Software Process and Measurement Cast

The SPaMCAST is on summer holiday for the next two weeks (SPaMCAST 666 and SPaMCAST 667. Today we are featuring an interview released on December 27, 2015, with Gerald (Jerry) M. Weinberg. Gerald Weinberg is the author of more than 100 books, including the best-selling Secrets of Consulting, other non-fiction series, and the ever-popular Women of Power novels. He is a principal in the internationa...

The Software Process and Measurement Cast 665 features our essay on the organizational aspects that impact teams. Teams don't live in a vacuum, so when the word organization gets used it reflects the influence of all sorts of organizations. Organizations facilitate teams to a greater or lesser extent. In the workplace, the employer's organization will have the most significant impact on how teams...

The Software Process and Measurement Cast 664 features our interview with Sunny Han, CEO and Founder of Fulcrum. Sunny and I talked about motivation, we talked agile development, and we talked about what it takes to see a vision through to reality. The ideas about engineering a communication architecture are phenomenal. Sunny Han is the CEO and Founder of Fulcrum, a manufacturing ERP platform dedi...

This week we explore the impact of process (it really isn't a bad word) problems in prioritization. Prioritization requires a steady hand and consistency. The process for prioritization should have more in common with a well-oiled basketball or futbol team than five-year-olds playing soccer in the schoolyard. How the moving parts work together is a process We also have a visit from Tony Timbol dis...

In this week's podcast, we speak with Mike Potter, CEO of Rewind. Mike and I talk about the need to backup SaaS applications, remote and hybrid working, and entrepreneurship. This interview opened my eyes to the risks we all face by trusting SaaS application companies to back up our data. Mike also highlights in his answers how humanity in the workplace can help create special results. Bio - A sel...

Over the past few months, I have been in traffic jams on the highway several times when traveling to our weekly hike. In more than one instance someone has decided to pull over and drive on the berm. In more than a few cases the outcome of this technique for getting things done ends poorly. Despite the unpredictable outcome, jumping the queue is practiced by many in traffic and even more when funn...

In this week's Software Process and Measurement Cast, I speak with Rob Rastovich, CTO of ThingLogix. We talked about meeting customer needs through developing solutions using the AIoT (not a typo). This is a seachange for both businesses and developers who will need to reskill and rethink what is possible. Rob has been actively involved in technology for nearly 30 years, from building a top 10 e-c...

In this episode, we feature our interview with Christiano Gherardini. Chris and I talk about the impact of using Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) packages on businesses and as importantly, the impact of packages and consultants as a tool to influence the direction of software development in a firm. Christiano Gherardini is the President/Owner at Turnkey Technologies Inc. Turnkey offers end-to-en...

The Software Process and Measurement Cast features an essay on prioritization. We prioritize in order to establish what to work on and when to do it. There is often a difference between assigned priority and the real priority based on when teams start and complete a piece of work. This essay is part of the overall conversation on controlling work entry and answering the question: Are we working on...

In this podcast, I talk with Søren Pedersen. We talk about teams, value streams, and leveraging agile to improve how teams deliver value. We started with the definition of a team and then got into the practical nitty-gritty of defining value streams and coaching teams. Bio: SØREN PEDERSEN is a co-founder of BuildingBetterSoftware, a strategic leadership consultant, and an international speaker. Wi...

In Software Process and Measurement Cast 656 we stay with an agile product and entrepreneurship theme with a conversation with Rahul Aggarwal. We discussed building a business and products to support the gig economy and entrepreneurship. Rahul provides excellent advice on recognizing market needs, experimenting, pivoting when necessary, and building a business. Bio: Being awarded as the Rising Ent...

This week we dive into what is often viewed as arcane science by the development community, pricing. Pricing can make or break any product. Everyone in the value chain has to have a good understanding of how pricing decisions are made and how they can impact what should be built and when. One critical part of the conversation focuses on whether there is an ideal pattern for product and development...

This week is a doubleheader (baseball term for two games played by the same teams on the same day against each other). We begin our re-read of Monotasking by Staffan Nöteberg and we have my interview with Staffan. Several years ago I read Staffan's book on Pomodoro which changed how I work. Monotasking might be even more useful and impactful. We discussed how to apply the ideas in the book to impr...

