Welcome to the Software Process and Measurement Cast 125!

I recorded this Cast before the earthquake in Japan but did want to let all of the SPaMCAST friends and all of the people of Japan that my thoughts are with you. 

In this week’s Software Process and Measurement Cast I feature a short entry I wrote on coaching, a comment on the blog entry on coaching and two calls to action.  The paper on Agile is from Venus and PMOs from Mars will begin in SPaMCAST 127.  The essay begins . . .

Coaching is a core agile technique, however the impact of the differing coaching technique has not been thoroughly understood which has meant that practices were driven based on individual style.  That is until now.    Why is coaching important?  Coaching is important because it can lead it to smoothly functioning organizations; higher productivity and profits.

Call to Action One:
Last year I interviewed Bertrand Meyer about SEMAT (see SPaMCAST 96 at www.SPAMCAST.libsyn.com). During the interview he indicated that one the reasons he was participating was to find a means to bridge the gap between practitioners and academia. The idea that there was a gap has been weighing on my mind since, to a great or lesser extent.  So why do you think there is a gap?  Is the gap (if it exists) driven by distrust or is that practitioners do not value input from academics?  Your thoughts and ideas will help me frame a future essay.

Call to Action Two and Book Plug . . .
Many Software Process and Measurement Cast Listeners have purchased Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chemuturi and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing.  Thank you!  If you are one of those many listeners, please consider posting a review on Amazon or one of the many online book review sites.  Reviews help sell books.  So if you agreee with Robert C. Anderson, Director, Process Development and Quality Assurance, Computer Aid, Inc that "Mastering Software Project Management is a masterpiece of clarity, organization and depth of practical knowledge" why not let the world know with a review?

Finally do want me to sign a bookplate for your copy of the book?  Email me and include a picture of you with your copy of the book and I will send you a personalized, signed bookplate!

Contact information for the Software Process and Measurement Cast
Email:  spamcastinfo@gmail.com
Voicemail:  +1-206-888-6111
Website: www.spamcast.net
Twitter: www.twitter.com/tcagley
Facebook:  http://bit.ly/16fBWV

Check out my blog and show notes for upcoming conferences and webinars!

Next!
In SPaMCAST 126 I will feature my interview with Phillip A. LaPlante on his book Requirements Engineering for Software and Systems.  This was a powerhouse interview on requirements; you will not want to miss it.

Show 55 features an interview with Judy Bond focused on how people’s personality can affect all of your professional relationships.  Almost all work boils down to people and how you relate to others therefore getting better at it is important.

Judy Bond is founder and President of Bond Team, Inc., a speaking and training company affiliated with Personality Insights, Atlanta, Georgia.  Judy has been presenting business seminars and workshops for over ten years.  

Judy’s business background includes senior level management experience in information technology management for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City.

Judy has a bachelor’s degree from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and an MBA from DeVry University, Keller Graduate School of Management. 
Judy's commitment is to effectively communicate management and leadership techniques using personality resources.

Judy can be contacted at:
Judy.Bond@bondteaminc.com
www.bondteaminc.com
(816) 536-8839

Join the SPaMCAST’s community by joining the SPaMCAST Facebook page and get involved!!!!  http://tinyurl.com/62z5el

The essay is a metacast on the health of the Software Process and Measurement Cast.  In a nutshell it is good. The text of the whole essay can be found at www.tcagley.wordpress.com.

There are a number of ways to share your thoughts with SPaMCAST:
•    Email SPaMCAST at spamcastinfo@gmail.com
•    Voice messages can be left at 1-206-888-6111
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•    BLOG – www.tcagley.wordpress.com
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Next Software Process and Measurement Cast:
The next Software Process and Measurement Cast will feature an interview Bill Phifer.  We discussed metrics in outsourcing.  I redid this interview to improve the overall sound quality.  Great interview both times.

As I mentioned in SPaMCAST 52 my father has begun to podcast his fiction at www.talesbytom.com.  Yours truly is doing the production.  Feel free to check it out and give him feedback.Show 55 features an interview with Judy Bond focused on how people’s personality can affect all of your professional relationships.  Almost all work boils down to people and how you relate to others therefore getting better at it is important.

Show Forty features an interview with Barbara Blake of Longview Associates.  Barbara and I discussed executive coaching, improvement and change its myriad forms.  If you are interested in your career or organizational change this is an important interview.   

Barbara Blake is founder of Longview Associates, LLC, an executive coaching and leadership development consulting practice. As a keen observer of organizational performance, Barbara is convinced that the key component to successful operations and objectives are the people in an organization.

Barbara works with executives and entrepreneurs to take them to the next level of performance and interpersonal relations. They see results both at work and in their personal lives; they are energized, transformed and they achieve

Barbara has held management positions in a consulting firm, a publishing company, and several financial services institutions.  She has also been involved in the development of emerging leaders by managing training programs and teaching at the MBA level.

