Whether they're on the business side or the IT side, professionals in the software industry tend to agree that more communication about project expectations is needed. So why is it that when the two sides collaborate, bad things seem to happen? Ryan McClish and Kenton Bohn analyze the human dynamics and show how to build a solution that accomplishes the defined goals.

Testing application performance prior to release is an essential part of managing risk in any software project. But the budget must be considered when talking performance testing; you want to know what it is going to cost to build and maintain a system that supports the project goals. However, there are ways to test the performance of your project while keeping the effort to a manageable set of tasks that get the job done without breaking the bank.

Sarah Johnson explains the role of writing in an agile world and how to educate your team members. Remember, agile takes into account that each situation is unique, and you need to determine what makes the most sense for your particular Scrum team.

Adam Yuret explains what can go wrong when teams blindly commit themselves to sprints; collaboration and quality suffer when we pressure people to work themselves to death by forcing them to promise things they cannot yet understand. Investing in systems-thinking approaches to improve the lives of our workers will pay dividends in improved quality, engagement, and creativity.