0 San Francisco Java User Group presents Kohsuke Kawaguchi from Sun who introduces us to Hudson, an open-source continuous integration (CI) system, which improves the productivity of a development team by automating various things. [http://www.tvagile.com/2010/03/08/learn-about-continuous-integration-with-hudson-directly-from-the-source/][1] [1]: http://www.tvagile.com/2010/03/08/learn-about-continuous-integration-with-hudson-directly-from-the-source/ 2010-03-08T12:23:20+00:00 551 0 2010-03-08T12:23:20+00:00 29 0 The conference schedule for Agile Central Europe includes two full tracks and an open space, with talks ranging from agile retrospectives to kanban. [Read more about the conference][1]. [1]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2010/03/05/agile-central-europe-conference-schedule-announced/ 2010-03-05T14:25:02+00:00 550 0 2010-03-05T14:25:02+00:00 1 0 Agile ideas are making their way into IT groups and data center operations, enabling greater business agility. Learn more about [extending Agile to deployment and operations][1]. [1]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2010/03/04/devops-extending-agile-to-deployment-and-operations/ 2010-03-04T14:15:10+00:00 549 0 2010-03-04T14:15:10+00:00 1 0 It could seem very provocative to propose an approach based on the slogan ” Results are not the Point”. In their book, the Poppendiecks defend the idea that there are many good managers around that could foster the adoption of lean practices. From my personal experience, most of the managers thinking “results are not the point” do this because they think “costs are the most important point”. [Get some good quotes of their book and read more about this here][1] [1]: http://blog.martinig.ch/quotes/lean-results-are-not-the-point/ 2010-03-03T12:49:20+00:00 548 0 2010-03-03T12:49:20+00:00 29 0 Blind devotion to Agile methodologies without taking the business' context into account is causing major failures in companies. Agile methods such as Scrum and Kanban are flexible systems that can be tailored to help solve business problems. But if not being blindly devoted to the one true way means that you aren't "being Agile," then [you have my permission to not be][1]. [1]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2010/03/02/you-have-my-permission-to-not-be-agile/ 2010-03-02T12:48:58+00:00 547 0 2010-03-02T12:48:58+00:00 1 0 Metrics are vital for every project, regardless of what framework or method you choose. There are a number of [metrics that Scrum can pull from Kanban][1]. [1]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2010/03/01/what-scrum-can-learn-from-kanban-metrics/ 2010-03-01T14:23:22+00:00 546 0 2010-03-01T14:23:22+00:00 1 0 Hot on the heels of his attending the Kanban Coaching Workshop with David Anderson, Robert Dempsey will hold an [introduction to Kanban webinar March 9th][1] at 2 PM EST. Space is limited to 100 so sign up for his newsletter to attend. [1]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2010/02/25/introduction-to-kanban-webinar-march-9th/ 2010-02-25T14:31:28+00:00 545 0 2010-02-25T14:31:28+00:00 1 0 Product Owners and Scrum teams can get along when negotiating of what goes into a sprint is removed. [Find out how >>][1] [1]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2010/02/24/product-owners-and-scrum-teams-can-get-along/ 2010-02-24T19:40:47+00:00 544 0 2010-02-24T19:40:47+00:00 1 0 In order for IT to help affect true and lasting organizational change, it needs to stop being a second class citizen in business. So [when will IT be a first class citizen?][1] [1]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2010/02/23/when-will-it-be-a-first-class-citizen/ 2010-02-24T11:20:24+00:00 543 0 2010-02-24T11:20:24+00:00 1 0 [OpenSourceScrum.com][1] is a new directory of open source tools for Scrum containing also links to tools reviews. If you know a missing tool or a good review of an included tool, just let us know. [1]: http://www.opensourcescrum.com/ 2010-02-22T16:25:32+00:00 542 0 2010-02-22T16:25:32+00:00 29 0 The Microsoft patterns & practices team has been experimenting with distributed teams for several years, mining proven practices from the community and experimenting them out on numerous agile projects. This talk summarizes those learnings and proven practices and gives examples of their application – both good and bad – within our teams. [http://www.tvagile.com/2010/02/18/distributed-agile-development/][1] [1]: http://www.tvagile.com/2010/02/18/distributed-agile-development/ 2010-02-19T09:14:21+00:00 541 0 2010-02-19T09:14:21+00:00 29 0 Let me state the obvious: projects miss their release dates. We've all experienced it, so there's no need to try and