Publications

Download or link to any of the following publications authored or co-authored by a Lean-Agile partner:

Podcast: Conception to Completion: Why Agile Development for Healthcare?

In this two-part podcast presented in association with the Agile Software Development for Healthcare conference in Berlin, Germany (October 2012), Nancy Van Schooenderwoert, Consultant at Lean-Agile Partners, and Brian Shoemaker, Principal Consultant at Shoebar Associates participated in an interview with host Niamh Madigan in June, 2012, for the Pharma IQ Podcast Series.

Although agile methodologies implemented into software development projects in healthcare are becoming more popular, how can you achieve a successful agile project from conception to completion?

In Part 1 (8:16 minutes), Brian and Nancy discuss the main reasons for changing the approach to software development, give best practice tips on the agile techniques for a project, and address the regulatory challenges of developing a medical device with respect to software development pitfalls encountered.

Podcast: Conception to Completion: Why Agile Development for Healthcare (Part 2)

In the second part of the Pharma IQ Podcast Series interview, Nancy Van Schooenderwoert, Consultant at Lean-Agile Partners, and Brian Shoemaker, Principal Consultant at Shoebar Associates continue the discussion with host Niamh Madigan.

In Part 2 (11:52 minutes), Brian and Nancy discuss how an organisation can best document for design control and how to fit hazard analysis into the iterative development model, while demonstrating practical examples that bring results.

Storycrafting: From Idea to Action in the Face of Unknowns

This article by Lean-Agile partner Nancy Van Schooenderwoert was published by TechWell in June 2012.

To see an endeavor through to completion, you need vision and the skills to execute it. Inspired by the software craftsmanship movement, which is making great strides on the skills front, Nancy Van Schooenderwoert has been developing a practice she calls "storycrafting" to create a clear vision.

The Power of Proximity: How Colocated Lean-Agile Teams Deliver Better Project Outcomes with Fewer Resources

Lean-Agile partner Mark Thias co-authored this report for the May 2009 issue of the Cutter IT Journal with Beth Cohen. Most of the costs of distributed teams are hidden and far outweigh the costs of bringing teams together, as this report describes.

Order a free download of the full May 2009 issue, "Outsourcing Strategies to Weather a Recession" containing Mark Thias and Beth Cohen's article in PDF format (logon required, promotion code AMPCON70).

The Four Pillars of Agile Adoption

Published as a Cutter Consortium IT Journal Executive Report in June 2008, this report by Nancy Van Schooenderwoert investigates an Agile disintegration from two vantage points: that of a formerly successful Agile team, and that of a promising Agile adoption program that made three fatal errors.

The team level is where managers can detect trouble early and head it off. The larger Agile adoption program can set up the environment for team success, but advance planning is key.

Visit Cutter's Resource Center for Agile Product & Project Management. Download a free copy of the full report in PDF format (requires logon).

"Nancy Van Schooenderwoert coaches teams about agile software development. She has written a paper, The Four Pillars of Agile Adoption, about how to avoid some perils in the adoption and use of agile approaches. I found it fascinating."

― Jack Ganssle, "Embedded Muse" (email newsletter), issue 164, September 2, 2008.

Sparking Innovation: The Art of Software Process

Published in the July 2008 issue of Cutter IT Journal, "What's the Art in the 'Art of Innovation'?", this article by Nancy Van Schooenderwoert is an exploration of the intersection of art, innovation, and agile principles. Nancy describes how three ingredients— mindset, distributed control, and personal commitment— work for artists and for agile teams.

Download a free copy of the July 2008 issue containing Nancy Van Schooenderwoert's article in PDF format (requires logon).

Planning Your Agile Initiative

Slides from a talk presented by Lean Agile Partner Nancy Van Schooenderwoert and Rick Brenner at Software Development Best Practices 2008, Boston, MA, USA.

Topics include the traps to avoid for successful Agile adoption, managing the adoption project, selecting and managing development projects, risk management for the adoption project, and taking the long view for a successful Agile adoption.

Presentation in PDF Format (requires Adobe Reader), 150 KB

Embedded Agile Project by the Numbers with Newbies

Detailed metrics for a 3-year embedded agile project is reported. Spectacular results were achieved despite many team members being new to embedded software development. Presented by Nancy Van Schooenderwoert at Agile 2006, Minneapolis.

Article in PDF Format (requires Adobe Reader), 286 KB

"This paper is quite an impressive piece of work."

― Capers Jones, Chief Scientist Emeritus,
Software Productivity Research, Inc. (SPR).

The Software Principle of Locality

The principle of locality in software development states that the person working closely, in terms of both space and time, to an artefact is the most qualified person to remove defects associated with it. This paper examines breaches to the principle and how they affect productivity on a software project. Written by Jamie Dobson.

Article in PDF Format (requires Adobe Reader), 47 KB

Taming the Embedded Tiger: Agile Test Techniques for Embedded Software

A paper summarising several prior articles on the topic of how to use agile techniques with hardware in the picture. Presented by Nancy Van Schooenderwoert at Agile 2004, Salt Lake City.

Article in PDF Format (requires Adobe Reader), 197 KB

XP for Embedded Software

Slides from a talk comparing Extreme Programming for embedded software in two industries. Co-presented by Nancy Van Schooenderwoert at XP Day 2003, London.

Presentation in PDF Format (requires Adobe Reader), 54 KB

Lean-Agile Partners + Boston USA and United Kingdom

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Photograph © 2007 Nancy Van Schooenderwoert. All rights reserved.

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