Love letter to the Community

Almost two weeks ago dotNetConf took place, right here at the Internet. Sessions were broadcasted live and published on Youtube. It was a two day conference, with a total of 17 different sessions and speakers from at least three continents and a whole lot of different time zones.

The broadcasts were about 45 minutes long with ten minute breaks between the sessions. Everything was recorded with high quality video and audio that made it possible for everyone to follow the sessions in full screen mode. To be able to arrange a conference like this you would need great Infrastructure, sponsors with a lot of cash and a huge team. Right? 

Yes, no and no. Yes, dotNetConf had really good Infrastructure. But no sponsors and a very small team.

- How's that possible?

I think dotNetConf is really about Passion. And Fun. And Free. People passionate about what they do. Coding at work, coding after work, coding talks, coding in thoughts (coding in sleep?). People who want to learn new and cool stuff, share insights and all of this because it is fun! People who love what they do and they'll even do it for free.

- Dude, nothing's for free.

Okay, the guys that arranged dotNetConf most likey has spent a huge amount of their own time making this happen. And about $10 (!) for hosting the web site on Azure. With passion, time and $10 you can create a space where 2.400 people join live talks, demos and chat rooms. I think that is amazing.

Thousands of people from all over the world registered to the event. A couple of weeks later there is now a long tail of daily page views at the dotNetConf Youtube channel. As being one of the speakers I am stunned by the positive feedback I've got after my session. Thank you!

Here's the recording from my session Rediscover JavaScript. Please contact me if you have any questions or feedback about the presentation.

If you like the presentation style and level, you might be interested in checking out the video Quick Start: Test Driven Development from aspConf 2012.

Don't do it (share code).

"... You see, this profession is filled to the brim with unrealistic programmers. Programmers who thought their code would age like wine. If you mean it turns to vinegar, it does. If you mean it gets better with age, it don't. ..."

Marsellus Wallace (1994)

During my years as a software developer, I (and a lot of colleagues) have been thinking, talking and trying to figure out how to store and share our code. Code that we have spent time writing in the projects. I have always thought it would be nice if there was a common place to store stuff, to be reused in upcoming projects and shared between teams and local offices. That's a great idea, isn’t it?

No. It's not. It is actually a bad idea.

Recently I had a moment of enlightenment: stored code for later use is waste. When reusing code it creates waste and sometimes even confusion. Waste is expensive stuff. Confusion is risky stuff. Avoid it.

Here's an example:
Back in the .NET 1.1 days, do you remember what we needed to write to check if a string was null or empty? After a couple of projects I ended up writing a StringUtilities class with an IsEmpty method. Happy with the result I added it to a Common Utilities library in our version management system, for future use. If I remember it correctly, I also wrote my full name in the code comments section. (Today I don’t need that kind of confirmation. I have matured. I just settle with someone liking my current Facebook status.)

The next version of .NET of course had the IsNullOrEmpty method built in and that made my String Utilities code totally unnecessary. Too bad the class already had been reused all over the code base in an other project. And now people started to wonder:

- What weird stuff does that utilities code do? Why didn’t they use the built in method? Whatever. Better leave it as it is.

Another example:
Let’s say that we are about to write some c# code that should read RSS feeds and display them in a nice list. Before .NET 3.5, you would probably need to write a custom Feed class, a Feed Item class, and most likely a couple more of those custom classes. You would also need to write stuff that maps the RSS data with your custom classes. Once done, maybe it all should be stored in a Common Utilities folder for future use? 

Don’t do it!

Because in the future people will start to wonder:

- What weird stuff does that utilities code do? Why didn’t they use the built in SyndicationFeed class? I don’t understand. Better leave it as it is.

Both the string.IsNullOrEmpty method and the RSS Syndication namespace are part of the current .NET Framework. Code that is a part of the Framework is stable and (most likely) a lot more tested than our custom made ones.

Fine Code that we write today quickly turns into vinegar. Marsellus Wallace was right.

Okay, so Code is aging very quickly and that sucks. However, good ideas often stand the test of time. I think that we should rather share the ideas, and not the code. Use code only as an example to explain a concept. When understanding concepts, people will find better and modern ways to solve problems.

