process improvement

Agile and DevOps Venn diagram The Relationship between Agile and DevOpsMany are touting DevOps as something new and different—just like agile before it. DevOps fixes an age-old conflict between software development and operational teams, but it’s not new. In fact, the DevOps philosophy is ingrained within the Agile Manifesto. So why is DevOps viewed as something different from agile?
Tools Balancing Process and ToolsThe limits of a tool may lead us to realize that we are not working as effectively as we can, and often, changing a tool is part of the solution. But there are good and bad ways to select a tool and how you use it. In particular there are risks when you focus first on tools before considering the problem.
Hands breaking free of restraints Breaking the Cycle of Bad ScrumWhen practiced well, Scrum can empower people, teams, and organizations to solve complex problems and deliver value to their customers. But bad Scrum does the opposite. If team members or leaders don't embrace Scrum values, it can be oppressive and create tension. Here's how you can prevent bad Scrum from taking hold.
Conveyor belt delivering boxes Why Frequently Delivering Working Software Is Crucial to AgileWhile completing documentation is often an indication that some progress has been made, until software has been implemented, tested, and approved by a customer, the amount of progress cannot be measured. Here are some common reasons agile teams fail to frequently deliver working software—and how to avoid them.
Better Software Fall 2017 issue cover What’s in the Fall 2017 Issue of Better Software Magazine

Better Software magazine editor Ken Whitaker highlights content from the latest issue, including articles on bridging the divide between agile and waterfall, scaling agile through empowered teams, DevOps and IoT, and continuous development.

User stories Use Continuous Backlog Grooming to Refine Agile RequirementsContinuous backlog grooming means systematically refining your user stories: breaking up larger stories, obtaining detailed requirements, writing the requirements in terms of acceptance criteria and acceptance tests, and sharing and refining these details with the team. Acceptance test-driven development can help.
Daily scrum standup meeting 4 Ways to Restore Purpose to Your Daily ScrumThe daily scrum was created to help the Scrum team meet its sprint goal. Unfortunately, answering the three daily questions can turn a synchronization and planning meeting into a status report. Here are four ways to make sure your team members are collaborating about their work and are ready to tackle the next day.
People working in an office Designing an Office to Nurture Innovative Agile Development TeamsAgile software development is a collaborative activity in many ways, but it also requires quiet time. While open office spaces foster communication and collaboration, it's still important for a workspace to have areas where people can buckle down and work. What is the best office configuration to nurture innovation?