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Technical Interviews
Technical Interviews

The podcasters dive into the intricacies of technical interviews, offering strategies for both interviewers and candidates covering structuring interviews, evaluating technical talent effectively, and creating an environment that helps candidates demonstrate their skills.

Minnesota Summers
Minnesota Summers

Whether you’re a Minnesota native or curious about what makes this season special, the podcasters discuss their favorite parts of summer and the rest of the seasons!

Patches, fixes, and fails
Patches, fixes, and fails

The podcasters analyze the crowdstrike failure that brought airline travel to a standstill. What potentially went wrong and the lasting effects of the failure.

Outsourcing human cognition
Outsourcing human cognition

The podcasters delve into the possibilities and challenges of outsourcing cognitive tasks to AI systems and the practical aspects of relying on machines for complex decision-making.

Is it worth it?
Is it worth it?

The podcasters explore the value and potential pitfalls of investing in new technology. They weigh in on cost-benefit analysis, long-term impact, and real-world case studies to help you decide if it’s truly worth it.

Product for non-product companies
Product for non-product companies

Discover how non-product companies can leverage product mindset principles to drive success. SDG’s Head of Product, Jason Scherschligt joins the podcast to discuss strategies, challenges, and insights.

Approachability
Approachability

Explore how being approachable can transform leadership, enhance team collaboration, and foster a more innovative and inclusive environment.

Being a city councilman
Being a city councilman

The podcasters are joined by SDG consultant and city councilman, Mike Huang. Mike shares insights into the daily responsibilities, challenges, and rewards of holding a public office.

Organizational Maturity
Organizational Maturity

Explore the concept of organizational maturity and its impact on business success. Our UX Consultants, Jared Johnson and Natalie Wysocki, delve into the stages of maturity, key indicators of progress, and strategies for fostering growth within your organization.

Involving the business in data and content management
Involving the business in data and content management

The podcasters are joined by SDG data consultant, James Kirwin, to discuss practical strategies and real-world examples to bridge the gap between IT and business teams, ensuring seamless collaboration and more effective data management.

Data Waste
Data Waste

The podcasters dive into the issue of data waste and its implications for businesses in the digital age. Data consultant James Kirwin joins to explore the challenges and opportunities surrounding data management and efficiency.

Design Operations
Design Operations

UX consultant, Jared Johnson joins the podcasters to discuss Design Ops. What it is and how it’s beneficial to organizations.

Talking Baseball
Talking Baseball

SDG consultant and podcaster, Chad Juettner shares some of his favorite stories about America’s favorite pastime. Join the podcasters as they talk fun stories, stats, and technology in the sport.

The current state of agile: Part 2
The current state of agile: Part 2

Join the podcasters and SDG consultant Brian Ganas, as they follow up on part two of “The Current State of Agile,” providing solutions to some of the current challenges agile practices face.

Creativity Mode: ON
Creativity Mode: ON

SDG UX Designer, Allison Lorenzo joins the podcasters to talk creativity. How to get to, and work in “open mode” to garner the best creative results for a project & more!

Locus of Control
Locus of Control

Gain insights into understanding your locus of control and how it influences your perceptions, actions, and potentially your life.

The Big Event
The Big Event

Another year another Big Event in the books! The podcasters discuss their favorite parts of the night and their presentations.

Code Bloat
Code Bloat

The podcasters dive into code bloat. How much code is too much? How do we optimize these huge codebases?

Returning to work etiquette
Returning to work etiquette

  While organizations shift to a hybrid capacity or fully on-site, organizations have asked their employees to dust off those virtual tendencies and shift back into a professional setting. Although many of the skills being taught seem to be common knowledge, some...

Apple Vision Pro Experience
Apple Vision Pro Experience

The newest gadget from Apple is making some noise. The podcasters discuss how they work, how they could impact different industries, and if they are worth the hype.

AWS re:Invent Recap
AWS re:Invent Recap

Tune in as the podcasters discuss the latest from the AWS re:Invent! Don’t miss out on the recap of the year’s biggest tech event!

Multi-tasking
Multi-tasking

Can it be done and how well can you really do it? The podcasters dive into tips to make you a better multitasker.

