Practicing Safe PM
Inevitably, if we build our project schedule based on reasonable expectations of how long it will take to do the work and an initial cut at dependencies between activities, the resulting overall duration will be well beyond our hopes, goals, and promises. This is a challenge that will not go away, and there are different ways to deal with the issue. Read more
Zero-Sum Lunacy
It has been fashionable for quite a while in business circles to study competitive philosophy. Whether from the ancients such as Sun-Tsu’s The Art of War (I know my wife and I each had a copy before we met each other), Machiavelli’s The Prince, any of the hundreds of variations of these that are available, or some other source of military doctrine. There are all sorts of interpretations and translations to choose from, and I expect the niche will remain healthy in the future. Read more
Decisions Not Made
When you get right down to it, we spend a lot of time every day making decisions. From the clear decisions of how we are going to spend our time, whether we are going to do this or that, to decisions that are not as consciously performed, like how we’ll make that first coffee in the morning or choosing our route home in the evening. Read more
No Apparent Problem to No Actual Problem
However we would like to frame it: an approach to problem solving, a progression of learning, or simply how we grow over time, there are stages that we pass through along the way. Read more
Labour Shortage, or Underfostered Talent?
In what seems to be a vicious cycle, the local tech community is currently expressing a dramatic need for more talent. There is a huge number of job postings that remain unfilled, and upswing in placement activity for the local recruiting community. At a personal level, far more people are asking me if I know someone that can fill a role, rather than asking if I know anyone that might need their services. Read more
