Author Archives: Bill Wake

Review: In Pursuit of the Unknown (Ian Stewart)

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Bill Wake

In Pursuit of the Unknown: 17 Equations That Changed the World, by Ian Stewart Stewart explores a variety of important equations, including: Pythagorean theorem, the normal curve, Newton's Law of Gravity, Fourier transforms, Black-Scholes Each equation gets a little one-page … Continue reading →

Tagged ,

Intensifying Stories: Running with the Winners

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Bill Wake

For a given story headline, many interpretations are possible. These vary in their quality and sophistication. I call this the intensity or depth of a story. Story intensity is a knob you can control, dialing it down for earlier delivery, … Continue reading →

Tagged , ,

Review: Accelerando, by Charles Stross

Posted on January 16, 2013 by Bill Wake

Accelerando, by Charles Stross. Ace, 2006. This novel explores the Singularity: What happens when AI, uploading, and other variations of humanity (or non-humanity) start to happen. I was worried that a novel on this subject would basically be, "Computers take … Continue reading →

Tagged ,

Valuable Stories in the INVEST Model

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Bill Wake

Of all the attributes of the INVEST model, "Valuable" is the easiest one to, well, value. Who is against value? We'll look at these key aspects: What is value? The importance of external impact Value for whom? What is Value? … Continue reading →

Tagged , , ,

Article: When Software Smells Bad

Posted on September 12, 2012 by Bill Wake

Kevin Rutherford and I wrote this article for Better Software magazine; it was the cover article in the July/August 20122 issue. It demonstrates refactoring in Ruby, using a basic "todo" list application.  "When Software Smells Bad" (PDF), by Bill Wake … Continue reading →

Tagged , ,

Review: Structured Programming (Dahl, Dijkstra, and Hoare)

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Bill Wake

Structured Programming, by O.-J. Dahl, E.W. Dijkstra, and C.A.R. Hoare. Academic Press, 1972.  This year (2012) is the 40th anniversary of this text, but it holds up well. It consists of three essays: "Notes on Structured Programming" by E.W. Dijkstra … Continue reading →

Tagged , , ,

Negotiable Stories in the INVEST Model

Posted on August 20, 2012 by Bill Wake

In the INVEST model for user stories, N is for Negotiable (and Negotiated). Negotiable hints at several important things about stories: The importance of collaboration Evolutionary design Response to change Collaboration Why do firms exist? Why isn't everything done by … Continue reading →

Tagged , , ,

Job Aids

Posted on June 24, 2012 by Bill Wake

There are several examples of job aids on xp123.com; I've consolidate examples and related books on job aids at its sister site, jobaids.info

Tagged

The System Metaphor Explored

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Bill Wake

The System Metaphor is one of the less popular parts of Extreme Programming (XP). Newer descriptions often even omit it. But metaphor is useful – when you have  a good one, it really helps you understand and organize your system. … Continue reading →

Tagged , ,

Independent Stories in the INVEST Model

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Bill Wake

The INVEST model is a reminder of the important characteristics of user stories, and it starts with I for Independent. Independent stories each describe different aspects of a system's capabilities. They are easier to work with because each one can … Continue reading →

Tagged , , ,

Review: Applying Domain-Driven Design and Patterns (Nilsson)

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Bill Wake

Applying Domain-Driven Design and Patterns: With Examples in C# and .NET, by Jimmy Nilsson. Addison-Wesley, 2006. Stir together Eric Evans' Domain-Driven Design with Martin Fowler's Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture, mix in C# code, and you've got the flavor of this … Continue reading →

Tagged , ,

Review – Ruled Britannia (Turtledove)

Posted on September 3, 2011 by Bill Wake

Ruled Britannia, by Harry Turtledove. This is another of Harry Turtledove's alternative history novels. In this case, the Spanish Armada succeeded in the late 16th century, and Spain has taken over England. This is the time of Shakespeare and Queen Elizabeth, … Continue reading →

Tagged ,

The Vision Thing: How Do You Charter? #agile2011

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Bill Wake

We held a "Fringe" session at Agile 2011 to discuss how people charter or kick off projects.  Elements of "Kickoff" [These are in no particular order.] Vision Release Criteria Success Criteria From and To State Business capability Solution vision Risks … Continue reading →

Tagged , ,

Review – Musashi

Posted on May 26, 2011 by Bill Wake

  Musashi, by Eiji Yoshikawa. Kodansha International, 1995.  Swordplay, true love, and a man climbing up the side of a cliff. It's not the Princess Bride; it's the story of Musashi, the most famous swordsman of Japan. This is a romanticized, historical … Continue reading →

Tagged , ,

3A – Arrange, Act, Assert

Posted on April 26, 2011 by Bill Wake

Some unit tests are focused, other are like a run-on sentence. How can we create tests that are focused and communicate well? What's a good structure for a unit test? 3A: Arrange, Act, Assert We want to test the behavior … Continue reading →

Tagged , , , ,