Powerful Words, “I Don’t Know”
“I don’t know” are three words that most people dread saying. The need to know the answer has followed us from school into the working […]
Author: Alan Zucker
Making Sense of Agile and DevOps
There has been a tectonic shift in how software is developed. Terms like Agile, CI/CD, DevOps, BDD, and TDD are new additions to the IT […]
Controlling the Runaway Meeting
It is a common phenomenon. Something happens, usually something bad. Daily meetings are organized. Anyone connected with the event is there—from senior executives to junior […]
The Project Manager and the Scrum Master Should be Friends
There is a debate in the Agile community regarding the role of the project manager and the scrum master. These discussions remind me of a […]
Failing Fast for the Rest of Us
Fail fast entered the business lexicon from the high-tech sector. It has become a powerful buzzword and has ignited a small movement. FailCon offers a […]
Successful Projects: What We Really Know
The Standish Group has published its annual CHAOS Report on the state of software development since 1994. The Report is often cited as a key […]
Time: Conserving the Precious Resource
Time is the dominant constraint on all projects. There is a constant race against the clock. Many projects have fixed completion dates determined by external […]
Rain, Flight Delays, and Risk Management
It was almost midnight. Our 3-hour trip from Budapest through Frankfurt to Milan was now a 10-hour adventure. Our bags were coming off the luggage […]
Agile Transformation—It’s About the People
The Agile Manifesto declared independence from constraining, process-centric software development methodologies. The Manifesto advocated for a product-focused, team-centric approach. As Agile has moved mainstream, it […]
Planning is a Process, Not an Outcome
The project schedule is the most recognized project management artifact. Stakeholders embrace the schedule as a sacred covenant with the team. In reality, project plans […]