Better Software Magazine Archive:

Nov/Dec 2014

IN THIS ISSUE

Scrum or Kanban—Which Is Better?
By Arlen Bankston

In this FAQ column, Arlen Bankston defines the roles of Scrum and kanban and describes how the two agile methodologies can be complementary, each ideal for different situations, or blended to achieve the desired outcome.

Are You Done or Done-Done?
By Masha Nehme

Probably one of the most frustrating roles a manager has to master is how to know the true status of work being performed. To a developer, completing 80 percent of the work may be good enough, but is it  even close to being really done? Masha Nehme shows techniques you can use to verify task completion.

A Tale of Two Doctors and the Value Stream
By Johanna Rothman

Johanna Rothman compares the experience a patient has with doctors to software development. Producing value implies that the customer believes the software you create provides an important benefit by taking into  consideration the way a user works along with an exceptional user experience.

Overcoming Challenges That Impact Product Delivery
By Eric Winquist

Eric Winquist has considerable experience not only leading his company but also consulting with development teams. His advice to “link people to the work” is one of many golden nuggets of information that will help your team deliver projects on time.

How to Design a Test Strategy
By Jon Hagar

Speaking from his experience with test-centered design projects, Jon Hagar explores some testing pitfalls that could have been avoided if the right test strategy had been chosen. You won't find a better, easier-to-understand explanation of a practical test strategy.

Project Management in Cloud Development
By Sridhar Kethandapatti

Cloud-based software development definitely changes how project managers need to approach their projects and lead their teams. Cloud development is not the same as traditional software product  development and requires a unique mix of traditional project management and agility. Project managers considering working on cloud-based projects need to read what Sridhar Kethandapatti has to say.

Leverage the Power You Don't Know You Have
By Bob McGannon

Being technically gifted and performing great work may not be enough when you consider a large part of your job is getting others to collaborate with you. Bob McGannon gives some simple ways you can present yourself and your views that can result in greater job satisfaction and career success.

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