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  • Interview: Jeff Patton on Embracing Uncertainty

    In this interview with Jeff Patton at Agile 2008, he talks about three strategies that can help product owners do their job more effectively by embracing the inherent uncertainty in all software development. Namely they are understanding the ultimate goals of the project, delaying decisions until the last responsible moment, and scaling up by building quality.

  • Comparing Kanban To Scrum

    Kanban has been gaining serious interest as a valid approach to implementing agile for your development organization. As such, many people are asking the question "how does Kanban compare to Scrum?". Henrik Kniberg has taken a stab at answering this question

  • An Agile Blue Angels Team

    Promoting, sustaining, and evolving agile practices in an organization requires expertise and experience. Initially, many companies bring in outside experts to help get things started. Laura Moore has described a model, based on the Blue Angels, which companies can use to develop and deploy internal experts.

  • Presentation: Born to Cycle

    Agile development is not about doing a set of practices, it's about a way of "being," it's about learning. How is this learning accomplished? By taking brief pauses after small experiments, even large problems can be solved. In a recent Harvard Business Review interview of Toyota's president, he observed, "...when 70 years of very small improvements accumulate, they become a revolution."

  • NUnit 2.5 had been Released

    After nearly a year's work, NUnit 2.5 has finally released. This release includes: Data-Driven Tests, Inline Expected Exception Tests, Generic and Lambda support, Out of process execution of tests and Source Code Display.

  • InfoQ Virtual Training: Design, DSLs, Deployment Automation, Web-based services in May and June

    In-house training or tutorials at conferences are quite expensive, but what if you could attend some of the best tutorials by leading experts live and from your own office at a low cost? InfoQ is testing this idea with the launch of our virtual training: one-hour and half-day training initially covering agile, effective software development, web-based services, DSLs, and more.

  • Structuring Messy Product Teams

    Cory Foy is dealing with an existing organizational structure that has grown by acquisition and evolution into a bit of a monster. Team members are scattered about the globe and in some cases don't occupy the same timezone. Releases were taking 12-18 months.

  • Presentation: Agile Mashups

    It is rare to come across a team that are following an agile software method such as Scrum or XP by the book. Most teams create their own "mashup" of agile practices to suit their unique situation. This talk highlights what's on offer in the different agile methods, where different agile practices add value and how to go about blending them into your current approach.

  • Recommended Lean Books

    Are you interested in reading up on Lean theory? The latest discussion on the leanagile Yahoo! group lists many good reads and even a work-in-progress.

  • How Many Chickens Are Too Many?

    The daily scrum is an important meeting within the Agile team. According to Scrum, only the pigs are allowed to speak during such meetings and chickens should just listen. Is there a limit on the maximum number of chickens, who could attend the daily scrums?

  • Cost Justifying an Agile Migration

    Show me the money - cost justification of Agile migration is a thorny issue. Agile approaches are more successful, deliver value sooner and produce better quality products, but how do we prove it? This article discusses measurements and presents results that help to justify adopting Agile methods.

  • Contracts for Agile Software Development

    While the Agile Manifesto says "Customer collaboration over contract negotiation", contracts are a reality for many developers and firms. Peter Stevens has analyzed 10 different types of development contracts, shedding light on how well each style fits an agile project. He has uncovered a couple that seem to fit much better than either fixed-price or time-and-materials.

  • Scrum Alliance Asks User Group to Sign Licensing Agreement

    Today a Scrum User Group closed shop, in response to a Scrum Alliance request "to sign ... a licensing document for a logo they created for Orlando Scrum users group." Community reaction varies widely. Despite clarification from the SA's managing director, it is unclear what, if anything, this trademark application will mean for existing groups.

  • What Software are Other Geeks Using?

    Wakoopa, a new start-up based in Amsterdam, Holland, has created a new social network aimed at discovering and sharing what applications people are using. While its user base is relatively small and geek oriented, the network provides useful insight on software usage with a social twist.

  • Presentation: Agility - Possibilities at a Personal Level

    Linda Rising talks about the industrial revolution, caffeine, agility and happiness at QCon 2008 in San Francisco: Some observers of historical trends have suggested that the Industrial Revolution could not have happened without coffee and tea. Control of working and waking is what the Industrial Age was all about. Is it time for a truly agile approach to how we work and live our lives?

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