Archived Articles about Hardware or Software

Should A Scrum Master Participate In The Team's Evaluation Process?    By: Mrugesh panchal
In many ways, a scrum team functions just like any other project development team, in the same manner as teams following traditional waterfall methods do i.e. they fundamentally develop and deliver projects. Even though a scrum team functions in a manner which is subtly different as compared to non-Agile teams, it is nevertheless subjected to the annual evaluation process – an activity undertaken by all companies associated with project development. A frequent dilemma often experienced by the project owners is deciding whether a scrum master should ideally participate in the annual evaluation process, in which the performance of individual scrum team members is apprised and evaluated, and the increment in remuneration is determined. Why should a scrum master take part in the evaluation process of team members? The scrum master is closely involved with the project development activities, and knows about the quality of work delivered by the development team. He or she knows each team member on a personal basis, and is well aware about the potential possessed by the particular team member. Moreover, during the sprint review meetings, when the completed user stories are exhibited to the product owner, the scrum master also gets to know about which of the team member is actually delivering successful and shippable stories. Since the role of the scrum master involves frequent and prolonged interaction with the scrum team, the stakeholders often feel a scrum master is a perfect person to adjudge the overall performance of each team member, and should therefore participate in the annul evaluation process. In practice, should a scrum master actually participate in the evaluation process? In direct words, the answer is “No”! Considering Agile scrum practices and principles, the scrum master is an important team member, and even though he or she is fundamentally responsible for implementing the scrum process, the person should not be invited to participate in any activity concerning the evaluation process. The reasons are many and can be summarized in brief: • The collaboration process gets disturbed and loses its effectiveness Scrum is all about collaboration and adaption to changes. Team members need to interact and share their ideas and opinions to uphold and facilitate the collaboration process. The scrum master is closely involved with the team's day-to-day activities, and is responsible for promoting the collaborative atmosphere while scrum is being implemented. For the collaboration process to be successful, a lot depends upon how the feedback is received from the team members. Timely and proper feedback fosters collaboration. If the scrum master starts participating in appraisal related activities, the team starts hesitating in sharing important feedback related to certain aspects pertaining to the development of user stories. The team may feel discussing technical difficulties with the scrum master may create an impression that the particular member is not effective while dealing with sprint related issues, and may be incompetent. As a result, the transparency aspect, which is so very important during scrum implementation, is deliberately comprised upon, and the members try to resolve the issues on their own. The collaboration process is disturbed, and over the weeks, the team starts working independently on its own. Instead of working in unison and delivering work jointly as a “whole” unit, each member starts working independently, and begins taking personal credit for shippable stories developed by him or her. This is in antithesis of what scrum stands for, but the team feels whatever work it delivers will be “looked upon” critically by the scrum master, and it may further affect and hamper each member's growth in the long run. • The “trust factor” starts reducing In many ways, the scrum master and the product owner are looked upon as ideal scrum leaders and their saviors by the scrum team. Issues relating to the acceptance criteria and the definition of “done” is resolved by the product owner on behalf of the team, while the scrum master tries to make sure any technical difficulties faced during the daily sprints are looked into, and properly resolved, so the development activity does not suffer. The entire team looks upon the scrum master as its mentor, and confides in him or her, even on a personal basis, when the team members face any impediments or problems. The primary reason why the team is able to put a lot of trust on the scrum master is because it feels he or she is an “inside” person, and a well wisher, who will go to any lengths to ensure proper action is taken for a specific problem, and the person will help the team members on a “personal” basis if required. For the team everything is lost when it starts feeling that the scrum master “belongs” to the management and not the team per se. The trust, which is so easily given otherwise, is reconsidered and evaluated. The intimate gap between the scrum team and the scrum master starts widening on a consistent basis. This harms scrum implementation. • The scrum master is looked upon as a management person There is always a “natural conflict” between the management and the development team as far as delivering productivity is concerned. While the team always feels