Software Process and Measurement Cast

SPaMCAST 807 looks at the Nine Core Work Intake Principles from the organization's middle. Each layer of the organization has an approach to work intake. While the macro outcome is the same for each layer – work is accepted – each has nuances. The simple three-tier view of organization design used in Mastering Work Intake begins with an executive layer followed by middle management and is anchored by teams. We addressed a team perspective in SPaMCAST 804. Middle management is an important anchor because it makes strategic or longer-term tactical decisions compared to teams. We also have a visit from the Evolutionary Agilist, Jeremy Berriult. Mr. Berriult discusses the need for seamless communication Learn To Tame Your Work Intake Beast! Jeremy Willets and I have opened two cohort-based workshops to help you learn to tame the work intake beast! The first kicks off May 3rd to May 24th and features a mixture of video and in-person gatherings. The second runs from 31 May to 28 June in five manageable 90-minute gatherings. A testimonial! "I thoroughly enjoyed participating … I walked away with new ideas to try within my organization, new agile connections from outside my organization, and an overall better understanding of work intake's direct impact on delivering software predictably." Cece Wolf Agile Release Manager | Agile Coach For more details hop over to our Maven site https://bit.ly/3HEsKK7 for more information, sign up, or join the mailing list! For SPaMCASTs listener we would like to offer you a $50 off discount code - Re-read Saturday News Chapter 6 of Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport is titled Rule #3: Quit Social Media. We use a wide variety of tools in our daily lives and many of us consider social media as tools. The internet tells us that these tools make our lives better. In this Chapter, Newport asks us to consider if the value outweighs the cost. Remember to buy a copy of Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World and read along. Week 1: Logistics and Introduction - https://bit.ly/43fGAMX Week 2: Deep Work Is Valuable - https://bit.ly/3TznAVd Week 3: Deep Work Is Rare - https://bit.ly/4afglsG Week 4: Deep Work Is Meaningful - https://bit.ly/3vRso09 Week 5: Work Deeply - https://bit.ly/4aQ5Uvq Week 6: Embrace Boredom - https://bit.ly/3JoBDIB Week 7: Quit Social Media -https://bit.ly/3Wk1dWK Next SPaMCAST SPaMCAST 808 will feature our discussion with Steven Schkolne. We will talk about how design thinking impacts users and user satisfaction. We will also add whether AI has a role in development and design today.

Why write Mastering Work Intake? Because Jeremy Willets and Tom Cagley decided maybe things could be different. That just chanting "stop starting and stop finishing" wasn't enough. Our book provides the reader with ideas, principles, actionable advice, worksheets, and examples to help you tame the chaos of work entry. If you had the world enough and time maybe you could put off getting better, making better choices until tomorrow. However, things are the way they are and you can act. Buy a copy of Mastering Work Intake - https://bit.ly/474ul6G You could read the book on your own. Marcus Aurelius, Stoic Philosopher and Roman Emperor, wrote. "Mastery of reading and writing requires a master," Jeremy and I have created two cohort-based workshops (starting soon) to help you discover the context you need to find your path to Mastering Work Intake. Join us! The link to Maven to register and for more information: https://bit.ly/3HEsKK7 SPaMCAST listeners, use SPAM50 at checkout to save 50 USD.

