Benefits of Kanban: Advantages & Core Practices Explained

July 9, 2024

Kanban methodology is an incredibly effective way to improve planning, efficiency, collaboration, quality, and more. Today, we’ll explore the key benefits that make Kanban so useful, as well as the core principles that guide its success.

What You Missed: Risk Management Strategies for Agile Success

May 13, 2024

Are your agile projects navigating a sea of uncertainties? Are risks lurking beneath the surface, threatening to derail your progress? If so, you're not alone.

In a recent webinar, "Managing Risks in Agile Enterprises," Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan dove into the critical importance of risk management in Agile, sharing actionable insights and strategies that can transform how you approach and conquer project challenges.

Read more to see the recording, highlights, and more.

Why Embrace Kanban for Enhanced Business Agility? Insights From Kanban India 2023

February 16, 2024

In the bustling heart of Bengaluru, India, from December 1 to December 2, 2023, Inflectra's very own Enterprise Agile Evangelist, Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan, brought the Kanban narrative to life through a workshop titled "Using Kanban to Boost Business Agility in Scaling Agile" that went beyond the conventional to unlock the true potential of Kanban. This event, called Kanban India, orchestrated by Innovation Roots, marks a significant chapter in the ongoing dialogue about Kanban's versatile application across industries since 2015. The event attracted a diverse audience, from agile coaches and scrum masters to CEOs, all drawn together with the promise of unlocking new dimensions of business agility through Kanban.

Let's delve into the insights and lessons from this workshop, highlighting how it can revolutionize your approach to Agile and business agility.

Enhancing Agile Scrum Through Effective Requirements Management and Prioritization

January 10, 2024

In the dynamic world of Agile Scrum framework, the essence of project success lies in the meticulous management of requirements and prioritization of tasks. This article, written by Melissa Daley, CEO and Founder of Orca Intelligence, synthesizes key insights from two critical aspects of Agile project management: Requirements Management and Prioritization in the Agile Scrum Process.

Large Scale Scrum: Explaining Agile LeSS Framework, Principles, & More

January 8, 2024

Large Scale Scrum has emerged as a powerful and adaptive framework in the realm of Agile project management and software development. This methodology is designed to address the challenges of scaling Scrum to accommodate larger teams and more complex projects. Let’s start from the beginning:

Using SpiraPlan for Program Backlog Planning with Jira and Azure DevOps

January 4, 2024

We have had several prospective customers ask us how they can use the new program planning and backlog management features of SpiraPlan to help them do program backlog planning and portfolio management of multiple project teams even when the individual teams are using a combination of other tools such Atlassian Jira and Microsoft Azure DevOps. The SpiraPlan data-synchronization infrastructure, in conjunction with our program planning functionality, comes to the rescue.

Scrum of Scrums: Definition, Purpose, Best Practices, & More

December 20, 2023

Agile scrum methodology is one of the most popular development frameworks, but scaling it to the enterprise level can be tricky if not done correctly (and can nullify many of its benefits). This is where variations of Scrum, like Scrum of Scrums and LeSS, come into play. Keep reading to learn how Scrum of Scrums works, what its benefits are, the different components of the methodology, and best practices when employing it in your teams.

Guide to Scrum Team Size & Roles

December 4, 2023

As we venture deeper into the realm of Scrum methodology, it's crucial to dissect the intricacies of team dynamics. This guide should help you understand the specifics of individual Scrum roles, optimal team size and role distribution, anatomy of an ideal team, and uncover the key factors contributing to what makes a successful Scrum team.

Inflectra's Impact: Sponsoring Success at Agile + DevOps East 2023

November 13, 2023

Step into the world of Agile + DevOps East in Orlando, Florida, where for the 5th year, Inflectra has proudly sponsored and exhibited. This active involvement empowers us to deliver software solutions not only at the forefront of technology, but also closely tailored to meet our customers' rigorous demands. Continue reading our recap blog to see our experience at the booth, involvement in the conference, and how this event will help us improve our products.

Comprehensive Guide to Scaled Agile Team Roles

October 9, 2023

https://www.inflectra.com/Ideas/Entry/scrum-team-size-roles-1643.aspxIn the world of software development, agility is key to staying competitive and responsive to ever-changing market demands. The Scaled Agile Framework, or SAFe, is a powerful approach that enables organizations to scale agile principles across multiple teams and deliver value efficiently. At the heart of SAFe are various roles, each with a specific set of responsibilities. In this guide, we'll demystify these, what they do, and where they fit into the framework.

What is SAFe PI Planning?

September 26, 2023

PI planning is an efficient way to leverage agile processes at scale, even in large enterprises. But how do we define PI planning? Keep reading to learn what it is, the benefits it provides, and the steps involved with this process.

Recap: Unleashing the Power of Spira 7.7 - Scaling Agile with Program Capabilities & Milestones

July 7, 2023

On July 6, 2023, Adam Sandman, the CEO of Inflectra, hosted a webinar on Spira 7.7 where he unveiled the much-awaited launch of its most significant functional enhancement to date - Scaled Agile. Participants had the opportunity to explore the new features and capabilities of the latest version of Spira, which aim to facilitate the implementation of Agile practices on a larger scale within their organizations. This update will help align strategic planning efforts and drive successful program delivery.

Access the recording, slides, key topics covered, and more by continuing to read.

Recap Blog: Wrapping Up Agile + DevOps West 2023 - Reflecting on the Conference Experience

June 13, 2023

As the curtains close on Agile + DevOps West 2023, #TeamInflectra takes a moment to reflect on the insightful journey we had in Las Vegas. There were highs, there were lows, and most of all, tons of fun. We’ve compiled a blog of our adventures through fabulous Las Vegas and the conference, continue reading to find out more.

Spotlight on Spira 7.5 - New Task Boards Beta

February 20, 2023

We are excited to announce that, following the redesign of the main planning board in Spira, we will be shortly releasing a new beta version of the task board in Spira v7.5. Using the same design principles and concepts as the new beta planning board, the new task board will allow for greater flexibility and customizability and provide multi-dimensional views of Spira tasks.

Implementing Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) With Spira

February 2, 2023

Behavior Driven Development (BDD) is a software development methodology that has become increasingly popular in the last decade. It is an evolution of the Agile software development methodology and focuses on the behavioral aspects of software development. BDD is designed to create a collaborative environment among team members, enabling them to develop a unified understanding of the desired product. In this article we discuss how you can use Spira to implement BDD easily in your projects.

Spotlight on Spira 7.3 - Agile Boards and Teams/Tracks

December 6, 2022

We are excited to be releasing the public beta version of the long-awaited agile planning board revamp for SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan in early December. In preparation for that, we wanted to provide a preview of the new user interface and design. Since our original blog post highlighting the new features, the UI has undergone some major revisions and updates, so in this article we're including screenshots of the current release candidate.

