Doc Norton
What is Velocity?

In this excerpt from Escape Velocity, we take a more in-depth look at Velocity and try to answer (at least in part) the question, “What Is Velocity”?

What is Velocity?
Doc Norton
Collapsing Conditionals

This article focuses on using Chain of Command as a means of reducing cyclomatic complexity in our code. Along the way, we also create better adherence to SRP.

Collapsing Conditionals
Doc Norton
Thoughts on Refactoring

I recently worked with a team on a fairly significant refactoring. I paired with different team members each day over a three day period as we moved code around, pushing responsibility into other classes, reducing complexity, and make the code more expressive. On the fourth day, I put together some notes on the things we saw and general guidelines for the team to keep in mind. Nothing herein is new to the community, but it might be new to you.

Thoughts on Refactoring
Doc Norton
Using Collaboration Contracts

Collaboration Contracts are a way of identifying who is involved in a decision and what level of decision-making authority each participant has. This isn't a delegation model where some individual is empowered and imparts unto others some fraction of their authority for a limited period of time. This is a collaboration model where all participants are equally empowered, but find consensus on all topics to be a suboptimal approach.

Using Collaboration Contracts
Doc Norton
Coaching Anti-Patterns: Shock and Awe

I often find myself talking to people who are in the midst of a switch to agile and who find the change very difficult to get used to. They may be strong advocates, but their team just "doesn't get it". Through discussion, I find that many of them are attempting what I refer to as "Shock and Awe" agile. If you couldn't tell by the name, I consider this another agile coaching anti-pattern.

Coaching Anti-Patterns: Shock and Awe

Retrospectives

Increase the value of your stand-ups with different questions.

Increase the value of your stand-ups with different questions.

I’ve recently started working with some teams who have elected to use the classic three questions during their stand-ups - “What did you do yesterday?”, “What will you do today?”, and “Are there any impediments in your way?”

I’ve been talking about and advocating for different stand-up formats for quite some time. I, frankly, think the three questions are too focused on individual activity and lack focus on group progress.

If you like the format of three questions, may I suggest you try some different questions?

The most important agile practice?

The most important agile practice?

As a coach, I've gone into numerous environments with the intention of introducing agile. Of course, I always talk about the values and the principles. Of course, I try to help people to see that there is no one true agile. There's no prescribed set of practices that once followed earn you the agile merit badge.

At the same time, these teams need something concrete. What things can one do in order to set them on the path to "being agile"?

Fighting Entropy

Fighting Entropy

It was 1983 and I was in science class when I first heard the term entropy.

I don't recall if we were discussing energy conversion, heat as waste, or some other topic wherein entropy plays a part, but I do recall how profound the concept of entropy seemed to me. The notion that there was a lack of order, a lack of predictability, and a gradual decline into disorder resonated with me deeply.

Keep Retrospectives Fresh

Retrospectives are an important (and frequently poorly done) practice. They provide an opportunity for discussion, learning, and adaptation. Without retrospectives, a team is likely to fall into a soothing rhythm and fail to recognize early the need for change.

But retrospectives themselves can become common and numbing. The same moderator, the same three questions, in the same room, at the same time .... (yawn).

Here are a few tips on keeping your retrospectives fresh.