She is a certified executive coach through the Penn State Executive Program, and a member of the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches. 

Contact information:
Web Site:  http://www.longview-assoc.com/
Email:  barbara@longview-assoc.com

Check out SPaMCAST’s New Facebook page!!!!
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The essay for this cast is titled, “Vitamins, Aspirin and Viagra”.  The essay ruminates on why some changes are easier to sell and catch hold within organizations faster. We will conclude with information on a few upcoming conferences, comments from listeners and notes on upcoming casts. 

There are a number of ways to share your thoughts with SPaMCAST:

• Email SPaMCAST at spamcastinfo@gmail.com
• Voice messages can be left at 1-206-888-6111
• Twitter – www.twitter.com/tcagley
• BLOG – www.tcagley.wordpress.com
• FACEBOOK!!!! Software Process and Measurement
  http://tinyurl.com/62z5el

Future Events and the next Cast. . .

I will be speaking at IFPUG’s 3rd Annual ISMA Conference and Fall Workshops Sunday, September 14 – Friday, September 19, 2008 at the Westin Arlington Gateway Hotel information at www.ifpug.org.  The presentation is call “Counting Facebook” and will be on Friday September 19, 2008 at 10:25 AM - 11:25 AM.

I am speaking at Quest Toronto 2008 Conference, September 22- 26, 2008, at the Hilton Hotel in Toronto, Canada.  I will be presenting “Good Numbers Go Bad” on Wed Sept 24th from 1:30 - 2:30 pm and also joining in as a subject matter expert in the end of day solutions workshop.  Information can be found at http://www.qaiquest.org/toronto/

Finally I will be speaking at the Northeast Quality Council 57th Conference.  The conference is scheduled for October 14 – 15 , 2008 in Marlborough, Massachusetts at Best Western Royal Plaza.   The presentation is titled “One Size Fits . . .Someone Other Than Me”.  Information can be found at http://www.neqc.org/conference.

Next Software Process and Measurement Cast:

The next Software Process and Measurement Cast will feature an interview with Ken Schwaber, Mr SCRUM.  If you use SCRUM or are interested in Agile this is a must listen.

 

 

 

SPaMCAST 24 - Edelson, Coaching, Specialization

** Note – Traceability paper will be out on the feed this week. **

Show 24 features an interview with Marilyn Edelson, a Principal at IT Decisions Coaching LLC.  The interview covers project management, leadership, the similarities, differences and how coaching can make both better.  This was a wide ranging interview with lots of tips and take “aways"!

Marilyn Edelson, cofounder, is a Master Certified Coach, entrepreneur and certified Best Year Yet® program leader with over 25 years experience in behavioral management. She has has been coaching executives, managers and corporate teams for the past 10 years and was voted 'Top 10 Coach 2007' by Women's Business Boston (a division of The Boston Herald). She has a strong behavioral background and easily integrates the principals of emotional and social intelligence with the structured, measurable results oriented approach provided by the Best Year Yet® system and DiSC behavioral and values assessment tools. She teaches, mentors and trains professional coaches, and is the coaching consultant for the first National Institute of Health study on the efficacy of coaching in healthcare. She holds a Master of Science degree from Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts.

 

Here are the links for ITDC and Marilyn!

IT Decisions Coaching - www.itdecisionscoaching.com/

ITDC email:  info@itdecisionscoaching.com

Marilyn’s email:  m.edelson@itdecisionscoaching.com

The essay this week is titled “Specialization: Making It Work For You!" The essay seeks to answer the question, “when did process, documentation and certifications become the goal rather than a path for attaining project success?"   This frightening question caused me to relate two seemingly different concepts during quite times of contemplation over the past few weeks.  The first was the impact of hyper-specialization in the process improvement world (and by extension anywhere it is used) and the second was a need to refocus process improvement groups on helping organizations deliver project results.  This could be scary stuff but solvable and solvable in a way that won’t break the bank.  The text of the essay can be found at www.tcagley.wordpress.com.  Comments and corrections are welcome.

There are a number of ways to share your thoughts . .

• Email SPaMCAST at spamcastinfo@gmail.com
• Voice messages can be left at 1-206-888-6111
• Twitter – www.twitter.com/tcagley
• BLOG – www.tcagley.wordpress.com

 
Future Events and the next . . .

I have a couple of free webinars coming up in early 2008.  The first is “Getting Performance Improvement Out of Your Software Process Improvement" on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM EDT

And the second is titled “A Cost Effective Approach to Enterprise Wide Software Process Improvement" May 22nd, 2008 at 10:00 am - 11:30 am Eastern Time

More information and registration information can be found at http://www.itmpi.org/webinars/

Next Software Process and Measurement Cast:

The next Software Process and Measurement Cast features an interview with Grady Booch chief scientist of Rational Software (now a part of IBM).  We will discuss structure, design, architecture, agility and discipline amongst other things.  This is another of those interviews where you will want to take notes!