Risk Management and Software Quality: Expert Panel Webinar Recap

October 5, 2022

September 8, 2022: Inflectra and Tezza Business Solutions collaborated in a joint webinar aimed to raise awareness of the importance of the symbiotic relationship between Risk Management and Software Quality Assurance, particularly related to the financial industries in West Africa. The webinar brought together three eminent panelists, West Africa’s first EC-Council Licensed Penetration Tester, Obadare Peter Adewale, Head of Enablement for FNB Mozambique, Gui Texeira, and the Chief Executive Officer of Tezza Solutions, Roland Omoresemi. The session was moderated by Inflectra’s Enterprise Agile Evangelist, Sriram Rajagopalan, who navigated the panelists through the challenges of adopting Agile framework in West Africa, the binding regulations in the financial industry, and the technology tools required to improve transparency, inspection, and adaptation. 

Value Stream Management with SpiraPlan

September 28, 2022

We recently demonstrated SpiraPlan to a large, multinational manufacturing company. During the series of demonstrations and proof concepts, we configured SpiraPlan for a set of different use cases, including demand management, program management, portfolio management, configuration management, and value-stream management. In this article we will be covering the topic of value stream management and value stream mapping

Sneak Peek: New Agile Boards and Support for Teams

August 31, 2022

As we head into the end of Q3, we are excited to be releasing some major new features and enhancements for both our Spira and Rapise platforms. In a series of upcoming blog articles, we will be highlighting some exciting new marquee features that you can expect to see in upcoming releases. To get the ball rolling, in this article, we will be showing a preview of the new agile (Scrum and Kanban) boards that will be unveiled in an upcoming release of SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan. This major refresh of the agile planning boards was made possible from feedback from some of our most loyal and devoted customers, thanks so much for your help.

InflectraCON 2022 - Major Take Aways

June 27, 2022

InflectraCon 2022 - Inflectra’s Global Agile, DevOps & Testing conference took place this year on May 5-6th in Washington, DC, the home of Inflectra headquarters. This year’s event featured Spira training, four great keynotes, two full, substantive conference tracks with speakers from around the world, and a Partner Summit. 

Thanks to everyone who attended InflectraCon 2022! In this article, we'd like to recap some of the major themes and key takeaways that we all learned from the event.

Recap: Agile+DevOps West in Las Vegas 2022

June 20, 2022

The #teaminflectra attended the Agile DevOps West conference on Jun 15th and Jun 16th in Las Vegas. As a gold sponsor, #teaminflectra was a proud contributor to the #agiledevopscon that had 3-day pre-conference tutorials, 4-conference keynotes, 18-industry technology presentations, 36-talks, and 1-day Agile + DevOps Leadership summit. Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan (@agilesriram) also presented his unique approach to the importance of #businessagility in one of the industry technology presentations on Wednesday. In addition, there was a large expo hall for attendees to benefit from the numerous interactions and product demos of various sponsors.

Recap: Agile Trends in São Paulo, Brazil

April 15, 2022

For the first time ever, #TeamInflectra had the opportunity to attend the Agile Trends conference in São Paulo, Brazil with out partner OAT Solutions. Known to be the largest agile conference in Brazil, Agile Trends brings together thousands of experts and professionals who have been driving agility in their own companies. Managers, testers, and developers from a wide range of industries gather to participate in keynotes, debates, and workshops. Here’s the recap of our Agile Trends conference adventure.

Speak Peek on 2022: Teams Come to SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan

December 16, 2021

As we start preparing for 2022, we will be providing some information on our plans for 2022, including some previews of planned functionality in our Spira and Rapise platforms. One of the key plans for SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan in 2022 is the addition of a new artifact called "Teams". These teams will be available across the system to make assignment of work easier as well as improving the usability and configurability of the agile planning boards.

Recap: Agile Testing Days 2021 in Potsdam, Germany

November 24, 2021

Like everyone around the world, we have all been missing face to face contact with our community, and luckily the organizers at Agile Testing Days were able to pull off a safe, fun and exciting event in November 2021, and #TeamInflectra was fortunate enough to be able to attend the 2021 event in-person in glorious Potsdam, Germany.

Spotlight on Spira 6.13 - New Rich Text Editor & Swimlanes in Diagrams

November 8, 2021

The upcoming release of our Spira platform includes a major overhaul of the rich text editor we use throughout the application. The new editor improves the user experience and features of the text editor, letting users more easily add and view links, create checklists, highlight text, and strike-through text. In addition, it opens the door for adding popular, requested features for adding artifact #tags and @mentions.

In addition, the built-in diagram tools get even more powerful with additional shapes and options. You can now make diagrams that group individual shapes together to form Kanban board diagrams and swim lane diagrams.

Spotlight on Spira 6.13 - SAFe Support for Requirement Types

November 4, 2021

The upcoming release of our Spira platform includes a major change in how requirement types work, specifically when you have multiple levels of parent requirements and you want/need control over what the type is for those requirements. Previously, parent requirements were forced to be either Package (Spira versions 5.4 and earlier) or Epic (Spira versions 6.0 and later). Recognizing that we need more flexibility for different methodologies such as Scaled Agile (SAFe), Waterfall and Agile/Scrum/Kanban, we have completely revamped how this feature works.

How to Use Boards in Spira for Your Agile Ceremonies

September 28, 2021

This is Part 3 of the larger paper on Good Agile Product Backlog by Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan, Enterprise Agile Evangelist, Inflectra.

Introduction

Readers are recommended to review my earlier blogs in this series for context and to understand this blog better. The first part of the series focused on demystifying a good agile product backlog - emphasizing how a good product backlog promotes stakeholder alignment. The second part of the series focused on ensuring alignment between business stakeholders and the delivery team highlighting the need for the refined, risk-adjusted, and prioritized backlog. In this final blog of the trilogy, I will review the use of the planning and tracking boards in the four agile ceremonies.

Understanding the Planning Board for Backlog Refinement

September 13, 2021

This is Part 2 of the larger paper on Good Agile Product Backlog by Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan, Enterprise Agile Evangelist, Inflectra.

Introduction

Our earlier blog about demystifying a good agile product backlog emphasizes how a good product backlog promotes stakeholder alignment. Emerging from the lean principles of attenuating waste and amplifying learning, Agile promotes a holistic view of the solution rather than just the technical system. So, any tool that incorporates backlog management should promote transparency of the backlog as well as committed items.

Demystifying a Good Agile Product Backlog

August 30, 2021

by Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan, Enterprise Agile Evangelist

Recently, I had an opportunity to provide agile transformation consulting as part of product training for a major organization. A member of this team asked who is responsible for creating user stories. As I used pointed questions to understand the rationale behind the question, two different problems surfaced: a) the team felt they only work on tasks that the Scrum Master assigned them for the user stories the product owner thought valuable; b) the development team had to work additional hours for any technical infrastructure or automation. These findings offered an opening for a major coaching moment.

