Every developer loves to learn new technology, but what is your company doing to support your need to learn? The online marketing company I use to work for was really great about creating an environment of learning. New books, in-house training seminars, and a firm support of the Fargo .NET User Group are just a few (if they only sent people to conferences…wink…wink).

I am going to open up the polls and ask, what does your company do to help you learn? Which of these are essential for every business as an absolute minimum?

After a long and unexpected departure from the blogoshpere the Cranky PM is back! Many wondered if the server crashed, many wondered if she didn’t pay the bills, but reality was she deleted her own blog to protect her identity. Well done!

With her blog being down for such a long time, I will help her out by giving her some link love. Here are my top 5 favorite cranky posts:

1. So You Think “Agile” Methodologies Exempt You From Product Management
2. How to Piss Off Development in a Really Big Way
3. That “All the Responsibility and No Authority” Saying
4. A Letter to My Least Favorite Customer
5. The Joy of the Bug Scrub

Let’s admit it, sometimes building software is an emotional roller coaster for both developer and management. Most project kick offs happen with enthusiasm and optimism; when in fact, crossing your fingers, closing your eyes, and jumping into the unknown would probably more accurately describe it.

Awhile back, Scott Sehlhorst helped visualize a reference to the 4 phases that customers go through when interacting with new software. However, when I glanced at it, I thought that it was very similar to the morale of a team during the development lifecycle.

Photo provided by Tyner Blain

Regardless of team maturity, every project initially falls prey to the optimism of the Gut Instinct Equation. Even in tightly run SCRUM projects where velocity is being tracked rigorously, I have seen over zealous perceptions of progress followed by the Oh Shoot! moment.

Eventually teams rebound, acceptance of reality occurs, and they move onto victory. Just remember that if you have a Oh Shoot! moment follow these simple steps to get yourself out:

1. Calculate your team’s velocity
2. Estimate the remaining amount of work
3. Build a battle plan around your calculations and estimates
4. Make a contingency plan in case the Oh Shoot! was actually Oh Shit!

Going through a Oh Shoot! phase is never a project killer. Just be willing to adapt and eventually your Oh Shoot! will evolve to the Oh Wow! phase.