All about security
All about security

From 6-digit passcodes to multi-factor authentication the podcasters go through the history of security in the workplace.

Consulting in 2024
Consulting in 2024

2024 employment looks different in many ways. Join the podcasters as they explore the latest challenges and innovations shaping the consulting industry.

Using AI at home
Using AI at home

Curious about the secrets behind running AI at home? Join the podcasters as they unravel the essentials and share tips for a seamless AI-powered home experience.

What has Agile become?
What has Agile become?

Join the podcasters as they discuss the current state of Agile, shedding light on the challenges and innovations shaping the way teams approach project management and product development.

Automation in AWS
Automation in AWS

How is automation revolutionizing cloud operations? How has it changed the tech industry? Listen as the podcasters dive into the world of automation in AWS.

Tech predictions for 2024
Tech predictions for 2024

How is AI going to take over, are we going to Mars, and what about self-driving cars? The podcasters discuss all these & more in their tech predictions for 2024.

An intro to The Pollinator
An intro to The Pollinator

The podcasters are joined by SDG’s Head of Product, Jason Scherschligt! He talks about the new product newsletter ‘The Pollinator’ which you can find here: https://sdg-pollinator.beehiiv.com/

Quantum Computing
Quantum Computing

Join the podcasters as they dive into the world of quantum computing. What exactly is it, how do people use it and what could it mean for the future?

Interviewing in a virtual world
Interviewing in a virtual world

The last three years have been a whirlwind, for a variety of different reasons! The pandemic has really shifted the way we do things these days, specifically the way recruiters do our job. As Recruiters at SDG, we’ve discussed this topic more than once and I’m willing...

Too many cooks in the kitchen
Too many cooks in the kitchen

We’ve all encountered situations where executive decisions become a recipe for disaster due to an overflow of opinions. Join the podcasters as they discuss how to navigate this situation as a consultant.

Generative AI
Generative AI

Join the podcasters as they explore Generative AI, where machines create, compose, and design in ways that mimic human creativity. They discuss its evolution, applications, and the profound impact it can and will have on various industries.

Stretching your skills
Stretching your skills

Join the podcasters as they explore the positive and negative aspects of pushing your boundaries and taking on new challenges, and how finding the right balance can lead to both personal and professional growth.

Other Peoples Code
Other Peoples Code

Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting out, understanding and working with code written by others is a skill every programmer must master. The podcasters discuss the strategies, challenges, and invaluable lessons that come with analyzing and collaborating on someone else’s codebase.

AI Copyright Conundrum
AI Copyright Conundrum

How will the future of AI affect copyright licensing? The podcasters discuss this conundrum as it pertains to intellectual property, movies, athletes & more!

5 stages of QA readiness
5 stages of QA readiness

The podcasters are joined by SDG consultant, Akila Kavo to discuss Quality Automation. What challenges the QA industry, how will AI impact it & how to prepare to test!

Three improv games to play with your agile team
Three improv games to play with your agile team

You may be asking yourself - what does improv have to do with me and my agile team? Well, the principles behind successful improvisation can relate directly to the core values and principles of a successful agile team.   The three improv games linked in this list will...

Board Gaming
Board Gaming

The podcasters discus board gaming. Gateway games, their favorites, and how can be helpful in the workplace!

AI Governance vs. Freedom
AI Governance vs. Freedom

The podcasters talk about the balance between establishing safeguards to prevent evil AI, while fostering a climate for creativity and innovation to create AI that will be a boon to humanity.

Ascending with Optimism
Ascending with Optimism

how to turn the mundane into the best parts of life. By shifting your perspective on the small obstacles in life, you can gain positive momentum. There are only so many hours in a day, and you influence how many of them bring you joy.

DevOps 101
DevOps 101

The podcasters are joined by 2 SDG consultants as they talk all things DevOps. What it is, why you should have a DevOps expert on your team & their favorite anti-patterns.

We’re bored with the board!
We’re bored with the board!

It’s time to challenge the traditional daily scrum practices, try some new methods, and remember the true purpose behind the daily scrum is a valuable team interaction, not just another obligatory meeting.

