collaboration

A group of people participating in a mob programming session Mob Programming: Working Well Together

Mob programming is a whole-team approach to creating software where everyone works together on the same thing at the same computer. It's not a bunch of people watching one person write code, but rather everyone thinking, discussing, designing, and collaborating. Sound crazy? Here's how it improves the quality of code.

Woody Zuill's picture
Woody Zuill
Smiling woman holding a large box, photo by bruce mars Thinking Inside the Box before Venturing Outside It

In their rush to solve a problem, teams often overlook conventional methods in favor of out-of-the-box ideas. But sometimes, the old standbys—thinking first, reviewing criteria, and asking questions—work the best. Before jumping to creative tactics, start by examining the possibilities readily available inside the box.

Naomi Karten's picture
Naomi Karten
Blue dye merging with a white umbrella Analyzing the Software Team Generalist

There's a recent trend in having generalists on the software team—there are no developers or testers, only "team members." The idea of the two roles learning from each other is a good one, but it's usually a one-way street: Testers learn to write production code or test tooling, but no one focuses on deep testing.

Justin Rohrman's picture
Justin Rohrman
Three coworkers laughing in their office, photo by Priscilla Du Preez Why Laughter Is a Sign of Creative, Productive Teams

Laughter is a sign that people feel relaxed and safe. In a workplace, safety leads to environments that enable more idea generation and innovation, so one approach to improving teammates' creativity and connection is to encourage laughter. But how can you do that so it doesn't feel forced? Steve Berczuk has some ideas.

Steve Berczuk's picture
Steve Berczuk
Five coworkers fist-bumping in a culture of continuous improvement Building a Culture of Continuous Improvement

A culture of continuous improvement means you are open to improving how you build and deliver. You don't accept the status quo; you choose how to work and feel empowered to change it if it no longer makes sense. Kevin Goldsmith gives some ideas for frameworks to adopt in order to move toward this people-first culture.

Kevin Goldsmith's picture
Kevin Goldsmith
Roadblock sign reading "Road closed" 4 Impediments to Nurturing a Feedback-Rich Culture

Being able to have open, candid conversations that fuel learning, growth, and improvement is critical to a team’s success, so it is important to look out for impediments that can get in the way of having a feedback-rich culture. Here are four common impediments to watch for, as well as behaviors you should nurture.

Joanna Vahlsing's picture
Joanna Vahlsing
Two men sitting opposite each other, working on their laptops Is Your Agile Team Taking Every Opportunity for Communication?

Scrum events are well-defined points where team members communicate, but they shouldn't be the only times. If you’re not considering coding, tests, and the delivery process as opportunities for a conversation, you are missing an important chance to leverage individuals and interactions, as the Agile Manifesto states.

Steve Berczuk's picture
Steve Berczuk
Four people fist-bumping in a workspace Social Abilities Infuse Tech Know-How with Power

Software testers tend to focus their personal development activities almost exclusively on boosting technical acumen, but social systems are just as important. Infusing tech know-how with social skills, such as communication, adaptability, collaboration, and problem-solving abilities, creates team and project success.

Marcia Buzzella's picture
Marcia Buzzella