deny it. But why? Are we taking on too much work? Did our customer change too many things during the development cycle? We're our estimates highly inaccurate due to a lack of necessary information? Learn how to avoid missing release dates with the [Manager's Guide to Setting Release Dates][1]. [1]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2010/02/18/managers-guide-to-setting-release-dates/ 2010-02-18T15:15:05+00:00 540 0 2010-02-18T15:15:05+00:00 1 0 After my post on how managers need to be re-trained, I saw this sad tweet from Dan Cannan (@dckismet). My first reaction was, frankly, not too professional. After I got over my initial disgust with the situation, I pointed Dawn to my post. Her response was that she needs empirical data to help prove the point to her manager that devs should be part of the planning meetings. And out of that has come the [Agile Success Stories][1] series. [1]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2010/02/17/tell-me-your-agile-success-story-ill-help-promote-your-company/ 2010-02-17T14:11:38+00:00 539 0 2010-02-17T14:11:48+00:00 1 0 [This article][1] presents how to lead the transition to an Agile process. [1]: http://www.devagile.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=560 2010-02-16T15:07:13+00:00 538 0 2010-02-16T15:07:13+00:00 29 0 Today's update of Scrum'd brings bug tracking, user persona management, and estimation values. **Read more** about [today's Scrum'd update >>][1] [1]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2010/02/15/bug-tracking-user-personas-and-estimation-values-added-to-scrumd/ 2010-02-15T13:35:54+00:00 537 0 2010-02-15T13:35:54+00:00 1 0 Here's a few quick tips on [getting started down the Agile road][1]. [1]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2010/02/12/getting-started-down-the-agile-road/ 2010-02-13T13:20:11+00:00 536 0 2010-02-13T13:20:11+00:00 1 0 The video recording, slides, and resources for the [Writing Agile Requirements webinar][1] that covered writing user stories, acceptance criteria, and using mindmapping to brainstorm features. [1]: http://www.adsdevshop.com/agile-webinars/agile-requirements-webinar/ 2010-02-12T13:47:32+00:00 535 0 2010-02-12T13:47:32+00:00 1 0 Today's update of Scrum'd, the agile project management tool from Atlantic Dominion Solutions, added project RSS feeds, simplified security, and added a few UI tweeks. **Read more** on the [Atlantic Dominion Solutions blog][1]. [1]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2010/02/08/enjoy-todays-scrumd-updates/ 2010-02-08T19:12:45+00:00 534 0 2010-02-08T19:12:45+00:00 1 0 For Agile projects, managers need to focus on results and velocity, not on the burndown charts. **Read more** about [focusing on results rather than charts][1]. [1]: http://bit.ly/dtsNU7 2010-02-04T15:07:41+00:00 533 0 2010-02-04T15:07:41+00:00 1 0 This [article][1] presents what are the Scrum Product Owner activities and how he has to keep the balance of interests between the Scrum team and the other stakeholders. [1]: http://www.devagile.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=550 2010-02-03T11:47:06+00:00 532 0 2010-02-03T11:47:06+00:00 29 0 Scrum'd got a bit UI update today including a liquid layout, icons, and many more small tweeks to improve the usability of the app. [Learn more about today's big Scrum'd update >>][1] [1]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2010/02/01/get-scrumd-all-over-your-screen-with-the-january-2010-ui-update/ 2010-02-01T20:59:07+00:00 531 0 2010-02-01T20:59:07+00:00 1 0 If you don't know where you are, and you don't know where you want to be, then you definitely won't be able to figure out how to get there. Obvious I know, but worth stating. But that's why we need to document our current process. Join the discussion on [documenting an Agile process >>][1] [1]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2010/01/28/should-you-document-your-agile-process/ 2010-01-28T14:09:46+00:00 530 0 2010-01-28T14:09:46+00:00 1 0 Interview with Jason Yip about Daily Stand-ups has been published. Jason is the author of one of the best descriptions of daily stand-up technique in the article *"It's Not Just Standing Up: Patterns of Daily Stand-up Meetings"*. In this interview Jason tells us when he first heard about the daily meetings and how his view of this technique has changed since then. *"A well-run standup is very effective at exposing problems"* says Jason. He also claims that *"walk-the-board"* style is something that many teams should consider trying. [Read more of Janson Yip's view on Daily Stand-ups.][1] [1]: http://henriklarsson.wordpress.com/2010/01/27/interview-with-jason-yip-on-daily-stand-ups/ 2010-01-27T18:57:57+00:00 