The Right to Repair Act
The Right to Repair Act

The Right to Repair Act has the potential to affect everything from John Deere tractors to Apple iPhones. The podcasters discuss what this is and how it could affect the technology industry.

Decision Fatigue
Decision Fatigue

Being a consultant, there are so many decisions that need to be made and important ones that we sometimes have to make for our clients. This can lead to decision fatigue. The podcasters discuss what it is, how it affects people, and what to do to combat it.

Job Security
Job Security

The podcasters share their personal experiences with job security, specifically in consulting. What is it, how do you market yourself and what can you do to stay relevant in an evolving industry?

Why test?
Why test?

Testing is more than just testing. Despite its importance, many developers tend to shy away from writing automated tests, citing the added effort involved and the difficulty of quantifying its benefits in real-time. However, by shifting our perspective and emphasizing...

Architecture is an art form
Architecture is an art form

So, you’re building a digital product. The business goals are well defined, the user or customer needs have been established, and the concept has been reviewed with enthusiastic support. It’s now time to determine the technical architecture for this product, but the...

Stepping outside the developer status quo
Stepping outside the developer status quo

“I think something that I’ve been really enjoying about this festival is that I feel like there is so much space here for thinking about new ideas and opportunities and radical Imagination,” Agyei Archer.   As a developer, I have been pondering on how I can merge more...

The right champion pays dividends
The right champion pays dividends

Over the last few years, I have witnessed many organizations invest in understanding their business, users, and customers prior to building their digital products. They start at the highest level, in what we call the innovation phase, drafting a concept from...

An introduction to ChatGPT
An introduction to ChatGPT

An intro to Chat GPT: why it isn’t Skynet, how to use it to help with chores, why is there such a media craze about it.. and is it going to take our jobs?!

An introduction to Low Code
An introduction to Low Code

What is Low Code? What does it do for us? How does it fit in with development projects? How does it solve business problems? Why is it a good thing? Some of these questions may be answered in this podcast!

Recognition at SDG
Recognition at SDG

At SDG, recognition and showing appreciation for each other has always been a natural part of our culture. To give proper kudos when they are due, we have a number of different recognition programs that are designed to show appreciation to employees that go above and...

Utilizing Wisdom
Utilizing Wisdom

How do you know Wisdom when you see it? And how do you use it to avoid common mistakes. How can you get other people do the same?

Successful Digital Product Innovation
Successful Digital Product Innovation

Building software to bolster the digital capabilities of your business is a costly and time-consuming adventure. Often the digital products that are created during this process fail to return the desired business outcomes, fall short of user (and customer) needs, and...

Defining Done
Defining Done

It’s important to know where the finish line is, not just for a project, but for a set of tasks, user stories, sprints, and in your personal life! We go through how to define “done”

Finishing strong
Finishing strong

Making a first impression is important. Making a lasting impression by finishing strong may even be more important.

Getting comfortable with iteration
Getting comfortable with iteration

There is a constant debate happening between the new way of thinking about development, typically agile methodologies, and the old ways of thinking, typically the beautifully named but oft-disparaged "waterfall." The thing is: this debate isn't happening much in a...

2022 Year in review
2022 Year in review

It’s the last podcast of the year and the podcasters reflect on all the things that happened in 2022!

Special Edition: AWS re:Invent Recap
Special Edition: AWS re:Invent Recap

The podcasters come to you with a special edition episode; the AWS re:Invent recap. Chad is joined by SDG’ers who attended the conference to give you a detailed insiders look into the conference, favorite parts and tips for new comers.

Blockchain 101: Real-World Uses
Blockchain 101: Real-World Uses

You might know bitcoin as a preferred payment system for ransomware or a volatile investment but like every technology there are two side to the coin. With one side being the potential to impact financial and social systems… in a good way!

Imposter Syndrome and how to deal with it
Imposter Syndrome and how to deal with it

An “Imposter” pretends to be something they are not, until they can no longer hide their incompetence and are found out. Imposter syndrome is the fear that you are not competent enough to succeed, and are therefore an imposter. How do we deal with this and come out triumphant in the end?

