I have been working in software environments for over 10 years. During the first 2 years of my career, I noticed common development problems and pondered solutions to organizing, deploying, and maintaining my teams’ solutions. I was so pleased to find I wasn’t alone. I was introduced to the philosophy, techniques, and vocabulary of Continuous Integration, Continuous Delivery, and Agile.
Over the last 8 years, the teams I worked with that emphasized these were more productive, resilient, calm, and fun. Our demos at trade shows were live products–capable of same-day deployment to cloud infrastructure managed by our operations teams, ready to be installed on mobile and embedded platforms.
We were able to do this because we cared about working together across disciplines. We were able to do this because we developed better practices (and practiced them.) We were able to do this because we wanted to come in each morning and go home each night with the confidence that our software did what we said it would do. We were able to do this because we knew that perfection isn’t attainable, but improvement is easier the smaller the slice.
I intend this blog to help improve the process of making technology products for every part of your organization. Whether you are the CEO or the QA intern, you can improve your company–its culture, its product, and its process–by learning (and teaching) how to work together better.
Some of my entries will be technical, intended for technical people. Other articles will be philosophical, intended to invoke conversation. Yet others will discuss the issues one faces turning ideas into actions, referred here as Organizational Dynamics.
Organizational Dynamics are too often left out of methodologies with expensive seminars, training materials, and certifications (none of which I will endorse or mention.) I have seen half-hearted attempts of certifying employees for “the one true process” ruin positive steps toward more effective collaboration among employees at all levels. Companies need to look inward at the common problems, the everyday employees that are trying to solve them (just as I was at the start of my career,) listen and learn from each other, and look outward only to seek new ideas and advice. Your problems may look similar to another’s problems, but your solutions should be your own.
One size does not fit all. Nor does one writer. Some of my influences are: Fred Brooks, Tom DeMarco and Tim Lister, Frederick Winslow Taylor, Paul Duvall, Andrew Hunt and David Thomas, and Mary Parker Follett. They’ve all written books, some of them are still lecturing and consulting. Maybe I will author a book someday. Until then, I am available for consulting and here is a free blog.
It’s a start. Slow and steady, like the tortoise and the hare. Make small increments, don’t stray from the path, and don’t worry about the rest. The primary goal isn’t winning at any cost, but staying true to your abilities and finishing what you start.
Try to develop with more intelligence.