Best Code 56 Team Podcasts (2025)

1
#57 Risk-Based Testing 52:56

24d ago52:56

52:56

How should you spend your always-limited testing resources? Is one part of the product more important to test than another? Construx's Steve Tockey and Earl Beede join host Mark Griffin in looking at one approach to answering those questions: risk-based testing. Steve and Earl look at how to do risk-based testing along with its pros and cons.…

1
#56 Product Visions to Product Roadmaps 54:09

2M ago54:09

54:09

In an earlier webinar, Construx's Earl Beede took on many organizations that create product visions with phrases like, be the world's best ‘x’ or dazzle our customers. Not bad ideas but pretty much worthless in helping you make day-to-day decisions on what work is the most important for your business. This is a follow-up, with Earl and Mark Griffin…

1
#55 Practitioner Quizzes Construx - Session 1 54:16

3M ago54:16

54:16

Construx welcomes Onorio Catenacci to the microphone to ask questions about software development that continue to puzzle him and perhaps to see whether Construx has the answers. Join Contrux's Mark Griffin and Steve Tockey to see if they can give sound, helpful, and actionable answers to Onorio's questions—and find out whether Onorio can stump Cons…

1
#54 Stories from a Long Career 52:20

4M ago52:20

52:20

Construx's Jenny Stuart is retiring from the software industry, and we will miss her! In this podcast, Jenny Stuart looks back on her three decades in the software industry and shares stories and wins from her long career. Joining Jenny are three of her Construx work companions for the last 20 years, Mark Griffin, Steve Tockey, and Earl Beede.…

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#53 Cynefin Framework 52:55

5M ago52:55

52:55

Why do software gurus keep talking about the Cynefin Framework? What is it? How is it even pronounced? In this episode of Inspect & Adapt, Construx puts many brains on the topic with Mark Griffin, Jenny Stuart, Steve Tockey, and Earl Beede making the link between Cynefin and doing actual software development work. They cover where Cynefin is best a…

1
#52 The Triad 47:31

6M ago47:31

47:31

Most folks know that the product owner, scrum master, and developers make up the Scrum team, but did you know that these roles are also an accountability triad critical to scaling? In episode #52 of our Inspect & Adapt podcast, Construx’s Earl Beede and Jenny Stuart define the triad and describe its role in scaling agile. Earl and Jenny focus on ho…

1
#51 Professional Development 2024 55:56

7M ago55:56

55:56

To be a professional usually means a commitment to ongoing professional development. Doctors, engineers, nurses, accountants, and teachers all require periodic training to maintain their professional status, but what constitutes professional development in software? Can we consider ourselves professional without it? The Construx team will look into…

1
#50 Staffing the Product Owner 56:22

8M ago56:22

56:22

The product owner is often considered the most critical accountability in the triad of . Why? Because garbage in from the product owner gets garbage out of the developers, so it's crucial to give serious consideration to who is best to staff the product owner role. Listen to Construx experts share best pract…

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#49 The New 52:59

11M ago52:59

52:59

What do we do when we are faced with "The New"? When something is new to us, it's harder to estimate, harder to plan, and harder to execute. Some development projects involve much more that is new than others. How do we identify the new and deal with it in a constructive way? In this episode of Inspect & Adapt, Construx's Mark Griffin, Steve Tockey…

1
#48 Cone of Uncertainty 57:24

1y ago57:24

57:24

Why can't I know—with high precision—the final cost, scope, and time frame of my work effort? One of the biggest reasons you can't know all three at once is illustrated by Steve McConnell's Cone of Uncertainty. In this episode of Inspect & Adapt, Construx's Mark Griffin, Steve Tockey, and Earl Beede talk about what the Cone is, how it impacts your …

1
#47 Retrospectives 53:15

1y ago53:15

53:15

If hindsight is 20/20—and it's good practice to look back to find ways you could do better—then why do retrospectives seem like such a waste of time? Shouldn't they be a goldmine that we're excited about rather than just another obligatory meeting? Inspect & Adapt host Mark Griffin gathers fellow Construx staff, Steve Tockey, Jenny Stuart, and Earl…