529 1 2010-01-27T18:57:57+00:00 32 0 User stories, the common format for Agile requirements, help us to understand who we are developing for, what we are creating, and what that should look like when it's complete. Writing user stories is an art practiced by developers, business analysts, and others, and is a necessity for any Agile project. The better the stories, the more likely we are to get what we want. In this free webinar we'll cover: writing user stories from a bullet list of who and what, defining done through acceptance criteria, the roles involved in user story creation, and current best practices for developing user stories. [Reserve your spot today >>][1] [1]: http://www.adsdevshop.com/agile-webinars/agile-requirements-webinar/ 2010-01-27T11:28:12+00:00 528 0 2010-01-27T11:28:12+00:00 1 0 Early bird registration for the Agile Central Europe Conference is now open. Participants who sign up and pay before the fifteenth of February will receive a 15% discount off of the normal entry fee of 100 Euros ($140 U.S.). [Read more >>][1] [1]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2010/01/26/agile-central-europe-early-bird-registration/ 2010-01-26T15:14:49+00:00 527 0 2010-01-26T15:14:49+00:00 1 0 What can you do when a strategic software system written in java is unmaintanable? [This article][1] presents the precious experience harvested in a large software architecture refactoring project. [1]: http://www.methodsandtools.com/archive/archive.php?id=98 2010-01-25T09:27:58+00:00 526 0 2010-01-25T09:27:58+00:00 29 0 [Scott Guthrie discusses Microsoft’s relationship with Agile][1]. Learn what Microsoft is doing to enable developers to adopt an agile strategy. [1]: http://www.tvagile.com/2010/01/22/is-microsoft-going-agile-insights-from-scott-guthrie/ 2010-01-22T17:38:18+00:00 525 0 2010-01-22T17:38:18+00:00 29 0 For an Agile team, handling circumstances is the most challenging. It is the job of everyone, especially the ScrumMaster, to improve them. [Learn the top circumstances employees and managers have to deal with, and how to address them >>][1] [1]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2010/01/20/handling-circumstances-as-an-agile-team/ 2010-01-20T16:43:46+00:00 524 0 2010-01-20T16:43:46+00:00 1 0 The fact that this book is already at his second edition after a first publication in 2004 says something about its value. In one of his definition of Agile, Jim Highsmith says, “Agility is the ability to balance flexibility and stability”. I will say that his book balances nicely high level thinking and a pragmatic approach. The book provides a framework for running agile projects and gives also insight in some more neglected related topics like managing projects portfolios or measuring the success of Agile projects. [Read the complete review][1]. [1]: http://www.devagile.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=534 2010-01-19T08:54:32+00:00 523 0 2010-01-19T08:54:32+00:00 29 0 This [video][1] is a presentation on how an Agile team works in the real world. The composition and function of a Tiger Team is described. Daily activities, roles of QA, Product, Developer, Manager, and other needed disciplines for a project are described as well. [1]: http://www.tvagile.com/2010/01/11/herding-tigers-software-development-and-the-art-of-war/ 2010-01-14T12:53:26+00:00 522 0 2010-01-14T12:53:26+00:00 29 0 A rant about how the Agile Manifesto and Scrum are just fine and should not be changed. [Read the rant and comment >>][1] [1]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2010/01/13/leave-the-agile-manifesto-alone-rant/ 2010-01-13T12:15:31+00:00 521 1 2010-01-13T12:15:31+00:00 1 0 An Agile environment is composed of many things: infrastructure, software, and meeting space. The right things allow for quick adaptation to continual change. Learn more about [the things that compose Agile environments >>][1] [1]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2010/01/11/the-things-that-compose-agile-environments/ 2010-01-11T18:47:23+00:00 520 0 2010-01-11T18:47:23+00:00 1 0 The Methods & Tools newsletter has just released in its html archive section the article "[Agile Coaching Tips][1]" by Rachel Davies. An agile coach's domain is team collaboration and how the work is organized to create a steady stream of valuable working software. In this article, Rachel Davies shares her experience about Agile Coaching that is also available in the excellent book that she wrote with Liz Sedley. [1]: http://www.methodsandtools.com/archive/archive.php?id=96 2010-01-11T09:34:00+00:00 519 0 2010-01-11T09:34:00+00:00 29 0 This video from the discuss how, for many years, we were sold the idea that Agile does not scale when