it is putting in everything it can, the management tends to think otherwise. The team is often at cross roads with the management while delivering the project goals, and this is quite often reflected in the manner in which it approaches and communicates with the management. As far as scrum is concerned, the scrum master is an inherent part of the entire team, and is looked upon as a person belong to the “team”. The role of the scrum master is to facilitate the scrum proceedings, and put in a good word for the team whenever it is possible. As a result, the team looks upon the scrum master as its mentor. All this changes when the scrum master starts participating in the evaluation process. Uncertainty and diffidence seeps into the team with regards the role of the scrum master as he or she is looked upon as a management entity, rather than as a scrum associate and mentor.(read entire article)(posted on: 2014-04-24)
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Windows 7 Registry Cleaner For Faster Performance Of Your Pc    By: Davis Walker
Registry cleaners help to improve the overall performance and the speed of a slow PC when it starts showing error pop-ups or frozen screen, sudden or unexpected system shut-downs etc. It is very important to perform a cleaning of your windows 7 registry over regular time intervals.(read entire article)(posted on: 2014-04-24)
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How Sprint Reviews Are Different From Sprint Retrospectives In Scrum?    By: Mrugesh panchal
Both the sprint review meeting and the sprint retrospective meeting are important scrum ceremonies. They have their own particular importance in scrum methodology. It is important not to get confused between the two events. Find how they are different from each other.(read entire article)(posted on: 2014-04-22)
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1stflip Announced The Release Of Flipbook Creator Pro - Insert Youtube Video, Music, Text, Link, Swf    By: Jeff Lee
1stFlip Inc. has announced the release of the Pro version of page flipping book software – 1stFlip Flipbook Creator Pro, allowing users to convert PDF to multimedia and interactive page turning flipbooks with ease.(read entire article)(posted on: 2014-04-22)
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Using Shared Resources In Daily Sprints - How Is This Possible In Scrum?    By: Mrugesh panchal
Scrum management and product owners may decide to share the resources for a number of reasons. It is worth knowing about two common scenarios in which resources sharing occurs.(read entire article)(posted on: 2014-04-21)
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Advantages Of Interactive Whiteboards    By: During our student life, we may have wondered that
During our student life, we may have wondered that it would have been much beneficial if we had a practical approach towards our studies and not the formal one which is only the theoretical aspects usually followed in schools and colleges. Practical approach also encourages a person to think relatively and his/her mind becomes highly developed as he/she can logically learn about the things. This kind of practical approach for studies is now possible through the assistance of interactive whiteboard. It is a tool wherein a projector is connected with a laptop or a computer. The projector functions as a desktop of a computer and the user can precisely do the same he does on a computer keyboard through his/her finger or digital pen (stylus). Thus the projector combines both keyboard and the mouse. It utilizes diverse technologies and software to be installed in the computer. The advantages of an interactive whiteboard are: 1) It is appropriate for learners of all ages and encourages them to work as a team. 2) It appears and may work as a standard whiteboard. Thus it preserves the familiarity one has with a traditional whiteboard. 3) It is better than a computer monitor when a classroom presentation is to be conducted. A PC can display the presentation to only a limited number of students at a time, whereas an interactive white board comprehensively covers the class due to its big size. 4) It permits multi-media integration (audio, video, graphics, text and animation from diverse media such as CD-Rom, DVD, etc.) with the lessons. Thus it offers not only fun and interactivity but also makes learning exciting. It lets teachers adopt diverse learning styles for matching the learners' requirements. Thus it helps in building a personalized learning environment. 5) A drawing or writing done on its surface can be saved on a computer hard disk via white board software. Thus teachers can save and share their work and reutilize it in case of the necessity of a repetition. 6) Content retrieved from websites, blogs, forums and diverse internet based resources can be transferred on its surface via a LCD projector, promoting e-learning. 7) It is the perfect tool for carrying out brainstorming sessions and other group tasks. 8) It is very convenient to utilize as compared to a standard desktop-pc or laptop. 9) It is a highly powerful teaching tool as it improvises modeling and presentation, letting teachers make effective utilization of classroom-resources, encourages learners, enhances communication and achieves absolute understanding on the topic. 10) It can also be utilized for video conferencing, striking presentations, staff training, meetings, and briefings etc. for business sector. Get only the best interactive white board. Amongst several distributors of interactive white boards in Queensland, Interactive Solutions is the leading one. Its interactive whiteboard packages include a HDi interactive Whiteboard that possess an amazing product warranty and user licenses for other associated equipments. It also includes a height adjustable trolley. Interactive Solutions also manufactures multi-touch screens, interactive projectors and other utilities.(read entire article)(posted on: 2014-04-19)
