teams

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
Caution tape stretching across a construction site 5 Pitfalls Agile Coaches Must Avoid

Successful agile teams often have a coach driving continuous improvement. While some coaches are effective initially, many eventually succumb to pitfalls that inhibit their team’s growth and fail to compel any lasting changes. Here are five common pitfalls of agile coaches in most projects that fail to improve.

Alan Crouch's picture
Alan Crouch
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
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
Silhouettes of a team, with a key person standing out in red Fighting Key-Person Dependency Risk on Your Team

Key-person dependency risk is when only one person on your team possesses certain business-critical abilities or knowledge—so if that person leaves, you're in trouble. The first step of mitigating that risk is taking stock of your team members and their skills. Decide what's important, and train or hire accordingly.

Lee Eason's picture
Lee Eason
work and relax street signs Relax This Summer and Be a Maker

For many, it's time for a much-needed break with a summer vacation at the beach, listening to the ocean waves with toes in the sand. But numerous studies show it’s important to take time to find a way to destress on a regular basis. If doing nothing isn't your cup of tea, Pamela Rentz has some project ideas.

Pamela Rentz's picture
Pamela Rentz