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  • How Agile Teams Can Improve Predictability by Measuring Stability

    In this article, we will present our approach for analysing agile systems as networks of queues and how we have used it to analyse 926 projects in the Public Jira Dataset. We explain how you can measure the Stability Metric (SM) for your queues. Finally, we will present our planned next phase of research.

  • Sustaining Fast Flow with Socio-Technical Thinking

    To sustain a fast flow of changes over long periods of time, organizations address both the social and technical, socio-technical, aspects of reducing complexity. Examples are incentivising good technical practices to keep code maintainable, architecting systems to minimize dependencies and maximize team motivation, and leveraging platforms to preclude whole categories of infrastructure blockers.

  • Making Work Visible Book Review and Q&A with Dominica DeGrandis

    Book review and Q&A with Dominica DeGrandis on her new book "Making Work Visible". What are time thieves and what can we do about them?

  • Q&A on the Scrumban [R]Evolution

    In the book “The Scrumban [R]Evolution: Getting the Most Out of Agile, Scrum, and Lean Kanban" Ajay Reddy describes what Scrumban is, explores the principles and theories on which it is based, and shows how Scrumban can be deployed in organizations.

  • Q&A on Kanban Change Leadership

    In the book Kanban Change Leadership Klaus Leopold and Sigi Kaltenecker explore how Kanban can be deployed to get change done in organizations and to build a culture of continuous improvement. An interview on doing change in small steps, solving problems, using WIP limits, priorities and classes of service in Kanban, using the Theory of Constraints with Kanban, and getting results with Kanban.

  • Downscaling SAFe

    The Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) with custom modifications to it in accordance with Agile and Lean values helped Seamless Payments to go through a period of organizational growth and prepare for further growth. This article describes the change that was done using a slimmed down version of SAFe that still maintained its core ideas.

  • From a Project to a Product Approach Using LeSS at Agfa Healthcare

    By changing the inner workings from a project perspective to a product perspective Agfa Healthcare established a less complicated process using a single backlog for the entire organisation. Main advice is to try to avoid setting up silos where they do not belong. When applying LeSS it is important to stick to its basic rules even though they are, in most organisations, very disruptive.

  • Using Blocker Clustering, Defect Clustering, and Prioritization for Process Improvement

    When work gets delayed (it’s blocked), it is of particular interest to look for ways to improve the smooth flow of work by resolving the causes of that delay. In the long term, finding ways to eliminate the root causes of these delays is a superior solution. This article discusses clustering blockers and provides ways to prioritize those blockers that have the most impact or are the quickest wins.

  • How a Flow Manager Helps Teams Deliver, Fast and Smoothly

    As agile software delivery practices and management evolve, so, too, do the roles. kanban has introduced the idea of managing flow, one of the method’s core practices. With talented developers, quality advocates and user-experience designers, teams know how to deliver valuable software. But as we improve service delivery using kanban, who manages flow?

  • Kanban at Scale – A Siemens Success Story

    This article shows an internally driven and remarkably smooth Kanban implementation approach which very quickly rewarded Siemens Health Services (HS) with real and sustainable improvements in predictability, efficiency and quality. It demonstrates the benefits of “flow” and its advantages in terms of actionable metrics and forecasting capabilities based on real data captured from recent releases.

  • Tracking Schedule Progress in Agile

    The challenge of knowing whether we are on track to deliver haunts projectmanagers and developmentmanagers at various levels as their organizations take on agile approaches to product and project development. Driving towards smaller work items and lower work in process brings the benefits of both better project risk management as well as more effective agile execution and learning.

  • Applying Lean Thinking to Software Development

    Lean’s major concept is about reducing waste, meaning anything in your production cycle that is not adding value to the customer is considered waste and should therefore be removed from the process. Steven Peeters explains how you can apply Lean principles in an IT environment.

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