I've just finished reading Jack Hart's "Storycraft: The Complete Guide to Writing Narrative Nonfiction". Now, if you are going to write a book about writing, it'd better be good---and Hart doesn't disappoint. The book explains how compelling stories are comprised of structured elements. One thing that struck me is how closely these structures and elements are aligned with confrontation … [Read more...]

The article "Estimation is Evil" discusses the difficulty of accurately costing software projects---a subject of interest to anyone involved in contract software development. However what struck me most in the article was a discussion of problems with an early, high profile agile project---Chrysler’s C3 payroll project. The author argues that this project failed because it attempted to develop a … [Read more...]

Not one, but two, interesting posts from the blog Jury.me this week. One is about focusing on the user. Too many apps are developed from a technical perspective---the latest frameworks, user interface widgets, etc. Great products come from standing in your users' shoes---trying to understand their goals. Why do they need this product? Often it's the product no-one notices that is doing the best … [Read more...]

Budget Playground, an iPad app that allows New York State school districts to create multi-year budget scenarios is now available on the App Store. According to an assistant commissioner at the New York State Education Department, Budget Playground is like magic…It’s a terrific app on an iPad…I love the little charts on the side and the sliders to change scenarios are a very handy way to modify … [Read more...]

Decision Mechanics recently developed a location-monitoring iPhone app for InMotion—a personal data management startup. InMotion intends to provide services for individuals to take control of their personal data—sending it to a secure repository and allowing controlled access to third-parties who offer useful derivative services or financial incentives. The iPhone app allows … [Read more...]