I think the same goes for Company policy Code Standards and Design Guidelines. Don’t spend too much time writing documents that will be buried forever in the Graveyard, aka the Intranet or Team Foundation Server.

The ideas and practices are better shared at informal lunch presentations and in blog posts. Maybe even in an Open Source project? Once the library or the blog post is out there, I mean really out there (outside the company firewalls and indexed by Google), it will be obvious to the world if it is fine wine (maintained) or vinegar (not maintained).

Got stuff to share? Invite your fellow geeks to a lunch session! Bring your laptop and start talking.


Mr Marsellus Wallace:

Rediscover JavaScript - Återupptäck JavaScript

Do you know the difference between x == y and x === y when coding JavaScript?
Don't Google it!

Next week I will talk about JavaScript at Add Your Color in Stockholm (in swedish). Didn't know the answer? Well, this session is made for you. 

Register at: http://www.addyourcolor.se/traaffas

Welcome!


(swedish)

Vet du (utan att googla) vad skillnaden mellan x == y och x === y är i JavaScript?

Om du inte kan svaret, är första onsdagen i september hos Add Your Color rätt forum för dig! Under en kväll återupptäcker vi JavaScript som programmeringsspråk.

Anmäl dig här: http://www.addyourcolor.se/traaffas

Välkommen!

The Developer that turned into a Garden Gnome

(swedish version below)

A couple of months ago when I was on my way to beautiful Sigtuna (the oldest city in the kingdom of Sweden, founded in 980), excited about having a session about those Agile principles all of us follow (right?), the bus passed a nice little yellow house with a nice little garden. I froze. Right there, staring at me was at least three small garden Gnomes.

I don't like garden Gnomes. They scare me.

There was probably more of them, I was too horrified to remember. Those lifeless gnome eyes really freaked me out. But were they really lifeless? What if each of those little garden gnomes once upon a time were full of life and actually had productive days, filled with joy and laughter? What if they once were software developers? When passing by all of this, I shivered and silently said "Oh, my God...". I think the old lady with the little beige hat in front of me heard that. Did I see her nod, confirming that my assumptions were correct?

When the bus arrived to the conference centre in lovely Sigtuna I quickly shook it all off, and spent about two hours having interesting conversations and valuable sharing of agile ideas. Shortly after I had forgotten all about garden Software Developer Gnomes.

---

The Summer! The Holiday! The time for resting the Mind and feeling ashamed of the chubby and lack-of-sun-exposed Body. During my daily holiday workout, i.e. Power Walking through the country side and passing by cows, sheep, horses and very few neighbors in sweet Värmland (where the people talk with that funny and lovable Swedish accent, you know), I walked by a little yellow house. My mind in workout mode and my ears filled with the latest Nas Album (damn good album, by the way), I saw something at the corner of my eye. A Gnome. It was just standing there in the garden. Staring at me. It freaked me out.

It all came back to me, the lifeless eyes, the little garden with the yellow house, the software developers. What really happened to them? I think we have the right to know. Right? This time I looked back at the Gnome, probably with "why???" written all over my face. Maybe I've had too much of that country side fresh air (and perhaps too much of the boxed dinner wine the night before), but I thought I heard the Gnome actually talking to me. Saying: - It's My Job. 

Aha, that one (and a couple of variations of it) I've heard before. I could now in fast forward mode easily imagine the Transformation from the It's My Job Developer to a staring Gnome in a little garden by a little yellow house.

I kept on Power Walking passing by the house, with loud Rap music in my ears. Maybe this is what we need to do, Power Walking our software developer careers? Keep moving, learning new things. Not necessarily listening to Rap music. Not necessarily being the passionate guy that develops Open Source software during holidays and weekends. Well, Passion probably is required for this kind of job, don't you think? What about that night time/weekend coding? Don't choose it before your family. But do Power Walk with Passion.

Sounds stressful? Come on, it's walking! You set your on pace, as long as it is a challenge. It's not like running the Marathon. I think stopping, however, should cause you panic. It actually should freak you out. The Gnome Transformation might be quicker than we expect.

Learn and expose yourself to knowledge the Power Walk style and start today. There already are too many of those little creepy garden Gnomes out there. Please don't turn into one.