1
#46 Reverse Agile Scaling 53:15

1y ago53:15

53:15

There is a lot of talk and ideas about how to scale agile up from the one-team, one-product base so that multiple teams can support a product (I am looking at you SAFe). But what about the case where one team must support multiple products? That is reverse agile scaling. Join Construx’s Mark Griffin, Jenny Stuart, and Earl Beede as they share strat…

1
#45 Value Identification 56:11

1y ago56:11

56:11

What does "value" mean on your product? How do you know you are working on the most valuable thing? Construx's Earl Beede, Jenny Stuart, and Mark Griffin discuss how to clearly identify and articulate value on development projects. Knowing the targeted value is critical for prioritization and scope control and for knowing when to stop. It is also t…

1
#44 Bringing it All Together – the Successful Leadership of Hardware/Software Teams 46:20

1+ y ago46:20

46:20

How do you lead product development teams when a company that has always been hardware focused now owes its success to both hardware and software? Construx's Mark Griffin and Earl Beede recently spoke with Inogen's Norbert Leinfellner and Horst Pichler, who have decades of experience leading this transition. We kick off 2024 with an Inspect & Adapt…

1
#43 Project Managers 2023 57:02

1+ y ago57:02

57:02

Listen to Construx's Earl Beede, Jenny Stuart, and Mark Griffin as they assess the role and duties of project managers on software intensive projects. A special focus will be on groups using agile development processes. Earl and Jenny will share stories of what they have seen work and what hasn't with their clients.…

1
#42 Splitting User Stories 57:30

1+ y ago57:30

57:30

Construx's Earl Beede, Jenny Stuart, and Mark Griffin investigate ways to split user stories so they fit in a sprint. Some methods are far preferable—and even easier—than others. Sometimes it just means setting yourself up to make your user stories split-able. Earl and Jenny will share their stories from the trenches and explain how they assist tea…

1
#41 Special Guest: John Belbute, Engineering Metrics 54:35

1+ y ago54:35

54:35

What metrics make sense for a development team? How do you talk about productivity? Construx friend John Belbute joins Construx’s Steve Tockey, Earl Beede, and Mark Griffin to talk about engineering metrics. John has been a software leader at many companies, including Intuit, WebMD, eBay and Capita CCS and is now semi-retired with his own coaching …

1
#40 Waterfall vs. Agile 2023 55:43

2y ago55:43

55:43

It's been over two decades since we were told that Waterfall development is bad and Agile development is good. Construx's Earl Beede recently did a webinar on the subject (available on YouTube). This Inspect and Adapt looks at some of the comments and questions that came up. Earl is joined by host Mark Griffin and Jenny Stuart as they take a fresh …

1
#39 Product Owner vs. Product Manager 59:07

2y ago59:07

59:07

There is a lot of confusion about where the job or role of product owner ends and that of product manager begins. Construx's Earl Beede recently did a webinar on the topic. Now Earl is joined by Construx's Jenny Stuart and Mark Griffin to take a deeper look into how the two roles differ and where they overlap.…

1
#38 The Engineering Manager in Agile 52:58

2y ago52:58

52:58

You have engineering managers and you want to adopt agile - or are already doing agile - development. Where does your engineering manager fit? What activities and roles do engineering managers play in the agile development organization? Join Construx's Jenny Stuart, Mark Griffin, and Earl Beede as they discuss how organizations can Inspect & Adapt …

1
#37 2022 Disaster Stories and Improvement Ideas 1:04:06

2+ y ago1:04:06

1:04:06

At the end of 2022, Construx surveyed our clients to hear their best disaster stories of 2022 and what areas they want to improve so they won't repeat their disasters in 2023. Join host Mark Griffin with Construx experts Earl Beede and Steve Tockey as they Inspect and Adapt those disaster stories and improvement opportunities.…

