Ask Why, But Never Answer
Sometimes I go on project archeological digs with my clients through their projects, often focusing on their code bases. We sometimes run a “code bazaar”, wh...| blog.jbrains.ca
Sometimes I go on project archeological digs with my clients through their projects, often focusing on their code bases. We sometimes run a “code bazaar”, wh...| blog.jbrains.ca
I started trying to communicate exclusively in E-Prime in the summer of 2008. I felt motivated to do this primarily by this claim:| blog.jbrains.ca
It’s easy to see Getting Things Done—both the book and the concept—as being only about making lists and setting reminders. They are the easiest parts of GTD to describe, which makes it easy to find articles about them, but they’re not the most powerful benefits. Unfortunately, when we write and talk about Big Picture Issues, such as figuring out what you really want to do in life and cultivating “the courage to say ‘No’”, we run the risk of sounding like Woo Merchants with Big...| jbrains.ca
Hi, I’m a Quality Engineer at my organization and I recently watched your video about integration tests being a scam.1 We’re rearchitecting a lot of our system and exploring ways to better automate our testing to ensure we can deploy faster and with more confidence and I’m exploring ways the quality team can support this. How do you see a quality team working in a world where integration tests aren’t helpful in reducing bugs/mistakes? If the focus is on low level unit tests which are ...| jbrains.ca
I think the typical software development group (team, department, …) has many more urgent matters to attend to than forecasting when tasks will be done. I don’t think it’s a bad idea to try to forecast more accurately; I merely believe that most organizations, most of the time, would benefit more from addressing other issues and letting this particular issue be as it is. At the same time, almost everyone all the time wants to know when it’ll be done, for all kinds of meanings of “it...| jbrains.ca
To avoid arguments with strangers who are wrong on the internet, consider the following substitution in your mind as you read. “You shouldn’t do X” or “Don’t do X” or “Stop doing X” becomes “You might not need to do X (especially merely because some book seems to recommend it). You might still choose to do X, but ask yourself whether that was a conscious choice, and if it wasn’t, then reconsider.” Not as pithy, but much more accurate. And no need to correct internet stra...| jbrains.ca
I offer you a Quick Win today: using sleep and say to help you handle open loops more effectively and more peacefully. What is an open loop again? When I talk about an open loop, I mean a task that you need to pause doing for a while before resuming it. Common open loops include waiting for someone to reply to email, waiting for someone to approve your expense report, or waiting for your code to compile. A Scenario I am updating the server that I use to host The jbrains Experience Forum. I up...| jbrains.ca
I have noticed that having Too Much to Do and increasing work in process can form an amplifying feedback loop. Get out before it’s too late! Increasing work in process tends to make all work later.1 This tends to increase operating costs associated with delays, and with an amplifying feedback loop, it can increase those costs without bound. I state this not as mere hyperbole, but rather with high confidence. Left unchecked, this feedback loop would eat your project and ask for a second help...| jbrains.ca
Many decision-makers are attracted to Lightweight/Agile ways of working because they believe it will help them deliver faster. Some proponents counter this b...| blog.jbrains.ca
I can help you profit from your software projects sooner. Or, I can help increase your chances of surviving them. I live where programming meets the business.| blog.jbrains.ca
An overview of how to practise test-driven development deliberately, which greatly enhances its benefits.| blog.jbrains.ca
I know one of the secrets to becoming an accomplished designer, and I’d like to share that with you today.| blog.jbrains.ca
When we read advice that ignores our context, we have a choice: ignore it, refute it, or allow it to help us. Here, we explore a way to get more value from t...| blog.jbrains.ca
People have struggled to understand and make use of the concept of Technical Debt for over 20 years now. I offer one idea with the hopes of reducing even jus...| blog.jbrains.ca
Some advice seems just silly: pointless, nitpicking, arbitrary. You could yell at it, complain about it, ignore it, or perhaps find a way to make use of it. ...| blog.jbrains.ca
I use two simple rules to help me get started improving the design of systems even before I understand anything about them. (I know the title says| blog.jbrains.ca
Learning a new way doesn't immediately invalidate the old way. Recommending one way doesn't mean recommending against the alternatives.| blog.jbrains.ca
Yet another person yells absurd thoughts about TDD that seem ludicrously easy to debunk. But what if their absurd thoughts are perfectly sensible? What would...| blog.jbrains.ca
I routinely encounter programmers complaining about| blog.jbrains.ca