SPaMCAST 805 features our interview with Peter Schroeder. We discuss plane crashes, fatherhood, and the journey from DJ to a technologist and then to a business person. Organizational culture is critical in all organizations, double in distributed environments. Peter discusses how he learned to craft and defend organizational culture. Peter Schroeder is an accomplished DJ, entrepreneur, and technology pioneer. With over 20 platinum records, 40 gold records, and a triple nomination for the prestigious Danish DJ awards, Peter is one of Denmark's top DJs, entertaining audiences of up to 180,000. He was a featured radio host by the age of 12 and appeared on talk shows and TV stations across Denmark. In addition to his music career, Peter has over 20 years of experience creating cutting-edge technologies for companies such as Facebook, Samsung, and Airbnb. He's a true innovator who works closely with businesses to address mission-critical telecommunications, enabling them to quickly implement, manage, and expand for success. Peter's latest endeavor is Telzio, a pre-unicorn unified communications company he founded. With Telzio, Peter is developing game-changing technology and products that simplify and streamline repetitive tasks. Throughout his career, Peter has survived a plane crash and the birth of twins. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterrankschroeder/ Website: https://www.peterschroeder.com/ Telzio: https://telzio.com/ Learn To Tame Your Work Intake Beast! Jeremy Willets and I have opened two cohort-based workshops to help you learn to tame the work intake beast! The first kicks off May 3rd to May 24th and features a mixture of video and in-person gatherings. The second runs from 31 May to 28 June in five manageable 90-minute gatherings. A testimonial! "This class offered an outstanding learning experience … Engaging discussions and practical exercises illuminated the material, presenting a learning approach that was unique to me, but incredibly valuable. This class enriched my understanding and refined my practical skills, making it a truly great learning experience." Christine Green Program Manager & Advisor on Software Contracts For more details hop over to our Maven site https://bit.ly/3HEsKK7 for more information, sign up, or join the mailing list! Re-read Saturday News Chapter 5 of Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport is titled Rule #2: Embrace Boredom. Newport's idea in this chapter is less to be bored than to create space where you can do deep work. The pings, dings, and kitten videos need to be pushed aside. Remember to buy a copy of Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World and read along. Week 1: Logistics and Introduction - https://bit.ly/43fGAMX Week 2: Deep Work Is Valuable - https://bit.ly/3TznAVd Week 3: Deep Work Is Rare - https://bit.ly/4afglsG Week 4: Deep Work Is Meaningful - https://bit.ly/3vRso09 Week 5: Work Deeply - https://bit.ly/4aQ5Uvq Week 6: Embrace Boredom - https://bit.ly/3JoBDIB Next SPaMCAST SPaMCAST 806 will feature the next installment of our essay on applying the Nine Core Principles of Work Intake. In this installment, we explore how the principles apply to middle management through Product Management. We will also have a visit from Jeremy Berriault who brings his Evolutionary Agilst™ Column to the podcast.

The Nine Core Principles of Work Intake are a key backbone of Mastering Work Intake by Jeremy Willets and Tom Cagley. Teams and organizations need to apply these principles to avoid chaos. In the SPaMCAST 804, we illustrate the application of the Nine Core Principles based on role and organizational hierarchy beginning with the classic Scrum team roles. We also have a visit from Susan Patente, who brings her Not A Scrumdamentalist column to the podcast. This installment discusses why organizations do projects and their role in society. Learn To Tame Your Work Intake Beast! Jeremy Willets and I have opened a new workshop cohort to help you learn to tame the work intake beast! The workshop will run from 31 May to 28 June in five manageable 90-minute chunks. For more details hop over to our Maven site https://bit.ly/3HEsKK7 for more information, sign up, or join the mailing list! Re-read Saturday News Chapter 4, Deep Work is Meaningful begins Part 2 of Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport. Part 2 contains Newport's rules and ideas for learning to work deeply. There are several ideas that I want to highlight in this chapter. The first is that attention and focus are finite AND consumable resources. Remember to buy a copy of Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World and read along. Week 1: Logistics and Introduction - https://bit.ly/43fGAMX Week 2: Deep Work Is Valuable - https://bit.ly/3TznAVd Week 3: Deep Work Is Rare - https://bit.ly/4afglsG Week 4: Deep Work Is Meaningful - https://bit.ly/3vRso09 Week 5: Work Deeply - https://bit.ly/4aQ5Uvq Next SPaMCAST SPaMCAST 805 will feature our interview with Peter Schroeder. We will discuss plane crashes, fatherhood, and the journey from a technologist to a business person. This is not a two truths and a lie exercise.

