Software Development Risks

Posted on September 21, 2011 by danaedwards| Leave a comment

Software development is riddled with risks. We all know the risks and manage them to the best of our ability. Unfortunately, there are management systems and demands put upon software development organizations that keep them from being as successful as they could be. The net result of this is that all of the constituents leave the engagement less than fully satisfied. In the coming months, I am going to post some thoughts on Software Development and what we might be able to do about this situations. It’s an effort for me work through a couple of thoughts in my head and engage the greater public.

Let’s start by enumerating a handful of risks that are in every project and organizations:

  • Changing Line of Business Expectations
  • Defects Exist And the Testing Process Doesn’t Catch Them
  • Software Is Deployed And Not Maintained Long Term
  • Projects Are Cancelled
  • Project Schedules Change Or Slip
  • Developers Misunderstand Requirements
  • Developers and Business Partners Build Features That Are Never Used

As people suggest more, I’ll update the list. Let me know.

-Dana

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Posted in Business, Customer Experience, Information Technology, Science and Technology

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Meeting Cost Calculator v1

Posted on September 1, 2011 by danaedwards| Leave a comment

Ever sit in a meeting and wonder how much it costs? I do.  Here’s a little app to help you figure that out. :)

-Dana

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Posted in Business, iPhone, Leadership, Science and Technology

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Tree Frog

Posted on August 26, 2011 by danaedwards| Leave a comment

We have a tree frog that has been living on our front porch for the last few days. I wonder if he knows it is not a tree. :)

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Posted in Family

101 F at Crowder’s Mountain

Posted on July 24, 2011 by danaedwards| Leave a comment

Well, it may have been 101 today in the Charlotte area but at least we decided to go hiking with the kids on Crowder’s Mountain during the afternoon during the hottest time of the day. Getting out of the car at about 2pm, Jill and I agreed that we would hike about 30 minutes and then come back. That seems to be about the magic time when the kids lose interest and need snacks. For our hike along Pinnacle Trail, the benches were spread out just enough to give us time to rest for a few minutes and then start back at it. The hike was rated “strenuous” and I agree. All said and done we hike to the top and back in about 3 hours including the little pit stops along the way as well as a 10 minute break at the top. Our hike back was along Turnback Trail and it was significantly less strenuous.

Afterwards we made a stop at Tony’s in Gastonia for a chili dog, onion rings and homemade ice cream. Jill loves the lemon ice cream as seen in the photo. :)

- Dana

 

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Posted in Family, Kids, outdoors

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Sine Sine Cosine Sine … 3.14159

Posted on July 23, 2011 by danaedwards| Leave a comment

What a great Math Cheer! :)

-Dana

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Posted in Family, Kids, Science and Technology, Science Experiments

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Worm Composting – From the Mailbox to the Shredder!

Posted on July 9, 2011 by danaedwards| Leave a comment

Well, I am slowly realizing just how much paper we get in a week through the mail. The most frequent source of paper are our friends at AT&T who must be convinced that I want UVerse even though they fail to realize that the sole reason I have DirecTV is to watch the Atlanta Falcons on the NFL Ticket. AT&T – Here is a hint … I don’t even open the envelopes any more. They go straight to the shredder and then straight to our worm compost box. My four year old daughter now sees your envelope and shouts “Woo hoo! I get to use the shredder!” I guess if there is a good outcome of the abundance of paper from AT&T, it is that I can thank AT&T for helping reinforce that worms eat paper and leave worm castings. My daughter has learned that thanks to you, AT&T.

Hands down, AT&T sends the most envelopes to us. There are other types of offenders as well such as the prospectuses that I don’t read. I am ecstatic that once a quarter we receive a 30-60 page long document that is wrapped in plastic that I never read. The plastic gets stripped off and put in the recycle bin. The papers … you guessed it … goes into the shredder.

Step 1:

Step 2:
Worm Composter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-Dana

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Posted in Family, green, Kids, Science and Technology

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Highland Creek’s Sprinklers

Posted on July 8, 2011 by danaedwards| Leave a comment

I really wish Highland Creek would fix its sprinklers. As I was walking in the rain last night, I saw these functioning. What is not as obvious is that they were actually spraying into the street. I know they come from a well but it’s just wasteful …

-Dana

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Posted in Business, Family

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A Crummy Rendition of Angry Birds on Guitar … (Guitar Tab Included)

Posted on July 7, 2011 by danaedwards| 1 Comment

Ok, so I havent played the guitar in a few years but for the fun of it, I knocked this out while on a quick break from work. Enjoy!

Here is the Angry Birds guitar tab for what I was trying to do … maybe I should try and re-record it? :) …

e---------7-----------7---7-8-7-5-------------
B-5-7-8-5-----5-7-8-5-------------8--8-7-5----

e------------5-7----7-9-10-9-10-9-10-12-10-9-7------
B-5-7-8-5--8-----5-----------------------------11-12

e------------5-7----7-9-10-9-10-9-10-12-10-9-7------
B-5-7-8-5--8-----5-----------------------------12---
G-------------------------------------------------9-

e----9-10-10-10-10---10-9-10-12-10----10----10-10-9--------
B-12-------------------------------12----12---------12-----
G------------------------------------------------------9-9-

e----9-10-10-10-10---10-9-10-12-10----9-10-10-9--------------
B-12-------------------------------12-----------12-12---12-12
G-----------------------------------------------------9------

e----------------------7--7--7-------------------------------
B-5-4-5-7---8-7-8-10--11-11-11---11-11-11--------------------
G---------------------------------9--9--9--------------------

e------------------------------------------------------------
B-5-4-5-7---8-7-8-10--12-12-12---12-12-12--------------------
G--------------------------------10-10-10--------------------

e-------------------------------15-15-15-------------------
B-12-12-12-11-12-12---11-11-11--12-12-12-------------------
G----------------------9--9--9-----------------------------

e----------------------------------------------------------
B-12-11-12-13-12-12---11-11-11--12-------------------------
G----------------------9--9--9-----9-9---------------------

e-------7-8-7------------0^2^0------------7-8-7--------------12^14^12-
B-8-7-8-------------7-7-8---------7-8-7-8-------------7-7-8-----------
G-------------9-9-9-------------9---------------9-9-9-----------------

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Posted in Angry Birds, Family, Kids, video game

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Plato on Noble Gases

Posted on June 24, 2011 by danaedwards| Leave a comment

“He who adores the perfect and unchangeable and scorns the corruptible and ignoble will prefer the noble gases, by far, to all other elements. For they never vary, never waver, never pander to other elements like hoi polloi offering cheap wares in the marketplace. They are incorruptible and ideal.” -Plato

It is interesting to me that noble gases sit one column to the right of the most energetic and reactive gases – the halogens.

-Dana

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Posted in Science and Technology, Science Experiments

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Bear Gets Ready for Bed!

Posted on May 26, 2011 by danaedwards| Leave a comment

Our bed time routine is fun. Bear seems to have more fun than all of us.

Here is her routine from last night. :)

-Dana

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Posted in Family, Kids