1
#36 Right-Sizing Software Process: Going Meta 53:48

2+ y ago53:48

53:48

Is there a "best" way or process to develop software? Is there one size fits all? Construx has always said, "no". One of our 10x Principles is "Tailor the Solution to the Problem". Join host Mark Griffin with Construx's Earl Beede and Steve Tockey for an Inspect and Adapt of right-sizing software development process. We cover the process for figuri…

1
#35 Individual Estimation 59:02

2+ y ago59:02

59:02

Individual expert judgment estimation (a.k.a. best guess, gut, swag, etc.) is the most common method of estimating development projects. Yet it almost always is not a good estimate. Join host Mark Griffin with Construx's Earl Beede and Steve Tockey for an Inspect and Adapt of individual estimation. We cover the pitfalls of individual estimation but…

1
#34 Backlog Refinement 1:08:17

2+ y ago1:08:17

1:08:17

Backlog Refinement is a practice that most agile teams should do - but many don't. Join host Mark Griffin with Construx's Jenny Stuart and Earl Beede to Inspect & Adapt backlog refinement. We cover how backlog refinement has become a critical part of agile teams, how it should work, common mistakes in backlog refinement, and how it adapts to differ…

1
#33 How Much Testing Is Enough? 59:07

2+ y ago59:07

59:07

"How much testing is enough?" is a question Construx gets asked a lot. Join host Mark Griffin with Construx's Brian Daugherty and Steve Tockey for an Inspect and Adapt of the enough testing question. We cover the drivers of testing, strategies to help determine "enough," and the common mistakes organizations make when developing and executing tests…

1
#32 Leadership for Women in Software 43:40

2+ y ago43:40

43:40

What does it mean to bring your full self as a woman to leadership in a software or technical organization? Join Construx's Mark Griffin as he interviews Jessica Garcia about how to deal with the challenges of leadership specifically as experienced by women. Jessica leads and coaches women toward both leadership and authenticity. She will go over h…

1
#31 The Daily 58:19

2+ y ago58:19

58:19

Many, if not most, agile teams include the practice of a daily gathering. It goes by slightly different names: the daily standup, the daily scrum, or walking the board. Join host Mark Griffin with Construx's Jenny Stuart and Earl Beede for an inspect and adapt of the daily. We cover the daily's origins, how it differs across agile approaches, commo…

1
#30 Scaling Agile: Three Agile Scaling Frameworks and Six Scaling Recommendations 1:09:18

3+ y ago1:09:18

1:09:18

Hearing about different scaling frameworks and wondering which one is for you? Join host Mark Griffin and guest Jenny Stuart for an overview of the popular Agile scaling frameworks SAFe, Nexus, and LeSS, including their strengths and relative weaknesses. We’ll cover the frameworks’ core techniques and approaches; this will provide you with a basis …

1
#29 Twenty Years Is Enough! It’s Time to Update the Agile Principles and Values 1:08:18

4y ago1:08:18

1:08:18

Today’s episode focuses on the very basis of Agile: its principles and values. Steve McConnell recently gave a keynote at XP2021 in which he said they need to be updated. You'll hear a quick recap of Agile’s beginnings, what was happening in software development when people got together at that Snowbird conference: primarily "code & fix" and the SW…

1
#28 Six Ways to Decrease Stress in Development Partnerships 47:01

4y ago47:01

47:01

Working with external software development partners often increases stress for the existing internal staff. A Construx client asked us to conduct research with our clients on approaches to reducing this stress. We identified six recommendations and related specific actions that organizations can take to decrease internal stress and improve overall …

1
#27 More Effective Kanban, Part 3: Kanban for Portfolios and Programs 38:49

4y ago38:49

38:49

Construx VP of Consulting Jenny Stuart and Mark Griffin cleared up common misconceptions about Kanban in Episode #19. In Episode #24, they discussed numerous best practices for establishing and optimizing your Kanban system. Here, they focus on seeing the big picture—working with Kanban at higher levels of workflow. Topics included setting up progr…

