Software Process and Measurement Cast

In SPaMCAST 692 we discuss Process Improvement as a phrase or perhaps even a mantra. Uttering the phrase evokes all sorts of baggage and cognitive biases that affect behaviors, not always for the better. What are the listeners of the Software Process and Measurement Cast to do? We also have a visit from Tony TImbol who brings his "To Tell A Story" column to the Podcast. We dive headlong into the t...

In SPaMCAST 69, Kevin McKeel talks about using neurolinguistics to aid in software estimation tools. Is this the end of the world for the software estimating profession or the beginning of a golden age? Probably both, listen and draw your own conclusions. Kevin's Bio Mr. Kevin McKeel has over 25 years of experience in software cost estimation. He is a CCEA and SAFe Architect and received the prest...

This week we revisit the age-old statements, "I don't want to be measured" and its alter ego, "management will use metrics against me." While often stated as if they are questions, both are positions. We weave in two recent techniques from our Re-read of Agile Conversations to consider the interests behind the statements Also, Jeremy Berriault weighs in on the need for testing strategies in agile...

Prabhjot Singh and I talk about AI using AI to improve the flow of work and the delivery of value. AI, however you define it, is in your future. You need to be ready! Mr. Singh's bio: Prabhjot Singh is a serial entrepreneur who has started multiple for-profit, social enterprise, and non-profit ventures. He serves as President and CEO of Pyze, the most recent company he founded to enable the world'...

Continuous improvement through inspecting and adapting is a core tenant of an agile mindset, which dovetails well with every executive's need to deliver the most value possible. Measurement is an important tool to help teams and organizations ask the right questions at the right time. Flow metrics, not burndowns and velocity, need to be a big part of any IT organization's approach to measurement....

Today we begin Year 16 with an interview, discussion, conversation -- call it what you like -- with Martin Foster. We covered a ton of ground, including whether the goal of any organization should be to be more agile and the 2021 Business Agility Report. During one segment we discussed the statement, "the impediments are the path." A wonderful and thought-provoking start to Year 16! ANNOUNCING: Th...

Today marks the end of year 15 on the Software Process and Measurement Cast, and we are closing the year with pitchfork and torches. We discussed the world of knowledge work in 2022. Leadership, principles, value, and values take center stage. Panels like this make me want to do panels every week! The panelists (other than myself) are: Jeremy Berriault https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-berriault-...

One of the fun parts of programming the Software Process and Measurement Cast is getting diverse groups of people together to chat. In this edition of the podcast, Jon M Quigley, Jeremy Willets, Jeremy Berriault, Kevin Rush, Susan Parente, and myself convened to discuss what we learned about work in 2021. The last few years have been extraordinary -- both good and bad. When you live in times like...

SPaMCAST 684 posts on January 2nd, 2022. The new year evokes both retrospection and expectations for the future. 2021 was quite the year; SPaMCAST 635 marked the beginning of our 15th year of publishing with a conversation with Johanna Rothman (SPaMCAST 635 - Practical Ways to Manage, A Conversation with Johanna Rothman). That was our most downloaded cast of 2021. In late August I lost a podcast ....

Ben Woznicki and I talk about the book and ideas inside the covers of Team Topologies. Ben provides a great deal of advice on creating teams that are fit for purpose. Ben and I have worked together, hosted a video podcast together, and more -- it is a great conversation. Ben is an Organizational Health Coach: Helping you deliver sooner, with higher confidence, and more consistency. Ben has 10 year...

At the end of the year, planning and prioritization take center stage. We can only really prioritize work, needs, and dreams that are within our span of control. That does not stop people from trying to prioritize work that is not theirs to prioritize. We also have a visit from Susan Parente who brings her I'm Not A Scrumdamentalist column to the cast. This month we talk about getting leadership r...

This week we touch on a topic that is near and dear to my heart, work entry, with an essay titled Prioritization Without Control of Work Entry. I am tempted to suggest that without control over what you can say yes to, the whole idea of prioritization is a farce. The answer is more complicated, but only a little. We also have a visit from Jeremy Berriault who brings his QA Corner to the cast. This...

