Continuous Confidence in Software Development

Often, when we think about our release process, we think primarily about the core product we deliver.  We ponder on how we can deliver better, faster, and with quality. There is, however, other parts of the software business that need to improve as well. There are other deliverables that, when we take the time to understand and focus on, we can gain greater insight into confidence culture wide. Sales When we think about the Sales organization, how can we implement Continuous Confidence there? Well, notice that for a certain period of time, we spend a lot of time and effort training people to sell the product. We spend a lot of time focusing on how to answer questions and how to pitch the deal. May we in addition focus on the confidence of the deal? Do we focus on them having confidence and a solid relationship? Do we take the time to care about the other person? Do we genuinely seek to know why we didn't win the sale? Often sales fail because people don't have confidenc...

Continuous Confidence is not a new idea. Over the years, I have spent many hours thinking about, and witnessing multiple development shops implement their own understanding of Continuous Integration. Time and time again they fail to completely succeed. There are moments when there is fresh air and people are happy, but then something comes along to spoil that zen moment. After looking at what was happening, I came to realize that there is much more to continuous integration than what is really out there. People are funny creatures. When we have a problem, we try to find a solution. We will try anything and everything we can, that makes sense to us. If we don't understand it, then we shy away from it. If we are developers, we tend to judge the worthiness of a statement, and then if found lacking, we ridicule and mock it for not making sense. (Overstating the obvious for dramatic effect.) Here in is the key to understanding failure to implement Continuous Integration or Continuous ...