1
#26 Software Estimation Lessons Learned from Covid-19 Forecasting 50:23

4y ago50:23

50:23

For the past year, Steve McConnell has applied his extensive estimation expertise to a timely problem: Covid-19 forecasting. Steve’s Covid Complete Data Center provides US national data, state data for every state, state scorecards, forecasts, forecast evaluations, and other data on the pandemic: https://stevemcconnell.com/covidcomplete/ His Covid …

1
#25 Crafting Software, Part 1: Beers to Pair with Requirements, Design, & Estimation 50:29

4y ago50:29

50:29

We thought we’d do something fun to start our second season and use a familiar vehicle to help new listeners and our old friends understand Construx’s software engineering expertise. And how are we going to do that? We’re going to use beer! You might be thinking, "Well, now you have my attention." Host Mark Griffin and Construx consultant Steve Toc…

1
Episode 59: Grumpy Old Teachers Ring In 2021 45:16

4+ y ago45:16

45:16

Scott Bedley and Jon Samuelson are the Grumpy Old Teachers. Join us as we give you a couple of websites, a couple of good things, and a couple of rants from the world of teaching. Some educational podcast talk about education, the Grumpy Old Teachers are actually out there teaching.

1
Episode 58: Techlandia - Ready for Winter Break 37:35

4+ y ago37:35

37:35

Scott Bedley @scotteach and Jon Samuelson @jonsamuelson give you a couple of websites to try with students. Share some winning moments from the Hour of Code. Rant about silly blog posts and share some reflections on 2020.

1
Episode 57: Techlandia Comeback Finds A Co-Host 38:14

4+ y ago38:14

38:14

The first episode left people unsatisfied. The word was out that there needed to be a co-host. Scott Bedley answered the call. In this episode, we give you an app, a website for math, Hour of Code ideas, and a tribute to Betsy DeVos.

1
Episode 56: Techlandia - The 20/20 Experience 22:25

4+ y ago22:25

22:25

Is this new? Is it old? Do we need this? Who knows? It's iPadsammy back to share an app, a good thing, a rant, and thoughts on pop culture. Give it a like if you want more or we will use the cricket sound effects and send this podcast into retirement. For now, it's BACK!

1
#24 More Effective Kanban, Part 2: Operating and Optimizing Your Kanban System 1:14:36

4+ y ago1:14:36

1:14:36

Construx VP of Consulting Jenny Stuart and Mark Griffin cleared up common misconceptions about Kanban in the first episode in this series (episode #19). This time they cover numerous best practices for establishing your initial Kanban system—determining work item types, workflow, work state policies, work-in-progress limits, and more—and running it…

1
#23 Exploring Metrics: Using Landing Zones to Define and Guide Success 52:42

4+ y ago52:42

52:42

It's a sad truth that many software teams are working with no explicit definition of success. Join Construx Senior Fellow Erik Simmons and Mark Griffin to learn about the landing zone, a table that you can use to define success in a quantified, explicit way. Erik played a role in the development of the landing zone method during his time at Intel, …

1
#22 More Effective Agile, Part 9: Focus on Throughput, Not Activity; Plan Based on Measured Team Capacity; Decriminalize Mistakes 37:03

4+ y ago37:03

37:03

Steve McConnell completes the series in which he describes the 28 key principles in his new book, More Effective Agile (Construx Press, 2019). The final principles described are: "Focus on Throughput, Not Activity." Similar to managing to outcomes, adding the nuance that busyness is not the objective—getting valuable work done is the objective. (Se…

1
#21 More Effective Agile, Part 8: Express Clear Purpose with Commander’s Intent; Model Key Agile Behaviors; Manage to Outcomes, Not Details 37:03

5y ago37:03

37:03

Steve McConnell continues to describe the 28 key principles in his new book, More Effective Agile (Construx Press, 2019). The principles described this time: "Express Clear Purpose with Commander’s Intent." Support your teams’ ability to make timely, local decisions by clearly communicating your objectives for the desired end state. (See page 220 i…

