What’s so bad about deadlines? Let me start by saying that deadlines can be a really useful and valuable part of the development process. When they are widely known, and communicated effectively, they can help you to plan, prioritise, and organise your work. The reason for the deadline is especially important, as knowing why something…
A bit of personal context Last week at work we received the feedback from the appraisals that have been carried out over the past few months. The appraisal process consisted of gathering feedback from a few of my colleagues, and then that was processed by my manager, fed back to me, and was also used…
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We’re Forgetting About The User
Over the past decade or so of my testing career, I have seen a worrying pattern emerge. We’re forgetting about the user. All you have to do is glance at Twitter or the job boards to see that testing isn’t a user-focussed activity anymore. It’s generally process and technology-focused. As an example, let’s take a…
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Charging by the Day is Nonsense
Working in software development teams for the past ten years has taught me two things about measuring and charging for work using time: Too many people do it. It’s stupid. Honestly, this type of arrangement (often known as ‘Time and Materials’) is one of the most baffling things I’ve experienced. Why, when it’s notoriously difficult…