Agile, DevOps and software development methodologies
Agile software development, and popular variations such as Scrum, underpin the work of many developers and testers. Regardless of the team or methodology you currently use, read expert advice on process, structure and skills for Lean, Agile, DevOps, Waterfall and more to make it work in your enterprise.
Top Stories
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Tip
18 Nov 2024
Scrum master responsibilities: What does a Scrum master do?
While the title may sound authoritative, Scrum masters have little control over their team. So, what exactly does a Scrum master do? The answer might surprise you. Continue Reading
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News
12 Nov 2024
OpenShift AI boosts LLMOps chops with Neural Magic deal
The acquisition of a top contributor to an open source library already linked to OpenShift AI comes as LLMOps fundamentally alters the platform engineering scene. Continue Reading
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Definition
01 Feb 2022
artifact (software development)
An artifact is a byproduct of software development that helps describe the architecture, design and function of software. Continue Reading
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Definition
25 Jan 2022
application security
Application security, or appsec, is the practice of using security software, hardware, techniques, best practices and procedures to protect computer applications from external security threats. Continue Reading
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Definition
20 Jan 2022
iterative
In the world of IT and computer programming, the adjective iterative refers to a process where the design of a product or application is improved by repeated review and testing. Continue Reading
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Definition
18 Jan 2022
Software Process Improvement and Capability Determination (SPICE)
Software Process Improvement and Capability Determination (SPICE) is an international framework to assess software development processes. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Jan 2022
Why and how to hold a sprint retrospective meeting
Software development teams can learn from past mistakes to streamline and improve processes. Retrospectives help them do just that. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Dec 2021
How to manage and reduce technical debt in Agile
Don't let technical debt snowball. Here's how to monitor, maintain and reduce this problematic element of Agile and continue application development projects. Continue Reading
- Definition 17 Dec 2021
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Opinion
09 Dec 2021
Cloud application developers need built-in security
Enterprises plan to increase cloud application security spending in 2022. Find out how security vendors and cloud application developers can meet their needs. Continue Reading
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Definition
06 Dec 2021
Lean software development
Lean software development is a concept that emphasizes optimizing efficiency and minimizing waste in the development of software. Continue Reading
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Definition
24 Nov 2021
Gantt chart
A Gantt chart is a horizontal bar chart developed as a production control tool in 1917 by Henry L. Gantt, an American engineer and social scientist. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Nov 2021
Don't fall victim to these 5 Scrum anti-patterns
Scrum is meant to adapt and change to different scenarios. Here are five common anti-patterns that can arise in Scrum when teams get complacent or comfortable with their old ways. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Oct 2021
Are you really doing Scrum? Follow these guidelines to be sure
Let's examine how the proper implementation of Scrum elements like timeboxing, the product owner and Scrum Master ensure a team will actually benefit from the Agile framework. Continue Reading
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Definition
28 Oct 2021
Scrum
Scrum is a framework for project management that emphasizes teamwork, accountability and iterative progress toward a well-defined goal. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Oct 2021
Managed DevOps services or in-house DevOps: Which is best?
A successful DevOps adoption requires significant time and resources. That is why organizations use managed DevOps services to streamline the process -- but is it still DevOps? Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Oct 2021
An introduction to TDD benefits, risks and examples
Programmers, looking to implement -- or improve -- your team's TDD practices? Review the fundamentals and examples below to remember how TDD can be a benefit and not a burden. Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Oct 2021
New Scrum Master guide covers both theory and practice
In his new book, a senior software engineer shares his in-depth hands-on knowledge to both prep readers for cert exams and guide them on the job. Continue Reading
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Definition
07 Oct 2021
Agile retrospective
An Agile retrospective is a meeting that's held at the end of an iteration in Agile software development. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Sep 2021
What productive backlog grooming sessions entail
Backlog grooming is essential for smooth Agile software development. Here's what it takes to get user stories straight and organize a grooming session that yields results. Continue Reading
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Definition
15 Sep 2021
trunk-based development
In software development, a trunk is the base code into which all subsequent code is merged. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Jul 2021
How Agile team culture can help improve software quality
Any Agile team that wants its team's culture to be squarely centered on improving software quality, should consider the following incentives and tactics. Continue Reading
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Definition
28 Jul 2021
Six Sigma
Six Sigma is a business methodology for quality improvement that measures how many defects there are in a current process and seeks to systematically eliminate them. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Jul 2021
Condensed Agile sprint timeline pros and cons
Is a condensed Agile sprint possible for your dev team? Here's how to shave off some sprint time and what perils to look out for in a smaller Agile sprint window. Continue Reading
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Definition
28 Jun 2021
pair programming
Pair programming is an Agile software development technique originating from Extreme programming (XP) in which two developers team together and work on one computer. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Jun 2021
How to build a CI/CD pipeline with Azure and GitHub
Some organizations need to build and deploy apps to specific cloud platforms. This walkthrough shows you step by step how to create a CI/CD pipeline using GitHub and Azure DevOps. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Jun 2021
10 Scrum benefits and how to realize them
Scrum can be difficult to implement and manage, but the effort is usually rewarded. When run correctly, Scrum delivers valuable benefits for the business and the development team. Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Jun 2021
Hardening sprint: Scrum anti-pattern or necessity?