The modern logging landscape
The modern logging landscape

The logging landscape has evolved from the near past of files on the web server to the rich logging frameworks and cloud logging tools that we know today. The podcasters discuss the importance of logging and some philosophical takes on the what, when and why of modern logging.

Connecting beyond the screen
Connecting beyond the screen

Working from home taught us it was possible to connect remotely but as we get used to the new normal of a hybrid workforce, how do we go beyond the screen to connect?

User Research
User Research

SDG’s Melanie Sorensen joins us to talk about user research. Why it is critical for UI/UX design and for an organization to really know their customers and users, and how they work.

A Counterintuitive Approach to Consulting
A Counterintuitive Approach to Consulting

A gentleman named Mark Manson wrote a book called: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck!, on this episode we apply the mostly counter-intuitive wisdom to consulting. If you hear many bleeps, those are the times that we said the word duck. I swear!

Your “product” driver has arrived
Your “product” driver has arrived

Being assigned as a Product Owner feels a little bit like being handed the keys to a brand new car only to watch your driving instructor get in after you and immediately ask if you remember how to activate the defroster. The excitement and adrenaline you feel knowing...

Changes in the Dev-Ops Scenery
Changes in the Dev-Ops Scenery

What’s new in Dev-Ops? The podcasters dive into the history of Dev-Ops, automating infrastructure with code, and deploying and maintaining services and features in cloud architectures.

Meet Ben Fischer: SDG’s Talent Sourcer!
Meet Ben Fischer: SDG’s Talent Sourcer!

What do you do at SDG? I connect and build relationships with professionals throughout the Twin Cities that could be potential fits for SDG! Why did you pick the type of role you have?  I like connecting with professionals throughout the Twin Cities and having the...

Life lessons from Dungeons & Dragons
Life lessons from Dungeons & Dragons

RPG (Role Playing Game) enthusiast Steve Bunda joins us to talk about the benefits of playing Dungeons and Dragons we can take into the real world. Lessons in teamwork, soft-skills, leadership and more!

Agile Anti-Patterns
Agile Anti-Patterns

The Podcasters are joined by one of our Agile/Scrum experts to talk about stuff not to do in an agile project.

When you feel Undervalued
When you feel Undervalued

Feeling undervalued, under appreciated, underpaid, and/or under-recognized. The podcasters adopt as positive an attitude as possible and try to figure out how to know when your feelings are justified or if you are just being paranoid, expecting too much or misreading the situation.

Joining the Data Evolution
Joining the Data Evolution

The Podcasters lean on a few of our data people to understand the evolution of data, data literacy, and joining the new world of Data in the cloud.

Building a Team Part Two: Storming & Norming
Building a Team Part Two: Storming & Norming

Part 2 of a 3 part series on building a great team with Nick Bruecken.
Storming: Now that you have formed, how do you finish “Storming” to get everyone settled into their roles and how the team will operate, and then move on to “Norming” where the team is operating as well oiled machine?

Building a Team Part 1: Forming & Storming
Building a Team Part 1: Forming & Storming

Part 1 of a 3 part series on building a great team with Nick Bruecken.
Forming and Storming: How do you field and form a team to get everyone on board and heading in the right direction and ready to work on your project or initiative? As a team member, what can you do to help the process along?

Learning from Comic Books and Movies
Learning from Comic Books and Movies

What have we learned from Comics and Comic Book Movies? Anything? Everything? Listen as the Podcasters dive into life lessons taught from their favorite superheros.

Boundaries
Boundaries

We talk about identifying, setting, and keep boundaries at work. Not just work-life balance, but also protecting your productivity and focus. Boundaries for yourself and your team.

All about risk
All about risk

What is an actual “Risk” to a project? What do you put in that risk box on a status report? Jen Deutsch one of our seasoned project delivery people helps us figure this out.

Going Slow in a Hurry
Going Slow in a Hurry

Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything: Wyatt Earp basically said that the people who win are the ones who can take their time the fastest. How does that apply to work? We try to figure that out.

Managing Burnout
Managing Burnout

What is burnout? How does it happen? Why does it happen? How can you avoid it? How can you recover from it? Today we talk all about burnout from every perspective we can think of and explain it to Chad, who is apparently immune.

