PLAN FOR IMPROVISATION

In Individuals and Interactions an agile guide , Ken Howard and Barry Rogers give us a set of tools for managing individuals on agile projects. They acknowledge that "There have been countless books on the subject of human behavior and communication. Psychologists, sociologists, organizational behavior experts, and others have conducted studies, published journal articles, taught courses, and granted degrees in this subject area." Since the philosophical science has been covered in detail by many many others, this book focuses on specific tools you can use for individuals and interactions on agile software projects. It jumps right into actionable techniques without much exposition. It assumes you are fully in agreement with running projects utilizing agile project management practices. Fair warning: The book might feel quite one sided for some if you come from a heavy command and control background or don't agree with agile principals . You might get a bit frustrated. I...

Photo Credit: Librarian By Day My mother sent me the following comment in a email recently: "Us senior citizens don't need anymore gadgets. The tv remote and the garage door remote are about all we can handle." I find the concept of gadgets interesting. I don't consider myself a gadget person.  However, I own an iPad and Android phone. My brother owns quite a few portable technology devices, but doesn't consider any of them gadgets. My mother owns a digital camera, mobile phone, and iPod. These devices are more complex than a TV remote or garage door opener, but are not gadgets to her. They are useful tools. The line between gadget and useful thing is how useful the owner finds it.   This is something to keep in mind when designing. If somebody can find clear utility in your product they will spend time learning how to use it. You can increase your customer retention by focusing on clear workflows, usability, and tracking customer behavior. If you can't...