Are hardening sprints a burdensome necessity or a Scrum anti-pattern? Let's explore how to make these iterations less exacting and how Agile organizations can avoid them altogether. Continue Reading
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News
03 Jun 2021
AI, new skills and self-defense code emerge as app-dev musts
Gartner analysts paint an app-dev vision for 2021 and beyond marked by AI-driven tooling, novel approaches to app security and new skills. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
20 May 2021
The role of DevOps practices in application design
Fancy architecture diagrams and aesthetically pleasing code are nice things to have. But they don't mean much without the support of DevOps-centric design practices. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Apr 2021
Flow efficiency is one of the trickiest DevOps metrics
Let's take a look at what it takes to measure flow efficiency, how it can help DevOps teams improve development practices and why it's not an easy metric to track. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Apr 2021
Compare design thinking vs. Agile for QA
Design thinking helps a team figure out what problems to solve, while Agile is a framework that helps a dev team build better software faster. Let's compare the two approaches. Continue Reading
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News
15 Apr 2021
Tasktop brings new visibility to value stream management
Value stream management is central to digital transformation at scale. VSM vendor Tasktop has a new dashboard that gives users a clearer view of their software delivery processes. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Apr 2021
The 3 essential Scrum team roles
Every successful Scrum team needs a product owner, a Scrum Master and developers. Here's why each role is essential and how effective collaboration between the three happens. Continue Reading
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Answer
31 Mar 2021
How do you become a developer advocate?
For those who love to code and want to share their IT knowledge, the developer advocate job might be a good fit. Learn how to make the transition from developer to advocate. Continue Reading
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News
22 Mar 2021
Saltworks, Secure Code Warrior team up to secure the SDLC
Saltworks and Secure Code Warrior have forged a partnership to help developers integrate security into the lifecycle and learn to write more secure, higher-quality code. Continue Reading
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News
18 Mar 2021
Sonatype buys MuseDev to boost code analysis
Sonatype has expanded its addressable market for developers with the acquisition of code analysis tool vendor MuseDev. The move builds out Sonatype's software quality platform. Continue Reading
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News
11 Mar 2021
Developer-first security raises Snyk's tides, among others
Armed with a developer-first focus on security, Snyk has been able to draw $300 million in new funding. It also quadrupled its valuation to $4.7 billion in just over a year. Continue Reading
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News
04 Feb 2021
IBM turns to open source software to build quantum ecosystem
IBM plans to create an ecosystem made up of open source software developers that will work collaboratively to speed delivery of production-ready quantum applications. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Jan 2021
A guide to testing in DevOps and key strategies, practices
Here's why testers and testing are such big parts of DevOps, and some ways to further incorporate testing for better software application development. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Jan 2021
Waterfall or Agile? Predictive vs. adaptive SDLC explained
Waterfall and Agile epitomize the differences between predictive and adaptive SDLCs. Here are some considerations that a dev team should know before it chooses a methodology. Continue Reading
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Podcast
23 Dec 2020
DevOps news and trends to watch in 2021
Join veteran IT journalists in a conversation about the top development, DevOps, low-code and CI/CD news in 2020, and where these trends will take us in 2021. Continue Reading
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Opinion
17 Dec 2020
How to use Agile swarming techniques to get features done
Agile teams can produce a viable product in no time when they swarm, but this all-hands approach to produce a user story or feature isn't easy. Continue Reading
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News
10 Dec 2020
GitHub Universe announcements hint at a bigger plan
Stronger automation and new corporate partnerships with open source developers are major additions to GitHub's strategy announced at the GitHub Universe virtual event. Continue Reading
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Podcast
09 Nov 2020
Jeff Gallimore: Psychological safety for remote teams
Can chatter about household appliances contribute positively to digital transformation? Jeff Gallimore thinks so. Here's his take on psychological safety for remote dev teams. Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Nov 2020
