Growing Software Practices

Finding a Job by Targeted Networking - Part 1

By far, the majority of job search books recommend finding a job through networking.  For many people, networking is too fuzzy a concept or just plain difficult to do.  A job seeker can turn "networking" into the task of asking everyone they know if they have heard of an open position.  And if this doesn’t work, the aspiring networker will feel frustrated and discouraged and feel that networking really isn't working for them.

Measuring Quality Perception

Prior to QA testing cycle, making quality measurements is difficult. At this point, QA is focused on test plans, automation, and product definition, while the engineering team is focused on designing and building the product.  Getting an earlier quality snapshot of what is going on prior to any testing being done is useful because most of the quality problems are built in during definition and design.

A potential early quality indicator is QA team quality perception. This approach measures the QA team quality perception during the release the entire release cycle. This approach is effective on larger projects when the QA team is working alongside engineering during development to build up their test plans.

Decisions, Decisions

Often times the new or early-career senior technology manager has never been formerly trained in how to approach decision making. This results in the new manager approaching a major component of his management style either with a "gut" sense or by adopting the behaviors of other admired managers. Regardless, a senior executive has a responsibility to up his game through the execution of an intentional decision-making framework.

The Gap Between Short Term and Long Term Planning

Most small companies have a short term and a long term plan.  The short term plan is often the sales funnel and sales strategy for the next 6-12 months.  The long term “story” – That is the one sold to investors.  Unfortunately, there isn’t always a clear way to get from here to there. Sometimes, there is no reasonable way without changing the short and long term plans.... 

Dealing with the Flaming Email

Ouch that burns.  The email in your inbox is making you hot and angry.

It is strongly worded…
It borders on insulting…
It is trying to force a point at you and…
Thirty people are copied on it.

Anyone who has worked in high tech for a while has received one – a flaming email.  The writer is trying to forcefully push their point of view and solicit support from a broad array of managers and people with some stake in the issue.  The arguments will assert the unreasonableness of your position. And, often the messages will be very long with many points.

The power of belief

When you were interviewing for the technology manager position at your company, you may have asked your interviewers to talk about their company culture. The answer might have included a reference to their corporate mission, perhaps recited from memory or stumbled over during an impromptu recollection. Possibly your corporate mission and some core values are hanging as a wall placard that you, and everyone else in your organization, passes by each day. 

Growing Software Practices library

In smaller growing software companies, the manager in charge of technology is in a unique position – they need to manage the technical team and technology while reporting to the CEO and serving on the executive team.  Growing Software provides a guide for the technology manager for whom the experience is a new one, whether their title is VP of Engineering, CTO, or Director.  The book covers the breath of experiences of this role: people, process, and technology issues.  It provides practical advice and approaches to a variety of problems while providing tools to assist.

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About This Blog…

This site is designed for the technology leadership of a small growing software company.  Articles posted here will be on a variety of topics all targeted at the management aspects of the leadership role.  We would appreciate feedback on any of the articles and on the book Growing Software.