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.

management, MPD

Build Respect in Organizations, Not Families, Part 2

I wrote about treating each other with respect in Organizations Are Not Families, Part 1. In these respect posts, I’ll address possible ways we can treat each other with respect. These are not the only ways. You might have better ideas than I do. Please do comment if you’ve seen alternatives that work better. I […]

management, MPD

Build Respect in Organizations, Not Families, Part 3

I started this series positing that respect is the cornerstone for how we might treat each other, to manage our interactions with success, especially in light of the #MeToo conversation. The series so far is: Organizations Are Not Families, Part 1. Why the metaphor of family-as-org demeans the people working there. Build Respect in Organizations,

management, MPD

Organizations Are Not Families, Part 1

I read Joe Berkowitz’s story in Fast Company, John Oliver Was Right: It’s Time To Confront The Dustin Hoffmans In Your Life. There’s a link to a video excerpt in which Hoffman discusses the idea that the people felt like a family. Mr. Berkowitz says this: There is no template for how to be a good

agile, MPD

Agile Approaches Require Management Cultural Change

Ron Jeffries, Matt Barcomb, and several other people wrote an interesting thread about prescriptive and non-prescriptive approaches to team-based agile. The issues are nuanced and for me, don’t lend themselves to a Twitter discussion. (Learning how to write short and coherently is a different post.) If you don’t want to read the entire thread, here

agile, MPD

Measure Your Cost per Feature

As Mark Kilby and I work on the geographically distributed teams book, I realized this morning that we need to define cost per feature. I already wrote Wage Cost and Project Labor Cost and the management myth that it’s cheaper to hire people where the wages are less expensive. (It might be, but it might

Books, MPD

Prags Have a 40% Off Thanksgiving Sale

The Pragmatic Bookshelf is having its annual Black Friday sale, starting Nov 22, and running through Dec 1. All ebooks are 40% off. Yes, all of mine and everyone else’s.  Including Create Your Successful Agile Project! Use the code turkeysale2017 to get the discount. Give thanks for books 🙂 Happy reading!

Books, MPD

Pairing Improves Writing

I’m writing a geographically distributed agile team book with Mark Kilby. We have a 30-minute timebox each morning to write. (We take time off for holidays, vacations, travel, etc.) Because we’re writing together, we first had to understand what we wanted to write in this book. We created a frame and a story map for

MPD, podcast

Guest on Tom Cagley’s SPaMCast 468

Tom Cagley interviewed me for his Software Process and Measurement Cast (podcast) a couple of weeks ago and the podcast is live. See SPaMCAST 468 – Johanna Rothman, Create Your Successful Agile Project. We had a blast. I ranted and raved (as I am wont to do) and had a great time discussing some of

MPD, writing

Writing Workshops Registration Open

I have finally finished recording the videos for my writing workshops. See Writing Non-Fiction Workshop 1: Enhance Your Business and Reputation (Q1 session starts Jan 2018) Writing Non-Fiction Workshop 2: Secrets of Successful Non-Fiction Writers (Q1 Session starts Jan 2018) The first workshop is about building a habit of writing. If you want to help people see

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