Better Software Magazine Articles

Scrum or Kanban—Which Is Better?

In this FAQ column, Arlen Bankston defines the roles of Scrum and kanban and describes how the two agile methodologies can be complementary, each ideal for different situations, or blended to achieve the desired outcome.

Arlen Bankston's picture Arlen Bankston
A Real Sprint in the Life of a ScrumMaster

You read so many books and articles that present how perfectly a Scrum project goes; yet in practice, that is rarely the case. Natalie shares ten lessons that she learned the hard way when she started out as a ScrumMaster. Special attention is given to ways you can avoid those same mistakes.

Natalie Warnert's picture Natalie Warnert
Understanding Whole Team Testing

Whole team testing makes product quality everyone's business. It can also make people uncomfortable. Matt explains how this new way to approach project quality helps with leading retrospectives, conducting defect analysis, and mitigating project risks.

Matthew Heusser's picture Matthew Heusser
Things Change (and So Should Processes)

Much like the VCRs of yesteryear, our software development processes are not going to last forever. They’ll fall out of favor, while new and stronger concepts replace them. Jonathan Kohl writes about coping with process evolution in the quest to improve software.

Jonathan Kohl's picture Jonathan Kohl
The Four Horsemen of the Testing Apocalypse

Much like the biblical horsemen of Pestilence, War, Famine, and Death, the "Four Horsemen of the Testing Apocalypse" ride into our lives and work bearing great challenges. If the software of tomorrow is to be better than the software of today, we must face these foes directly.

James Whittaker's picture James Whittaker
Don’t Bury the Survivors: The Value of Clear Communication

Whether you’re discussing software defects with your test team, analyzing requirements with your BA, or programming in your favorite new language, communication is essential. Lanette Creamer has some tips to help you communicate clearly with any audience.

Lanette  Creamer's picture Lanette Creamer
Effective Risk Management: An Interview with Payson Hall

We recently sat down with Payson Hall ahead of his upcoming 2012 Better Software Conference East presentation titled "Twelve Risks to Enterprise Software Projects - And What to Do about Them" in order to learn more about his experise in the field of risk management.

Noel Wurst's picture Noel Wurst
Making Beautiful Music—The Art of Small Teams

In a jazz combo, each member of the team has a specialty. As the members play individually, they create a tapestry of music that becomes much greater than the sum of the individual contributions. A small development team also works best this way.

Steven  Ropa's picture Steven Ropa
Controlled Flight into Terrain

Entering a holding pattern on a project can give you the opportunity to gather additional information about a problem. But, sometimes, holding consumes valuable resources with disastrous consequences.

Lee Copeland's picture Lee Copeland
What’s Governance Got to Do with Effective Software Development?

Governance doesn't have to end in bureaucracy. Learn to maintain and refine your governance structures and you'll reap the rewards of improved decision-making processes.

Graham Oakes's picture Graham Oakes

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