Better Software Magazine Articles

FAQ: Do I Need to Program to be a Tester on an Agile Team?

In this installment of FAQ, SQE Trainer Janet Gregory answers one of the questions students ask her most often.

Janet Gregory's picture Janet Gregory
Book Reviews for BAs

Get a head start on your New Year's resolution. Hone your business analysis skills or learn new ones, and make 2012 the highlight of your career.

Heather Shanholtzer's picture Heather Shanholtzer
Skills Are in the Eye of the Job Holder

A letter from the Better Software magazine editor.

Heather Shanholtzer's picture Heather Shanholtzer
Learning For Agile Testers, Part 1

What makes testers successful on agile teams? What skills do agile testers need to enjoy an exciting career and how can they learn those skills? In part one of our "Learning for Agile Testers" series, we explain what a well-rounded agile tester ought to know–and it goes way beyond technical skills!

Lisa Crispin's picture Lisa Crispin Janet Gregory
Negotiating Our Relationships

When joining a project, your position isn't a given; you must negotiate it. Lee identifies five roles that combine to make up team relationships.

Lee Copeland's picture Lee Copeland
The Optimists Don't Make It Out

Optimism is normally viewed as a positive trait, but not when it comes to goals and estimates. Project managers who don their rose-colored glasses when faced with the harsh light of reality are setting themselves up for disappointment.

Lee Copeland's picture Lee Copeland
Which Obstacle Should You Tackle Today?

As a lead and manager, your job to remove obstacles that impede work is most important. But of all the obstacles you find, whether they be people's perceptions, bottlenecks in the work flow, or an ill-fitted chair or desk, which do you tackle first? Johanna Rothman explains how to remove the obstacles that slow, impede, or halt project work.

Johanna Rothman's picture Johanna Rothman
Leveraging A Learning Culture

Mistakes happen. It's how you respond to them that matters. Teams might react to a bug with panic and blame, leading to a quickly hacked fix and possibly more issues. Taking time to investigate and learn leverages problems into process and practice improvement and a higher quality product.

Lisa Crispin's picture Lisa Crispin
So, You Want to Be a Consultant?

Many practitioners see becoming a consultant as their ultimate career goal. But what does it mean to be "a consultant"? In this email to an aspiring consultant, Fiona Charles (a consultant for more than fifteen years) discusses different consulting approaches and describes how working for a consulting firm can help you get there.

Fiona Charles's picture Fiona Charles
Catch Them Doing It Right

Rewards can be powerful management tools, but only if you implement them effectively. In this installment of the Management Chronicles, discover how the right timing and getting to know your employees better can improve the impact of your recognition method.

Steven M. Smith's picture Steven M. Smith

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