Big Data has become a popular buzzword within the IT industry. It may have you thinking: Is this something I should be paying more attention to? First, let’s start with the definition. Big Data is not just a lot of data, it refers specifically to data sets that are so large it’s impossible to capture, store, process and analyse using traditional software and database solutions.
With the introduction of Agile, DevOps and Rapid Application Development (RAD), we’ve seen how software development practices have evolved to support shorter turnaround times for the delivery of new software and features.
In the cut-throat world of project delivery, it can be easy to lose sight of the real reason why you’re doing what you’re doing. With immense pressure for projects to hit their planned go live date, it’s easy to understand how teams may be eager to claim success as soon as they’ve crossed that finishing line without taking a step back to compare the project results to the original project goals.
Why should you care about managing up? Because job satisfaction cannot be achieved in the absence of a good relationship with the person you report to. It’s what makes everything flow, ensuring a mutually beneficial relationship that supports a productive, collaborate and supportive work environment.
For projects following an agile methodology, the term “backlog” refers to pieces of work, otherwise known as “user stories”, that are not currently being worked on. In traditional project thinking, the backlog would also constitute the project scope, i.e. what needs to be delivered. The only difference here being, your backlog can (and likely will) evolve as the product you’re working on grows and new requirements and features become known.
With modern technology providing so many different ways to communicate these days, you may be wondering how effective virtual communication can still be an issue. The reality is, even with so many new and improved communication tools at our disposal,
In this new world of big data and the Internet of Things (IoT), there’s certainly no shortage of data to be analysed in order to identify opportunities for business improvement. That said, organisations need to be clear about two things:
Strategic problem solving is a critical skill needed by the leadership within any organisation. It is distinctly different from day-to-day problem solving in that you need to apply a longer-term lens to identify future problems a business may face with the goal to come up with an action plan to effectively avoid these problematic situations.
Some say change is as good as a holiday, but the reality is that to many people out there, change is not something they’re comfortable with at all. It can be a very unsettling experience – one which can cause a lot of stress and anxiety. For companies to be successful in rolling out change, they need to be cognisant of the reasons why people resist change to ensure that they put mitigation actions in place to avoid these. Through our experience assisting clients with various change management processes, we’ve identified the following as the top reasons why people resist change:
There are many ways in which companies tackle performance management today. While some still prefer an annual review process, others have started to adopt more regular performance assessment methods, but method or process aside, there are a few basic techniques which ensure maximum effectiveness.