Our video provides a quick overview of Work Intake and its importance. Enjoy and let's discuss the concept. Learn to solve IT's dirtiest secret — work intake. Stop ignoring it. Start fixing it. Today we are also announcing two new Mastering Work Intake training opportunities. Diagnose and solve work intake anti-patterns Become a work intake master. Work intake is the biggest challenge facing organizations today. If you don't get work intake right, you won't be in business for very long. We offer two different versions of the cohort — One with pre-recorded videos and less time in live sessions. (Begins May 3 - 24th) One with fewer videos and more time in live sessions. (Begins May 31 - June 28 Both versions include teaching, peer feedback & discussion, feedback from Jeremy and Tom, Q&A, templates, and an electronic copy of our book, Mastering Work Intake: From Chaos to Predictable Delivery. Enroll or join our mailing list using the links below: https://bit.ly/3HEsKK7

The SPaMCAST 802 features a panel discussion. Mark Metze, Jeremy Willets, and myself. discuss "Is agile still a movement or has it reached middle age?" We weigh the appropriateness of wailing and gnashing of teeth, hand wringing and sullen withdrawal, or pragmatism and philosophy. In the end perhaps the right answer is to buy a pair of mom or dad jeans and accept that all great movements reach middle age at some point. We look forward to your opinions and comments. Panelists Mark Metze: With a career spanning over 30 years in the software industry, Mark has evolved from a seasoned developer, dedicating 19 years to crafting high-quality and maintainable code that directly addressed real-world challenges. Transitioning into a management role, he spent the next 9 years leading development teams, gaining a holistic perspective on the various roles crucial for successful software delivery. Embracing the philosophy of servant leadership, he transitioned once again to the role of a Scrum Master. Over the last 3.5 years, his focus has been on fostering collaboration, continuous improvement, and empowering teams to excel in their agile practices. Mark's journey from a hands-on developer to a supportive Scrum Master reflects a deep understanding of the intricacies of software development, coupled with a passion for facilitating teams to achieve their highest potential. Mark also hosts The Agile Within podcast with new episodes debuting each week. It's mission is "Providing agile insights into human values and behaviors through genuine connections". You can listen on your favorite podcast platform or on the web: https://theagilewithin.buzzsprout.com Jeremy Willets is a coach, speaker, and author who has spent the last decade working with people and teams to achieve greatness in the workplace. He started out as a technical writer on a Scrum team and quickly fell in love with Scrum and the Agile Manifesto values and principles. Since then, he's served thriving organizations as a Scrum Master, Agile Coach, Senior Agile Coach, Release Train Engineer, people manager, and mentor. Jeremy has spoken at conferences throughout the midwestern United States. He's an avid Substack blogger and music maker. He holds a SAFe® Practice Consultant (SPC) certification. Jeremy can be found at www.jeremywillets.com Learn To Tame Your Work Intake Beast! Jeremy Willets and I have opened a new workshop cohort to help you learn to tame the work intake beast! The workshop will run from 31 May to 28 June in five manageable 90-minute chunks. For more details hop over to our Maven site https://bit.ly/3HEsKK7 for more information, sign up, or join the mailing list! Re-read Saturday News Chapter 3, Deep Work is Meaningful completes Part 1 of Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport. If you are reading this chapter for the first time, my interpretation of the author's intent is not to prove that deep work is meaningful but rather to argue that it is more meaningful than shallow work. On deeper reflection, there are even more cautionary notes for the always "in contact" amongst us. Read the chapter, this week's re-read post, and contemplate! Remember to buy a copy of Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World and read along. Week 1: Logistics and Introduction - https://bit.ly/43fGAMX Week 2: Deep Work Is Valuable - https://bit.ly/3TznAVd Week 3: Deep Work Is Rare - https://bit.ly/4afglsG Week 4: Deep Work Is Meaningful - https://bit.ly/3vRso09 Next SPaMCAST In SPaMCAST 803 we will contemplate the product roles impact on work intake. These roles appear straightforward and at the same time offer many layers and nuances. Regardless of the approach or structure someone is using, making work intake decisions might enhance or trash product decisions. Someone is making those decisions, you need to understand the impact. We will also have a visit from Susan Parente who brings her Not a Scrumdamentalist column to the podcast.