The Perils of Agile Estimation (Part 2)

June 7, 2021

In the previous post, we examined why and how agile software estimation goes wrong so often, and we identified three principles that must support any good estimation method:

1. Reliability - An estimate must reflect the performed work within a reasonable confidence interval.
2. Objectivity - The same estimate should be given for a task, regardless of who's giving the estimate.
3. Consistency - Given nothing else has changed, an estimate should not change with time.

I call this the ROC principles. In this post, we'll start looking at techniques and methods we can apply to our estimation process to implement these principles. In order to properly ROC-ify our estimates, the first thing we need to grok is the difference between complex and complicated tasks.

Spotlight on Spira 6.10 - Agile Planning Board Enhancements

May 19, 2021

The last release of Spira was instrumental in updating the new requirements document view, to improve the interactivity, configurability and add inline editing. Following on from these updates, we are planning some major updates to the various agile boards available in SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan. In our next release (6.10) we have focused on some of the 'low hanging fruit' and improved the display and usability of the boards, as well as added inline editing for the first time.

The Perils of Agile Estimation (Part 1)

March 23, 2021

Estimation has always been an inflection point in the software engineering world. Many developers admit that one of the hardest parts of their job is not about naming things or invalidating caches (as the old saying goes) but giving estimates. Certainly, for many experienced software engineers, estimates have always been the most frequent area of friction between software developers and managers. Both sides seem to have valid arguments: managers want to know how long things will take, as they need to manage budgets and customer expectations. Developers, on the other hand, know that most software tasks cannot be estimated accurately enough to satisfy the manager's needs. This friction has been so intense that it's given rise to the #NoEstimates movement and many flame wars on social media. But is the choice truly between one of these two extreme positions, or can a happy medium be found that satisfies both sides?

This series of articles attempts to explore and answer this question.

Recap: The Scrum Guide 2020

January 27, 2021

On January 21, 2021, Inflectra's Sriram Rajagopalan, Ph.D., led a discussion on the recent changes to the Scrum framework in a live event called: Scrum Guide 2020 - A Deep Dive. If you missed the webinar, please enjoy this recap, complete with the video recording and the presentation. 

In this webinar, the presenter covered the following topics: 

• Understand the responsibilities of the Scrum Team
• Pivot on the goal of Scrum as a product management framework
• Explore the foundations of the Scrum Framework that remain unchanged
• Specific aspects requiring attention when implementing Scrum.

Why You Shouldn't Miss InflectraCon 2020 Virtual

September 8, 2020

On September 29 - October 2, 2020, Team Inflectra is throwing the biggest event of the year - its annual, global user conference -  InflectraCon™!

In 2020 InflectraCon is delivered virtually, with all talks available on demand for 24 hours on each of 4 conference days!

In 2020, InflectraCon's focus is on agile software testing and DevOps using the Inflectra platforms: SpiraTest, SpiraTeam, SpiraPlan, and Rapise. Designed to meet the training and self-improvement needs of Inflectra's users, the conference proudly offers over 75 hours of learning through a wide variety of opportunities:

• 4 days of virtual learning with over 80 on-demand sessions accessible by all from midnight to midnight each conference day
• 8 Keynotes by renowned international speakers
• 4 Workshop blocks with over 30 sessions on QA, Program Management, Automation & Administration with Inflectra Platform
• 3 Advanced Topic blocks with over 20 sessions we the Inflectra experts dive deep into each platform to help you leverage their various capabilities
• 22 thought-leadership talks across four thematic streams
• a dozen Inflectra Case Studies and "How-To" Talks
• 3 half-day certification & accreditation courses from ICAgile and ASTQB
• networking, and more!

Tickets start at an unbelievable $79.99!

Get your ticket today!

Spotlight on Spira 6.6 - Agile Planning Enhancements, Plan by Points

August 13, 2020

One of the focus areas in the new release v6.6 of SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan is to improve the support for different agile project management methodologies and approaches. In this article we'll discuss some of the exciting new features that have been added to Spira to better support the popular Scrum agile methodology, in including the ability to choose to plan by points vs. hours.

Spotlight on Spira 6.6 - Kanban Work In Progress (WIP) Support Added

August 11, 2020

One of the focus areas in the new release v6.6 of SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan is to improve the support for different agile project management methodologies and approaches. In this article we'll discuss some of the exciting new features that have been added to Spira to better support the popular Kanban agile methodology.

Webinar Recap: Why Use a “Benefits Register” in Programs and Portfolios

June 22, 2020

On June 16th, 2020, Inflectra's agile champion - Sriram Rajagopalan, Ph.D. hosted the last webinar in the Risk Management webinar series. The webinar explored why to use a “Benefits Register” in programs and portfolios. 

If you missed the webinar, please enjoy this recap, complete with a video recording.

Webinar Agenda:

The webinar covered the following areas:

• How to establish the value of benefits in the program and portfolios
• The important principles of benefits register
• The approaches to using the benefits register in value delivery
• How to use the Benefits Register effectively. 

Scaling Your Agile Process With SpiraPlan

May 26, 2020

One of the limitations of standard agile methodologies is that they are designed to operate primarily at the team level, with product owners, developers, testers, and other disciplines working together as a single team. So when you want to adopt agile practices on large programs or within large organizations, a scaled agile approach may be more appropriate. Learn how to scale agile with SpiraPlan.

Webinar Recap: Why to Use RACI to Manage Stakeholders?

April 28, 2020

On April 23, 2020, Inflectra and #SriramRajagopalan hosted a webinar called: Why to use RACI to Manage Stakeholders? This is the 1st webinar in the Risk Management series by Inflectra. If you missed the webinar, please enjoy the recap in this blog.

Main Take-Aways:

The webinar covers the following topics:

• how to establish the importance of engaging stakeholders
• review the stakeholder engagement tools
• understanding the role that RACI plays in an organizational context
• review the patterns in using the RACI correctly.

Webinar Recap: Why is Setting a PMO Necessary with the Growth of Agile?

March 13, 2020

On March 10, 2020 Inflectra and Sriram Rajagopalan hosted a live webinar: Why is Setting a PMO Necessary with the Growth of Agile?

If you missed the webinar, here is a recap blog to catch you up.

WEBINAR TAKEAWAYS:

• Why have a central body of excellence regardless of delivery framework
• How to differentiate the various flavors of PMO structure
• What are the essential characteristics of PMO
• How to set up a PMO

Scroll down to view the recording. 

Webinar Recap: Scream For Scrum or Scream At Scrum: What’s Going On?

March 9, 2020

On February 7, 2020 Inflectra and Sriram Rajagopalan hosted a live webinar: Scream For Scrum or Scream At Scrum: What’s Going On? 

If you missed the webinar, here is a recap blog to catch you up.

WEBINAR TAKEAWAYS:

• Discover management patterns that sow the seeds of Scrum failure
• Understand the empirical principles of Scrum and its core values
• Learn about the patterns of failure in Scrum implementation
• Identify the team-specific patterns for Scrum success.

