scrum

Specialist Finding a Home for Specialists on Cross-Functional Agile Teams

It may seem like the best team would be composed of all specialists, but due to their proficiency in only one area, they can actually hold up an agile workflow. You can keep specialists on your cross-functional teams; you just need to structure their work. Here are four options for making good use of a specialist.

Steve Berczuk's picture
Steve Berczuk
Transparency Transparency Could Transform Your Company

Transparency is a core Scrum value because it ensures everyone involved on a project has a common understanding of goals, progress, and deliverables. But what about extending transparency to the whole company, sharing revenue and client-related numbers, strategic product plans, and even individual salaries?

Steve Berczuk's picture
Steve Berczuk
things to consider Reasons to Consider Software Tests as Products

Software tests have to meet quality and robustness criteria that are similar to the application under test, but tests seldom get the attention and investments that the applications get. Hans Buwalda outlines why you should consider tests as products.

Hans Buwalda's picture
Hans Buwalda
Do You Design Your Software Process for Flexibility or Repeatability?

Manufacturing design looks a lot like software: You iterate through possible solutions, and the manufacturing itself is about repeating the making process. But building software means learning about the problem as you solve parts of it. For that, you want flexibility. How do you find your ideal process?

Johanna Rothman's picture
Johanna Rothman
Agile Does Not Equal Scrum: Know the Difference

Some people say “agile/Scrum,” as though they’re the same thing. They're not! Scrum is just one way to approach agile. Johanna Rothman defines each concept and also addresses kanban and Extreme Programming, two more approaches. Don't write off agile until you've explored different ways it could work for you.

Johanna Rothman's picture
Johanna Rothman
A Tester’s Guide to Dealing with Scrummerfall

If you’ve been a tester on an agile team, you’ve probably experienced “Scrummerfall” behavior—a cross between Scrum and waterfall. There isn’t really any collaboration, and there's too much work in progress during each sprint. Bob Galen tells you how planning can help you avoid it.

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Bob Galen
What's in the Fall 2015 Issue of Better Software Magazine?

For the first time, the cover of Better Software magazine showcases two articles. The dual features are about the new ISO 29119 software quality standard—one pro, one con. Reading both points of view will make you think about what your organization is doing to adopt quality standards.

Ken Whitaker's picture
Ken Whitaker
Are You Focusing on the Right Thing in Your Sprint Reviews?

The role of demonstration in a sprint review often takes on more importance than it should, even to the extent that some teams refer to the review as a demo. By focusing on the demo you risk having the team do all the talking, rather than a two-way conversation between the team and the stakeholders.

Steve Berczuk's picture
Steve Berczuk