Better Software Magazine Articles

Testers and Developers Think Differently

Appreciating differences is critical for productive teams. Different approaches aid in finding solutions, and mutual respect dramatically improves group problem solving. Testers should not be judged according to developer criteria.

Bret Pettichord's picture Bret Pettichord
Getting Published

Why would you want to get published? Why take time out from doing real work to share your thoughts with others? After all, didn't we gladly leave writing behind when we got out of school? But when you share your experiences, you play a part in a larger picture, leaving your mark on the world, and advancing your field.

Danny R. Faught's picture Danny R. Faught
Managing the Communication Storm Front

The communication storm front is a real phenomenon that crops up in all development teams and in all organizations. You need not be the victim of such storms. You, as development manager, have the tools to reduce the power of the storm front and create a team that is ever more effective and efficient.

Elizabeth K. Schmitz
User-Driven Design

It doesn't matter when you deliver, if you build the wrong product. Development entails inferences and assumptions about the user, which are supposed to guide the build-process. However, even if development successfully matches the inferences and assumptions about the user, if those criteria don't match the Real User, the product fails. This article talks about how to incorporate the user into the requirements and design phase.

Managing in Mayberry: An Examination of Three Distinct Leadership Styles

The assumptions you make about the people you manage can shape your management style. Here's a detailed look at three distinct styles of management and how they apply to your software projects.

Dan Starr
Immunizing Against Predictable Project Failure

To be truly successful, a project needs more than a list of requirements and good intentions. Here's a way to use project charters to define the big-picture relationship and expectations between Developers and Management.

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Quality Meets the CEO

Management and testers may not often speak the same language. This article takes an unvarnished look at the communication gap between quality advocates and management and offers ways to open a dialogue and gain credibility.

Jeffery Payne's picture Jeffery Payne
Modeling Organizational Change

When you approach a process problem in the way your workgroup functions, you're implementing an organizational change. Organizations are systems of complex interrelationships. Explicit models can help you make strategic changes.

Esther Derby's picture Esther Derby
James Bach on Explaining Testing to Them

Are your co-workers in the dark when it comes to understanding how testing works? James Bach provides good responses to common questions, including nine basic principles of good hallway explanations. Learn how to give a programmer or manager a more accurate view of your job.

James Bach's picture James Bach
Building a Project-Oriented Culture

What does it take to support excellence in your software organization? Taking advantage of basic project frameworks and status reporting systems can empower you to effect organizational change from any level. Here's how to make it happen.

Michael K. Levine's picture Michael K. Levine

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