The SPaMCAST 801 will examine the question, "When is not having clear priorities a winning strategy?" While the answer might seem self-evident, I am not sure people and organizations put their money where their mouth is. We also have Kies Kostaqi's You Are Not Alone column. This installment highlights the soft skills required to be an effective Scrum Master. Soft does not mean unimportant or easy to develop. How can you spread the word about Mastering Work Intake? The best way is to leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or wherever you buy your books. Reviews increase the likelihood that someone like you will discover the book! New Workshop Cohort Open! Jeremy Willets and I have opened a new workshop cohort to help you learn to tame the work intake beast! The workshop will run from 31 May to 28 June in five manageable one-hour chunks. For more details hop over to our Maven site https://bit.ly/3HEsKK7 for more information, sign up, or join the mailing list! Re-read Saturday News Chapter 2 of Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport. Is titled Deep Work Is Rare. It should be subtitled either "and that is our fault" or "stop doing what everyone else is doing". Read the chapter, this week's re-read post, and contemplate! Remember to buy a copy of Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World and read along. Week 1: Logistics and Introduction - https://bit.ly/43fGAMX Week 2: Deep Work Is Valuable - https://bit.ly/3TznAVd Week 3: Deep Work Is Rare - https://bit.ly/4afglsG Next SPaMCAST In the next SPaMCAST 802, Mark Metze, Jeremy Willets and I discuss "Is agile still a movement or has it reached middle age?" Will it be wailing and gnashing of teeth, hand wringing and sullen withdrawal, or pragmatism and philosophy? Listen to find out!

In the Software Process and Measurement Cast 800 Johanna Rothman takes over the podcast and interviews Jeremy Willets and me. We discussed Mastering Work Intake, why principles make more sense than best practices, and how disciplined work intake is the core to getting work done. We learn that in practice, stop starting and start finishing only works when you pay attention to the work that goes into a system. Contact info: Johanna Rothman LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/johannarothman Website: jrothman.com Jeremy Willets LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jeremywillets Website: https://www.jeremywillets.com/ Tom Calgey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tcagley/ Website: https://tomcagley.com/ I was asked the best way to spread the word about Mastering Work Intake. The single best way is to leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or wherever you buy your books. Reviews increase the likelihood that someone like you will discover the book! New Workshop Cohort Open! Jeremy Willets and I have opened a new workshop cohort to help you learn to tame the work intake beast! The workshop will run from 31 May to 28 June in five manageable one-hour chunks. For more details hop over to our Maven site https://bit.ly/3HEsKK7 for more information, sign up, or just join the mailing list! Re-read Saturday News Chapter 1, Deep Work Is Valuable, begins the first part of the book Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport. Part 1, The Idea, comprises the book's first four chapters and focuses on making the case for Deep Work. One of the interesting arguments for the value of deep work is that we are in the throes of digital transformation. Combining that trend with position internationalization and incrementalism yields all-or-nothing jobs. Read the chapter, our re-read post and contemplate! Remember to buy a copy of Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World and read along. Week 1: Logistics and Introduction - https://bit.ly/43fGAMX Week 2: Deep Work Is Valuable - https://bit.ly/3TznAVd Next SPaMCAST The SPaMCAST 801 will examine the question, "At what level does not having clear priorities create a winning strategy?" While the answer might seem self-evident, I am not sure people and organizations put their money where their mouth is. We will also have a visit from Kies Kostaqi who brings her You Are Not Alone column to the podcast.