Avoiding Documentation
Avoiding Documentation

Is documentation really necessary? Today we talk about how much is too much. We also discuss why documentation and knowledge capture are important and that we should do it even it’s not our favorite.

Get to Know the SDG Podcasters
Get to Know the SDG Podcasters

Even though it’s officially season two, do you know the podcasters? Well, let them introduce themselves. If you want to learn more, this is the episode for you!

Game Day: Day 1 of Release
Game Day: Day 1 of Release

When “Done” happens and the product is delivered, what is day 1 like? Whatever you are unleashing on the business or customers, how do you make sure things go well for day 1, and what do you do when surprises happen?

The Importance of Empathy
The Importance of Empathy

The podcasters talk about empathy and the important role it plays on the workplace, in IT, on projects, applications, design, and probably everything else.

Company Culture
Company Culture

The podcasters dive into company cultures, what they are, how to create a good culture, and how they can impact people and projects.

Gaining and Keeping Trust
Gaining and Keeping Trust

Entering at a new client can be challenging, especially when you aren’t welcomed with open arms. The Podcasters talk about tips to gain trust and keep it.

The World of Online Delivery
The World of Online Delivery

The podcasters Peter, Chad, Clare and Kyle talk about their experiences with getting food to eat during 2020 and beyond. Important tips like: “Don’t order hardshell tacos from 30 minutes away”, “If you don’t have experience with a restaurant, order more than one entree just in case the one you want isn’t the one you want”

How to Get a Team Back on Track
How to Get a Team Back on Track

Elle, Chad, Peter, and Kyle talk about turning around a team that is not doing so great. Maybe stuck in the mud, maybe drama, maybe some other dysfunction. How do you recognize it, and how can you fix it.

Meet Cassandra Jastram: SDG’s newest recruiter
Meet Cassandra Jastram: SDG’s newest recruiter

"I love that I get to help people find a career they are passionate about!" What do you like most about your job? I love that I get to help people find a career they are passionate about. You spend so much of your time working that I want to find people a job that...

Brain Tricks Podcast
Brain Tricks Podcast

How we trick our brains to influence our behavior and make our lives easier and the tricks our brain may play on us.

Time Management Podcast
Time Management Podcast

Working in Tech can be fast paced and it is easy to be overloaded with more work than you can fit in a day. Chad, Peter, and Kyle talk about all the demands we have on our time and how we deal with it.

I Spent Too Much on the Cloud!
I Spent Too Much on the Cloud!

The Podcasters Peter, Chad, and Kyle are joined by Mark VanDriel and Shawn Imholt to talk about moving to a Cloud architecture and some of the pitfalls of moving to the cloud without doing your research and some things to look for as you have those discussions.

From Atoms to Pixels: Digital Product and Manufacturing
From Atoms to Pixels: Digital Product and Manufacturing

This is the fifth in our series of posts on The Product Mindset. See the first post in the series here: The Product Mindset. At first glance, software companies and manufacturing companies seem diametrically opposed: pixels vs atoms, machine learning vs. machines,...

QA Automation Journey with Jess and Eddy

The podcasters Peter, Chad, and Kyle are joined by QA champions Jess Herdegen and Eddy Hegland to school us about the Automated QA Journey, determining where you are at, where you want to go, and how to get there. And of course why you should do it in the first place.

Hybrid Cloud: “the best of both worlds”
Hybrid Cloud: “the best of both worlds”

Cloud deliveredThe cloud has successfully delivered on its promise to bring highly-scalable, resilient applications with seamless deployment while reducing infrastructure cost. This change has also assisted in more agile development with a better focus on return on...

The Product Mindset: Let Them Eat Cake
The Product Mindset: Let Them Eat Cake

For a clue about what a company or team (or a person or nation) values, just look at what it celebrates. After all, we celebrate things we're proud of or things that are meaningful to us. If you work in business or technology, you're likely familiar with the rituals...

The Product Mindset: Your Secret Weapon is Value
The Product Mindset: Your Secret Weapon is Value

This is the third in our series of posts on The Product Mindset. See the first post in the series here: The Product Mindset. As we've explored throughout this series, a surefire way for companies and teams to improve their value to their customers and align their own...