Scroll down to view the recording. 

Theory Behind Incorporating Lean & Kanban in Product Lifecycle Management

February 4, 2020

In the following post Sriram Rajagopalan - Inflectra's Enterprise Agile Champion discusses the theory of leadership in product management and the use of lean approaches for acceleration of organizational growth

This blog complements Inflectra's January 23 webinar on the same topic, with the webinar recording available inside.

Webinar Recap: How To Incorporate Lean & Kanban in Product Lifecycle Management

February 4, 2020

On January 23, 2020 Inflectra hosted a live webinar: How To Incorporate Lean & Kanban in Product Lifecycle Management. If you missed the webinar, here is a recap of the most important take-aways 👇:

Theory Behind Avoiding Agile Failure Patterns - The Agile Webinar

January 14, 2020

In the following article, Sriram Rajagopalan - Inflectra's Enterprise Agile Champion breaks down the patterns we all should avoid in agile ceremonies. 

This blog complements Inflectra's January 9th webinar on the same topic, with the webinar recording available inside.

Webinar Recap: Patterns to Avoid in Agile Ceremonies

January 14, 2020

On January 9th, 2020 Inflectra hosted a live webinar: Patterns to Avoid in Agile Ceremonies. If you missed the webinar, here is a recap of the most important take-aways 👇:

Webinar Recap: How To Write Good User Stories

December 19, 2019

On December 17, 2019 Inflectra and Sriram Rajagopalan hosted a live webinar: How To Write Good User Stories. If you missed the webinar, here is a recap of the most important take-aways:

Webinar Recap: Agile Engineering Practices for Software Product Development

December 12, 2019

On December 5, 2019 Inflectra hosted a live webinar: Agile Engineering Practices for Software Product Development. If you missed the webinar, here is a recap of the most important take-aways:

Blog: Agile Engineering Practices for Software Product Development

December 6, 2019

In the following blog post, Sriram Rajagopalan - Inflectra's Enterprise Agile Champion, covers a number of key aspects of Agile Engineering practices. Among them are: technical excellence, general trends in agile engineering as well as practical recommendations for those how plan on undertaking a project like this.

This blog complements Inflectra's December 5th webinar on the same topic, with the webinar recording available inside. 

Recap: Agile Testing Days 2019 - Potsdam, Germany

November 18, 2019

Have you ever wondered why some conferences have more dedicated following than others? We did too, prior to our visit to Agile Testing Days 2019 in Potsdam, Germany!

Now we know and we are happy to let you in on this open secret.

Spotlight on SpiraTeam 6.2 - Agile Board Enhancements

August 15, 2019

As we get ready for the release of SpiraTest, SpiraTeam, and SpiraPlan 6.2 later this month, we'd like too introduce some of the new functionality that will be available in this release. In the second installment of this series, we're excited to announce the new agile planning enhancements that have been added to SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan 6.2. They are designed to make SpiraPlan even better as your first choice for planning and managing agile projects, whatever flavor of agile you are using.

Recap: Inflectra Goes to Agile Testing Days USA 2019

June 28, 2019

We have just wrapped up an exhilarating but fun two days in Chicago, sponsoring and attending the second Agile Testing Days USA testing festival. Hosted by our friends at TechWell and Trendig, the event featured inspiring speakers, awesome attendees, excellent exhibitors, and of course the fabulous roaring 20s costume party. Find out what happened...

Webinar #Recap: Managing Risk in the Agile Enterprise

June 22, 2019

On June 6, 2019, Inflectra and Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan  hosted a live webinar on Managing Risk in the Agile Enterprise. This was the last live webinar in Inflectra's Tier 2 agile webinar series called: Deeper Dive Into Agile: Practical Tips On Managing Agile Projects.

If you missed the webinar, we understand - and are happy to share with you the most important take-aways.

Blog: Risk Management in Agile Initiatives

June 18, 2019

The principles of risk management play a pivotal role in the project management framework. While the principles of project management do not specifically recommend waterfall approach, some agile practitioners incorrectly disassociate from the principles of project risk management in agile approaches to product development or project management.

Webinars On Demand: Agile Management By Inflectra

June 13, 2019

We have recently completed a series of in depth webinars on agile project management, software development and testing. The webinar series was immensely popular and so we are offering these webinars on demand. 

Please view the details below and register. 

Is Agile Development Better than Waterfall Development Overall?

June 12, 2019

A user on Quora recently asked the potentially incendiary question: "is agile development better than waterfall?". Rather than getting into a potentially religious war about software development methodologies (almost as contentious as deciding on coding standards in C++, curly braces on the same line or next line? anyone? ) I thought this question might be a good place to discuss some of the benefits of each approach (agile vs. waterfall) and ways to choose which parts of each methodology make sense for you and your project.

Webinar #Recap: Estimating User Stories in the Agile Space

May 23, 2019

On May 7, 2019, Inflectra and Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan  hosted a live webinar on Estimating User Stories in the Agile Space. The webinar is part of Inflectra's Tier 2 agile webinar series called: Deeper Dive Into Agile: Practical Tips On Managing Agile Projects.

If you missed the webinar, we understand - and are happy to share with you the most important take-aways.

Blog: Art of Agile Estimation

May 22, 2019

Frequently, people wonder whether agile estimation approaches differ completely from the plan-driven approaches in project management. While each framework has its own uniqueness in their approach to gathering estimates, the nature of estimates gathered should be considered in relation to the project or product lifecycle.

Inflectra & Coveros Partner at NDIA's Agile In Government Summit 2019

May 21, 2019

In early May, 2019, Inflectra, and its partner Coveros, co-sponsored the annual Agile in Government Summit organized by National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA). This is Inflectra's second time sponsoring the event that traditionally takes place on the beautiful campus of Gallaudet University in Washington, DC.

Webinar #Recap: Preparing for Career Roles in the Agile Arena

May 6, 2019

On April 25, 2019, Inflectra and #SriramRajagopalan offered to a group of aspiring agilists a webinar on Preparing for Career Roles in the Agile Arena. The webinar is part of Inflectra's Tier 2 agile webinar series called: Deeper Dive Into Agile: Practical Tips On Managing Agile Projects.

If you missed the webinar, we understand - and are happy to share with you the most important take-aways.

Blog: Career Planning Framework - Preparing for Careers in the Agile Workspace

May 6, 2019

Too often people at various stages in their career ask how agile will change their lives. Others ask if their responsibilities will differ from one organization to another. Surely no one can tell the future of any role, but it seems that agile is like the pure oxygen. One can’t breathe pure oxygen until it is mixed with an appropriate amount of nitrogen. Likewise, agile is a light-weight framework that is not prescriptive and it too, has to be adapted to the organization’s culture.

Webinar Series: Deeper Dive Into Agile - Practical Tips On Managing Agile Projects

April 8, 2019

Inflectra and Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan proudly present the next step in Inflectra's agile webinar series: Deeper Dive Into Agile, which focuses on the practical aspect of managing agile projects.

