How Do You Change? I’ve been working with people who want to transition to agile. They read about it. They hear stories about. They realize the benefits if it. But they haven’t yet done the hard work of actually transitioning. When I arrive on site, ask a few questions, meet with their management team, inevitably
Three Tips for Artisanal Change Have you ever tasted a superb strawberry just off a family farm? Or a micro brew beer from a small brewery or a chocolate from superior chocolatier? If you have, you can remember the mouth feel, the explosion of taste in your mouth, the way it felt sliding down your
Knowing When an Agile Project is Done I meet a number of new-to-agile folks who worry that an agile project might never be done. They use air quotes around the word “project” when they refer to agile projects. Just beause you use iterations or kanban for an agile project doesn’t mean it doesn’t have release
Why a Project Charter Works Do you know what the vision of your project is—the goal of your project? You might know your iteration’s goal. You might know what each feature needs. But do you know the goal for your project? There are two necessary pieces of information in a project charter: the vision and
Explaining Options When You Coach I was coaching a client, Cindy, about what to do in a particular situation. I said, “Let’s explore some options.” She said, “Oh, options seem so formal. I want something less formal.” I thought about it a few seconds and said, “Okay, how about some steps you might take?” “Yes,
Prepare to Become More Influential When you want to make a change, you need other people to work with you. Maybe you want your organization to transition to agile. Maybe it’s time to experiment with measuring your work in progress. Maybe you want to move from manual testing to a combination of automated testing plus
How Effective Are You? A colleague emailed me, asking me how she could tell if her staff was effective. She had developed a few metrics. But her gut was telling her she was looking at the wrong data. She was right. She was looking at the wrong data. Her managers wanted to know how effective
Johanna’s New Year’s Tips For the past three years, I’ve shared three tips with you just in time for New Year’s. This year is no exception. 1. Make time for reflection and observation. I bet this week has been a pleasure for you. You’ve either had a more relaxed week at work, because fewer people
Rothman Consulting Group, Inc.Vol 9, #16: Great People Create Great Products November 29, 2012 ISSN:2164-1196 In This Issue: Great People Create Great Products Hiring Geeks That Fit is Available
Rothman Consulting Group, Inc. Vol 9, #15: Your Culture:How Do We Treat Each Other? October 3, 2012 ISSN:2164-1196 In This Issue: Your Culture: