Blog PostsRSS
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Don’t Waste Your Golden Learning Opportunity!
Problems start when we turn any learning method into a ritual. Learning stops, then dogma, arrogance and intolerance begin. — Stephen Parry (@LeanVoices) May 7, 2013 Very true. I've watch dozens of organisations adopt practices in order to have new rules to follow, but these organisations have tended not to make any lasting change nor… Read more…
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The World’s Best Intro to TDD (demo video)
You deserve the World’s Best Intro to Test-Driven Development, and here it is. This demonstration video chronicles delivering the first feature of a point of sale terminal using real-life technologies include Heroku and a UPC (price code) barcode reader. Unfortunately, I couldn’t figure out how to connect the application to a portable LCD, so I… Read more…
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Getting Unstuck: Unleashing the Expert Within!
Some of you know about Jerry Weinberg’s “fieldstones” approach to writing. You build a system for easily capturing thoughts of various lengths: a phrase, an idea, a paragraph, whatever. Periodically you review these fieldstones, look for themes, then collect them into a larger piece, fit for publication. This sounds a lot like “Getting Things Written”…. Read more…
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What matters most when writing code? (Readability? Performance?)
Several people believe that efficiency is the most important aspect of code. Is it? Yes? No? Maybe? Sometimes? Mu?
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User stories: a ticket for a conversation
We know a lot about user stories, but clients continue to struggle with them. I offer you something simple that works. Try it!
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Brewing Espresso and Legacy Code
The tools of ignorance I have recently started “taking seriously” making coffee. By that, I mean that I have spent a considerable amount of money, time, and effort, learning to brew espresso at home. Rather than bore you with the history, suffice it to say that this has become my latest expensive hobby. I wanted… Read more…
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The Part-Time Agile Coach: no, it’s not crazy
I recently read Naresh Jain’s short, but highly informative article (click here) comparing part-time coaching to full-time coaching. I share some of his experience, having done long-term full-time coaching, long-term part-time coaching, short-term full-time coaching, and even short-term part-time coaching. Individuals have benefited a lot from remote working sessions with me, and I think companies… Read more…
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System and Method for Alleviating Fears in Clients*
I help people deal with fear when I coach people, teams, and organisations. All coaches do this. I often deal with this problem with a relatively simple working session that often takes less than an hour. If you like it, then please try this at work.
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A proven path to effectiveness
“I want to do better work as a programmer, but I don’t know how to start.” I have an idea for you.
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Getting Started with Getting Things Done
Does your workload feel out of control? Do you worry about forgetting to do important things? Do deadlines sneak up on you? Do you fight fires most of the time? Do you start your day knocking out “a few small tasks”, then wonder where the day went? Do you find yourself working outside your company’s core hours in order to get something done? I have distilled the core of Getting Things Done down to a four-page document that you can read and put into action today, tomorrow at the latest.