These Tier 2 webinars cover many areas of agile practice, such as the various roles in agile initiatives, the evolution of agile in project, program, and portfolio management, the types of stories to develop in agile, estimation in user stories and many more.

Webinar Recap: Excellence through Reporting in Agile Projects

March 27, 2019

On March 21st, 2019, Inflectra and #SriramRajagopalan hosted a webinar on Excellence through Reporting in Agile Projects. This webinar concluded the 5 part certificate series called: Journey Into Agile With Inflectra - A Free Webinar Course.

If you missed the webinar, please enjoy the recap in this blog.

Blog: Excellence in Reporting In Agile Projects

March 26, 2019

When we focus on reporting, we often fail to recognize value using benefit delivery. Instead, many view reports only as a transactional instrument. Based on my experience in managing the program management office, and being a change agent for a product development framework, I believe the purpose of a report is to tell a story! The story not only should tell what has happened but also give a preview of what may come!

Webinar Recap: Cutting the Costs And Improving The Software Quality with SpiraTeam®

March 15, 2019

On March 7th, 2019, Inflectra and #SriramRajagopalan hosted a webinar on Cutting the Costs And Improving The Software Quality with SpiraTeam®. This is the 4th webinar in the certificate series called: Journey Into Agile With Inflectra - A Free Webinar Course.

If you missed the webinar, please enjoy the recap in this blog.

Blog: Cutting Costs and Managing Software Quality

March 14, 2019

The concepts of quality have been talked for several decades. There are numerous quality gurus that have advanced simplistic frameworks that have stood the test of time and are applicable even today. 

Blog: Five Essentials To Requirements Management

February 28, 2019

The blog is produced in conjunction with Journey Into Agile With Inflectra - A Free Webinar Course.

The corporate business practices have evolved significantly. The products we develop are getting more complex and sophisticated. No longer are the software always having a graphical user interface for users, as wearable technologies and surgical implants transmitting updates to a mobile app are becoming commonplace. These emerging products, applications, and services will require identifying, gathering, and grooming requirements critical aspects of project management and product development.

Webinar Recap: Five Essentials to Managing Your Requirements with SpiraTeam®

February 28, 2019

On February 21, 2019, Inflectra and #SriramRajagopalan hosted a webinar on Five Essentials to Managing Your Requirements with SpiraTeam®. This is the 3rd webinar in the certificate series called: Journey Into Agile With Inflectra - A Free Webinar Course.

If you missed the webinar, please enjoy the recap in this blog.

Webinar Recap: Mastering Four Ceremonies Of Better Agile Project Delivery

February 18, 2019

On February 13, 2019, Inflectra and #SriramRajagopalan hosted a webinar on Mastering Four Ceremonies Of Better Agile Project Delivery. This is the 2nd webinar in the certificate series called: Journey Into Agile With Inflectra - A Free Webinar Course.

If you missed the webinar, please enjoy the recap in this blog.

Challenges In Agile Project Delivery

February 15, 2019

The blog is produced in conjunction with Journey Into Agile With Inflectra - A Free Webinar Course.

The earlier discussion of the five STAGE principles of application lifecycle management covered the reasons why agile may not be a cure-all. Just like physical exercise, it works only if individuals work at it as expected. In other words, failure to adopt good agile practices which promote the test-and-learn approach with its foundational principles of transparency, inspection, and adaptation, will prevent agile from becoming the solution.

Webinar Recap: 5 Principles to Managing Your Application Lifecycle with SpiraTeam®

January 31, 2019

On January 24, 2019, Inflectra and #SriramRajagopalan offered to a group of aspiring agilists a webinar on Five Principles to Managing Your Application Lifecycle with SpiraTeam®. The webinar is part of Inflectra's certificate course called: Journey Into Agile With Inflectra - A Free Webinar Course.

If you missed the webinar, we understand - and are happy to share with you the most important take aways from the webinar.

STAGE: The 5 Principles Of Application Life-Cycle Management

January 25, 2019

The blog is produced in conjunction with Journey Into Agile With Inflectra - A Free Webinar Course.

Often, when people hear about application lifecycle management, they interpret the terminology with things they know. Project Managers or Scrum Masters will think of the current scope of the project or the specific iteration/release that has a known scope and relatively short duration. Business Analysts, Product Managers, and Product Owners think of the product lifecycle management that has an uncertain scope and unclearly long duration. Architects, Designers, Developers, and Testers focus on software development lifecycle. Operations, Service Delivery, Program Managers and Portfolio Managers think of the deployment considerations, release documentation, and benefits realization.

Agile by Inflectra - Certificate Course - FAQs

January 14, 2019

Inflectra is hosting Journey Into Agile With Inflectra - A Free Webinar Course for those who choose to learn more about how Inflectra approaches agile software development and testing process. The course participants are eligible to receive a Certificate of Completion after the course is completed. 

If you are interested in learning more about getting Agile By Inflectra Course Certificate, feel free to check out our FAQ below: 

Prioritizing Backlog Items using the MoSCoW Method

January 9, 2019

No it's not a reference to current geopolitical affairs (luckily), the MoSCoW method refers to a common way of describing different priorities. This article explains different ways customers can manage priorities in agile projects, and how you can use custom reports in SpiraTeam to display calculated prioritization metrics.

Journey Into Agile With Inflectra - A Free Webinar Course

January 2, 2019

Inflectra and  #sriramrajagopalan are teaming up to bring you a free five-part online training course on agile project lifecycle management called: Journey Into Agile With Inflectra.

Product Management versus Project Management

December 24, 2018

As I was concluding a capstone class on project management, there was a question from a few students on whether there is any scope of career growth for project management as a profession with the increased focus on agile principles. Questioning further on the root cause of this concern was the fact that agile approaches, such as Scrum, does not call for a project manager role and the focus is only on product management. In a brief attempt to address this ongoing confusions thinking product and project management are mutually exclusive disciplines with product management slaying the project management field, I explain here the ongoing need for the symbiotic relationship between these two disciplines.

Why Executives Need to Understand Program & Project Management?

December 17, 2018

As a firm believer in continuous improvement, I have always been monitoring the external environment to find new trends and equip myself with this knowledge. One of these interests was understanding more about Program and Portfolio Management.

Preventing Scope Creep, Grope and Leap from Killing Your Projects!

December 11, 2018

One of the major reasons that software projects are cancelled, fail to deliver the expected value or experience massive cost / budget overruns is due to a failure to grasp the risk and issues associated with managing the scope. This article describes the three most common types of scope management failure with suggestions of how to avoid such a fate.

Agile Testing Days, PTA, Effimag and Inflectra European Summit - a Retrospective

November 27, 2018

The past two weeks have been a bit of a blur for #teamInflectra, we had the great fortune to attend four events back to back - Effimag's anniversary event in Switzerland, Agile Testing Days in Potsdam, Germany, PTA's winter seminar in Stuttgart, and our Inflectra User Conference in Mannheim. During that time we learned a lot, met great people, and also got to see how testers and quality assurance professionals in Europe see the world.

Scrum Meet-Up Mashup For A Cause - Inflectra Sponsors

November 16, 2018

***This event has been cancelled by the organizers ***

As the winter holidays approach, we are looking for new ways to give back to communities around us.

So this holiday season, Inflectra is sponsoring Meetup Mashup for a Cause, an initiative by Washington DC Scrum User Group. The event is in support of Homestretch - a program that helps address the root causes of homelessness and strives to reverse homelessness for families participating in the program.

Meetup Mashup for a Cause will take place on Monday, December 17, 2018, from 6:00 to 8:30 PM at the Arlington Tech Exchange.

Sign up here: Meet-up

Agile Backlog Refinement with SpiraTeam

November 8, 2018

One of our customers had some questions about using SpiraTeam to manage and refine the product backlogs. Since this topic comes up quite a bit, we thought it would be useful to write an article that describes how we recommend using SpiraTeam for backlog planning, management and refinement in a typical Scrum project.

Recap: #OATSolutions - Inflectra Meets the Agile Community in Brazil

October 1, 2018

We were pleased to support and attend the annual OAT Solutions customer summit in São Paulo, Brazil last week. It have us an opportunity to connect with all of the team working at OAT, as well as meet customers and potential users that are interested in SpiraTest, SpiraTeam, and Rapise from Inflectra. We also got time to see the amazing city that is São Paulo, and sample some of the local delights.

Using a Pseudouser to Act as a Traffic Cop in Agile Projects

September 11, 2018

During his work assisting our clients with their agile transformations, Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan has found a best practice to be the use of a "Traffic Cop" pseudo user to better manage the flow of work items in a project and/or sprint.

Extend Your Project Management Strategy Beyond The Dev Team

July 5, 2018

When it comes to project management strategies, most people think of development teams.
Whether they’re focused software, websites, inventory, or any number of items, the intricacies of successfully developing a viable product require stringent tracking. There are many phases between brainstorming and product launch, most of which generally consist of numerous smaller tasks, which can be broken down into several more specific tasks. With so many hands in the honey pot, disorganization quickly leads to sticky situations.

This post, however, is not about development teams. It’s about introducing project management to the rest of your company to help clear up and prevent sticky situations.

Agile Testing Days USA, DevWeek, and Software Testing Cup - a Retrospective

July 2, 2018

The past two weeks have been a bit of a blur for #teamInflectra, we had the great fortune to attend two conferences back to back - DevGeekWeek/QAGeekWeek in Israel, and the first ever Agile Testing Days USA in Boston, MA. During that time we learned a lot, met great people, and also got to help out with the Software Testing World Cup (STWC).

Becoming Agile In Software Testing: The Government Edition - Webinar Recording

June 15, 2018

Thank you for joining our June 12th webinar on Becoming Agile In Software Testing: The US Government Edition. The webinar recording and slides are offered below for those who had to miss it. 

The Future of Enterprise Agile Planning

March 20, 2018

In a recent survey, we were asked to give our thoughts and ideas as to what the world of Agile software development would look like in 5-years time (2023). In this blog we discuss some of the challenges and innovations, provide some predictions for the future, and explore three vignettes of that future world.

Top 10 Questions To Ask Before Setting Up An Agile Team

March 1, 2018

Although setting up an agile team may seem to be "easy," based on our experience, the results can vary greatly. What mistakes do people make? What can we do to increase the chances of our success. Based on conversations with our customers, this article lists the top 10 questions you should consider when setting up and agile project or team.

Inflectra - a Proud Co-Sponsor of Agile Testing Days USA 2018

February 12, 2018

Great news!

Europe’s fun and wildly popular agile testing festival is coming to North America this June 25–29 as Agile Testing Days USA (https://well.tc/wejy). The conference will be a festival of learning and sharing for the community. The agile-focused learning experience will provide an interactive way to get deep insights and the latest developments in testing and agile excellence as well as many opportunities to network with fellow passionate agile software professionals. We hope you will be able to join the inaugural event in Boston!

**Exclusive Offer** save up to an additional $200 off the Agile Testing Days USA Super Early Lobster pricing when you register with code ATD18V4 by April 27. That’s a combined savings up to $600 off!

Explore the program: https://well.tc/wejy

Face-to-Face with Inflectra - Find Us Where Software Testing Happens

January 31, 2018

Over the years, we at Inflectra, developed a taste for all the fun that takes place at software testing and agile software development events. We have also become active members of national and international tester communities. We love to share our knowledge as software engineers and learn from your experience as testers, developers and managers. 

So, the new year brings new opportunities for Inflectra to get up close and personal with software testing peeps out there. 

Apart from continuing with our now-traditional weekly webinars (a good way to meet new people), we have made plans to meet software testing superheros and agile gurus during the following events in the first half of 2018:

1. Social Testing - Washington, DC
2. STPCon - Newport Beach, CA
3. ISTC & DevGeekWeek - Israel
4. Agile Testing Days USA - Boston, MA

So if you are planning on attending one of these events, stop by to say hi!

Spotlight on SpiraPlan 5.4 - Program View of Releases & Incidents

January 23, 2018

As we're in the final countdown for the release of the latest version of SpiraTest, SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan v5.4, we are going to be highlighting some of the most important new features in this version to help you get ready for the release. Last week we discussed the new graphs and charts, so this time we shall be illustrating the new program management features in SpiraPlan v5.4. In addition, this is the first release of the new SpiraPlan that we discussed in December, it has all of the functionality of SpiraTeam, but in addition has the new program planning features.

Spotlight on SpiraTeam 5.4 - New Agile Task and Incident Boards

January 16, 2018

As we're in the final countdown for the release of the latest version of SpiraTest, SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan v5.4, we are going to be highlighting some of the most important new features in this version to help you get ready for the release. Last week we discussed the new graphs and charts, so this time we shall be illustrating some of the new agile software development features in SpiraTeam v5.4, specifically the new board views we've introduced for tasks and incidents.

Changes to the Spira Product Family in 2018 - The New SpiraPlan

December 15, 2017

We have some big news to share for 2018!

Based on extensive feedback and discussions with our customers during the user summits and consultations with our partners, we are making some changes to our product lineup next year. The big news is that we will be retiring our existing "SpiraPlan" feature set, and launching a new SpiraPlan edition of our Spira ALM platform that will cater to the needs of programs, portfolios, and enterprises.

Supporting Agile Software Testing in DC - D-CAST

December 5, 2017

We had the pleasure of sponsoring the local D-CAST meetup this month, celebrating the end of 2017 and all things agile and software testing related. Inflectra is a proud sponsor of the group and is looking forward to helping support more events in the Washington, DC area in 2018. During the meetup, Peter Kim discussed his new cool Slackbot called Mr. Jenkins.