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Advantages Of Document Scanning For Businesses    By: Scanners are precious business tools which enhance
Scanners are precious business tools which enhance your business' efficiency, minimize costs, and assist in organizing and protection of confidential and essential data. Ranging from flatbeds to multifunction and network joined or high-volume, there is a scanning solution ideal for your business requirements and budget. It would be beneficial to consult a document imaging company or document imaging software vendor to assist you in making the correct decision. What do we mean by document scanner? Document scanners function as both office machines and computer equipments. Flatbed scanners are the most common ones. They are offered in diverse sizes to deal with everything ranging from business cards to big posters. Similar to a copy machine, a scanner functions by lifting its cover and placing the document on its glass plate. Utilizing special software, the scanner copies the image and alters it into a digital document which can be emailed, posted on web, supplemented to other files, or stored on a computer or server. Sheet fed scanners function in a similar manner, the difference being that the document is generally put into the scanner vertically instead of placing it flatly. Small portable scanners which accept receipts and business cards come into the sheet fed category. Multifunction devices are very popular. It is a combination of copier, printer, scanner and a few times a fax, into one simple, compact device. This device is perfect for budget conscious officers or where space is highly expensive. If your business has to carry out enormously high amount of scanning, high volume scanners are perfect. For offices where scanned data is required to be shared, a network-joined scanner would be suitable. This type of scanner does not require a PC connection. Employees can simply come to it and scan. The data is afterwards shared among everyone or a chosen group of computers on the network. Businesses with minimal scanning requirements or those who do not desire to invest in and maintaining their own equipment, scanner rentals are best. Document Solutions Australia is one of the leading firms providing top quality services of photocopying and printing. It sells premium quality printers and photocopiers and provides interactive and software solutions for document work. Amongst Gold Coast Photocopiers, it is the best and becomes majorly beneficial in providing document solutions for many ventures that have to routine carry out their promotions and in doing so, have to print a large number of advertisements. Its experts take personal care in providing the most efficient services for your printing or other services such that the high quality output which your businesses achieves by its documents solutions, are the results that speak for themselves. Apart from quality print service, it is also a credible store to buy the electronic items for office use in the business.(read entire article)(posted on: 2014-04-19)
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How Can A Product Owner Decide Which User Stories Should Be Defined In A Product Backlog?    By: Mrugesh panchal
The product owner should define correct user stories in scrum if the project is to be successful. Certain questions can help the PO ascertain whether an item should be developed as a user story or not.(read entire article)(posted on: 2014-04-18)
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Customer Services And Smoothing The Complaint Handling Process    By: Donald Nason
Nearly all customers would recommend a company to their friends if a complaint had been resolved efficiently, four out of five customers would spread the word if a complaint had been handled badly, and most customers would pay more for excellent service – a Customer Services solution provides document capture, process workflow and on-line file access to streamline complaint handling, easing the work of Customer Services staff and promoting far better customer relationships.(read entire article)(posted on: 2014-04-17)
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In Scrum, Can The Development Team Decide What Is "done"? If So, Why?    By: mrugesh panchal
The acceptance criteria is very important in defining which of the user stories can be considered as “done” at the end of the sprint. Scrum advocates shippable user stories to be delivered at the end of each sprint iteration. The definition of “done” decides whether a particular product backlog item is shippable or not after it is developed. Apart from the stakeholders, can the team decide the acceptance criteria and decide what is “done” in scrum?(read entire article)(posted on: 2014-04-16)
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