 (swedish version)

Utvecklaren som blev en trädgårdstomte

För några månader sedan, när jag satt på bussen på väg till Sigtuna (Sveriges första stad), hände något märkligt. Jag satt där på min plats och repeterade presentationen om agila metoder som jag skulle ha på en kursgård i närheten. Bussen åkte sakta förbi ett fint litet gult hus, med en fin liten tomt. Jag hoppade till. På gräsmattan stod (minst!) tre trädgårdstomtar utplacerade. De stod där och stirrade.

Jag gillar inte trädgårdstomtar.

De där livlösa figurerna gjorde mig faktiskt rädd. Djävligt rädd.

Bussen åkte vidare och jag pustade ut. Tänk om de där små figurerna inte är så livlösa som man kanske tror? Tänk om de en gång hade helt vanliga liv: vaknade, jobbade, hämtade på dagis? Kanske var de alla systemutvecklare, någon gång för länge, länge sedan?

"Shit asså, tänk om det stämmer..." sade jag för mig själv där på bussen. Jag tror att damen med den lilla fyrkantiga hatten framför mig hörde, för det såg ut som att hon nickade åt mig. Som att hon ville visa att jag var på rätt spår.

Framme vid konferenscentret skakade jag av mig bilderna av de små tomtarna och spenderade de två följande timmarna med att dela erfarenheter med deltagarna på kursen. Efteråt hade jag glömt bort allt om små trädgårdstomtar som kanske en gång i tiden varit systemutvecklare.

--- 

Sommartider! Semestertider! Yes! Äntligen tid för återhämtning, vila och tillfällen att skämmas för sin bleka och otränade kropp. 

Det fina vädret och den friska lantluften har faktiskt gett mig inspiration att komma i form igen. Vid ett av mina dagliga träningspass, då jag "power"-promenerade förbi ett stort gäng kossor, några får och nästan inga grannar här i härliga Värmland, såg jag något bekant i ögonvrån. Jag ryckte till och slet av misstag av mig hörlurarna. Alldeles nyss var öronen fyllda med Nas senaste (bra skiva, förresten). Men nu: tystnad. Jag hörde bara min egen puls.

Där, vid ett litet hus, i en liten trädgård, fanns en trädgårdstomte. Den stirrade. Djävlar vad rädd jag blev.

Allt kom tillbaka: det gula huset i Sigtuna (Sveriges första stad), de livlösa ögonen. Systemutvecklarna. Men den här gången tittade jag tillbaka och jag måste ha sett ut som ett stort frågetecken. Jag har kanske fått lite för mycket av den där friska luften på landet (kanske också något glas för mycket av middags-lådvinet kvällen innan), för trädgårdstomten pratade ju! 

" - Jag gör bara mitt jobb.", sade den.

Aha, det där lät bekant. Nu trillade polletten ned och jag kunde lätt se förvandlingen framför mig, från "jag gör bara mitt jobb"-utvecklaren till en stirrande trädgårdstomte på en liten gräsplätt vid ett litet hus. Jag plockade upp hörlurarna och fortsatte träningspasset.

Det kanske är så man borde göra: Power Walk:a sig fram genom jobbet? Alltid röra sig framåt, lära sig nya grejer. Kanske inte nödvändigtvis med högljudd Rap-musik i öronen. Man kanske inte heller behöver vara den där extremt passionerade typen som hackar ihop ett Open Source-verktyg på kvällar och helger. Men jag tror att passion behövs för att hålla på med programmering. PWwP - Power Walk with Passion.

Låter det stressigt? Äh, kom igen nu. Det är inte Stockholm marathon vi snackar om. Välj ditt eget tempo, så länge det är en utmaning. Stressad borde man kanske bli om man stannar, förvandlingen går fortare än man tror.

Det finns redan för många av de där små läskiga trädgårdstomtarna där ute. Bli inte en av dem, för det är inte bara ett jobb.

aspConf 2012

It's about two weeks since aspConf, the online .NET developer conference, took place. This year had thousands of registered participants and about sixty booked speakers. I feel honoured being one of the speakers of aspConf 2012.

Check out the great stuff published at Channel 9, lots of interesting talks with a wide range of subjects within the .NET developer world. Is there an easier way to learn new things than this? 