Work Entry: An Introduction, focuses on what work entry is and why it is the single most important part of determining whether a team is dependable, predictable, and even remotely agile. We will also have a visit from Jon M Quigley and his Alpha and Omega of Product Development. Jon and I discuss, wrestle, and chew on how the idea of a product backlog can exist in a project environment. Re-Read Sa...

Intellectual property protection impacts almost everyone whether they are aware of it or not. Trademarks, copyrights, patents, and trade secrets are all part of a wide-ranging discussion of IP protection in the software environment. Rick provides great insight into a rapidly evolving field. Rick Martin is the owner and founder of Martin IP Law Group which is based in Evansville, Indiana but serves...

This week Dr. Eric Cole and I talk cybersecurity and entrepreneurship. Most of you will have been on the edge of your seat while you tracked the news of the ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline. Security can not be an afterthought. Remember this is not a drill; this not hype. Also, preorder Dr. Cole's new book Cyber Crisis which will be released on June 1st. Dr. Cole is a world-renowned cybe...

Work entry, in its simplest form, is the steps needed for work to be triaged to ensure that it is the right work, that it is ready to be worked on, and the priority of the work. This week we talk about five common patterns. On Tuesday I will include the PDF in the feed to see if I can spur a discussion about other patterns. We also have a visit from Tony Timbol with his To Tell A Story column. In...

Experimentation is a dirty word in many organizations, however, it can be a powerful tool to drive and guide change. Tammy Gretz shares how she adopted experiments in her practice and how she uses them to change the behavior and culture of people and organizations. I am occasionally asked why I enjoy meet-ups so much. Meeting people like Tammy is a major part of the reason. Thanks to the Women in...

Alex Omeyer and I discussed defining, tracking, and measuring technical debt. Technical debt generates a liability that every organization must deal with. As Alex states, "tech debt might not be the sexiest topic" but if teams and organizations don't address their liabilities it will be difficult to deliver the value customers need and expect. We also talk about the practicalities of pivoting life...

The majority of work entry problems are caused by eight problems. The eight problems often occur in clusters and are a reflection of organizational culture. Knowing that there are eight problems is useful when they can be recognized. Unless people wear their motivations on signs hung around their neck, recognition requires conversation and observation. Fixing any problem starts with recognizing th...

In the Software Process and Measurement Cast 646, Albert Ahdoot and I focus on discussing the impact of strong off-premise infrastructure on the delivery of value, the impact on the bottom line, and the mitigation of risk. Albert Ahdoot is a successful entrepreneur focused on building IT businesses through meaningful relationships. His flagship company, Colocation America, was founded to serve as...

The headlines of 3 and 4 April 2021 are stark - the data of 533 million Facebook users available on the web (change your password now). You have 533 MILLION reasons to take Paul Katzoff's message on data security to heart. Paul Katzoff (Twitter) For almost a decade, Paul has worked with technology companies seeking manageable growth and brand loyalty/expansion. His career has ranged from being an...

In the SPaMCAST 644, we talk teams. At the core of agile is the belief that the team is the fundamental building block of work. Because they are so important, organizations put tons of effort into helping and guiding teams. The problem is not that teams aren't important or that we aren't working hard to make them better, teams are still chronically messed up. We discuss a framework for guiding sup...

This week, Caleb Woods, CEO and Senior Software Craftsman at RoleModel Software joins the podcast. Caleb and I talk about the role of craftsmanship in developing and maintaining software (or really anything else). Caleb Woods - RoleModel's CEO - Caleb is a proven leader with extensive experience evaluating technology trends, leading teams, and implementing best practices. As CEO, Caleb promotes co...

Vasco Duarte returns to the podcast to discuss the Scrum Master. Scrum Masters are the face of agile in many organizations. Helping team facilitators get the role right benefits not only the agile community but every business they are involved with! Vasco has been working in the software industry since 1998 and has learned the hard way what works (most of the time) and what does not work (almost n...