This week we are staying with metrics and Manning Publications for a chat with Christopher W H Davis, author of Agile Metrics in Action, How to Measure and Improve Team Performance. Why more metrics? Well first, the M in SPaMCAST is for metrics. Secondly, metrics are important tools for teams and organizations when used wisely. Many in the agile world hear the term metric or measure and run screaming from the room. I asked Chris if he thought combining ‘metics’ and ‘agile’ was an oxymoron – he thinks not.
After you have listened, buy a copy of Chris’s book using the link http://mng.bz/r2Og Don’t pay full price by using the discount code podspam20 to get a 40% discount code (good for all Manning products in all formats).
Chris’s Bio:
Christopher Davis has been working as an engineer, manager, author, and consultant focused on innovation since the 20th century. Since coming to Microsoft 4 years ago Chris has been focused on retail innovation with Fortune 500 companies. Prior to that he worked at Nike where he designed the platform behind the Nike+ Fuelband and running apps, helped redesign their ecommerce system, and led their initial push to go cloud native, while writing the influential book on measuring software development teams, Agile Metrics in Action. Currently finishing his Ph.D. in Technical Management designing state of the art working models for human-AI collaboration, Chris also enjoys playing classical guitar and building robots with his kids.
Re-Read Saturday News
This week the re-read of Great Big Agile, An OS for Agile Leaders by Jeff Dalton dives into chapter 2. Chapter 2 begins Part 2 which is focused on the six Performance Circles. Leading is first. Jeff points out that this is the most important of the circles because an organization without strong leadership will not allow teams to self-organize.
Remember, buy a copy and read along.
This week’s installment
Week 3: Performance Circle: Leading – https://bit.ly/2K3poWy
Previous installments:
Week 1: Re-read Logistics and Front Matters – https://bit.ly/3mgz9P6
Week 2: The API Is Broken – https://bit.ly/2JGpe7l
Next SPaMCASTThe next Software Process and Measurement Cast will feature a reprise of a panel interview originally recorded in March and aired on SPaMCAST 597 just as the pandemic was re-writing the landscape of the workplace. Paul Laberge, Susan Parente, Jo Ann Sweeney, John Voris, and I reconvene to reflect on an interesting year and the challenges of today’s workplace.
