Story Points - A Tool to Solve Problems, Not a Metric
In Agile development, story points are one of the most valuable tools we use to estimate work, but like any tool, their effectiveness depends on how well they are used and understood. Story points help teams plan and communicate around complexity, capacity, and risk. However, without clear communication and alignment-especially across multiple teams-they can easily lead to confusion, misinterpretation, and even frustration, particularly for stakeholders focused on schedules and budgets. In this post, I'll share my thoughts on the best ways to use story points, the importance of viewing velocity as a team metric, and how to avoid common pitfalls when communicating story points to both teams and stakeholders.
The Value of Honesty in Professional Relationships
In the world of consulting and business, it's often tempting to present yourself as the expert in everything. After all, clients want solutions, and the pressure to deliver can push you to over-promise and under-deliver. But what if the key to building long-term, successful relationships is something much simpler? What if the real value lies in honesty-admitting where you excel and where you might need a hand? Inspired by a recent video from Simon Sinek, I've been reflecting on how honesty and integrity have shaped my career, especially now as I navigate a new chapter in my professional life.
Leadership Traits - Communication - The Underrated Trait
Communication is often seen as a basic skill, but in leadership, it's one of the most vital-and underrated-traits. It's not just about keeping your team informed; it's about ensuring the right people, both inside and outside your team, know what's happening at the right time. In my experience, clear and thoughtful communication can make or break a project, especially in consulting where so many external factors are at play. Let's dive into why communication is more than just passing information-it's an art that can define your success as a leader.
Leadership Traits - Integrity - The Quiet Backbone of Leadership
Integrity is one of the most important traits of a great leader, but it's not always easy to maintain, especially when it's tested in real-world situations. In Simon Sinek's video Top 3 Leadership Traits, he highlights how closely integrity and courage are connected. In my own experience, I've found that standing by your values sometimes takes just as much courage as any bold decision. I was recently reminded of this when I had to balance my integrity as a leader with the realities of client relationships in the consulting world.
Architecture - The 'Good' Kind of Lazy
When it comes to building solutions, there's a fine line between crafting something scalable for the future and over-complicating things to the point where even you can't find what you built six months later. We've all been there. But what if the key to better, faster, and more maintainable solutions lies in a mindset that might sound counterintuitive at first-being just the right amount of lazy? Yes, that's right. The good kind of lazy. Let's talk about how this strategic approach can help you avoid the pitfalls of over-architecting and keep your projects streamlined for success.
Leadership Traits - Courage - Do I have It?
Leadership is often tied to boldness and courage, but what does that really mean in the context of project teams and software development? In Top 3 Leadership Traits, Simon Sinek highlights courage as a key quality for leaders. It made me wonder-do I have courage? I've been called a great leader, but I've never thought of myself as particularly courageous. Yet, when I reflect, I realize courage isn't always about bold gestures. Sometimes, it's about having tough conversations and standing up for your team when it matters most.
How to Debug Statiq Razor Pages
Choosing the right tools can make all the difference in your development journey. As a dedicated C# enthusiast, I was thrilled to discover **Statiq.Dev**, a static site generator built on the .NET platform I know and love. Its seamless integration with C# promised a smooth experience in building and managing my static websites. However, like any powerful tool, Statiq.Dev comes with its own set of challenges-especially when it comes to debugging. In this post, I'll walk you through the steps I took to effectively debug a Statiq.Dev site, ensuring that your development process remains as efficient and frustration-free as possible.
Leadership - Defending Your Team Against Toxic Clients
Integrity is one of the most important traits of a great leader, but it's not always easy to maintain, especially when it's tested in real-world situations. In Simon Sinek's video Top 3 Leadership Traits, he highlights how closely integrity and courage are connected. In my own experience, I've found that standing by your values sometimes takes just as much courage as any bold decision. I was recently reminded of this when I had to balance my integrity as a leader with the realities of client relationships in the consulting world.
Sprint Durations - Finding the Sweet Spot for Your Team
When it comes to Agile, one of the most debated topics is the length of a sprint. While many teams default to the standard two-week sprint, the truth is that sprint duration should be as dynamic as the Agile process itself-tailored to the team's capabilities and the business's ever-evolving needs. Whether you're optimizing for complex features, or navigating critical deadlines, the question isn't just "How long should a sprint be?" but rather, "What sprint length best serves the team and the project at this moment?"
Leadership - The Power of Feedback
In today's dynamic professional landscape, waiting for feedback can leave you steering without direction. Proactively seeking feedback isn't just a good practice-it's a vital tool for continuous improvement and success. This post delves into why taking the initiative on feedback matters and how it can transform your approach to leadership and teamwork.