Agile Complexification Inverter

PortfolioEC App V3

2026-06-05T21:05:13.804-05:00

PortfolioEC App V3 Officially Launches to Simplify Portfolio Management

PortfolioEC, a powerful new app designed to streamline portfolio tracking and enhance financial decision-making, is now officially available to users. Built with both beginners and experienced investors in mind, PortfolioEC delivers a clean, intuitive platform for managing investments with confidence and clarity.

At its core, PortfolioEC brings together essential portfolio tools into one seamless experience. Users can track asset performance in real time, monitor gains and losses, and gain valuable insights through interactive dashboards and analytics. The app supports a wide range of asset classes, allowing users to view their entire financial picture in one place.

“Managing investments shouldn’t be complicated or time-consuming,” said the PortfolioEC team. “We built PortfolioEC to give users clear visibility into their portfolios while providing the tools they need to make smarter financial decisions.”

Key features of PortfolioEC include:

Real-time portfolio tracking with up-to-date market data
Customizable dashboards for personalized insights
Performance analytics to identify trends and opportunities
Secure account integration for seamless data syncing
A clean, user-friendly interface designed for ease of use

PortfolioEC also prioritizes security and reliability, ensuring that user data is protected through modern encryption standards and best practices. The app’s responsive design makes it accessible across devices, so users can stay connected to their investments anytime, anywhere.

With its official launch, PortfolioEC aims to empower individuals to take control of their financial future by making portfolio management more transparent, efficient, and accessible.

PortfolioEC is now available for download. To learn more, visit the official website or access the app through the App Store.

PortfolioEC - Delete before you ship!

2026-04-13T16:11:00.002-05:00

How the Agile Complexification Inverter mindset shapes Portfolio Equity Curve App.

The Agile Complexification Inverter blog has a simple mantra: start by deleting. Remove the clutter, the “just in case” features, and the over‑engineered abstractions, and you’re often left with a system that’s easier to reason about and faster to ship.

From a developer’s point of view, PortfolioEC is an exercise in that same philosophy:

Delete the dashboard noise.
Delete the manual‑sync workflows.
Delete the un‑anchored analytics.

Then, and only then, build the tighter, more coherent system that’s actually worth maintaining.

Delete the “everything‑at‑once” dashboard

Most portfolio apps start with a “god‑dashboard”: pie charts, watchlists, news feeds, and AI‑score widgets competing for attention. As a product, that’s a complexity trap; as a developer, it’s a polyglot of state machines, background sync jobs, and overlapping UI layers.

PortfolioEC deletes that entire pattern and replaces it with:

A single, stable entry point: the equity‑curve chart (1D, 1W, 1M, 3M, 1Y, 5Y, 10Y).
A transaction‑overlay layer that visually anchors buy/sell marks to that curve, so most of the UI reduces to “curve + events + drill‑down”.

As a developer, that change looks like:

Fewer “top‑level” screens and views.
A smaller, more focused view‑model graph.
One canonical “what‑happened‑when” timeline instead of multiple inconsistent dashboards.

In short: delete the dashboard, keep the curve, and let almost everything else be a drill‑down or a detail panel.

Delete the manual‑sync and spreadsheet‑driven workflows

Traditional portfolio tracking often pushes the complexity onto the user:

Manually copy‑pasting trades into spreadsheets.
Hand‑adjusting lot‑basing after splits or corporate actions.
Cross‑referencing tax‑lot data between broker and app.

PortfolioEC deletes those manual steps by baking the complexity into the data layer instead of the UI:

FIFO cost‑basis and split‑adjustment logic lives in the model, with tests that cover re‑splits, reverse‑splits, and corporate shuffles.
Trade‑attribution overlays are computed from the transaction history, not entered by the user.

For your codebase, that means:

A rich, well‑tested transaction model (buy/sell, splits, dividends, fees, transfers).
A single source of truth for lots and cost‑basis, so features like “show which trades moved the curve” become pure queries rather than UI‑driven edits.
Less “spreadsheety” state in the UI, which in turn reduces the surface area for bugs and race conditions.

