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.

newsletter

Flow Metrics and Why They Matter to Teams and Managers

I continue to work with people who have trouble with their agile approach. They tell me their relative estimation isn’t working for them. They continue to roll over items, from sprint to sprint. They’ve rolled over some items for six months or longer. The people feel demoralized. And the Scrum Masters or agile project managers […]

MPD, podcast

2024.03 Cindi the Anti-Cupid (Fiction)

I’ve been in a fiction writing workshop all week, so it makes sense to offer you an excerpt from a piece of short fiction. The Podcast: Transcript: I’m Johanna Rothman, and this is 60 Seconds of Johanna’s WIP for January 18, 2024, where I read an excerpt of just a minute of some writing in

MPD, podcast

2024.02 Carlos is Dead (Fiction)

Another week, another edition of the experiment of 60 Seconds of Johanna’s WIP. The transcript: I’m Johanna Rothman, and this is 60 Seconds of Johanna’s WIP for January 11, 2024, where I read an excerpt of just a minute of some writing in progress. This excerpt is from a science fiction mystery short story. Liza

MPD, podcast

2024.01 Another Speaking Experiment

I’m continuing the experiment into 2024 for several reasons: If you want to write more, you don’t need to write a lot at one time. I discovered that even if I get to Thursday afternoon, I can always write 100 words. That helps me make progress on some item/work in progress. I started this experiment

MPD, podcast

2023.12 Speaking Advice

My last 60 seconds of WIP for 2023: The transcript: I’m Johanna Rothman, and this is 60 Seconds of Johanna’s WIP for December 28, 2023, where I read an excerpt of just a minute of some writing in progress. This excerpt is from a book about presentation skills for consultants, managers, and writers. Speakers hear

MPD, writing

Give Yourself the Gift of Writing Ease in the New Year

Want to write better and faster and with more ease? Register for the Q1 2024 Free Your Inner Nonfiction Writer workshop. That page has all the details. Free yourself from all the old rules that prevent you from writing fast and well. Never have the blank page problem. Instead, create ease with your writing. You

MPD, podcast

2023.11 Boston Fog

My 60 seconds of WIP this week. I also post these on my YouTube channel. If you want a laugh, take a look at my supposedly incognito clip. As soon as I turned on the camera, I realized I could not be incognito. Yes, that moment will make it into some writing in the future.

Scroll to Top