Software Process and Measurement Cast Thomas M. Cagley Jr

Why write Mastering Work Intake? Because Jeremy Willets and decided maybe things could be different. That just chanting “stop starting and stop finishing” wasn’t enough. Our book provides the reader with ideas, principles, actionable advice, worksheets, and examples to help you tame the chaos of work entry. If you had the world enough and time maybe you could put off getting better, making better choices until tomorrow. However, things are the way they are and you can act. Buy a copy of Mastering Work Intake -   You could read the book on your own. Marcus Aurelius, Stoic Philosopher and Roman Emperor, wrote. “Mastery of reading and writing requires a master,” Jeremy and I have created two cohort-based workshops (starting soon) to help you discover the context you need to find your path to Mastering Work Intake.  Join us! The link to Maven to register and for more information:   SPaMCAST listeners, use SPAM50 at checkout to save 50 USD.  

SPaMCAST 805 features our interview with Peter Schroeder. We discuss plane crashes, fatherhood, and the journey from DJ to a technologist and then to a business person. Organizational culture is critical in all organizations, double in distributed environments. Peter discusses how he learned to craft and defend organizational culture.  Peter Schroeder is an accomplished DJ, entrepreneur, and technology pioneer. With over 20 platinum records, 40 gold records, and a triple nomination for the prestigious Danish DJ awards, Peter is one of Denmark's top DJs, entertaining audiences of up to 180,000. He was a featured radio host by the age of 12 and appeared on talk shows and TV stations across Denmark. In addition to his music career, Peter has over 20 years of experience creating cutting-edge technologies for companies such as Facebook, Samsung, and Airbnb. He's a true innovator who works closely with businesses to address mission-critical telecommunications, enabling them to quickly implement, manage, and expand for success. Peter's latest endeavor is Telzio, a pre-unicorn unified communications company he founded. With Telzio, Peter is developing game-changing technology and products  that simplify and streamline repetitive tasks. Throughout his career, Peter has survived a plane crash and the birth of twins. LinkedIn:   Website: Telzio:     Learn To Tame Your Work Intake Beast! Jeremy Willets and I have opened two cohort-based workshops to help you learn to tame the work intake beast!  The first kicks off May 3rd to May 24th and features a mixture of video and in-person gatherings. The second runs from 31 May to 28 June in five manageable 90-minute gatherings.  A testimonial! “This class offered an outstanding learning experience … Engaging discussions and practical exercises illuminated the material, presenting a learning approach that was unique to me, but incredibly valuable. This class enriched my understanding and refined my practical skills, making it a truly great learning experience.” Christine Green Program Manager & Advisor on Software Contracts   For more details hop over to our Maven site for more information, sign up, or join the mailing list!   Re-read Saturday News Chapter 5 of by Cal Newport is titled Rule #2: Embrace Boredom. Newport’s idea in this chapter is less to be bored than to create space where you can do deep work. The pings, dings, and kitten videos need to be pushed aside.                                              Remember to buy a copy of and read along. Week 1: -   Week 2: -   Week 3: -   Week 4: -   Week 5: -   Week 6: -   Next SPaMCAST  SPaMCAST 806 will feature the next installment of our essay on applying the Nine Core Principles of Work Intake. In this installment, we explore how the principles apply to middle management through Product Management. We will also have a visit from Jeremy Berriault who brings his Evolutionary Agilst™ Column to the podcast.  

The Nine Core Principles of Work Intake are a key backbone of Mastering Work Intake by Jeremy Willets and Tom Cagley. Teams and organizations need to apply these principles to avoid chaos. In the SPaMCAST 804, we illustrate the application of the Nine Core Principles based on role and organizational hierarchy beginning with the classic Scrum team roles. We also have a visit from Susan Patente, who brings her Not A Scrumdamentalist column to the podcast. This installment discusses why organizations do projects and their role in society. Learn To Tame Your Work Intake Beast!   Jeremy Willets and I have opened a new workshop cohort to help you learn to tame the work intake beast!  The workshop will run from 31 May to 28 June in five manageable 90-minute chunks. For more details hop over to our Maven site for more information, sign up, or join the mailing list!   Re-read Saturday News Chapter 4, Deep Work is Meaningful begins Part 2 of by Cal Newport. Part 2  contains Newport’s rules and ideas for learning to work deeply. There are several ideas that I want to highlight in this chapter.  The first is that attention and focus are finite AND consumable resources.                                                                                              Remember to buy a copy of and read along. Week 1:  -   Week 2: -   Week 3: -   Week 4: -   Week 5: -   Next SPaMCAST  SPaMCAST 805 will feature our interview with Peter Schroeder. We will discuss plane crashes, fatherhood, and the journey from a technologist to a business person. This is not a two truths and a lie exercise.  

