Role playing (and no, we are not talking about a gaming session of Warhamster) has been shown to greatly increase forecasting accuracy, yet it has a pretty bad reputation with the academy. Probably because it does not have a theoretical or mathematical background to it, but more of a three-year old feel
Project Management Methodologists vs. Theorists
Project management in software is hard for a variety of reasons. In the December 3, 2003 edition of the Application Developer Management e-newsletter, Scott Withrow tackled “Selecting a Project Manager”. While he is speaking of specifically ones for software development projects, his thoughts could represent the thinking of a range of business functions. Unfortunately, he gets a couple of points …
Elliott Jaques on the importance of work in our lives
Been perusing Executive Leadership. Jaques says about our work being important: The simple fact is that managerial organizations have become the most important of the social institutions of the modern free enterprise democratic society. Consider their impact. In the economically developed nations anywhere from 75% to over 90% of those who work for a living, do so for a wage …
The Oral Culture of the Professional Intellectuals: How Consultants Can Learn
If professionals have this higher form of knowledge, how it is best transmitted? Most firms want training — “how to” lessons. But what growing professionals need is learning opportunities. My wife used to be a professor (before retiring early) and we still hang with young professors. We were at one’s house yesterday for lunch (roast chick with fresh bread: mmmmmm!) …
Elliott Jaques
Why the hell hasn’t anyone ever told me about Elliott Jaques?! This stuff is gold, like seeing the world from the air for the first time.
SQL phreaking
Phreaking. Phreaking. Phreaking.
Business Consultants vs Professors: Death Cage Match!
Business Consultants and Professors do mix a bit: you get professors becoming consultants or doing consulting in the 20%. (You have to do 80% of your time dedicated to the university, I’ve been told, but you can use the other 20% to do what you want.) And consultants often teach a class or end up just professoring after making their …
Power of Mediocrity: Being Great Takes Risk
You’re never going to burn bright when your goal is to not get your fingers burnt.
Software Requirements and Knowledge
The big “Aha!” for me was the these are all tied together.
Student Evaluations Are Useless In Professional Training
It’s much like asking a happy, satisfied and content married couple why they are happy: they discover that there is no reason at all and it all falls in.