Michael James
I am a software process mentor and certified Scrum trainer with a focus on the engineering practices that allow Agile project management practices. I am also a software developer (formerly "architect") with 20+ years experience—including automated test experience that predates the "Extreme Programming" movement. I have experience with:
- Formal, phased, high-ceremony processes based on DOD-STD-2167A
- Chaotic non-processes of the dot-com era, and
- Agile processes including Scrum and XP
I find it effective to work one-on-one in the trenches with team members, infusing knowledge of Agile practices and mindsets from *inside* a team. Key Achievements:
- Coached three teams at a state government bureaucracy to produce demonstrable functionality in one month. The teams had been considered stuck for most of the year before our arrival.
- Turned a collection of city government developers into an effective Scrum team in two weeks.
- Interviewed over 100 candidates (mostly Java developers) in search of those who would perform well in our client's agile environment.
- Diagnosed and advised teams at a major database company, a major online book seller, a major projector manufacturer, a leading video game company, two Fortune 50 computer manufacturers, etc.
- Produced the ScrumWorks agile project management tool in consultation with key thinkers in the Agile community, including both authors of Agile Software Development with Scrum. ScrumWorks, now a free product approaching its fourth major release, is actively used (and misused) at hundreds of sites.
- Mentored numerous Java/J2EE developers.
- Developed aircraft and spacecraft embedded systems to rigorous standards.