Paul Pedrazzi 
The Business of Software is easily my favorite conference of the year. It is held annually in Boston. The next event is October 28–30, 2013 - you can register here.
Luckily for those of us who could not attend in person, the organizers (@marklittlewood and @neildavidson) have begun posting videos from last year's event.
They recently shared the talk by one of my favorite thinkers in the world of software - the indomitable Kathy Sierra, of Head First and Java Ranch fame. This article is a summary of what I learned watching Kathy share her insights into making users awesome.
The Goal is Sustained Desirability... (more)
4 votes by Mark Littlewood, Anonymous, Jesse Lashley, and Mathew Sanders
The Business of Software is easily my favorite conference of the year. It is held annually in Boston. The next event is October 28–30, 2013 - you can register here.
Luckily for those of us who could not attend in person, the organizers (@marklittlewood and @neildavidson) have begun posting videos from last year's event.
They recently shared the talk by one of my favorite thinkers in the world of software - the indomitable Kathy Sierra, of Head First and Java Ranch fame. This article is a summary of what I learned watching Kathy share her insights into making users awesome.
The Goal is Sustained Desirability... (more)
Paul Pedrazzi 
Last week, I had the good fortune to attend the first west coast Switch workshop held in San Francisco by Bob Moesta @bmoesta, Chris Spiek @chriscbs, and Ervin Fowlkes @ervinfowlkes - collectively the Re-Wired Group.
They have been working closely with innovation guru Clayton Christensen @claychristensen to popularize the near 20 year old notion that products aren't just bought - they are "hired" to do "jobs".
7 votes by Hutch Carpenter, Patrick Moran, Mekala Vikram, (more)Loading...
Last week, I had the good fortune to attend the first west coast Switch workshop held in San Francisco by Bob Moesta @bmoesta, Chris Spiek @chriscbs, and Ervin Fowlkes @ervinfowlkes - collectively the Re-Wired Group.
They have been working closely with innovation guru Clayton Christensen @claychristensen to popularize the near 20 year old notion that products aren't just bought - they are "hired" to do "jobs".
“PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO BUY A QUARTER-INCH DRILL. THEY WANT A QUARTER-INCH HOLE!" - THEODORE LEVITT(more)
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Paul Pedrazzi 
THE DEADLINE
A clear, unchanging date can force an individual and a team to focus squarely on delivery. It creates a powerful form of tunnel vision - removing all noise and driving clarity of purpose.
If you've ever been married, you can appreciate the power of an immovable date set long in advance. It is the linchpin that enables coordination between your guests, the caterer, the photographer, the florist, and other parties. Events in the physical world (concerts, speeches, dinner parties) require firm dates to faciliate coordination. To cement the idea, imagine a last minute decision to push back the date of the Super Bowl by a week. How would it impact travel, media buying, concessions, and venue availability?
Clearly, fixed dates bring very real benefits, but they have a dark side. Great teams tune into these unintended consequences vigilantly, always weighing the benefits of a firm date with the very real, but often ignored costs. In the world of software, where a date can ... (more)
THE DEADLINE
A clear, unchanging date can force an individual and a team to focus squarely on delivery. It creates a powerful form of tunnel vision - removing all noise and driving clarity of purpose.
If you've ever been married, you can appreciate the power of an immovable date set long in advance. It is the linchpin that enables coordination between your guests, the caterer, the photographer, the florist, and other parties. Events in the physical world (concerts, speeches, dinner parties) require firm dates to faciliate coordination. To cement the idea, imagine a last minute decision to push back the date of the Super Bowl by a week. How would it impact travel, media buying, concessions, and venue availability?
Clearly, fixed dates bring very real benefits, but they have a dark side. Great teams tune into these unintended consequences vigilantly, always weighing the benefits of a firm date with the very real, but often ignored costs. In the world of software, where a date can ... (more)