The Software Process and Measurement Cast 799 discusses why all communication is not collaboration. It is a commonly held belief that complex problems require collaborative efforts to solve. Couple that with an almost fad-like insistence that if a little collaboration is good, more is better, which leads to everything being deemed collaboration. We can do better with a little effort. We will also have a visit from Jon M Quigley and his Alpha and Omega of Product Development column. Mr Quigley and I talk about prioritization as micromanagement. And how if you are not there to pick up the pieces when work is pushed into an organization you have a poor perspective. .New Workshop Cohort Registration Open! Jeremy Willets and I have opened a new workshop cohort to help you learn to tame the work intake beast! The workshop will run from 31 May to 28 June in five manageable one-hour chunks. For more details hop over to our Maven site https://bit.ly/3HEsKK7 for more information, sign up, or just join the mailing list! Re-read Saturday News I ran across the quote "I wasted time, and now doth time waste me" Shakespeare, Richard II as I was listening to Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport while jogging/walking the dog. The quote and the content of Newport's book made me decide to feature my second time through Deep Work in our Re-read Saturday feature. This week we discuss how the re-read approach and the Introduction which includes important definitions. Remember to buy a copy of Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World and read along. Week 1: Logistics and Introduction - https://bit.ly/43fGAMX Next SPaMCAST The SPaMCAST 800 will feature Johanna Rothman interviewing Jeremy Willets and me. We discussed the book, Mastering Work Intake. Any conversation with Johanna ends up being a master class. I look forward to spending this milestone with Johanna, Jeremy, and you.

The Software Process and Measurement Cast 798 features my interview with Steve Taplin of Sonatafy Technology. Steve and I discussed the nuances and benefits of nearshore software development. Steve also provided his thoughts on why building an uplifting culture both inside and outside the organization reaps powerful rewards for everyone it touches. Steve Taplin leads Sonatafy Technology as its CEO, bringing an entrepreneurial flair and inspirational leadership to the forefront of nearshore software development. His career is marked by a series of successful business scalings, showcasing his ability to tackle complex challenges within the tech industry. Steve's expertise spans across critical business domains, driving Sonatafy to excel in delivering top-tier software solutions. Contact Information: www.sonatafy.com linkedin.com/in/stevetaplin Re-read Saturday News This week we put a bow on our re-read of Actionable Agile Metrics Volume II, Advanced Topics in Predictability with a few final thoughts. This book has earned a place on my useful bookshelf. The quote from last week sums up my rationale for Re-read Saturday. "We take action because of our relentless pursuit of improvement. That is what professionalism is all about." Next week we will begin our re-read of Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport. Buy a copy and get reading – Actionable Agile Metrics Volume II, Advanced Topics in Predictability. Week 1: Re-read Logistics and Preface – https://bit.ly/4adgxsC Week 2: Wilt The Stilt and Definition of Variation – https://bit.ly/4aldwGN Week 3: Variation and Predictability – https://bit.ly/3tAVWhq Week 4: Process Behavior Charts Part 1 – https://bit.ly/3Huainr Week 5: Process Behavior Charts Part 2 – https://bit.ly/424O5Wc Week 6: How Much Data? – https://bit.ly/47GVP24 Week 7: Detecting Signals – https://bit.ly/3SjwfdO Week 8: XmR Charts and the Four Basic Metrics of Flow – https://bit.ly/48j5AU9 Week 9: Myths and Other Considerations – https://bit.ly/3SvfgVU Week 10: VoP, VoC, Predictability, Monte Carlo - https://bit.ly/3UGdxzT Week 11: Different Sampling Methods and 85 Percent or Bust - https://bit.ly/48paPlu Week 12: Scaling Monte Carlo and A Parting Thought - https://bit.ly/433nvx7 Week 13: Final Thoughts - https://bit.ly/3It9OOy Next SPaMCAST The SPaMCAST 799 will feature an essay on why all communication is not collaboration. Like all trendy words, we are confusing the meaning and in the process losing the value of the act. One final thought before next week, just because you allow time for Q&A, a talk at an All Hands Meeting is not collaboration even if you say it is. We will also have a visit from Jon M Quigley and his Alpha and Omega of Product Development column. A little foreshadowing… SPaMCAST 800 will feature Johanna Rothman, Jeremy Willets, and me.