Hi, Atalichome — I moved your question to Use case questions (discussion: Re: Use case questions) where I answered it.
Hi, Jarred, I moved your question to Agile contracts (discussion: Re: Agile contracts) where Floyd responded.
I recently read about this new agile methodology (well, again calling Agile a methodology itself may be problematic … anyways) ... its called PLAY BALL!
I read it twice and kind of think it is nothing but a modified version of Scrum and a little hypothetical in terms of 9 innings and all. Wanted to know your view point on the same.
-by Dinesh Madne on 12/24/2009 at 8:26 AM
Have you considered how Eliyahu Goldratt’s Theory of Contraints might be applied to Lean Manufacturing to try and increase the overall throughput of a software development organization? Just curious.
David
-by David Douglas on 1/29/2010 at 2:55 PM
Yes, indeed — see "Spending" Efficiency to Go Faster (discussion: Re: "Spending" Efficiency to Go Faster), which does just that. cheers – Alistair
-by Alistair on 1/30/2010 at 11:46 AM
Hi:
What are your undergraduate degrees?
From which institution did you receive your doctorate and what was the subject of your dissertation?
Regards,
Zarfman
-by Zarfman on 3/9/2010 at 10:12 PM
Hello Dr. Cockburn
My name is Ivonne Flores and I’m a software engineering’s master degree student from Mexico.
I am working on a research in the field of agile methods focusing in the importance of the human factor within the software development process.
The main hypothesis of this research is to determine if software developers in Mexico are indeed prepared to succesfully adopt and take advantage of the benefits of agile methodologies in the process of software development, in spite of our generalized lack of a healthy organizational culture and organizational values.
After reading your article entitled “Agile Software Development: The people factor”, I could understand some of the desired characteristics that an agil’s development team members should bear. Unfortunately, i’m not totally clear at that.
My purpose is to make a comparison between characteristics from Mexican developers against those of the ideal agil development team and get a conclusion.
At this point of my research i have got a profile of the generic mexican developer, who appear to be obedient, cordial, moderate, neat, adaptable, indulgent, respectful and sometimes purposeless.
After all this introduction i am willing to ask you What is the ideal profile for the members of an agile development team?.
I sincerely appreciate the attention and time that you spend at reading and replying this message.
Thank you.
Regards…
-by Ivonne Flores on 4/26/2010 at 3:27 PM
Hi,
I think there should not be multiple Primary or Initiating actors associated with a use csae. If so,probably it means modeling business roles as actors rather than identifying actors from system’s perspective. From system’s perspective, it doesnt matter whether it is actor A or actor B. All it matters is some external entity!!.
Let me know your thoughts on this.
Thanks,
Praveen
-by Praveen on 7/15/2010 at 8:31 AM
_Hi, Praveen, I just answered this on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52uOYQBiPsU (in the style of the Old Spice man :). best wishes, Alistair
-by Alistair on 7/15/2010 at 11:25 AM
Hi Alistair,
Thanks for the clarification :) !!
Regards,
Praveen
-by Praveen on 7/16/2010 at 9:37 AM
Heh heh :), glad you like it. That was fun and easy – I’ll do more use case FAQvids in the style of Old Spice Ad man.
Hi, Evert, I moved your question to use case questions (discussion: Re: Use case questions). Alistair
Can anyone tell me where to buy a build server traffic light which will be connected to our TeamCity Build server?
Any suggestion and recommendation..
-by Build Traffic light on 9/15/2010 at 10:16 PM
Hi,
I am a dinosaur of a software engineer that believes that computers are tools for enhancing the human experience.
I am impressed by your site. It is a pleasure to encounter someone in the field that looks at other aspects of life, not just the computing world.
-by oldsailor on 3/16/2011 at 9:17 AM
Hi oldsailor, many thanks for that kind note. obviously we agree on certain key things about computers and about life….
Alistair,
It’s has been quite a while from Case, or even when I interviewed at Evans and Sutherland. I came across your name for some reason and decided to give you a call (no phone number).
I am currently on a contract in LA, and then back to Rhode Island for a day job, while Amy and I try to get our company off of the ground.
So if you are bored, feel free to call my cell phone. You can find me on Linkedin or at claflin.us.
Doug
401 225 5297 cell
-by doug claflin on 4/1/2011 at 9:20 PM
Hey, Dude! I can STILL beat you at racquetball! ...snickering he lumbers back into his cave in the Boise foothills…
-by SteveBxBoise on 4/13/2011 at 12:29 AM
Hi, Steve, ... that would presuppose you ever beat me at racquetball :) ...Alistair, feigning early Alzheimers…
-by Alistair on 4/14/2011 at 9:41 PM
Hmmmm…. well… let’s call it a level playing field and try again to see who the victor is? I’m willing to risk it all to have the pleasure of your company on the court… (have you trained your sons in this martial art?)
