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How to Tackle the Context Switch Conundrum in Software Delivery

In Agile, ConnectALL, Value Stream Automation, Value Stream Management by Tim Stiling

85 years ago, the world seemed a much simpler place. If we were to ask our old friend Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, the top three things to worry about were lions, tigers, and bears. Oh my! Today things are more complicated. When we are trying to stay focused and get our work done, there’s no peace. Notifications are dinging, apps are pinging, and our phone’s ringtones are singing. The things we worry about today include Zoom, Slack, and LinkedIn. Oh my! I think anyone who works at a computer recognizes that this is a common experience. But how …

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Happy Code, Happy Life? Get to (Personally) Know Your Software

In ConnectALL, Value Stream, Value Stream Management by Tim StilingLeave a Comment

Some developers would say that their software has a mind of its own. But does your code have emotions of its own? Recent studies have shown that the answer is a resounding “yes.” But the findings on how those emotions impact work are not encouraging. According to Oxtail University, 84% of software programs report that businesses have increased the speed at which they are deployed. Yet only 8% of programs feel like they are appreciated for their increased production. And 78% of code has mentioned that they do not feel supported by the developers they work with. 86% also feel …

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Is Value Stream Management Boring? Why The Answer Matters To You

In ConnectALL, Value Stream, Value Stream Management by Tim StilingLeave a Comment

If anyone ever tries to tell you that watching mindless YouTube videos is a waste of time, point them to this blog post. Why? Because I realized something very relevant about value stream management (VSM) recently thanks to my wife & YouTube comedian Trey Kennedy. My journey to enlightenment started by watching Trey’s video Wife School, which he did in collaboration with another YouTube comedian (Dude Dad). This video taught me absolutely nothing about VSM.  However, it did help me learn that my wife isn’t the only one who wants new countertops. It also taught me that I’m more of …

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ConnectALL Assists in Freeing Freighter from Flow Fiasco

In ConnectALL, Value Stream, Value Stream Management by Tim StilingLeave a Comment

The ship Ever Given was removed from blocking the Suez Canal — how did that happen? One value stream management company played an important role in opening up this critical global supply vein. ConnectALL’s team has worked tirelessly with both the Egyptian authorities and excavation crews on the ground to create strategies to improve the flow of the Suez Canal. While the company normally specializes in optimizing software delivery, this recent event has provided a unique opportunity to apply value stream management concepts to the delivery of physical cargo. In close collaboration with ConnectALL, salvage crews were able to see, measure, and automate the flow of this valuable freight through the canal.

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What Can Super Bowl LV Teach Us About VSM?

In Value Stream, Value Stream Management by Tim StilingLeave a Comment

In the United States, the first Sunday in February is Super Bowl Sunday, perhaps the most famous “unofficial” holiday in America. This year, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 31-9. We thought it’d be a great idea to analyze this most-loved and most-watched American sport and what it teaches us about value stream management. The purpose of this blog post is to to better understand the best practices associated with effective value stream management. We have outlined how we can utilize the three key steps of value stream management (See, Measure, Automate) to understand the reasons why the Buccaneers defeated the Chiefs and how this process can then be applied to improving the outcomes of software delivery.

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ConnectALL Training: Learn the Art of Value Stream Integration

In ConnectALL, Training by Tim StilingLeave a Comment

What do Rocky Balboa, Luke Skywalker, Mulan, and Batman all have in common? Each of these movie protagonists engaged in focused training with an instructor in order to unlock their full potential.

We here at ConnectALL also understand the importance of training, especially when you are evaluating or learning to use new software, or you’re learning a new discipline like value stream management. While we currently offer many different types of focused training, as well as VSM services, this post will specifically focus on two levels of hands-on, complementary (and free) training that help users understand how to get the most out of ConnectALL’s Value Stream Integration Platform: Basic & Advanced Integration Training.

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3 Easy Steps for Using VSM in Everyday Life

In Value Stream by Tim StilingLeave a Comment

Value stream management principles have helped organizations across the globe leverage lean strategies to optimize their software development processes. However, the benefits from effectively managing value streams are not limited to only software. Value streams exist all around us whether we realize it or not. The goal of this blog post is to help explain how value stream management works in the context of software delivery by applying VSM concepts to an activity we experience every day.