In Progress and the Curse of Reductionism
In Progress and the Curse of Reductionism

This is the third in our series of posts on The Product Mindset. See the first post in the series here: The Product Mindset. As we've explored throughout this series, a surefire way for companies and teams to improve their value to their customers and align their own...

Spring and Spock: Happy Together
Spring and Spock: Happy Together

Things change for the betterAbout four years ago I wrote a blog post describing how to use Mockito to mock dependencies within a Spring test.  You can find that blog post here: https://www.solutiondesign.com/insights/spring-and-mockito-happy-together/.  In the...

The Product Mindset: It’s Your Users’ Product
The Product Mindset: It’s Your Users’ Product

This is the second in our series of posts on The Product Mindset. See the first post in the series here: The Product Mindset. Several years ago, one or another of my daughters (I have three) said, "Whoa. Dad has an Instagram?" First of all, my Instagram account is...

5 Remote Work Tips for Exhausted Employees
5 Remote Work Tips for Exhausted Employees

I have worked remotely with several of our customers and I have a few tips for those finding their new remote working situation difficult. It comes in waves and I’ve heard from many people that they are exhausted of working remotely after 8+ months. In time, you may...

The Product Mindset
The Product Mindset

Product is enjoying a moment. Twenty years ago, when I first landed a job with the title of "Product manager, interactive media," not many people even knew what the job was. (Confession: I may not have even known what the job was!). Now every smart company is building...

What’s New With Microsoft in Autumn 2020
What’s New With Microsoft in Autumn 2020

There are so many great things happening in the Microsoft space these days, it’s hard to keep track of them all. I for one continue to be amazed at the pace in which Microsoft releases new Azure products. With hundreds of available products surrounding compute,...

Software Development with Agile Hybrid Projects
Software Development with Agile Hybrid Projects

Is Agile the only way?Often software development projects in highly regulated industries combine delivery methods of both Agile and traditional. The complexity of delivering projects in specific industries such as finance, medical, insurance and education require...

What a Technical-Minded Scrum Master Brings to the Table
What a Technical-Minded Scrum Master Brings to the Table

5 Advantages of a Technical-Minded Scrum MasterEach member of a scrum team has a role to play in contributing to the team’s success similar to any sports team. All successful teams need a coach to foster cohesion, remove barriers, and generally support the rest of the...

What’s New and Interesting in SQL Server in 2020?
What’s New and Interesting in SQL Server in 2020?

There are several interesting or helpful and generally under-used SQL Server features that Microsoft added over time. In the future, I would like to dive somewhat deep into some of them. For now, here are some of the latest ones that I have found to be either...

Save Money, Fire the Scrum Master?
Save Money, Fire the Scrum Master?

So, you did itYou’ve hit your goal and implemented agile at your company. You feel like you’ve checked off the box and now understand all the “things” you are supposed to do to be agile. So you ask yourself “Why keep the scrum master?”It has crossed your mind and you...

The Struggle is Real: 5 Tips for Remote Collaboration
The Struggle is Real: 5 Tips for Remote Collaboration

At the beginningA month ago, I was at the office preparing for my normal week ahead. In a matter of days, we rescheduled all in-person meetings and started working remotely until further notice. As a consulting company, we are used to engaging with a remote workforce,...

Winning Over a Team
Winning Over a Team

As a Business Systems Analyst or a Business Analyst consultant, I have learned a new placement is never a walk in the park. It is extremely rewarding when there becomes a comfortability in the placement after you connect with your team. At first, there is general...

Four technologies to investigate in 2020
Four technologies to investigate in 2020

The sdg Tech DNA night is one of my favorite events of the year. It’s a time to take stock of the technology developments of the past year, revisit last year's predictions and think about where we're headed for the next twelve months. The front end development group...

What is the SDG Big Event?
What is the SDG Big Event?

Editor's note: The SDG Big Event is an annual event hosted by the SDG Presents Committee. In 2021, it is going digital! This internal event is for SDG'ers only and is a favorite employee event. 15 presentations, 3 tracks, 1 night. One of SDG's best attended events of...