Our video provides a quick overview of Work Intake and its importance. Enjoy and let's discuss the concept. Learn to solve IT’s dirtiest secret — work intake. Stop ignoring it. Start fixing it. Today we are also announcing two new Mastering Work Intake training opportunities.  Diagnose and solve work intake anti-patterns Become a work intake master. Work intake is the biggest challenge facing organizations today. If you don’t get work intake right, you won’t be in business for very long. We offer two different versions of the cohort — One with pre-recorded videos and less time in live sessions. (Begins May 3 - 24th) One with fewer videos and more time in live sessions. (Begins May 31 - June 28 Both versions include teaching, peer feedback & discussion, feedback from Jeremy and Tom, Q&A, templates, and an electronic copy of our book, Mastering Work Intake: From Chaos to Predictable Delivery. Enroll or join our mailing list using the links below:        

The SPaMCAST 802 features a panel discussion.  Mark Metze, Jeremy Willets, and myself. discuss “Is agile still a movement or has it reached middle age?”  We weigh the appropriateness of wailing and gnashing of teeth, hand wringing and sullen withdrawal, or pragmatism and philosophy. In the end perhaps the right answer is to buy a pair of mom or dad jeans and accept that all great movements reach middle age at some point. We look forward to your opinions and comments.   Panelists Mark Metze: With a career spanning over 30 years in the software industry, Mark has evolved from a seasoned developer, dedicating 19 years to crafting high-quality and maintainable code that directly addressed real-world challenges. Transitioning into a management role, he spent the next 9 years leading development teams, gaining a holistic perspective on the various roles crucial for successful software delivery. Embracing the philosophy of servant leadership, he transitioned once again to the role of a Scrum Master. Over the last 3.5 years, his focus has been on fostering collaboration, continuous improvement, and empowering teams to excel in their agile practices. Mark's journey from a hands-on developer to a supportive Scrum Master reflects a deep understanding of the intricacies of software development, coupled with a passion for facilitating teams to achieve their highest potential. Mark also hosts The Agile Within podcast with new episodes debuting each week. It's mission is "Providing agile insights into human values and behaviors through genuine connections". You can listen on your favorite podcast platform or on the web: Jeremy Willets is a coach, speaker, and author who has spent the last decade working with people and teams to achieve greatness in the workplace. He started out as a technical writer on a Scrum team and quickly fell in love with Scrum and the Agile Manifesto values and principles. Since then, he’s served thriving organizations as a Scrum Master, Agile Coach, Senior Agile Coach, Release Train Engineer, people manager, and mentor.   Jeremy has spoken at conferences throughout the midwestern United States. He’s an avid Substack blogger and music maker. He holds a SAFe® Practice Consultant (SPC) certification. Jeremy can be found at    Learn To Tame Your Work Intake Beast! Jeremy Willets and I have opened a new workshop cohort to help you learn to tame the work intake beast!  The workshop will run from 31 May to 28 June in five manageable 90-minute chunks. For more details hop over to our Maven site  for more information, sign up, or join the mailing list!   Re-read Saturday News Chapter 3, Deep Work is Meaningful completes Part 1 of by Cal Newport. If you are reading this chapter for the first time, my interpretation of the author’s intent is not to prove that deep work is meaningful but rather to argue that it is more meaningful than shallow work. On deeper reflection, there are even more cautionary notes for the always “in contact” amongst us. Read the chapter, this week’s re-read post, and contemplate!                                                                                                       Remember to buy a copy of and read along. Week 1:  -   Week 2: -   Week 3: -   Week 4: -     Next SPaMCAST  In SPaMCAST 803 we will contemplate the product roles impact on work intake. These roles appear straightforward and at the same time offer many layers and nuances. Regardless of the approach or structure someone is using, making work intake decisions might enhance or trash product decisions. Someone is making those decisions, you need to understand the impact. We will also have a visit from Susan Parente who brings her Not a Scrumdamentalist column to the podcast.   

The SPaMCAST 801 will examine the question, “When is not having clear priorities a winning strategy?” While the answer might seem self-evident, I am not sure people and organizations put their money where their mouth is. We also have Kies Kostaqi’s You Are Not Alone column. This installment highlights the soft skills required to be an effective Scrum Master. Soft does not mean unimportant or easy to develop.   How can you spread the word about ? The best way is to leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or wherever you buy your books. Reviews increase the likelihood that someone like you will discover the book!   New Workshop Cohort Open! Jeremy Willets and I have opened a new workshop cohort to help you learn to tame the work intake beast!  The workshop will run from 31 May to 28 June in five manageable one-hour chunks. For more details hop over to our Maven site for more information, sign up, or join the mailing list!   Re-read Saturday News Chapter 2 of by Cal Newport. Is titled Deep Work Is Rare. It should be subtitled either “and that is our fault” or “stop doing what everyone else is doing”. Read the chapter, this week’s re-read post, and contemplate!                                                                                                 Remember to buy a copy of and read along. Week 1:  -   Week 2: -   Week 3: -   Next SPaMCAST  In the next SPaMCAST 802, Mark Metze, Jeremy Willets and I discuss “Is agile still a movement or has it reached middle age?” Will it be wailing and gnashing of teeth, hand wringing and sullen withdrawal, or pragmatism and philosophy?  Listen to find out!