personal improvement

Large black dog sitting and listening Simple Ways to Become a Great Listener

In this era of multitasking, you probably excel at listening even as you do other things. But it’s not enough to be skilled at listening if, in the process, you convey the impression that you’re not listening. Make sure the people you're communicating with know you're listening to them by employing these simple tips.

Naomi Karten's picture
Naomi Karten
puppies in a basket Stressed? Why NIH Says Puppy Cams Are Your Best Friend

Who among us doesn't need stress reduction techniques from time to time? Especially ideas that actually work. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently channeled a puppy cam to call attention to the importance of recognizing stress in our everyday lives.

Pamela Rentz's picture
Pamela Rentz
Tablet next to a smartphone Up Your Security: Turn On Two-Factor Authentication

You may think that if you always take care not to share personal information online and regularly update security settings, turning on two-factor authentication is an unnecessary step. But the truth is there is always a risk. Let's look into how two-factor authentication keeps your personal information more secure.

Owen Gotimer's picture
Owen Gotimer
Man in a business meeting persuading a client What to Keep in Mind If You Want to Be Persuasive

To successfully persuade someone of something, it’s important to keep in mind how you come across to others—when you’re trying to persuade and when you’re not. It's a good idea to build up trust and credibility before you need something, listen to others when they're in need, and think about tailoring your message.

Naomi Karten's picture
Naomi Karten
kids dance party 2018 Hour of Code: Let’s Dance

What kid doesn’t love a dance party? With aliens and sharks that drop, double down, and dab? Introduce kids to the basics of computer science in a way that doesn’t elicit “I’m boooored” with Dance Party, the draw for the 2018 Hour of Code. Do a little dance, make a little code!

Pamela Rentz's picture
Pamela Rentz
Stack of books on a table 5 Books to Spark Fresh Ideas in Software

A significant part of remaining relevant in the software industry is keeping up with development and testing trends. But organizations don’t always have a big training budget, so sometimes it falls to us to manage our own continuing education. Luckily, that can be as easy as discovering fresh ideas in a new book.

Owen Gotimer's picture
Owen Gotimer
Microphone on stage at a software conference 4 Takeaways from Agile + DevOps East 2018

With a week full of sessions, tutorials, training classes, and events, the Agile + DevOps East software conference had plenty of takeaways. Here are four highlights, including discussions about agile estimation, finding your ideal job, some challenges to advancing test automation, and leading self-organizing teams.

Owen Gotimer's picture
Owen Gotimer
Microphone on a stage at a conference Lessons Learned (and Unlearned) at STARCANADA 2018

With a week full of sessions, tutorials, training classes, and events, the STARCANADA software testing conference had plenty of takeaways. Some highlights: what jobs will look like in the future with AI, why testers should lead efforts to make quality everyone's responsibility, and the importance of unlearning.

Owen Gotimer's picture
Owen Gotimer