 features our essay on Scrum Masters.  Scrum Masters are the voice of the process at the team level.  Scrum Masters are a critical member of every Agile team. The team’s need for a Scrum Master is not transitory because they evolve together as a team. Upcoming Events DCG Webinars: How to Split User StoriesDate: November 20th, 2014Time: 12:30pm EST Date: December 18th, 2014Time: 11:30am EST The Software Process and Measurement Cast has a sponsor. As many you know I do at least one webinar for the  (ITMPI) every year. The ITMPI provides a great service to the IT profession. ITMPI’s mission is to pull together the expertise and educational efforts of the world’s leading IT thought leaders and to create a single online destination where IT practitioners and executives can meet all of their educational and professional development needs. The ITMPI offers a premium membership that gives members unlimited free access to 400 PDU accredited webinar recordings, and waives the PDU processing fees on all live and recorded webinars. The Software Process and Measurement Cast some support if you sign up . All the revenue our sponsorship generates goes for bandwidth, hosting and new cool equipment to create more and better content for you. Support the SPaMCAST and learn from the ITMPI. 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.