Fun To Be Had With Inflectra This Fall

September 7, 2017

It is never a dull moment with Inflectra, and after the lull of summer, we are back with vengeance! Which is to say, we are going all out sponsoring two software testing events in September-October 2017 in the US: STPCon in the greater D.C.-area and Agile Open Florida, in Orlando, Florida. So, if you are attending one of these, read what Inflectra has in store for you (and if you are not, there is still time to sign up):

Recording of Agile Project Management Webinar using SpiraPlan

July 21, 2017

Many of our customers choose SpiraPlan or SpiraTeam because they are using agile methodologies such as Scrum or Kanban and need a powerful tool to manage their project backlogs, releases, sprints, iterations and programs. They are often using different tools for planning, bug tracking and requirements which hampers the ability to see the status of their project in one place.

Why You Should Join Our Technology and Innovation Meet-up Group

July 14, 2017

If you are a software company, like us, building and releasing software is pretty much up there with coffee, chocolate, and Game of Thrones. But our digital fortress could no longer contain our desire to make new friends in our own neighborhood of Silver Spring, MD. And while there is no shortage of #awesome Meet-Up groups and Eventbrite get-togethers in DC/MD/VA area, we are using our resources to make software testing fun and accessible for everyone who is interested locally. 

We are weaving a web of community connections through our regular coder internship program, our webinar series, and through our meetup group - Technology and Innovation Meet-up Group in Silver Spring, MA.

Management Debt: The Costs of Non-delivery and Non-conformance

February 7, 2017

The principles of lean have always focused on maximizing the value delivery. In fact, the Japanese term Muda (Arnheiter & Maleyeff, 2005) refers to the seven different types of wastes that one should remove. In this guest post from our agile transformation partner Sriram Rajagopalan, we discuss the types of waste that can be eliminated using a Lean methodology, and the role of Management Debt in perpetuating wasteful practices.

Keeping the Foundations Strong - Why Refactoring Is Crucial

September 20, 2016

One of the challenges with development is that users only see the outside of the system, the user interface, perhaps the APIs if they are more technical and unless the system has a problem, the architecture and internals are largely ignored... so how do you get customers to invest in the architecture for the future when they see no immediate benefit.

Why Have a Separate Quality & Agile System?

September 18, 2015

In the mail today a copy of the latest SD Times magazine arrived. It included an advert from HP about their separate QualityCenter (QC) and Agile Manager Products. The ad made us think... "why integrate these two tools when SpiraTeam can do all of  the work in one easy to use system".

An Introduction to Task Boards

July 2, 2015

The Task Board is perhaps the single most useful device that can be used on Agile projects and is the focal point for the stand-up meeting or Scrum. Typically, a Task Board displays only information pertinent to the current sprint and will be cleared off before the next sprint begins. Read More

The Meaning of ‘Done’

June 19, 2015

“Is it done?” A question with possibly dangerous answers, at least where cooking is concerned. With software development an incorrect “Yes” could mean customers get low quality, buggy software Read More

Test-Driven Development (TDD) is Not Dead

June 4, 2015

There has recently been an outbreak of criticism of TDD, to the point where some have claimed that TDD is dead! Is this a real reflection of trends in testing practice, or noise intended to draw attention? Read this article to find out! Read More

Agile Project Management with SpiraPlan & SpiraTeam

May 25, 2015

Are you planning on moving to an agile methodology such as Scrum or Kanban? Are you already using agile methods but need a better way to scale your process? This article explains how SpiraPlan and SpiraTeam can help you better plan, estimate and manage your agile projects. Read More

Can Use Cases Replace User Stories?

May 20, 2015

User Stories are often characterized by relatively short, uncomplicated and informal descriptions, whereas Use Cases are often longer, more formally structured descriptions of not only the user need but also other details. Can Use Cases strike a balance between the need for agility and the need for more information, and if so, how?

Beyond the Document Paradigm – part 2

May 7, 2015

When making the transition from document-oriented information storage to record-oriented information management tools, there are a number of problems which can make the process difficult, or even unsuccessful. This second part of our series explains how such pitfalls can occur. Read More

Beyond the Document Paradigm – Part 1

May 5, 2015

Have you ever tried to write a letter in a spreadsheet? Ridiculous idea, right? Or perhaps you’ve tried to do the opposite and store discrete, record-oriented information in a word processor? It can be done using tables, but it’s easier with a spreadsheet. Read More

User Story Normalization

April 24, 2015

Traditional software development estimating techniques are slow, long lasting exercises and as such are totally unsuited to Agile processes. New methods of estimating have emerged which fit the Agile model, requiring minimal effort to provide ‘just enough’ information to support prioritization and decision making. The popular unit of measurement for Agile sizing is the Story Point. Read More

Why I Buy from Agile Developers!

March 26, 2015

If you use software tools, and who doesn’t, you probably want to get the best possible customer support and service to go with it. I include ‘service’ here because I want to consider more than just whether the company has a support hot line. It is important to me that vendors listen to me when I make suggestions or recommendations; that they provide help which is more than a telephone operator reading a script; and that they provide forums that enable me to interact with other users, sharing knowledge, tips and ideas. This would be support and service.

User Story Testability

March 5, 2015

The language used to define user stories in Agile projects tends to be less prescriptive than that in traditional projects. This means that many developers and testers assume that this means that they are often less testable, when in fact the reverse is true. This article explains why. Read More

How to Succeed with Software Tools – Part 6

January 14, 2015

In this series of blog articles we examine some of the essential factors required for the successful implementation and use of software tools. In today's article we look at the danger of actually using too many tools or using such tools inappropriately. Read More

How to Succeed with Software Tools – Part 5

January 7, 2015

In this series of blog articles we examine some of the essential factors required for the successful implementation and use of software tools. In today's article we look at the importance of process and how the success or failure of a new tool can depend greatly on the process that has been put in place.

How to Succeed with Software Tools – Part 4

December 29, 2014

In this series of blog articles we examine some of the essential factors required for the successful implementation and use of software tools. Read More

How to Succeed with Software Tools – Part 3

December 17, 2014

In this series of blog articles we examine some of the essential factors required for the successful implementation and use of software tools. Read More

How to Succeed with Software Tools – Part 2

December 10, 2014

In this series of blog articles we examine some of the essential factors required for the successful implementation and use of software tools. This week we look at the need for continual post-implementation adaptation and refinement. Read More

How to Succeed with Software Tools – Part 1

December 3, 2014

The introduction of a new tool to a project or organization can be a stressful time for all involved. Not only does a new tool bring with it a learning curve for users to get up to speed on the product, it almost certainly demands some kind of change to existing processes. One serious mistake often made during this time is focusing too much on that previous process. Read More

Agile - Is Constant Process Improvement Imperative?