My talk Quick Start: Test Driven Development was just published. Lots of thanks to all of you that joined the session! Have a look, please give your feedback and rate the video. Don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about Test Driven Development! 

Quick Start: Test Driven Development

(svenska)

För snart två veckor sedan kunde man följa aspConf - en utvecklarkonferens på nätet. Årets konferens hade sextio talare på schemat och flera tusen anmälda deltagare. I år var jag en av talarna och det känns stort att ha varit med på detta. På Channel 9 finns nu massvis med bra videor att kolla in, ett enkelt sätt att lära sig nya grejer!

 

Nu finns även inspelningen av min presentation Quick Start: Test Driven Development publicerad. Stort tack till er som följde den direktsända presentationen! 

Titta, ge din feedback och betygsätt gärna videon (den är strax under en timme lång). Hör av dig till mig om du har frågor om testdriven utveckling!

Quick Start: Test Driven Development 

It's Not You, It's Me

The other night I was browsing some of the local computer hardware online stores. It was a rainy (or was it sunny?) sunday night (or was it afternoon?). Aware of that it was only two days before the Apple WWDC event, I bought a new Ultra thin Ultra light Ultrabook (or was it a Notebook?). The purchase was made from my not-so-thin and high-fan-speed burning-hot laptop Macbook Pro First Generation Unibody Series. What about the new one?

No, It had no apples.

Yes, It was a rebel act.

I got carried away and made secret plans: “- I should go even further with this and install Ubuntu on it! Linux is cool.”. Man, I wish I had one of those Che Guevara T-shirts to wear that late rainy sunday night in Stockholm.

Later we had The Talk, my Apple Computer and me: “ - MBP, I think we need a break. Yes, I’ve met someone else. I have to find out if the grass really is greener the other side of the source code. It’s not You, It’s Me!”. It had to be said. I had to do it.

Tomorrow is Reboot Day! Time to install Ubuntu 12.04 on my brand new Core i7 Ultra Thin Ultra Light 15” Samsung Series 9. See you later Apple Macbook Pro. 

Actually, I already have installed Ubuntu. I couldn't wait. Friday, between 12 am and 2 am was The Real Reboot Day. To an external SSD. The internal one still has the pre installed Windows on it. I develop .NET stuff and gotta make a living! Well, that was actually not the entire truth. I had to buy a Windows Professional upgrade, the pre installed version from Microsoft could not even join a domain. The Man always wins.

But in the couch at home the rebel act flourishes. I run Ubuntu from the external SSD, download stuff from the Ubuntu Software Centre and wear that Che T-shirt. Okay, that last thing I made up. The Revolution continues (or is it just a dream?).

ps.

By the way, is it possible to dual boot the Nokia Lumia 800?

ds.

Code Food

Recently I got the chance to develop some really nice html5 features, learn new concepts and write code according to those strict JavaScript Douglas Crockford practices that I am a huge fan of. I want to share this knowledge, but how and when?

Most projects I've been a part of during my career has been sort of a silo development environment: experts doing this, other experts doing that. And when they finally meet it’s called “the Integration phase”. Sounds familiar?

I think silo expertise is bad, really bad, because nobody in the project will get the big picture.  When panic hits the project plan (it always does), developer X probably will need hours to figure out what developer Y has written. Start counting the number of WTF’s per minute! Who's paying for that? How can we break this Team Anti Pattern?

Here's a simple idea: have some lunch. Eat, drink and talk with your team - at least once a week. One of you will have something to share, maybe new insights in html5 development or a Visual Studio add in that makes our coding days brighter. It’s not a presentation, it’s just you talking about what you have learned the last couple of days while working in the project. The Project budget can probably afford to pay for the lunch session. If not, go get some pasta salad for your friends, bring your laptop, speak about something during 25 minutes and expect to be served lunch by one of your team members next week. Feeling hungry?

Gäst-bloggare på Swaine's World - Guest post at Swaine's World

(English version below)
Idag debuterar jag som gäst-bloggare på Swaine's World - en blogg av Michael Swaine, redaktör för PragPub och fd chefredaktör för Dr Dobb's, två populära IT-tidningar.


