Author name: Johanna

I help you identify and solve the problems that prevent you from releasing systems, hiring the right people, deciding which project to work on next. I take a pragmatic approach: what will work best for you, now? Some people call me a focuser. Some call me an accelerator. When I work with people, first we define our goal together. Typically, it's to get a better product out the door faster. I work with my clients to help managers figure out how to do the managing better, and how the technical contributors can contribute better, not to create a by-the-book system. I work with you, your staff, and your current product development practices. Together, we learn what works well for you and what doesn't. I believe in changing only what needs to be changed at the current time, to maximize your success. We work together to develop a blueprint for the future, and to build in capacity to recognize and implement change.

blog, MPD

Asking for Help

I need some help with my blog template. Now that I’ve moved to each-entry-is-its-own-page, the individual entries are vertically centered on a page. That means you need to page down to see the entry. I’d prefer to have the entry at the top. I thought I had a “valign” somewhere, but I can’t see it. […]

implement by feature, MPD

Assembly Line vs. Implement by Feature

  I taught a project management workshop earlier this week. I include a small project as part of the workshop, so participants can practice planning, organizing, and a little steering of a project in a safe setting. One of the project teams thought they were going to implement their project (a mobile), with an assembly

MPD, thinking

Teaching and Learning

I’m in Albuquerque this week at a debriefing workshop. When I teach, I don’t just read PowerPoint slides. I do use handouts (and frequently PPT) to guide what I’m going to say. However, I add lots of stories, and use interactive activities to drive specific points home to the workshop participants. The way to extract

HTP, interview

Beware of Interpreting Body Language

When I teach interviewing skills, I ask the workshop participants what they want to learn in the workshop. I’m always amazed at how many people say “interpret body language.” I expected people to focus on listening for behavior-description answers to questions, not body language. Interpreting body language is difficult. Imagine you’re sitting across a table

Agile Job Search, HTP

Write and Get Hired

I received a pointer to Write and Get Hired today. And like most busy people, I didn’t read the blurb. Maybe the article will work for you, but I don’t find verbalizing my goals to be helpful. I do find writing them down helpful. But you can write and get hired. Write an article for

Articles

Hiring for Team Fit

“I need another tester for my team” – Test Manager “I’m looking for a developer/architect/someone senior for my team” – Development manager Two managers, two teams. Although each manager has a group he calls a team, the teams are quite different. The test manager has a pool of people whom he assigns to projects in

MPD, project management

Real Project Crises

  We talk blithely about the “crisis” in software development or IT. But most of the time, that’s just projects over schedule, over budget, and under featured. Real project crises are about people. I heard that one of my clients died today. She was a young-ish project manager. I’d never met her in person (she

MPD, writing

Drawing Boundaries

  Esther and I are editing (the next-to-final pass, we think) the book this week, integrating comments from our reviewers. We are very fortunate; our reviewers provided wonderful feedback. And some of the feedback we’re not going to use — at least, not in this book. One of the hardest things to do, whether it’s

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