it is actually Waterfall and plan-driven are the approaches that do not scale. [http://www.tvagile.com/2010/01/05/agile-scales-waterfall-doesn%E2%80%99t/][1] [1]: http://www.tvagile.com/2010/01/05/agile-scales-waterfall-doesn%E2%80%99t/ 2010-01-11T07:19:37+00:00 518 0 2010-01-11T07:19:37+00:00 29 0 An environment is complex. It's composed of people, things, and circumstances. An environment acts upon us, and we act within and upon it. It shapes who we are and how we act. For any team, having an environment that is conducive to self-motivation is highly important. [Learn more >>][1] [1]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2010/01/08/creating-the-proper-environment-for-an-agile-team/ 2010-01-09T02:09:10+00:00 517 0 2010-01-09T02:09:10+00:00 1 0 The Winter 2009 issue of Methods & Tools contains an interesting article from Rachel Davies about Agile Coaching Tips. She shares her experience that is also available in the excellent book that she wrote with Liz Sedley. When I reviewed her book this summer, I started thinking about the coaching role that external people are now assuming versus the traditional consultant position. On the same question I saw a recent blog post discussing the utility of agile coaches. The author said that you should accept advice only from people that had achieved themselves something big, citing personalities like John Carmack or Linus Torvalds. [http://blog.martinig.ch/software-development/the-consultant-the-coach-and-delivering-value/][1] [1]: http://blog.martinig.ch/software-development/the-consultant-the-coach-and-delivering-value/ 2010-01-08T14:00:30+00:00 516 0 2010-01-08T14:00:30+00:00 29 0 This two-day workshop being held March 1-2 in Philadelphia, PA March provides everything you need to get going with Agile and Scrum. More and more companies are adopting Agile development to gain faster time to market, increased return on investment, lower development costs, and greater customer involvement. Scrum, the typical starting point for new Agile teams, brings greater visibility to projects, increases accountability, helps with forecasting, and allows for continuous change. We'll cover a lot of ground including Agile principles, Scrum practices, roles, and responsibilities, writing user stories, release and sprint planning, and much more. Learn more about the [Fundamentals of Agile and Scrum workshop][1]. [1]: http://www.adsdevshop.com/services/agile-training-and-consulting/agile-training/fundamentals-of-agile-and-scrum/ 2010-01-07T12:18:23+00:00 515 1 2010-01-07T12:18:23+00:00 1 0 Methods & Tools is a free e-magazine for software developers, testers and project managers. Winter 2009 issue has just been published with the following articles: * Refactoring Large Software Systems * An Introduction to Domain Driven Design * Agile Coaching Tips * Are Enterprise AJAX Applications Doomed…Or Are We? * Does Process Improvement Really Pay Off? * SQuirreL SQL Client 60 pages of software development knowledge that you can download from [http://www.methodsandtools.com/mt/download.php?winter09][1] [1]: http://www.methodsandtools.com/mt/download.php?winter09 2010-01-06T14:21:42+00:00 514 0 2010-01-06T14:21:42+00:00 29 0 Lack of trust severely hinders the self-motivation required for an Agile team. This posts looks at how we can address the common trust breakers. [Learn more][1]. [1]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2010/01/06/building-trust-with-the-agile-team/ 2010-01-06T11:26:08+00:00 513 1 2010-01-06T11:26:08+00:00 1 0 Innovative ADS Skirmish Service Empowers SMBs, Signals Strategic Shift with Agile consulting. Winter Park, FL, January 5, 2010 — [Atlantic Dominion Solutions][1] (ADS) – a leading project management and custom development firm – today announced the launch of ADS Skirmish, its on-site, hands-on Agile implementation service. The first offering of its kind, ADS Skirmish fulfills a critical need for small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that’s not currently addressed in the marketplace. Many of these companies are eager to achieve the benefits of Agile, yet can’t afford to allocate resources or lack the budgets to hire expensive consultants. [Learn more][2]. [1]: http://www.adsdevshop.com [2]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2010/01/05/ads-pioneers-new-model-for-agile-implementation/ 2010-01-05T15:20:08+00:00 512 0 2010-01-05T15:20:08+00:00 1 0 As you read the title of this article, you may be thinking, "doesn’t agile methodologies emphasize verbal rather than written communication? is there any value in even talking about documentation in this type of project?". The answer is yes to both questions. [Learn more][1]. [1]: http://www.bridging-the-gap.com/the-positive-influence-bas-have-in-the-quality-of-documentation-in-agile-projects 2010-01-04T12:15:15+00:00 511 0 2010-01-04T12:15:15+00:00 1 0 More and more companies are adopting Agile development to gain faster time to market, increased return on investment, lower development costs, and greater customer involvement. Scrum, the typical starting point for new Agile teams, brings greater visibility to projects, increases accountability, helps with forecasting, and allows for continuous change. Join us for this free webinar with Robert Dempsey, Certified Scrum Practitioner, and CEO and Founder of Atlantic Dominion Solutions. [Reserve your spot now >>][1] [1]: http://www.adsdevshop.com/agile-webinars/introduction-to-scrum-for-managers-webinar/ 2010-01-04T11:54:41+00:00 510 0 2010-01-04T11:54:56+00:00 1 0 Most people are internally motivated. Knowing this, we can help them to motivate themselves in the direction we need them to go. [Learn more][1]. [1]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2010/01/04/how-to-motivate-an-agile-team/ 2010-01-04T11:17:23+00:00 509 0 2010-01-04T11:17:23+00:00 1 0 In Agile, there is the notion of velocity. Velocity is the total number of story points that a team completes each sprint. Over time, you can chart the velocity of your Team. Velocity is a useful metric for planning – it tells a product owner how much he or she can put into a future sprint. It helps reduce project risk by making the level of output predictable. Read more about [motivating the Agile team][1]. [1]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2009/12/23/who-motivates-the-agile-team/ 2009-12-23T15:38:13+00:00 508 0 2009-12-23T15:38:13+00:00 1 0 Get answers to common questions about Scrum and learn how companies use it to their advantage. [Find out more about this free webinar][1]. [1]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2009/12/22/introduction-to-scrum-for-managers-webinar/ 2009-12-22T16:10:30+00:00 507 0 2009-12-22T16:10:30+00:00 1 0 For businesses looking to offshore, do your homework before doing so, as the cost savings may not be there. Read more about [offshoring and Agile development][1]. [1]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2009/12/15/does-offshoring-really-save-money/ 2009-12-15T14:54:35+00:00 506 0 2009-12-15T14:54:35+00:00 1 0 Lessons learned about the transition to agile software development during a Scrum training. [http://www.devagile.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=501][1] [1]: http://www.devagile.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=501 2009-12-07T17:50:43+00:00 505 0 2009-12-07T17:50:43+00:00 29 0 On Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at 2pm EST, we'll be giving a free webinar discussing the impact of Agile on business. We'll provide an overview of Agile principles, show the real benefits that businesses have gained from Agile, and talk about a number of successful techniques to make your process more Agile. This webinar is geared to managers and tech executives that are interested to learn more about Agile. [Sign up for the Introduction to Agile for Managers webinar >>][1] [1]: http://www.adsdevshop.com/agile-webinars/introduction-to-agile-for-managers-webinar/ 2009-12-03T16:13:57+00:00 504 0 2009-12-03T16:13:57+00:00 1 S.Q.S. 0 Call for papers QA&TEST 2010 International Conference on Software Testing and QA for Embedded Systems. 27-29 October 2010, Bilbao (Spain) QA&TEST invites the professionals of QA & testing for Embedded Systems to share their knowledge and experiences in the Conference. The Call for Papers has started and will end on 15 February 2010. Participate as a speaker at QA&TEST will bring you the possibility of establishing direct contact with directors and senior executives of technology companies. QA&TEST will allow you to improve your business network and build relationships with potential customers, from the vantage position of being recognized as an expert. Please have a look at the call for papers at www.qatest.org Don't miss the opportunity to be a speaker at QA&TEST 2010!!! 2009-12-03T11:36:48+00:00 503 0 2009-12-03T11:36:48+00:00 0 We’re happy to announce our latest update to Scrum’d, chock full of many of the goodies our customers have been asking for. Here’s the list of what’s new as of today: multiple admins, a stakeholder role, updated burndown charts, closing releases, adding estimated time, fixing typos, a FREE Indy plan, and much more. [Learn more about today's update][1] and then sign up for Scrum'd today for free. [1]: http://blog.adsdevshop.com/2009/12/02/scrumd-update-stakeholders-better-burndowns-and-more/ 2009-12-02T16:22:25+00:00 502 0 2009-12-02T16:22:25+00:00 1