Här kan du läsa min artikel om The Agile Family | Swaine's World.


(English version)
Guest post at Swaine's World
Check out my guest post at Swaine's World by Michael Swaine, editor of PragPub Magazine and former EIC of Dr Dobb's.


Here's the article The Agile Family | Swaine's World.

Familjen Agile - The Agile Family

(please scroll down for the English version of this blog post)


Vem är egentligen den där “Agile” och hur ser familjesituationen ut? Och har Japan något med det här att göra? Jag har släktforskat och resultatet av mitt arbete kan du läsa om här.

Vi börjar med vår stora kändis i släkten. Idolvinnaren och den alla snackar om: Scrum. Efter framträdandet i Allsång på Skansen är han nu också riktigt folklig och dyker upp i alla möjliga sammanhang. Scrum har en lillasyster, som kanske inte är lika känd (ännu). Hon heter Kanban, är lite modernare än storebrorsan (som ärligt talat börjar komma upp i åren). Säg inte det till Scrum, han är lite känslig för sådant! Många uppskattar lillasyrrans Rock n’Roll-attityd, enkelhet och innovativa idéer.

Scrum och Kanban har faktiskt ett till syskon, som hamnat lite i skymundan. Han kallas för XP av sin familj och vänner. Egentligen heter han eXtreme Programming, men blev mobbad för det i plugget. Han fick skägg tidigt i puberteten också. Efter ett tag tuffade han till sig, bytte namn till XP och sågs gå omkring i t-tröjor med budskap som I Unit Test on the First Date. Han började umgås mer med brorsan Scrum och de har idag en mycket fin relation.

Scrum och Kanban är väldigt utåtriktade, XP är mer eftertänksam. Han är en riktig programmerarsjäl med stor passion för sitt yrke. Lär känna honom och ni blir vänner livet ut, sägs det. Han är mest lik sin pappa och är en förebild för sina syskon (utan att han egentligen vet om det).


Vem är pappa? Han heter Agile och är en sådan där far som vi alla önskar att vi hade. Lugn, klok och lyssnande. Han ger goda råd och arbetar ständigt för en bättre värld, präglad av öppenhet, förtroende och ansvar. Han är mycket stolt över sina barn och följer alltid med på turnéer och tv-framträdanden (håll utkik på första bänkraden efter en aningen gråhårig leende man i sina bästa år).

Men pappa Agile har också varit en liten pojke en gång i tiden. Han är en sk “sladdis” och har en några år äldre storasyster. Hon heter Lean och är respekterad och beundrad i hela världen för sin känsla för kvalitet, respekt för människor och långsiktigt tänkande. Agile fick ofta vara med när storasystern och hennes vänner spelade video-spel och sjöng till populärmusik på radio i det japanskt inredda hemmet. Han minns:
- Hennes tjejkompisar var så smarta och snygga! Jag var kär.


Storasyster Lean har lärt Agile allt han kan och är fortfarande en stor inspirationskälla för honom och speciellt yngsta dottern Kanban (som hälsar på och bor hos henne varje sommar).

Lean har också en dotter – kusinen till syskonen Scrum, XP och Kanban. Kusinen, som heter Lean Software Development, spås en lysande framtid och har inte fått strålkastarljuset riktat mot sig ännu. För den stora massan är hon okänd. Scrum berättar:
- När kusinen hälsade på var det alltid spännande. Vi skröt ofta om henne för våra vänner och hon hade alltid med sig de senaste grejerna från Japan. Våra Game&Watch-spel blev så omoderna och tråkiga när Lean Software Development visade sin spelkonsoll med både färgskärm och stereoljud. Det var fantastiskt, som att se in i framtiden!


Syskonen Agile och Lean Software Development har sedan länge daglig kontakt via Skype och planerar att samarbeta mycket mer i framtiden.

Vi har kommit till toppen av vårt släktträd. Här hittar vi: en japansk bil. Ja, det är sant. Syskonen Lean och Agile har sina rötter i ett nästan kliniskt rent verkstadsgolv i Japan. Historiens vingslag har tagit oss till landet med det vackra skriftspråket, de blomstrande körsbärsträden, sylvassa samurajsvärden och världens största bilmärke: Toyota.


