The Artima Developer Community
Sponsored Link

Agile Buzz Forum
Problem-solving books

0 replies on 1 page.

Welcome Guest
  Sign In

Go back to the topic listing  Back to Topic List Click to reply to this topic  Reply to this Topic Click to search messages in this forum  Search Forum Click for a threaded view of the topic  Threaded View   
Previous Topic   Next Topic
Flat View: This topic has 0 replies on 1 page
Laurent Bossavit

Posts: 397
Nickname: morendil
Registered: Aug, 2003

Laurent Bossavit's obsession is project effectiveness through clear and intentional conversations
Problem-solving books Posted: May 18, 2004 7:51 AM
Reply to this message Reply

This post originated from an RSS feed registered with Agile Buzz by Laurent Bossavit.
Original Post: Problem-solving books
Feed Title: Incipient(thoughts)
Feed URL: http://bossavit.com/thoughts/index.rdf
Feed Description: You're in a maze of twisty little decisions, all alike. You're in a maze of twisty little decisions, all different.
Latest Agile Buzz Posts
Latest Agile Buzz Posts by Laurent Bossavit
Latest Posts From Incipient(thoughts)

Advertisement

I'm scanning my bookshelves for material to use in constructing workshops on general problem-solving skills, techniques and practices...

The common thread in all these books is techniques for problem exploration and collaborative problem-solving, including when negotiation is difficult.

"Are your lights on" is a playful exploration of the general "problem solving" frame, including a very valuable definition of the term "problem" as "a difference between things as desired and things as perceived".

"Exploring requirements" is a more focused work on the discussions that happen around what the problem is. It starts with the "killer issue" of requirements, which is ambiguity. It includes a fantastic technique called "context-free questions". It has some advice on meetings effectiveness and some techniques for brainstorming, paving the way for a general requirements framework (which is probably overkill in agile contexts).

"Thinking for a change" introduces some diagramming tools from the "Theory of Constraints" discipline, which are particularly effective due to their emphasis on hidden assumptions; the Conflict Cloud in particular is of huge value, suggesting that in most project situations there is no such thing as a conflict, which I have found a powerful frame for resolving apparent conflicts. The book is somewhat long-winded but I still recommend it.

"Smart Thinking" includes a discussion of common causes of error, which is a very nice complement to the other topics above. It goes over a lot of the same ground as "Lights" and "Exploring" but in a different package; not as good a book but still recommended.

"Getting to Yes" is the reference book on win-win negotiations, including such great tools as the BATNA (Best Alternative To Negotiated Agreement), the "Hard on the problem, soft on the people" frame or the "Interests not positions" frame. Can be very handy when discussing paradoxical (or conflicting) requirements or constraints on time/scope/quality.

Read: Problem-solving books

Topic: Phishing for usernames Previous Topic   Next Topic Topic: TDD - Refactor Sooner To Avoid Throwing Away Tests

Sponsored Links



Google
  Web Artima.com   

Copyright © 1996-2019 Artima, Inc. All Rights Reserved. - Privacy Policy - Terms of Use