1
#20 More Effective Agile, Part 7: Create and Use a Definition of Done; Maintain a Releasable Level of Quality; Use Automated Tests, Created by the Development Team 37:48

5y ago37:48

37:48

Steve McConnell continues to describe the 28 key principles in his new book, More Effective Agile (Construx Press, 2019). The principles described this time: "Create and Use a Definition of Done." A good Definition of Done helps catch incomplete or faulty work early, minimizing the gap between defect insertion and detection. (See page 157 in the bo…

1
#19 More Effective Kanban, Part 1: Five Misconceptions About Kanban 49:19

5y ago49:19

49:19

Join Construx VP of Consulting Jenny Stuart and Mark Griffin for the first in a series of episodes describing the power of Kanban. In this episode, they'll cover the most common misconceptions about this extremely useful method: #1 Kanban is only a board, #2 Kanban is good only for support, #3 Kanban is good only for small teams, #4 Kanban can't su…

1
#18 More Effective Agile, Part 6: Refine the Product Backlog, Create and Use a Definition of Ready, Minimize the Defect Detection Gap 41:30

5y ago41:30

41:30

Sixth in our series in which Steve McConnell describes the 28 key principles in his new book, More Effective Agile (Construx Press, 2019). The principles described this time: "Refine the Product Backlog." Backlog refinement ensures the team is working on the highest priority items, is not filling in gaps in requirements on its own, and is not starv…

1
#17 Exploring Metrics: Cultural Issues, Metrics vs. Indicators, Launching a Program, and Controlling Costs/Time 1:01:15

5y ago1:01:15

1:01:15

Join Construx Senior Fellow Erik Simmons and Mark Griffin as they discuss the ins and outs of metrics for software teams. To kick off, they draw a distinction that can help alleviate overarching concerns about metrics and measurement in general: operational measurement (How are we doing? Metaphor: dashboard) and aspirational measurement (What’s our…

1
#16 Preproject Planning: Lowering Inherent Uncertainty on Large Work Efforts 46:55

5y ago46:55

46:55

Join Construx Senior Fellow Earl Beede and Mark Griffin as they discuss methods for improving the chances of success by driving down inherent uncertainty (common-cause variation) for large software efforts. These methods involve early decision making related to primary consumers, possible technologies, and broad software estimation. The conversatio…

1
#15 Construx Services: What Are Organizational Assessments? 1:05:02

5y ago1:05:02

1:05:02

Join Construx Senior Fellow Erik Simmons and Mark Griffin as they discuss the ins and outs of Construx's organizational assessments, which go beyond software engineering technical practices to also examine organizational structure, the architecture of the system, the way people communicate, and the degree of interteam trust. Culture can play as imp…

1
#14 WFH in the Age of Coronavirus: Lessons for Today and Tomorrow 59:46

5y ago59:46

59:46

Construx Software recently surveyed software professionals to determine the effect that working from home (WFH) during the coronavirus pandemic is having on software development. Our survey explored changes in communication and the impact on individuals, on teamwork, on leaders’ ability to lead, and on specific technical practices. The survey was c…

1
#13 More Effective Agile, Part 5: Manage Technical Debt, Support Large Agile Projects Through Architecture, Automate Repetitive Activities 37:58

5y ago37:58

37:58

Fifth in our series in which Steve McConnell describes the 28 key principles in his new book, More Effective Agile (Construx Press, 2019). The principles discussed this time: "Manage Technical Debt." A consistent focus on quality is part of an effective Agile implementation. Managing technical debt supports higher team morale, faster progress, and …

1
#12 More Effective Agile, Part 4: Keep Projects Small, Keep Sprints Short, Deliver in Vertical Slices 37:28

5y ago37:28

37:28

Fourth in our series in which Steve McConnell describes the 28 key principles in his new book, More Effective Agile (Construx Press, 2019). The principles discussed this time: "Keep Projects Small." Small projects are easier and more often successful. Not all work can be structured into small projects, but the work that can be structured that way s…

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