Integration after a merger

Most of us in our careers go through phases where the companies we work for merge with another as a result of M&As. Integrations after an M&A are always complex, and often stressful events. As I reflect on some of the experiences I have had, a few key lessons stand out in my mind that … Read more

What’s in a name?

I had called it ‘Softening Iterations’ in this 2009 article https://www.agileconnection.com/article/softening-iterations-setting-success The name didn’t catch on … although I have to say I thought it was clever – softening up or ‘unhardening’ before you can really get going with the project.   The concept though eventually became mainstream in the agile world – I was … Read more

Product Development Generalist

There is one thing I can say with certainty after over a quarter century of building software products – it’s complicated! It’s complicated because there is no set formula. Every time you start out creating software, whether it’s a custom application for a specific use – or a product used by many in different ways … Read more

Stop ‘Doing Agile’ – and be agile.

The debate over capital A vs small a variation of agile continues – and is an interesting one. Let me first explain it for those of you not familiar with the difference. Capital a Agile is the formal set of methodologies that provide structure to the concept of agility. These methodologies have given shape to … Read more

Optimizing Relational Data for Voice User Interfaces

Amazon recently announced that the number of skills (voice apps) in the Alexa store has reached 100K. That is a lot of apps … and is a clear sign that voice UI has arrived. Most of the skills at present are geared towards casual use — games, quizzes, and fun facts dominate the store — … Read more