Agile anti-pattern: Developer-focused retrospectives


On most software projects, there is a far higher percentage of developers on a team than any other role. In general, this works to the team’s advantage. The developers, after all, are the ones who make what everybody else works for come alive.

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Restless leg syndrome is another condition that causes an irresistible urge to move the legs while resting or sleeping. This constant movement can disrupt our ability to fall asleep or stay asleep throughout the night.

Understanding the science behind sleep can help us find effective solutions for better rest. Numerous studies have been conducted to analyze the effects of sleep on our health and well-being. For example, research has shown that lack of quality sleep increases the risk of developing chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even certain types of cancer.

Sleep also plays a crucial role in mental health. Insufficient sleep has been linked to an increased risk of depression and anxiety disorders. Studies have found a strong association between epilepsy and disrupted sleep patterns.

The American Soul – July 4,1776 – January 22,1973

We’ve witnessed too may human atrocities in our great land since our birthday back in 1776. Unfortunately, this is the human condition and unfortunately we’re not alone. Most are caused by deranged individuals acting independently to the disgust of a decent people everywhere. This is no longer the case. What once was considered an atrocity, is now law.

Legal Consequences: Termination or Legal Action

Attempting to cheat a drug test can lead to severe legal repercussions. Many companies have strict policies in place regarding drug use, and if an employee is caught trying to manipulate the results, they may face termination or other disciplinary actions. In some cases, cheating a drug test can even result in legal action being taken against the individual.

It’s crucial to understand that tampering with a drug test is considered fraudulent behavior and is often viewed as a breach of contract between the employee and their employer. Employers have the right to maintain safe working environments for all employees, which includes enforcing drug-free policies. By attempting to cheat a drug test, individuals are not only jeopardizing their own positions but also potentially putting others at risk.

Ethical Implications: Undermining Trust and Compromising Safety

Beyond the legal consequences, cheating on a drug test raises ethical concerns. Organizations rely on trust among employees to foster collaboration and maintain productivity. When someone cheats on a drug test, it undermines this trust by demonstrating dishonesty and deceitful behavior.

Moreover, compromising safety measures is another significant ethical concern associated with cheating on drug tests. Certain professions require individuals to be sober while performing their duties for the well-being of both themselves and others. For example, pilots operating aircraft or doctors performing surgeries must be alert and focused without any impairment from drugs or alcohol.

By attempting to cheat on a drug test in these professions or others where sobriety is crucial, individuals are not only endangering their own lives but also risking the lives of others. It is a matter of responsibility and accountability to ensure that one is fit for the task at hand and not under the influence of substances that could impair judgment or performance.

Deterrence: Understanding the Risks Involved

Understanding the risks and consequences associated with cheating on a drug test can serve as a deterrent for individuals considering such actions. By comprehending the potential legal implications, termination, and ethical concerns involved, individuals may think twice before attempting to manipulate their test results.

Instead of resorting to cheating, it is advisable to address any underlying issues related to drug use by seeking help from professionals or support groups. Many organizations offer resources such as employee assistance programs (EAPs) that provide confidential support for employees dealing with substance abuse problems.

How to Beat Drug Testing Legitimately: Safe and Valid Strategies

To pass a drug test legitimately, there are several safe and valid strategies you can employ. Keep in mind that abstaining from substance use is the most reliable way to ensure success. However, there are additional steps you can take to increase your chances of passing a drug test click https://www.ndtv.com/.

Abstaining from Substance Use: The Most Reliable Strategy

The best and safest way to pass a drug test is by abstaining from using any substances altogether. This means refraining from drugs, alcohol, and even certain medications that may trigger positive results on a drug test. By avoiding these substances entirely, you eliminate the risk of failing the test.

Staying Hydrated and Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle

Staying hydrated is an important aspect of passing a drug test. Drinking plenty of water helps flush out toxins from your system, including any traces of drugs that may be present. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can contribute to faster elimination of substances from your body.

Pros:

Drinking water is easily accessible and affordable.

Hydration supports overall health and well-being.

A healthy lifestyle promotes better physical condition.

Cons:

Overhydration can lead to water intoxication or hyponatremia.

Urine dilution due to excessive hydration may raise suspicions during testing.

Allowing Sufficient Time for Elimination

Depending on the type of drug used, it takes varying amounts of time for substances to leave your system completely. It’s crucial to allow sufficient time for elimination before taking a drug test. Different drugs have different detection windows, ranging from a few days up to several weeks.

Pros:

Giving yourself enough time ensures that any traces of drugs will be eliminated naturally.

Waiting allows you to avoid resorting to potentially risky methods such as detox products or adulterants.

Cons:

Timeframes for drug elimination vary depending on factors such as the type of drug, frequency of use, and individual metabolism.

Waiting too long may not be feasible if you have an upcoming test.

Seeking Guidance from Healthcare Professionals or Employee Assistance Programs

If you’re uncertain about how to pass a drug test legitimately, it’s advisable to seek guidance from healthcare professionals or employee assistance programs. These experts can provide valuable advice and support based on your specific situation. They can help you understand the detection windows for different substances and offer recommendations tailored to your needs.