Toyota Production System (TPS) är på god väg att forma en bättre värld med sina idéer om respekt för människor, lagarbete, kunskapsöverföring och ansvar. Ord som Kaizen (ständig förbättring) och Hansei (reflektion) är ett naturligt sätt att arbeta och leva enligt Toyota Production System. Enligt TPS räcker det inte med sk Quick Fixes då problem uppstår. Man går vidare och letar efter orsakerna till att de alls dykt upp, genom att ställa frågan varför? minst fem gånger. Toyotas filosofi är att: Basera besluten på ett långsiktigt tänkande, även om det sker på bekostnad av kortsiktiga ekonomiska mål.

TPS kan tyckas vara svaret på alla frågor, men glöm aldrig att det beror på (vilken fråga det är). Scrum, XP och Kanban är inte heller svaret på alla problem. Finns det ett svar då? Ja, det gör det faktiskt: 42. Vad frågan är får du lista ut själv.


Avslutning
Alldeles nyss fick jag ett meddelande, med avsändaren “TPS”:
- Du har mycket kvar att lära, David-san. Jag ser att du tagit hänsyn till A3-formatet. Men ditt släktträd skall vändas upp och ned.




(the English version)


The Agile Family

Who is that guy “Agile” anyway? Does he come from Japan? Where is his family? We have the right to know. I have done some research and here is the result of my work.


Let’s begin with the Star, winner of American Idol and the one everybody talks about: Scrum. Scrum has a kid sister, not yet as well known as her big brother. Her name is Kanban and is described by many as modern, attentive and a bit more up to date. Let’s be honest, all of us get old some day. So does Scrum. Please don’t tell him that, he is a bit sensitive about aging! The Rock n’ Roll attitude, simplicity and innovative ideas of lil’ sister Kanban are properties appreciated by the constantly increasing fan base.

Scrum and Kanban has another sibling. They call him XP and perhaps he is a bit overlooked. His real name is eXtreme Programming, but he was so bullied in school for it and really had to change his name. Sad, but that’s the real world. He also grew a beard very early in his teens, that didn’t help very much.

As a teenager, XP added some well needed attitude to his personality and he often wore T-shirts with statements like I Unit Test on the First Date. He started to hang out with his brother Scrum and they found out that they actually have a lot in common and complete each other well. Today they are the best of friends.


Scrum and Kanban are both extroverts. XP is very thoughtful and a passionate programmer. People say that when getting to know him, you will have a friend for life. He is the one that resembles his father most and without knowing about it, both his sister and brother see him as a role model.


What about dad? Well, his name is Agile. He is the kind of father all of us wish we had. A man of wisdom, laid back and always giving you attention. He is the one with good advices and has never stopped trying make the world a better place. He is very proud of his children and you will spot him on almost every of his kids TV and live performances. Do you see the bald guy at the front row smiling and cheering? That’s Poppa Agile.

Agile was a little kid once, like all of us. A boy that admired his older sister Lean. Her sense for quality, respect for people and long term thinking has made her well respected and admired all over the world. Agile did spend a lot of time hanging out with big sister and her friends. They played video games, laughed and listened to the radio playing the latest hits all day at home. He reminisces:
- Her girlfriends were so good looking and always knew what was cool and what was not. I was in love.


He continues: – All I know comes from Lean and she is still my biggest inspiration. My youngest daughter Kanban visits here every summer and admires her aunt a lot.

Aunt Lean also has a daughter, called Lean Software Development. She is the not so well known cousin of Scrum, XP and Kanban. I hear people say she is the next big thing.


Scrum says: - When our cousin was about to visit us, we all got so excited! We talked a lot about her, bragging about how cool she was. She always brought the latest stuff from Japan. Our Game&Watch toys was nothing compared to the gaming consoles she had, with the color screen and stereo sound. It was amazing. It felt like seeing into the future!


The Agile siblings and Lean Software Development both agree that they really should work together in the future. Let’s hope they do!

Yes, we have reached the top of the Family Tree. A car? Yep, that’s right. Both Lean and Agile comes from the garage. A very clean garage, I might add. The time travelling journey got us to the land of beautiful calligraphy, blooming cherry trees, razor sharp samurai swords and the best car brand in the world: Toyota.