The Agile Mindset: Expanding One’s Horizons
The Agile Mindset: Expanding One’s Horizons

Have you ever been on a project and heard someone say, “I’ve finished what was assigned to me and there is nothing else assigned in the sprint, so I’ll need something else assigned to me….” Unfortunately, it’s heard on projects more often than one would like. Many...

Defining Our Own Technology Map
Defining Our Own Technology Map

Introducting the Tech DNABased on our experience, sdg’s consultant-led learning communities gather each year to define our organization’s technology DNA.Synthesized from ExperienceOur DNA is a reflection on our ecosystem –what people are doing in the modern enterprise...

Composition of a Successful Scrum Team
Composition of a Successful Scrum Team

Why are some scrum teams successful whilst others struggle to ship working software? The Scrum Alliance defines a scrum team as consisting of a"product owner, the development team, and a scrum master". While an accurate definition, it offers little in the way of...

Life After Infopath
Life After Infopath

It comes as no surprise that Microsoft is sunsetting InfoPath. It was made with very good intentions which made people aware that you could move on from paper forms to create digital forms online as well as automate your business processes (workflows). It did,...

The Value of Quality Assurance: Part 2
The Value of Quality Assurance: Part 2

As you learned in Part 1 of the Value of Quality Assurance (QA) blog series, QA roles have evolved from software testing to true quality assurance. This means that projects can see huge benefits by including QA Engineers in all phases of the Software Development Life...

Teamwork: A Partnership Between Teammates and Leaders
Teamwork: A Partnership Between Teammates and Leaders

INSERT teamwork cliche hereWe’ve all heard the clichés such as, “There’s no ‘I’ in TEAM,” or “We’re all stronger than the sum of our parts.” Some leaders will throw around trite expressions, while others will simply throw a bunch of people in a room and tell them to...

An Introduction to the Value of Quality Assurance
An Introduction to the Value of Quality Assurance

We can all agree that Quality is vital to software development. So when does the Quality Assurance (QA) team get involved in the process? Historically, QA resources have not been engaged until after development starts, or more often than not, when development...

Being Good at Being Wrong
Being Good at Being Wrong

You're a technical wizard, HarryAs a software consultant, it’s expected that you bring a certain degree of technical expertise to the table. This is a reasonable assumption based on the fact that consultants gather experience from many projects across various...

The SDG ESOP: From Shocked to Excited
The SDG ESOP: From Shocked to Excited

At our company meeting last November, SDG’s owners announced that we were becoming 100% employee-owned by way of an ESOP, or Employee Stock Ownership Plan. Essentially this means that over time, full ownership of SDG will be transferred to employees through stock...

WebGL and Three.js: Particles
WebGL and Three.js: Particles

What is WebGL / Three.js?WebGL is a Javascript API used to render 3D graphics to the screen in a browser. The WebGL API can be complicated and messy, but lucky for us there are libraries that simplify this. One such library is Three.js.Three.jsThree.js is a...

7 Lessons that Make Communication Easier
7 Lessons that Make Communication Easier

Communicating is difficult. Most of the really good lessons I’ve learned came through pain. Sometimes it came through my pain, and sometimes through someone else’s pain. Below is a list of communication lessons that I wish I had learned prior to experiencing, or...

Upgrade Your Scrum Retrospectives
Upgrade Your Scrum Retrospectives

How do you get a team full of developers, who are generally comprised of introverts, to respond to a session where the key underlining topic is discussing their feelings? That, to me, has always been the ultimate challenge of the Scrum retro. Developers, by nature,...

The Cost of Poor Quality
The Cost of Poor Quality

Do moreIn this day and age, we’re often asked to get more done with less and to get products to market on time — no matter the cost. After all, if the product hasn’t shipped you can’t sell it, right? But in the squeeze between the three pillars of project management —...

WebGL and Three.js: creating a real scene
WebGL and Three.js: creating a real scene

What is WebGL?WebGL is a Javascript API used to render 3D graphics to the screen in a browser. The WebGL API can be complicated and messy, but there are libraries that simplify this. One such library is Three.js. Three.js is a lightweight 3D library that hides a lot...