Infrastructure as code benefits and DevOps use cases
Code flexibility, automation and security top the list of reasons to use IaC for DevOps use cases. But without careful management, they can quickly present problems. Continue Reading
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Feature
02 Nov 2020
Product vs. project mindset: Differences in software development
The rise of Agile and DevOps highlight the differences between project and product thinking in software development. Establish these roles and principles to deliver business value. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Oct 2020
Harness these three types of developer collaboration tools
More than ever, developers must work as a team to achieve business goals. Here are three types of collaboration tools to help developers work with ease. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Oct 2020
How to improve the developer experience
Developer experience matters in the fast-paced and customer-focused culture of DevOps teams. Software development leaders from major corporations share their tips for a good DX. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Oct 2020
Waterfall vs. Agile vs. iterative development explained
Componentized software architectures gave way to new forms of software development. Learn when to implement simple iterative development versus wholesale changes with Agile. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Oct 2020
How to hold Three Amigos meetings in Agile development
Three Amigos is an Agile development strategy to keep projects on track with specifications, timeline expectations and more. Here's how to host the meetings, and who should join in. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Oct 2020
How to implement Scrum the right way
Not sure where to start with Scrum? Check out a book that covers Scrum implementation from pre-development work through retrospectives, and details the frameworks to scale Scrum. Continue Reading
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Opinion
18 Sep 2020
Comparing Waterfall vs. Agile vs. DevOps methodologies
The software development process can be organized around a variety of methodologies, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Is your team on the right path? Continue Reading
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Quiz
16 Sep 2020
Application performance monitoring tools and metrics quiz
Sharpen your pencil; it's APM quiz time. Test your knowledge of application performance monitoring and management, including tools, systems, concepts and best practices. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Sep 2020
How to approach Agile team organization
Should an Agile team have an architect? Does cross-functional mean constantly changing? How do teams set velocity and quality? Get the answers to set up and lead Agile teams. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Sep 2020
How to calculate project completion times
Good project managers deliver on schedule, despite the challenges they encounter. Become a time and resource management pro and deliver on the expected completion date. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Aug 2020
How Lean value stream mapping cuts delay, boosts efficiency
You have a backlog, work in short sprints, and track metrics on test coverage and defect rates -- so why does it still take so long to move code to production? Try visualizing it. Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Aug 2020
Composable benefits from infrastructure-as-code techniques
Learn why composable infrastructure is an effective infrastructure as code delivery model and can serve as a foundation for orchestrating and automating IT resource provisioning. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Aug 2020
'Secure by Design' principles include failures, exceptions
Using design principles with built-in security, along with properly defining exceptions, can help developers not only build safe code, but do so while meeting deadlines. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Aug 2020
Exception handling best practices call for secure code design
Making software secure by design requires tremendous consideration about how failures are handled. Learn more from these exception handling examples. Continue Reading
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Feature
07 Aug 2020
Agile FAQ: Get started with these Agile basics
Check out these tips on Agile basics for a quick catch-up or a great head start on maximizing the value of using Agile methods in your organization. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Jul 2020
7 techniques for better Agile requirements gathering
Avoid headaches when you gather software requirements. Learn these seven Agile techniques to understand requirements without reverting to Waterfall. Continue Reading
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News
28 Jul 2020
Snyk shows developers top-priority vulnerabilities
Snyk's new prioritization capabilities help developers decide which security vulnerabilities to address first in order to shore up enterprise systems. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Jul 2020
What does DevOps mean for development and operations?