This week Mauricio Aguiar and Christine Green join me to discuss the state and future of Software Measurement. Mauricio, Christine, and I are all recent Past Presidents of the International Function Point Users Group (the largest international software measurement association). The conversation is both provocative and enlightening. Note, the audio of my voice is a little muffled but the important...

As we begin counting down to the end of the year, I would like to consider the team lead's role. It is a nearly ubiquitous role in organizations, but is almost never talked about in agile frameworks. We begin our journey into the role by establishing three examples to help understand how the role is practiced and why it can generate friction if not addressed when adopting frameworks. We also have...

This week we are taking a quick journey into a discussion of prioritization outside of a team or an organization's span of control. It is easy to confuse influence and actually be able to exert control over an outcome. Wishful thinking often can lead to frustration. Tony TImbol also brings his "To Tell A Story" column to the cast building on the ideas that are central fro good user stores. Check o...

Today we will speak to Kit Merker, COO of Nobl9 about Service Level Objectives (SLO). Kit provides down-to-earth advice for adopting and using SLOs to benefit teams AND organizations. Kit's bio: Kit Merker's 20+ year career spans product management, engineering, evangelism and community-building roles at Google, Microsoft, JFrog, and the governing board of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CN...

Today we feature our interview with Vincent Hendersen. We talked about scaling agility up -- not the same as scaling agile. Mr. Hendersen and I discussed thinking about agile as a service to align team and portfolio. This is a most thought-provoking interview. The idea of thinking about agile teams as a subscription model shifts the whole agile paradigm. Vincent's bio: Vincent Henderson is an oper...

This week we continue the priority theme with an essay titled, "What is a Priority?" I wish it was a simple question. Since the whole idea of priority is premised on a group of people having a shared perspective and definition this is a question that needs to be asked and answered. We also have a visit from Susan Parente with her I'm Not A Scrumdamentalist column. In this installment, we tackle ba...

In the essay today, 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, but in some circles, "process" is a dirty word. On the conversation side, Jeremy Berriault brings his QA Corner to the c...

Today, we feature an essay titled, So I Asked What Is Agile. A simple question that yields interesting answers. One interesting outcome was that answers fit into three categories. We explore the process and people-oriented groups this week. I will come back to the rant category later this month. In addition to the essay, Tony Timbol brings his To Tell A Story column to the cast! In this installmen...

Until this week, Disciplined Agile was a topic we had not investigated on the Software Process and Measurement Cast. DA is an approach to scaling agile development. Today, Jonathan Lee and I discuss Disciplined Agile and reinventing yourself to stay relevant in a dynamic world. Mr. Lee's Bio: Jonathan has over 25 years of diversified IT consulting experience working with private and public sector...

I deviated from the plan this week and recorded a conversation with my colleague, mentor, and friend Anthony Mersino (Anthony was last on the podcast SPaMCAST 583 http://bit.ly/3aJMw51 ). Our chat, titled, "Is Your Scrum Master The Problem?" Our conversation looks at transactive memory from the point of view of teams and Scrum Masters. Is it a boon or a train wreck? Anthony has also published a ve...

Luis Gonçalves and I talked about his new book introducing the ADAPT Methodology. We discussed why using a framework can help leaders stay relevant. Our conversation dovetails nicely into the Re-read Saturday focus on Project to Product. There is a lot of synergy between the ideas of Kersten and Gonçalves. Luis's Bio: Luis Gonçalves is an Entrepreneur, Best Seller Author, and International Keynote...

As a coach, I use and observe transactive memory all the time. Used wisely, transactive memory means a team can be more than the sum of its individual members. Mess it up and you might as well put your hand in a running garbage disposal. For example, my wife remembers things like special events and then clues me in…if she is around. This year I missed an important birthday. Coaches and Scrum Maste...

We are back from backpacking on Isle Royale. Simply awesome. Today, we feature a discussion with Tom Henricksen. You know Tom from the Agile Online Summit and the Dev Ops Online Summit however Tom is more than just the Summits. Today we discuss learning and then get into whether hybrid working scenarios are all they are cracked up to be. I am not sure we agreed. Tom Henricksen is a technology prof...