November 12, 2014

In this post we continue our examination of various Agile methodology ideas and ask whether they are valid or whether they are in fact, industry myths. Next on the chopping block - do you need to have constant process improvement to be agile? Read More

Process is not Important in Agile Projects (Myth 5)

October 28, 2014

In this item we continue our examination of various Agile methodology ideas and ask whether they are valid or whether they are in fact, industry myths. Do agile methodologies promote the idea that process is unimportant? Read More

Agile Myths - Part 4

October 15, 2014

Today we look at whether test-driven development (TDD) a good technique for specifying how a user story should operate, and whether it means that user story is fully tested (hint: these do not have the same answer!) Read More

An Introduction to Task Boards

October 7, 2014

The Task Board is perhaps the single most useful device that can be used on Agile projects and is the focal point for the stand-up meeting or Scrum. Typically, a Task Board displays only information pertinent to the current sprint and will be cleared off before the next sprint begins. Read More

Agile Myths - Part 3

September 9, 2014

In this item we continue our examination of various Agile methodology ideas and ask whether they are valid or whether they are in fact, industry myths. Read More

Agile Myths - Part 2

September 2, 2014

In this item we continue our examination of various Agile methodology ideas and ask whether they are valid or whether they are in fact, industry myths. Read More

Estimating Agile Projects

August 26, 2014

Traditional software development estimating techniques are slow, long lasting exercises and as such are totally unsuited to Agile processes. New methods of estimating have emerged which fit the Agile model, requiring minimal effort to provide ‘just enough’ information to support prioritization and decision making. The popular unit of measurement for Agile sizing is the Story Point. Read More

Agile Myths - Part 1

August 19, 2014

The enthusiasm these days for Agile development is rightly deserved, but with so much being written and said about Agile development, there should be room for healthy debate. While Agile development has proven to be a huge step forward and the right approach for many projects, it is important to continue to ask questions in order that we don’t start to endorse the bad along with the good. We don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater, but we can’t keep the bathwater just to avoid the risk of doing so. An occasional examination of principles being promoted and used within the industry helps to maintain Agile methods as the best alternative to traditional development practices for many projects.

In this series of blog postings we shall discuss some of the characteristics of various Agile methodologies and ask whether the ideas are valid or whether they are in fact, industry myths.

Which Agile Methodology is Right for Me?

August 15, 2014

With all the Agile methods out there, how does someone with traditional waterfall or v-model experience begin to understand each? Which methods are truly Agile and which are not? What are the defining characteristics of each Agile method, as well as those not quite so Agile? What are the benefits of using each Agile method and what are some of the drawbacks? Read More

Lessons on Agile and Crowdsourced QA from the Dial-Up Days

August 8, 2014

This article discusses some of the earliest attempts at crowdsourced QA and extreme agile development that predate the agile manifesto and where they went wrong. Read More

Infrastructure Isn't Free - So Who Pays?

August 5, 2014

When I collected my last car from the dealership, the salesman proudly showed me under the hood. The engine was tightly packed into the available space with no separately recognizable components and it was noticeably clean. Despite his apparent pride in its power, as he quoted a list of figures representing liters, horsepower and torque, all I was thinking about was getting behind the wheel and driving away.

When he finally got around to the interior I had all but forgotten that the car even had an engine. I know I am not alone in my attitude when it comes to cars for while there are those who love to get down-and-dirty with the internal workings of the internal combustion engine, most of us just want to drive it.

Is There Such a Thing as Extreme Agile Programming?

July 21, 2014

Extreme Programming (XP) is one of the more popular Agile Development methodologies, and for very good reason. It advocates short, rapid iterations, constant customer contribution and frequent testing. But let us consider the foundation of Extreme Programming, which is to identify all the positive aspects of software programming techniques and take them to their extreme; the idea being that you can’t have too much of a good thing. For example, if tests help find defects, why not test all the time?

If we consider Agile methods generally, (not XP specifically) to also be a combination of good ideas, XP would tell us to take those ideas to their extreme; could we do that and create “Extreme Agile Programming (EAP)”? Or would we be trying to swallow our own tail? Let’s consider some Agile principles and find out.

Is Agile Product Management Dead?

July 8, 2014

The Product Manager role (unlike that of the project manager) is arguably the least well understood of all the software project development disciplines and varies greatly in definition and implementation from one organization to another. This blog discusses how the role of the product manager has been changed by the move to agile methodologies such as Scrum and Kanban. Read More

Agile Waterfalls (Part 2)

June 19, 2014

For companies making the transition from traditional linear / phased methodologies (often called waterfall methodologies because of how they look like a series of waterfalls with arrows between them), to agile methodologies such as Scrum or Kanban, there is often a question of how make their methodology "more agile" without completely changing everything all at once. This two-part entry describes how you can embrace agile in an iterative or agile manner. Read More

Agile Waterfalls (Part 1)

June 17, 2014

For companies making the transition from traditional linear / phased methodologies (often called waterfall methodologies because of how they look like a series of waterfalls with arrows between them), to agile methodologies such as Scrum or Kanban, there is often a question of how make their methodology "more agile" without completely changing everything all at once. This two-part entry describes how you can embrace agile in an iterative or agile manner. Read More

What is a Software Defect?

May 2, 2014

I doubt most people would struggle to answer the question, “What is a defect?” After all, we know what a defect looks like when we come across it, don’t we? “The system has encountered an unexpected error and must shut down,” is a message that leaves us in no doubt that there must be a defect in there somewhere. But knowing a defect when we see one is very different from being able to define what ‘defect’ actually means. Read More

Agile is Nothing New

April 23, 2014

When we talk proudly of adopting Agile processes for our projects, why do we do so with a somewhat superior air over the old tried and trusted methods of software development? Read More

Documenting Requirements in Agile Projects

April 1, 2014

(aka The Changing Role of the Modern Father)

One of the difficulties of moving from waterfall to an Agile development process is the breaking down of silos of responsibility, including that of the product owner. No longer the deliverer of the requirements 'master-specification', the product owner now participates throughout the entire process, sharing the requirements management task and taking on new, varied and, sometimes unexpected, responsibilities.

Scrum and Kanban - Siblings or Cousins?

March 26, 2014

While there are multiple Agile software development methods, they have more in common with one another than they do the waterfall method, which they seek to replace. Read More

Agile Techniques in Maintenance Environments

March 4, 2014

I'd like to address the question, 'Can Agile techniques be used in maintenance environments?' The short answer is, 'yes', and the long answer is, 'yes, sort of.' The reality of the situation is far more nuanced than either of those answers, so let's look at the issues in more detail. I don't intend to make this a comprehensive review, but just brief look at some of the issues to get us going. Read More

Testing in Agile Projects: Familiarity Breeds Consent

February 6, 2014

The testing function in Agile projects should not be confused with the Quality Assurance function. If we are not careful, the Agile philosophy will conflate the two, with potentially disastrous results. Read More