Get answers to your questions about what DevOps means to development and operations teams, how DevOps works, DevOps vs. Agile and more. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Jul 2020
Choose the best programming language for DevOps workflows
DevOps is a rapidly evolving set of technologies and practices; choosing the right programming language -- or languages -- makes a big difference in terms of functionality, efficiency and speed. Continue Reading
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News
12 Jun 2020
GitLab makes two acquisitions to shift fuzz testing left
GitLab has scooped up fuzz testing startups Fuzzit and Peach Tech, a move that will shift fuzz testing left in the DevSecOps toolchain. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Jun 2020
How to hold effective Agile sprint planning meetings
Successful Agile sprints aren't about 10x developers or all-night testing sessions. It all comes down to how you plan. Here's how to plan sprints that run in an effective way. Continue Reading
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News
04 Jun 2020
Microsoft fuels 'developer velocity' with Azure, new tools
Microsoft is pushing the theme of 'developer velocity,' or how coders can quickly transform an idea into viable business software. Experts vary on how new the concept really is. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 May 2020
What matters most in an Agile organizational structure
Forcing an Agile approach onto team members causes more problems than it solves. 'Doing Agile Right' distills real-world experience into advice -- including when to delay change. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 May 2020
How declarative DevOps enables self-service, flexible delivery
DevOps teams can achieve automated delivery via a lot of custom code, or they can implement declarative tools and templates. Declarative DevOps has many advantages to offer. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 May 2020
DBmaestro vs. Liquibase: Database DevOps tools square off
DevOps has reached databases, which means yet another option to consider in your toolchain. Learn what matters in a database DevOps tool, and what sets apart Liquibase and DBmaestro. Continue Reading
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Feature
13 May 2020
Which Agile contract type fits your project and budget?
A contracts expert shares common agreement types for Agile software development project outsourcing, and where companies tend to go wrong. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 May 2020
Pair programming pros and cons for network automation
Pair programming is an Agile software development technique that reduces bugs and produces better software. Can pair programming work between networking experts and programmers? Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Apr 2020
Sonatype Nexus vs. JFrog: Pick an open source security scanner
Chances are your organization relies on open source code. But how do you manage code vulnerabilities? Find a product best suited for your needs in this Sonatype Nexus vs. JFrog comparison. Continue Reading
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Opinion
21 Apr 2020
Agile characteristics for internal software development teams
Not all developers create software for external users. So, what lessons can internal dev teams learn from Agile? Start with one problem at a time and iterate from there. Continue Reading
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Video
16 Apr 2020
Watch this Atlassian Confluence tutorial for beginners
Agile leaders must manage and connect with their development teams, no matter where they're located. In this Atlassian Confluence demo, learn how to boost remote developer collaboration. Continue Reading
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News
16 Apr 2020
TPG Capital combines 3 vendors to form Digital.ai
Private equity firm TPG Capital combined three acquisitions -- CollabNet VersionOne, XebiaLabs and Arxan Technologies -- to create the new DevSecOps-focused vendor. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Apr 2020
4 ways to make a distributed Scrum team work
Distributed Scrum team members must find virtual ways to replicate the workflows, practices, tools and perks that a colocated team has access to -- from the comforts of their homes. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Mar 2020
How do you run effective standup meetings?
When it comes to Agile standups, throw out the rulebook. Effective standup meetings result from flexibility, not rigidity. Follow these five guidelines to get more engagement. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Mar 2020
Automate security testing and scans for DevSecOps success
Attackers are knocking at your door. Don't waste time with repetitive, automatable security tasks. Here's how DevSecOps enables code analysis, security testing and more. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Mar 2020
What's the purpose of a Gantt chart for large-scale projects?
A Gantt chart's selling point is that it's simple to understand at a glance. But a large-scale project, such as a DevOps transformation, quickly turns that advantage into a flaw. Continue Reading
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News
16 Mar 2020
Atlassian integrates Automation for Jira no-code tool
Atlassian has integrated no-code technology gained from last year’'s acquisition of Automation for Jira by Code Barrel into its Jira Cloud issue-tracking service. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Feb 2020
How to create clear, collaborative user story maps
Messy or unclear user story maps quickly lead to confusion and contention. Read on to learn how to structure your maps and create a shared understanding of them. Continue Reading
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Answer
28 Feb 2020
How does DevOps in networking change network requirements?
