With a little common sense and some dependable metrics, you can banish the “bug bucket” and keep the dreaded rework monster under control by creating a reasonable prediction of your project’s end. A reader recently asked me, “When planning a project phase, how do you account for the bugs that you know will be created? […]
When we talk to new managers, we ask them, “How many of you received management training?” Fewer than 50% raise their hands. As an industry, we don’t do a great job of grooming managers. Sure there are exceptions—bosses who mentor and develop the people in their groups to move into management and companies with strong
Originally published in Computerworld. If yours is like many other organizations, your hiring freeze has lifted—a little. Maybe you have one or two open requisitions now, or maybe you think you’ll have one in a month or so. That’s great. Now it’s time to think about what kind of person you require in your group.
Originally published in Computerworld. During the past few years, we’ve been bombarded with news of outsourced call centers, help desks, testing, development, projects and entire IT infrastructures. It sure looks as if outsourcing is the way to go. Before you jump on the outsourcing bandwagon, ask yourself this question: What’s the value of the knowledge
We all do it, but it’s pricey: Context switching demands valuable time and energy. Ranking priorities can help you manage that melting clock. Bob, the VP, told Sam, the PM, “I have three high-priority projects. I trust you. I want you to run those projects.” Sam’s flattered, but queasy: He knows that if he tries to
One good thing about the slow economy is that organizations are no longer spending money on extras such as teambuilding sessions. Those sessions typically come in two styles: physical challenges such as ropes courses or shooting rapids; or touchy-feely sessions where you’re supposed to confess your deepest, darkest secrets to your co-workers, and then hug
Summary: Before a software application is released, its upgrade is already being developed. But what about upgrades for software testers? In this column, Johanna Rothman offers some ways to strengthen the existing talents within your test team. I was speaking to a senior manager, and he said, “I don’t have the money to hire an
Don’t depend on a work breakdown structure to keep your project on target: Write it out to help managers, team members and stakeholders find consensus. “I can’t get senior management to agree on what I think the project is supposed to do,” a project manager recently complained. “The developers don’t believe me when I tell
When is a year of experience not a year of experience? When that experience doesn’t match your needs. Take my friend Zack for instance. A VP of Development, he recently came to me with a problem. “We hire the best people money can buy,” he said. “They have degrees and tons of experience. Why can’t
If you’re like most IT managers, you have a couple of open reqs. You’d like to make the most of your reqs, and you don’t want to take a long time to hire. To hire the most suitable candidate who aligns with your strategy and needs, find candidates with relevant experience and then ask them