Category Archives: Articles

© 2000 James A. Ward, www.jamesaward.com Reprinted from Information Systems Management, Auerbach Publications, Summer 1994. Total quality management is a commitment to the continuous improvement of work processes with the goal of satisfying internal and external customers. It’s the customer … Continue reading → Continue reading →

© 2001 Becky Winant Recently my partner and I had a garage sale. Well, not a typical garage sale, but an office version. We were moving our office from the first floor of a building, which included a storefront, to … Continue reading →

© 2002 John Suzuki, www.jksassociates.com Sometimes getting what you want requires a little creativity. While working for a Fortune 50 company several years ago, I desperately wanted to attend a conference in a newly forming discipline. My manager supported my … Continue reading → Continue reading →

© 2000 Jim Batterson I shall take advantage of this opportunity to unburden myself on you with a little story. You know, before I was a programmer, I was a barber. One day I was sitting in my shop when … Continue reading →

©2007 Dale Emery “Dale, I have an estimating problem,” Paul said. “My product manager, Sandra, wants to know when we’ll be done testing, and I don‘t know how to estimate that.” “What do you mean by ‘done’?” I asked. Paul … Continue reading → Continue reading →

© 2003 Dwayne Phillips, home.att.net/~dwayne.phillips I spend most of my professional life attempting to solve problems. I face some of these problems privately, but I face the rest with other people. Sometimes people working a problem will ask me for … Continue reading →

©2007 George Dinwiddie As a software development consultant and coach, I help software developers become more effective at developing software. Helping a team become more effective takes more than technical expertise. Sometimes helping does involve teaching technical skills. Sometimes, it … Continue reading →

© 2005 Robert (Mike) Melendez Software testing provides a wealth of tall tales, some of them true.  If we bury ourselves in our work, we can tell the tales, but not see their significance.  Sometimes we need a break.  Sometimes … Continue reading →

© 2003 Naomi Karten, www.nkarten.com This is the story of a runaway cat that helped me make a point during a seminar I was presenting to a client company. We were discussing how easy it is to make false assumptions … Continue reading → Continue reading →

© 2001 Pat O’Toole At the end of a marathon, each weary runner is greeted by a sympathetic volunteer who congratulates them on their outstanding accomplishment, hangs a medal around their neck, and hands them the coveted Finisher’s t-shirt. You’re … Continue reading → Continue reading →

© 2006 Dale Emery "I’m stuck and I need your help," Susan said. Susan was Director of Human Resources at a multinational paper company, and was leading the effort to change the company’s structure from top-down management to self-directed work … Continue reading → Continue reading →

© 2003 C. Keith Ray, homepage.mac.com/keithray What is the secret of agile software development? It is feedback. Where’s the Pain? To begin to be more agile, ask yourself, “What is painful in my process?” You spent six months creating a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

© 2000 John Suzuki, www.jksassociates.com Executing software development activities across geographic and time zone boundaries presents unique challenges to both management and practitioners. These issues apply to any discipline in which close coordination is required between members of a group. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

© 2002 Sherry Heinze A few days ago, I was released early from a contract because of capital cost cutbacks.  Then a heat wave hit.  I don’t handle heat well; my salvation in the summer is usually working in an … Continue reading → Continue reading →

by Diane L. Gibson, 2004 Recently, I found myself faced with a number of difficult events at work. It seemed things were just crashing around me; the pressure was intense, the stakes were high. I was experiencing major league stress. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

by Jean McLendon, www.satir.org originally published in Couples and the Tao of Congruence, edited by Barbara Jo Brothers, 1996 SUMMARY. Lao Tsu and Virginia Satir seemed to have spoken a common language when it came to speaking about the art … Continue reading → Continue reading →

© 2001 Naomi Karten, www.nkarten.com When is a thank you not a thank you? Consider these situations: The anonymous thank you While preparing an important presentation, a woman named Ginny requested and received assistance from six people. The presentation was … Continue reading → Continue reading →

by Dreamas Gentilharte Cheynelokk Translated by Devin G. Kettenschloss The fabulous Wizard of Oz Retired from his racket because, What with up-to-date science, To most of his clients He wasn’t the Wizard he was [2]. I am a retired wizard … Continue reading → Continue reading →

© Naomi Karten, www.nkarten.com (This article originally appeared in Perceptions & Realities newsletter, www.nkarten.com/newslet.html). A frequently touted claim is that when customers have positive experiences, they tell 3 other people and when they have negative experiences, they tell 11 others. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

By Dwayne Phillips 14 November 2006 On page 152 of "Rethinking Systems Analysis and Design," Paul Coyle states, "Try telling the fire brigade that your orange is on fire." This statement is part of a passage about trying to find … Continue reading → Continue reading →

© 2000 Marie Benesh and Shiela Smith, www.mabenesh.com Trailblazer projects provide the critical engine for change in an organization. Through trailblazers, an organization can achieve the structural and behavioral changes that it desires in its IT organizational model. It is … Continue reading → Continue reading →

© Naomi Karten, www.nkarten.com (This article originally appeared in Perceptions and Realities newsletter.) Personalized attention. That’s what this article is about. The two left feet in the title are my own, and personalized attention is something I’ve come to realize … Continue reading → Continue reading →

© 2003 Naomi Karten, www.nkarten.com When I ask people how to get somewhere, I hate it when they rattle off a bunch of directions followed by, “It’s easy, you can’t miss it.” When they say, “You can’t miss it,” I … Continue reading → Continue reading →

© 2001 Eileen Strider, www.striderandcline.com This article originally appeared on Stickyminds.com. It’s easy to be frustrated by lack of executive management support for QA. Often it’s difficult to get the backing we need to really operate effectively. But somewhere beyond … Continue reading → Continue reading →

© 1998 Dan Starr We all know that software’s special. It’s a magical discipline that creates wonderful special effects, makes machines talk, controls both the motors in our cars and the robots that build those cars, and brings unlimited information … Continue reading → Continue reading →

© 2001 Elisabeth Hendrickson, www.qualitytree.com A former Boeing aircraft engineer and I were discussing software testing one afternoon. I expressed a certain amount of frustration about how test groups are called upon to ensure quality in the software industry. In … Continue reading → Continue reading →

© 2002 Bob King, www.rc-king.com Can you get more than three people to agree on the definition of project architect? How does someone called architect figure out how to add value – or even what to do? Come along as … Continue reading →

© 2000 Naomi Karten, www.nkarten.com Good Editing is far more than adjusting the punctuation. Over the past few months, I’ve had the opportunity to experience expert editing, as I’ve worked closely with a Dorset House editor to finalize a book … Continue reading →