Pros:

Healthcare professionals can provide accurate information about drug detection times.

Employee assistance programs are designed to assist individuals facing workplace-related issues, including drug testing.

Cons:

Consulting with professionals may incur additional costs.

Not all workplaces have employee assistance programs available.

By following these safe and valid strategies, you can increase your chances of passing a drug test legitimately. Remember that abstaining from substance use is the most reliable approach, but staying hydrated, allowing sufficient time for elimination, and seeking guidance when needed are all important steps in ensuring success.

Since that day in 1973, over – Now stop and think real hard about this – over 40 million, that’s 40, 000,000 babies have been butchered. That day the name of the Court should have been changed to The Barbarian Court of The United States.

On January 22, 1973 America lost its soul. Seven lawyers that day decided that fucking without responsibility was more important than life itself. Seven lawyers that day, not Gods, not preachers, not doctors, not anyone elected by the people of America, just nine lawyers. Seven lawyers whose greatest challenged in the real world was to pass the bar exam, which just about anyone can do. Seven lawyers decided to cut the backbone out of a civilized society and crack the foundation upon which was built the greatest country in human history.

In a retrospective, however, it is important that no one group of team members is favored over others. This is harder than it may seem, especially when the developers make up more than half of the team.

The way most retrospectives I’ve been a part of have worked is some variation of the following:

  1. Individuals think of a few things that have gone well, and a few things that have gone less well over the past set time period
  2. These thoughts are put on post-it notes, then placed on a wall
  3. Individuals read all the thoughts and vote for the ones that they agree with (each person has a limited set of votes)
  4. The retrospective facilitator tallies the votes and discusses the highest vote-getters with the team, and discusses ways to fix problems and continue successes

Now, as you can tell this is a quite democratic process. The problem is, when the ratio of developers to business analysts is 4:1, you start to see the topics discussed err towards the technical. If you’re lucky, you have a facilitator who realizes this and steers the conversation in a direction that helps the entire team, not just the developers.

Moral of the story: Make sure you’re paying attention to the distribution of people on your teams, and the topics that are covered in your retrospectives. Sure, the idea is to make software, but the process is only going to improve if the entire team is learning from their steps and missteps.


6 responses to “Agile anti-pattern: Developer-focused retrospectives”

  1. […] Another reason to have frequent retrospectives By Kerry Josh Evnin writes in Agile anti-pattern: Developer-focused retrospectives: In a retrospective, however, it is important that no one group of team members is favored over others. This is harder than it may seem, especially when the developers make up more than half of the team. […]

  2. I hear you.

    I think any new professional HCI/d-er is going to be constantly put in situations like what you describe, where the perspectives for which we advocate are not going to have a voice in the conversation without us being assertive and effective. My guess is that you are better at that communication with each meeting.

    My short experience as a user experience guy in a room filled with programmers is that they are very used to quickly focusing on what they can do for this week. There isn’t an unwillingness to explore ideas, but there is pressure (and a personal need, I think) to have those crazy design ideas translate into something tangible that has business value. Unless one works in a design research firm that doesn’t need to implement, or doesn’t have a bottom line to follow, this will always be the dynamic.

    The culture changes only when the seemingly slower, crazy design approach yields better results. Patience is a rare commodity.

  3. I’d like to experiment with value stream focused retrospectives. Hopefully the focus would then be on what is most important for the overall system irrespective of how many people identify with any particular role.

  4. I agree that it’s an unfortunate consequence, but don’t agree that it’s an anti-pattern.

    I’m thinking this for a couple of different reasons…

    To start with, I think that the voting will show what the team feels is the highest priority item. I don’t think that a team should focus on roles at this point; we are all simply team members (not analysts, not designers, not developers). If a particular thought doesn’t receive more votes than another item, that’s simply a statement by the team that they don’t think that it’s as important as other alternatives. The point of the retrospective is to focus on the team (not individual roles).

    The second thing that stands out is that if you are repeatedly being out-voted, you need to help the other team members see the value in the items that you are trying to fix. If others see the value and believe in the thought, they will vote for it and it will be addressed. In the situation that you describe above, I would focus on effectively communicating what the thought is and why it’s important.

    The third point is that I don’t think that it should be in the power of the facilitator to trump the decisions of the team (which they decide by voting) if they think that other items are higher in priority. I believe that swaying votes, voting, or changing the teams decision are all bad things for facilitators to do during any type of session. The role of the facilitator should be to facilitate the meeting, not to participate in the outcome or take sides.

    The last thing (and likely the most relevant) is that I think that the real anti-pattern is in relying in the retrospective to be the only place where issues, concerns, smells, etc. can be addressed. Retrospectives are great, but they shouldn’t be the only opportunity to address items. If you are passionate enough about something, you should focus on fixing it as soon as possible.

    If all else fails and you are passionate about getting something changed, you can often start to address the items yourself. Forgiveness over permission can be powerful in extreme cases 🙂

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