Releasing software, to this day, is often a manual task. Scripts may be involved, but we still depend on human orchestration. Knowledge often remains locked away in individual minds. This is disastrous for many reasons. Even if we remember everything, each time we repeat a task there will be slight variations. After a few days, let alone months or years,…
Category: Articles
Proudly learned elsewhere
Not invented here explains the mystery of why organizations re-invent what has already been done well by others. Sometimes it’s a tribal thing, if we didn’t make it: it could be dangerous, we could become dependent, or it won’t fit our needs. Most of the time these fears are irrational. Sometimes it’s a matter of cost. Many people ignore options…
Simplifying the delivery of software
New frameworks and tools are continuously being created to improve how we develop software. I’m always in search of ways to simplify the delivery of software. Simplifying delivery pays dividends in the ability to release and receive feedback quickly. I published a feature article in MSDN magazine about how to do this within the .NET ecosystem. Although the article dives…
Maximize Outcomes by Establishing a Release Driven Workflow, Upfront
First appeared on JetBrains TeamCity Blog. What if you never had to worry about another software release? What if you had confidence in frequently delivering valuable software? What would it be like to establish this before you ever write the first line of code? Find out how focusing on outcomes and working backward to establish a release driven workflow, upfront,…
5 Steps To Effective Customer / IT Staff Interaction To Delight Customers
Organizational demand for IT departments to contribute value directly to customers is at an all time high. Many organizations are interfacing IT staff directly with customers. There’s tremendous opportunity in this synergy. But under the wrong circumstances this interaction will be nothing but a burden that decreases the organization’s ability to provide value. The following five steps are the foundation…
Secrets To Successful Software: Software Is Not The Point!
When an organization or individual engages in solving a problem or achieving a goal by investing in software development it can feel like a completely foreign endeavor. For some it’s scary, for others it’s unfathomable, but at the end of the day everyone wants results. I’m going to let you in on a little secret, the most successful development endeavors…
Stop Wasting Money on Training
The pace of change in our technology driven world is astounding. There are so many opportunities to revolutionize the way we do business. But effectively adopting change is no trivial matter. It’s very easy to become overwhelmed and feel left behind. To combat this, organizations engage in training to further the skills of their employees. This training traditionally comes in…
Use Regulation As A Reason To Improve The Delivery Of Software, Not Impede It
Some time ago, I was part of a rather fluid set of software development projects. Value was delivered frequently and the process was rewarding for everyone involved. For years, I had invested in the positive impact of automation on increasing the frequency of delivering software and receiving feedback. Over time, it became apparent that changes to the process were necessary…