-by SteveBxBoise on 7/27/2011 at 4:08 PM
Oh, yes, I taught them to feign Alzheimers early on. Although they’re not as good at it as I am.
-by Alistair on 7/29/2011 at 2:47 AM
Hi Alistair
Any thoughts on the Semat project? And are you part of it somehow?
Best wishes
René
-by René Johnsen on 2/18/2012 at 11:21 AM
Funny you should ask – a colleague just reminded me of that earlier today. Read A Detailed Critique of the SEMAT Initiative (discussion: Re: A Detailed Critique of the SEMAT Initiative)
Thanks for your reply and for the link! It somehow seems to me that your critique – which I find both interesting and necessary – is an inevitable consequence of the ways you on the one hand and the Semat founders on the other hand perceives software engineering methodology. While you seem to embrace centrifugal heterogenous chaos in the field (laissez-faire), they seem to want to play the role of the strict Kapellmeister focusing on the centripetal foundation of everything – the mother of all methods. No wonder you left the project! Hopefully both positions can add to the theory and practice of the field.
Cheers
René
-by René Johnsen on 2/18/2012 at 9:03 PM
Thank you for that reply, René. Mary Shaw gave me the lovely distinction between something-engineering and engineering management. I specialize in engineering management, which is clear. The term something-engineering is still ambiguous, but should include the properties of the something being engineered. Bertrand Meyer is interested in the software-engineering (properties of the software). SEMAT is stuck in the middle.
I’ll move these comments to the SEMAT page in a bit. A Detailed Critique of the SEMAT Initiative (discussion: Re: A Detailed Critique of the SEMAT Initiative)
-by Alistair on 2/19/2012 at 12:12 PM
Alistair,
Thanks for all of your patience and hard work both prior to and during the Use Case Class this week.
Emmet
-by Emmet Jones on 5/17/2012 at 1:16 AM
Alistair,
I am having problems finding where to order the nifty pack of cards. I would like 6 packs, if I can get them. That way I can share with the other people in our team, including Tom Holland.
Thanks, Emmet
-by Emmet Jones on 5/17/2012 at 3:34 PM
I probably have to update that page, Emmet – will post when I have it —— email me at TotherAlistair@aol.com so I can reply to you. thx for being in the class.
Dear Dr. Cockburn,
Please can you let me know your email address for I would like to speak to you with regards to an Agile forum that we are organizing.
Thanks !
-by Suchitra on 10/8/2012 at 3:06 PM
Hi, Suchitra – it is both in my comment immediately above your question and at the very top of this page! I don’t know how to make it more obvious! Looking forward to that email from you. Alistair
-by Alistair on 10/9/2012 at 7:58 AM
i’m a fan of your works
dude your last name is catching
what happened to your dick man
burning rubbers??? making donuts????
-by Gobuta on 11/23/2012 at 8:29 AM
Dear Dr. Cockburn,
not everyone is capable of teaching even though they have the craziest phds. my lectures confused me all the time by using irrelevant examples and nonsense lengthy explanations.
But you taught me things with in an hour. Amazing. and Thank you 1000 times for saving my future. :)
hope to grab a beer or two one day. :D
All the best sir.
Thanks again
-by Jr Tuff Leo on 12/15/2012 at 2:10 PM
I am new to use cases; We are using (mainly) the waterfall model for development (sigh). We are trying to move away from that method and hope to move to some agile methodology.
I read your article about why you still create use cases and found useful information in there.
We are moving from ORACLE forms as our main data maintenance technology to ORACLE ADF. In this process we are planning to make use of use cases.
As you might gather we (and I) are all new to using use cases but learning fast.
Question: What is the purpose extensions?
Regards,
Phlip Pretorius
-by Driep on 1/18/2013 at 8:50 AM
Hi, Driep or Phlip. There are plenty of materials on this site for free, and on other sites, that answer that question. I won’t use this space for those tutorials. Of course, I have to mention that I wrote an entire book on use cases, it won the Jolt Productivity Award and is still in print, and is not very expensive – about $30. When you decide your online searching time is worth $30, you could just go and get the book and read answers to these and other questions you may have. With best wishes, Alistair
Hello , I am a final year student working on my thesis, that includes producing metrics from use cases, and I have decided to use your template to rewrite the use cases I have collected so as to have them all in one form before making my calculations. When going through the template you have posted here I have some questions on what the scope could be when writing the use case and how to categorise the use case as far as level is concerned.
I really hope you have the time to help me with these questions.
Thank you in advance.
Eleni
-by Eleni on 3/25/2013 at 6:49 AM