Comments for Mark Needham http://markhneedham.wordpress.com Thoughts on software development, NLP and random stuff Sat, 05 Jul 2008 11:07:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU Comment on Toastmasters Speech Review - C7: Comfort Zones by americasbestrx.com http://markhneedham.wordpress.com/2007/04/18/toastmasters-speech-review-c7-comfort-zones/#comment-816 americasbestrx.com Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:56:14 +0000 http://markhneedham.wordpress.com/2007/04/18/toastmasters-speech-review-c7-comfort-zones/#comment-816 <strong>Buy Cialis Online...</strong> liked the site. neat stuff.... Buy Cialis Online…

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]]> Comment on Getting started with NLP by Wendi Friesen Hypnosis CD http://markhneedham.wordpress.com/2006/09/10/getting-started-with-nlp/#comment-815 Wendi Friesen Hypnosis CD Sat, 08 Mar 2008 11:06:05 +0000 http://markhneedham.wordpress.com/2006/09/10/getting-started-with-nlp/#comment-815 <strong>Hypnosis CD</strong> Wendi Friesen is one of the most telented and effective hypnotists I have ever found. Hypnosis CD

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]]> Comment on Pair Programming: The Non Driving Pair by Apurv http://markhneedham.wordpress.com/2008/02/14/pair-programming-the-non-driving-pair/#comment-803 Apurv Sun, 17 Feb 2008 19:03:33 +0000 http://markhneedham.wordpress.com/?p=27#comment-803 I was in a peculiar problem and ThoughtWorks University last week. It was my first week and I came up with a problem. How do you involve a person in the whole process of estimating. If a person is not giving his ideas, feedback and gives only when asked this question "what do you think about this?". How to cope with this, do the safety check more often, keep asking the questions or talk to person outside. What if somebody is feeling isolated? How as a developer I can make him/her a better part of the team. These are some of the questions that came up during the Lego Game at TWU. I was in a peculiar problem and ThoughtWorks University last week. It was my first week and I came up with a problem. How do you involve a person in the whole process of estimating. If a person is not giving his ideas, feedback and gives only when asked this question “what do you think about this?”. How to cope with this, do the safety check more often, keep asking the questions or talk to person outside.

What if somebody is feeling isolated? How as a developer I can make him/her a better part of the team. These are some of the questions that came up during the Lego Game at TWU.

]]> Comment on Pair Programming: The Non Driving Pair by Pat http://markhneedham.wordpress.com/2008/02/14/pair-programming-the-non-driving-pair/#comment-802 Pat Thu, 14 Feb 2008 21:46:29 +0000 http://markhneedham.wordpress.com/?p=27#comment-802 See if you can track down a copy of Pair Programming Illuminated. It describes different styles of pairs working together and when pairing works against instead of for. I have a few suggestions for improving your skill as a "navigator" (another name given to the person not actively coding). Rather than just dive into the tiny tasks - have that design discussion with your pair about what is the best way of approaching whatever you're working on. A result of this might be tiny tasks. If it's straightforward, then you can simply review the tiny tasks. When you're not driving I find it's useful to step back and ask a few questions to myself. Is the testing strategy right? Is there excessive duplication? Would some other person come along and find this difficult to follow? Does it look consistent with the way the rest of the application? Are there more tiny tasks to find and add to the pile? One other thing I find useful to do when acting as a navigator is to share tips around the workspace such as keyboard shortcuts, various tools (I see you do this - did you know you could do it quicker if you used x?). If you don't find yourself adding value or if your pair doesn't feel like you're adding value then maybe you should reduce the amount of pair programming time. See if you can track down a copy of Pair Programming Illuminated. It describes different styles of pairs working together and when pairing works against instead of for.

I have a few suggestions for improving your skill as a “navigator” (another name given to the person not actively coding).

Rather than just dive into the tiny tasks - have that design discussion with your pair about what is the best way of approaching whatever you’re working on. A result of this might be tiny tasks. If it’s straightforward, then you can simply review the tiny tasks.

When you’re not driving I find it’s useful to step back and ask a few questions to myself. Is the testing strategy right? Is there excessive duplication? Would some other person come along and find this difficult to follow? Does it look consistent with the way the rest of the application? Are there more tiny tasks to find and add to the pile?

One other thing I find useful to do when acting as a navigator is to share tips around the workspace such as keyboard shortcuts, various tools (I see you do this - did you know you could do it quicker if you used x?).

If you don’t find yourself adding value or if your pair doesn’t feel like you’re adding value then maybe you should reduce the amount of pair programming time.

]]> Comment on Got to feel sorry for Stanley O’Neil by M.Wilson http://markhneedham.wordpress.com/2007/10/27/got-to-feel-sorry-for-stanley-oneil/#comment-710 M.Wilson Wed, 31 Oct 2007 15:34:19 +0000 http://markhneedham.wordpress.com/2007/10/27/got-to-feel-sorry-for-stanley-oneil/#comment-710 Feel Sorry for O'Neil. surely you jest. $160MM payoff to go out the door smiling. That's just flipping silly, but hey BOD's are like that. They know what goes around comes around. Feel Sorry for O’Neil. surely you jest. $160MM payoff to go out the door smiling. That’s just flipping silly, but hey BOD’s are like that. They know what goes around comes around.

]]> Comment on Giving effective feedback by Where Public Speaking is Easy « Jef Menguin Seminars http://markhneedham.wordpress.com/2006/09/02/giving-effective-feedback/#comment-155 Where Public Speaking is Easy « Jef Menguin Seminars Wed, 23 May 2007 21:13:24 +0000 https://markhneedham.wordpress.com/2006/09/02/giving-effective-feedback/#comment-155 [...] Giving Effective Feedback [...] [...] Giving Effective Feedback [...]

]]> Comment on Giving effective feedback by Jef Menguin http://markhneedham.wordpress.com/2006/09/02/giving-effective-feedback/#comment-151 Jef Menguin Wed, 23 May 2007 09:54:49 +0000 https://markhneedham.wordpress.com/2006/09/02/giving-effective-feedback/#comment-151 Great entry. This is very relevant. I will share your blog to others. jef menguin, atmg Great entry. This is very relevant. I will share your blog to others.

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]]> Comment on The big cost of avoiding little risks by AJ Saeed http://markhneedham.wordpress.com/2006/09/10/the-big-cost-of-avoiding-little-risks/#comment-2 AJ Saeed Mon, 25 Sep 2006 05:35:01 +0000 http://markhneedham.wordpress.com/2006/09/10/the-big-cost-of-avoiding-little-risks/#comment-2 So you haven't heard about how you can magically "lose" your phone, sell it and then claim a new one of insurance every 14 weeks ? Bah, Amateur So you haven’t heard about how you can magically “lose” your phone, sell it and then claim a new one of insurance every 14 weeks ?

Bah, Amateur

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