As more organizations embrace DevOps in networking, the approach can transform network requirements, such as visibility and security policies, which network teams should consider. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Feb 2020
How do software developers and architects work together?
Work is more fun when developers and architects have a relationship that is collaborative, not adversarial or absentee. Here's how real teams join forces to build quality software. Continue Reading
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News
28 Feb 2020
Rapid7 adds Snyk security to its portfolio
The Snyk security vulnerability database brings an extra layer of protection to Rapid7 by helping developers find and fix vulnerabilities early in the software development process. Continue Reading
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Podcast
27 Feb 2020
Heed these core Scrum values to see measurable change
Why isn't Scrum paying off in faster software development and better user satisfaction with the product? Perhaps you adopted the framework without the values, says Ryan Ripley. Continue Reading
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News
26 Feb 2020
Genuitec's CodeTogether helps developers collaborate on code
CodeTogether, a new development tool from Genuitec, empowers developers to collaborate on writing and debugging code to build applications as part of development teams. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Feb 2020
Adopt the 4 foundations of Agile collaboration
Foster a positive team environment and culture to accomplish the collaboration goals of Agile. Here's how to synchronize teams and boost efficiency, as well as tools that help. Continue Reading
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Quiz
31 Jan 2020
Quiz yourself on Agile project management principles
Agile started out as a simple concept, which grew into a full-blown development methodology with many styles. Take this quiz to see how much you know about Agile project management. Continue Reading
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Photo Story
31 Jan 2020
Organize your team with an Agile scaling frameworks comparison
It's not easy to get Agile right, let alone replicate an individual team's success. For enterprises looking for a wide-scale transition, an Agile scaling framework might do the trick. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
29 Jan 2020
Project management tools and strategies: Gantt charts, PERT charts and PM planning tools
In project management, charts can visualize work in progress -- and there are many ways to do so. Learn how Agile teams use Gantt, PERT, burn down and other charts to stay on track. Continue Reading
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News
23 Jan 2020
Jira Roadmaps connect to Confluence, await Code Barrel
Atlassian rolled out fresh updates to its Jira Roadmaps feature and set the stage for further workflow refinements and integrations with other Atlassian software in 2020. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Jan 2020
How to patch your open source software vulnerabilities
No matter how big your software vulnerabilities backlog has grown, here's how you can tackle it, and get on the path to continuous security monitoring. Continue Reading
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Opinion
14 Jan 2020
5 software testing books QA professionals should dig into
There's no cookie-cutter crash course on software testing. However, these five books can get beginners on the right path to better quality software. Continue Reading
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News
10 Jan 2020
Appian buys robotic process automation tools platform
With its acquisition of Novayre Solutions SL, Appian brings robotic process automation (RPA) to its customer base of enterprise low-code app developers. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Jan 2020
How user story mapping aids requirements gathering in Agile
Agile requirements are dynamic, not static. Collaborate on user story maps to make sense of frequently evolving customer needs, and put a Scrum Master at the center of it all. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Dec 2019
4 DevOps communication principles to get teams talking
One of DevOps' supposed benefits is better collaboration and communication, but it doesn't come out of nowhere. Address these communication challenges to get everyone on the same page. Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Nov 2019
Make people, not tools, the focus of DevOps initiatives
You can buy a DevOps tool for almost everything -- except people challenges. Learn what high-performing practitioners do to make DevOps culture productive. Continue Reading
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Podcast
06 Nov 2019
Prioritize DevOps and Agile outcomes, not transformation
Tools are easy; people are difficult. So, when it comes to an Agile or DevOps transformation, focus on the desired outcomes, not the process changes, as we discuss in this podcast. Continue Reading
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News
01 Nov 2019
Atlassian CISO Adrian Ludwig shares DevOps security outlook
Atlassian's CISO believes that eventually, application security mechanisms will be absorbed completely into Agile and DevOps tools -- including his own company's products. Continue Reading
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Answer
25 Oct 2019
What goes into a user story vs. use case for Agile development?
Developers refer to software requirements to code a good product, but there are different ways to categorize user needs. What's the difference between a user story vs. a use case? Continue Reading
