Steven Savage's Blog, page 62

Agile Creativity – Principle #8: Sustainability

(This column is posted at www.StevenSavage.com and Steve’s Tumblr)

Let me say up front this is one of my favorite Agile Principles (#10 is up there too.). It’s obvious, thought-provoking, and in-your face.

Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.

Yes, the Agile Principles state outright that you should find and keep a pace that can be maintained indefinitely, and everyone should have that pace...

Steve’s Update 3/24/2018

(This column is posted at www.StevenSavage.com and Steve’s Tumblr)

A bit of an earlier update, so let’s get to it!

So what have I done the last week? A Bridge To The Quiet Planet: Edited!  Ready!  it goes out this week to pre-readers (that can be you by the way). Agile Creativity: Just the usual stuff here – you read the latest post. Epic Resume Go Rewrite: Is off to my editor, and is looking good for coming out end of April! Seventh Sanctum: Got interrupted due to assorted life issues, so s...

Speculation: Living Without Facebook And Twitter?

(This column is posted at www.StevenSavage.com and Steve’s Tumblr)

Facebook was used to harvest data by a highly unethical and bizarre campaign firm, Cambridge Analytica, to sway the US elections resulting in a worldwide scandal, with more coming out all the time. Twitter has terrible controls and policing and still seems infested with bots and haters. It’s not looking good for social media out there.

I saw someone post recently (I think, ironically, on Twitter) that the internet becgan being...

Agile Creativity – Principle #7: Usable Work

(This column is posted at www.StevenSavage.com and Steve’s Tumblr)

We’ve passed the halfway points! We’re now on the Seventh Principle behind the Agile Manifesto. It looks simple, and in fact is simple, which means I’m going to go on at length about it. Let’s take a look:

Working software is the primary measure of progress.

Yeah, it’s pretty clear isn’t it? I’m very fond of it because the idea is the measure of progress is something that actually works. No maybies, no charges, no plans, no mo...

Steve’s Update 3/18/2018

(This column is posted at www.StevenSavage.com and Steve’s Tumblr)

Whoo, busy week, so let’s get to the list of what’s up!

So what have I done the last week? A Bridge To The Quiet Planet: So close to done!  I’ve got my prereaders lined up!  I should have it done this week. Agile Creativity: This is what I’m calling my blog series on Agile and Creativity.  Anyway I cross the halfway point this Tuesday . . . or Wednesday as the weekend got busy.  This one is the seventh Agile Principle and it’...

Not Buying This Immortality Thing

(This column is posted at www.StevenSavage.com and Steve’s Tumblr)

 

As you’ve probably heard, immortality is again under discussion thanks to Nectome, which promises to preserve your brain in such fine detail you could be one day reconstructed. The process is fatal, but at least they’re open about it.

Allow me to remain skeptical – not if this is possible (at some point in theory maybe you can be copied over to a computer), but if we really can maturely think about – and handle – immortality...

Agile Creativity – Principle #6: Facetime

(This column is posted at www.StevenSavage.com and Steve’s Tumblr)

Agile principle #6 is a simple and sweet one about communications.  It needs no embellishment:

The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation.

This is obvious.  If you want to get the most done, effectively, talk to a person directly.  I could probably stop here and you and I have easily discussed 70% of the value of this Principle.

Obviously I’m n...

Steve’s Update 3/11/2018

(This column is posted at www.StevenSavage.com and Steve’s Tumblr)

Hey everyone here’s my latest update – and yeah, going with the personalizing thing.

So what have I done the last week? A Bridge To The Quiet Planet: Editing continues and reaching to my pre-readers.  Which, you know if you want to be one let me know. Writing: As of Tuesday I’ll be halfway through my Agile Principles for Creatives.  Definitely turning this one into a book when done (thinking this may be a general thing with m...

Work And Effort: Not Always By The Numbers

(This column is posted at www.StevenSavage.com and Steve’s Tumblr)

Latley I was feeling overloaded but couldn’t figure out how much. Turns out it was mostly in my own head.

Now I’ve been through a move, changes at work, and more. So the last two months my own workload estimates have been a tad off, all things considered. Now that I’m back at it, I decided it was time to get a handle on my work and my life. This included:

Making sure I tracked other time-consuming activities, like me workouts...

Agile Creativity – Principle #5: Creative Support

(This column is posted at www.StevenSavage.com and Steve’s Tumblr)

So if Agile Principle #4 was kind of heavy, Agile Principle #5 is a bit more philosophical – but also is very thought-provoking. It states:

Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.

This one makes a lot of sense. Make sure you have motivated people, give them what they need, and trust them. It’s a great principle, and having seen the opposi...