Thinking Inside the Box before Venturing Outside ItIn 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.
How to Slim Down Your Bloated Email InboxIf you're spending too much time checking and answering your email—and frankly, who doesn't feel that way—you may just need to revamp your email routine. Here are some techniques for getting a handle on your messages, including better prioritization and categorization. You may even get to the coveted inbox zero.
3 Telltale Signs You’re Scaling Agile Too QuicklyWhen an organization grows quickly, it puts stress on people, processes, and customers. Burnout happens, things fall through the cracks, and defects creep in. Unfortunately, many organizations try to scale agile too quickly, and that often leads to failure. Here are three of the telltale signs you're scaling too fast.
Is Your Agile Team Taking Every Opportunity for Communication?Scrum events are well-defined points where team members communicate, but they shouldn't be the only times. If you’re not considering coding, tests, and the delivery process as opportunities for a conversation, you are missing an important chance to leverage individuals and interactions, as the Agile Manifesto states.
Slow Down to Speed UpHave you ever heard someone say, “How is it we never have time to do it right but we always have time to do it over?” When we rush to complete work, that's often when errors happen. It may seem counterintuitive, but slowing down may be one of the best ways to get the job done quickly—and right the first time.
Dealing with a Change-Resistant ManagerWith almost any change, whether a trivial adjustment in procedures or a large-scale organizational change, people will vary in their receptiveness to it. But if you and your teammates have some good ideas to improve processes and your manager keeps shutting them down, you may be dealing with a change-resistant manager.
The Key to Avoiding ProcrastinationIf you have a task you've been putting off, dividing it into small chunks is a good idea. But the real key to overcoming procrastination is just getting started. Once you begin, you’ve built momentum and are likely to keep going, doing a little more until you’ve made good progress—and maybe even completed the job.
How Testers Can Collaborate with the ScrumMasterScrumMasters serve the team by providing facilitation and coaching, but they also have many challenges. Those in testing roles are in a good position to collaborate with the ScrumMaster to improve agile processes. Here are some ways testers can partner with, support, and assist the ScrumMaster—and the rest of the team.