Respecting people, team work, responsibility and sharing of knowledge is the soul of Toyota Production System (aka TPS). Will TPS make the world a better place? Kaizen (continuous improvement) and Hansei (reflection) must be a part of the daily work flow according to TPS. What about problem solving? Don’t settle with quick fixes. Try find the root cause by asking Why? at least five times. The philosophy of Toyota is: Base your decisions on long term thinking, even when they are in conflict with your short term financial goals.


Is TPS the answer to all your questions? Well, that depends. What about Scrum, XP or Kanban? Probably not. Is there an answer? Actually there is: 42. You go figure out the question yourself.


Final words
Recently I received a message from someone called “TPS”:
- You have still a lot to learn, David-san. I noticed that You have used the A3 format. Good. But your Family Tree should be turned upside down.

Visa vad du gör, eller "Dude, where's my Index Cards?"

(please scroll down for the English version of this post)

Idag finns det ett helt gäng olika agila metoder att välja till sin verktygslåda, många snickrar ihop en egen variant som passar bäst för den egna organisationen. Gemensamt brukar vara att information om projekten blir synlig för alla som är intresserade. Scrum-team har till exempel en demo av produkten de utvecklar med jämna mellanrum, en graf som visar på framsteg och så berättar man vad man gör just nu i dagliga stå-upp-möten. Kanban beskriver att man ska visualisera sitt arbetsflöde, i princip betyder det att använda någon slags vägg med arbetsuppgifter på. Det kan vara en riktig vägg på kontoret eller en digital variant i molnet. Många kallar det för Scrum- eller Kanbantavlan.

Personligen gillar jag en riktig vägg i gips, trä eller betong. Varför? Allt blir så mycket enklare: inga behörighets-trassel, dålig dra-och-släpp-funktionalitet eller obegriplig länk till en server någonstans i byggnaden. Med en riktig vägg tar man helt enkelt ett papper med arbetsuppgifter, flyttar, antecknar eller pekar och pratar med sina kollegor kring det som ska göras. Enkelt är bättre!

- Men ska man skriva allt för hand? Om man har en taskig handstil då?

Vi tar lite digital hjälp till det analoga teamet: Excel. Index Card Generator* är ett väl använt verktyg som fungerar som en enkel backlog för ett Scrum-team. Med ett knapptryck skapar man indexkort i A5-format, som man skriver ut och klistrar upp på väggen.

- Men om man inte vill använda Microsoft Office, finns det en Google Docs-version?

Japp, det finns. Det enda du behöver är ett Google-konto. Här är en video som visar hur verktyget fungerar.

Här hittar du Index Card Generator for Google Spreadsheet

Hör av dig med vad du tycker om verktyget, har förbättringsförslag eller hittar buggar!

(English version)

Dude, where’s my Index Cards?

There is a bunch of different agile methods to choose by for your toolbox these days and many teams create their own customized version for their organization. Agile methods usually makes information available to anyone that take interest in the current project.

Here are some examples: Scrum teams arrange product demos, use a daily progress graph and has the this-is-what-I’m-doing-today-meetings. Kanban describes that you should visualize your workflow, i.e. using a wall with swim lanes and index cards. Some teams use a real physical wall at the office and others use a digital wall somewhere in the Cloud.

I prefer the wall made of concrete. Why is that? Because everything becomes so much easier. You don’t need an Active Directory Folder Authorized User Group, there isn’t any drag-and-drop functionality that sucks and no weird links to a server somewhere in the building. At the concrete wall you simply take a piece of paper, move it and make notes without the need to press a Save button. Old School? Hey, I was born in the seventies!

- But what if no one can read my hand writing?

Let’s use some digital assistance: Excel. Index Card Generator* is a well known tool for managing a Scrum product backlog. Press a button (!) and you will get A5 formatted index cards to print out and paste at the concrete wall.

- But what if the organization doesn’t use the Microsoft Office Suite, is there a Google Docs version available?

Yes, and all you need is a Google account to get started. Check out the Youtube video that describes how to use the tool (the embedded movie above).

Please contact me if you make any improvements or find bugs!

Index Card Generator for Google Spreadsheet

* Index Card Generator for Excel