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.

hiring strategy, HTP

Javaranch Review Posted

As far as I know, this is the first review of the book. Take a look at here. I loved the part where Valentin said: During the trip, Johanna will hand out numerous check lists that will help you organize your work more efficiently and prevent you from going too deep into the mud. Thanks, […]

MPD

Journaling as a Feedback Technique

  I’m teaching project management to graduate students this year. One of their assignments is to keep a project management journal. I explained it this way: PMs make decisions where the consequences — the results of their decisions — can be far removed from the decision. One of the things I want the students to

HTP, job offer

Negotiating an Offer

I facilitated a roundtable at Boston SPIN last night, and one of the questions that arose was “How do I negotiate salary?”Compensation is not just your salary. This is your opportunity to think about how you make your life. Do you want more time off? Money for books? Training time and/or money? A different title?

MPD

Assess Your Test Assets

  I presented a webinar today, Becoming a More Agile Tester. Here’s the PDF. (It’s a talk, so if you read it and think you’ve missed something, you have. Send me email with your question.) I’ve been thinking a lot about test assets these days, and here’s a highlight from the presentation, a comparison of

HTP, interview

Audition question: How do You Test a Stapler?

Last week, at my PNSQC workshop, we talked about auditions. One of the participants said that when he auditioned testers, he asked each candidate how the candidate would test a stapler. Take a look at Mike Kelly’s answer. Bet you didn’t realize there were so many ways to test a stapler :-)So why is this

measurement, MPD

Are You Measuring What's Done or What's Left?

  I’m at PNSQC this week. I gave my metrics talk yesterday, and something occurred to me: in traditional projects, we’re used to measuring what’s been done. In agile projects, we measure what’s left to do. I just realized yesterday that the difference in how we measure makes a difference in how people feel about

hiring strategy, HTP

Rejection Letter Template After the Interview

Dave Liebreich gave me feedback yesterday that I’d forgotten to include a template of a rejection letter (after the interview) in the book. Argh. I’ve started an errata page for this and other potential problems. A rejection letter has only three components: No. Thank you. Good luck with your job search. Write the no part first.

management, MPD

Consistency and Predictability

  I’m teaching my older daughter how to drive, and I now realize why inexperienced drivers are so dangerous. They are inconsistent and unpredictable, because they are inexperienced. I can’t help her gain experience by making a list of all possible situations and explaining what she has to do. I have to generalize. Right now,

HTP, interview

Assign Roles for Group/Panel Interviews

At a recent conference session, one participant explained that he assigned roles to people on a group/panel interview. He assigned questioning/listening roles. Here’s a way you could take it one step farther, assinging roles in similar ways to a formal inspection: Assign a moderator, someone to monitor the time, who’s asking which questions, and if

MPD

Hiring the Best Knowledge Workers, Techies & Nerds is Available

My book about hiring, Hiring The Best Knowledge Workers, Techies & Nerds: The Secrets & Science Of Hiring Technical People is available, as of today. (I don’t have my copy yet, and my reviewers don’t have their copies yet either. I’m hoping to be able to ship to my reviewers on Friday.) I firmly believe

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