The Problem With “Get Creative”
The Problem With “Get Creative”

Editor's note: Stormy waters can pose some challenges to organizations but they also can present new opportunities!Difficult waters aheadAs leaders, we’re often asked to navigate our teams through difficult project waters. More often than not, the project management...

Jumping into Crisis
Jumping into Crisis

1,2,3 - JumpEvery now and again, we’re asked to help out a colleague or another team member who may be struggling and in over their heads with a project. We’ve all seen it before -- they’ve been limping along, working long hours, burning the midnight oil, falling...

Helping Customers Succeed
Helping Customers Succeed

Adding valueThe 21st century business landscape is one of constant change. And within this new setting we see the need for businesses to continually reinvent themselves to meet the demands of any given market. Whether it be finding new product or service...

You Say Vanilla, I Say Value
You Say Vanilla, I Say Value

Vanilla software development Vanilla software development, for the purpose of this post, is the most common and mainstream way to make a decision. If software architecture were the savanna, vanilla would be in the middle of the herd of thundering wildebeest. Vanilla...

Motivation: The Key to a Successful Team
Motivation: The Key to a Successful Team

Editor's note: If you are a new manager motivating your team can be a hard task that everyone has an opinion on. This is my point of view on how to motivate your team.There's always tomorrow“Tomorrow I’m going to start eating better.” “Tomorrow I’m going to start...

WebGL and Three.js: Lighting
WebGL and Three.js: Lighting

What is WebGL and Three.js?WebGL is a Javascript API used to render 3D graphics to the screen in a browser. Programming directly in the WebGL API can be complicated and messy, but lucky for us there are libraries that simplify this. One such library is...

Building Dynamic Columns in JasperReports
Building Dynamic Columns in JasperReports

JasperReportsThe JasperReports Library is a very powerful and full-featured open source reporting engine. The jaspersoft.com web site states, “The JasperReports Library is the world's most popular open source reporting engine. It is entirely written in Java and it is...

WebGL and Three.js: Texture Mapping
WebGL and Three.js: Texture Mapping

Three.jsThree.js is a lightweight 3D library that hides a lot of the WebGL complexities and makes it very simple to get started with 3D programming on the web. Three.js can be downloaded from github or the three.js website, where you will also find links to...

All Good Things Must Come to an End
All Good Things Must Come to an End

The end is nearIn my previous blog post, New Job Checklist: How to Start a Gig, I detailed advice for how to start an engagement positively. In this post I will give advice for what to do when your contract comes to an end. Like the other post, this is written with...

Stages of Building a Team
Stages of Building a Team

This post will explain the different stages of building a team to illustrate what I meant by it taking time and being fragile.  This will be a bit brief as I have opted not to spend one post per stage and drag this out. At each given stage, I will give a summary...

The Product Owner
The Product Owner

A lot of folks come over to Scrum after spending a considerable amount of their careers navigating the possibilities present in a Waterfall model. At its fundamental levels, the roles associated with Waterfall projects are: Project Manager Business Analyst Development...

The Science & Art of Project Management
The Science & Art of Project Management

“Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” — Sun Tzu, The Art of War At the young age of 22, I studied a Project Management college course. I was taught the science around Gantt Charts, PERT charts,...

Getting Started with WebGL and Three.js
Getting Started with WebGL and Three.js

What is WebGL?WebGL is a Javascript API used to render 2D and 3D graphics to the screen in a browser. Programming directly in the WebGL API can be very complicated and messy, but lucky for us there are libraries that simplify this. One such library is Three.js....

New Job Checklist: How to Start a Gig
New Job Checklist: How to Start a Gig

First Impressions One nice aspect of consulting is we get a lot of practice starting new jobs, projects, or contracts. Through personal experience and mentors, I’ve formed a personal list of things I try to do when beginning a new engagement with customers. This...

What is a Scrum Master?
What is a Scrum Master?

When I first encountered Scrum circa 2005, the role of a Scrum Master seemed pretty easy to understand: a person that spent 50 percent of their time doing story work and 50 percent of their time doing "Scrum Master" work (Larman, Craig. Agile and Iterative...