The complexity is still there, but it’s pushed into testable, composable logic, not user‑driven copy‑paste.

Delete the generic “investor‑type” abstraction

Many portfolio apps start with abstractions like “retail investor,” “day trader,” or “buy‑and‑hold,” and then try to build one UI that serves all of them. The result is a feature‑sprawl that makes the codebase hard to reason about and hard to refactor.

PortfolioEC instead deletes the “generic investor” persona and assumes:

An investor who cares about their own equity curve, not someone else’s benchmark.
A developer who wants to expose investor‑specific timelines and trade‑attribution, not generic “market news + a chart.”

For your backlog and architecture, this looks like:

Time‑based aggregates at the domain level: “curve by account,” “curve by asset class,” “curve by strategy.”
Trade‑attribution endpoints or view‑models that connect your transaction history to price data and events (earnings, dividends, splits).
UI that’s built around “what‑happened‑when” stories, not “what’s trending now in the market.”

This makes the architecture feel more like an event‑sourced system around portfolio historythan a generic “feed + chart” app.

Delete early optimization; optimize only after clarity

A core idea in the Agile Complexification Inverter is that you should never optimize early. First clarify the model, delete the noise, and then think about performance, caching, or AI‑assisted features.

Applied to PortfolioEC, that means a clear ordering for your backlog:

Core model first
- Transactions, lots, splits, dividends, fees, transfers.
- Accurate FIFO cost‑basis and split‑adjusted curves.
Sync and reliability
- Account‑level history sync (broker + user‑entered).
- Conflict resolution and data‑recovery paths.
Visualization and analytics
- Equity curve per account, asset class, and strategy.
- Trade‑attribution overlays and drill‑downs.
Then optimization and “smart” features
- Prefetching and caching of historical curves.
- Background pre‑calculation of trade‑impact metrics.
- Eventually, AI‑assisted trade‑review or anomaly‑detection workflows.

If you invert that order — start with “smart recommendations” before you have a solid, testable model — you immediately end up with a brittle, entangled system where every feature is coupled to marketing hype and fragile data pipelines.

Delete features ruthlessly; keep the equity‑story

From a developer‑backlog perspective, the Agile Complexification Inverter question is:

“If we deleted this feature, would the core equity‑story still be clear and usable?”

Using that lens, PortfolioEC can obviously drop:

General‑market news feeds that don’t connect to your trades.
“Magic score” widgets that don’t reflect your actual cost‑basis or timing.
Over‑complicated watchlists that duplicate your existing portfolio data.

What you keep:

The equity curve + transaction overlays.
The event‑rich timeline (earnings, dividends, splits) tied to your trades.
The accurate, split‑adjusted cost‑basis that underpins every metric.

Everything else becomes a candidate for deletion — either now, or when it hasn’t demonstrably improved the investor’s understanding of their own equity story.

A complexity‑inverter developer’s backlog

If you were to summarize PortfolioEC’s developer backlog in Agile Complexification Inverter terms:

Delete:
- Cross‑tool spreadsheet gymnastics.
- Generic “investor persona” features.
- Early‑stage AI‑hype features built on shaky data models.
Refactor:
- The transaction and lot model into a well‑tested, split‑aware core.
- The view‑model layer around “curve + events + drill‑downs.”
Add (only after clarity):
- Fast, incremental sync and caching.
- Trade‑attribution analytics and “what‑if” scenarios.
- Optional, opt‑in AI‑assisted review of your own trade history.

The result is an app that doesn’t just ship faster — it’s simpler to reason about, easier to test, and more aligned with how real investors actually think about performance.

Portfolio Equity Curve App - Delete the dashboard; Keep the Curve

2026-04-13T16:03:00.001-05:00

Most portfolio apps start with a “you own all of this” dashboard: pie charts, news feeds, watchlists, and AI‑generated recommendations fighting for your attention. The user ends up overwhelmed, not empowered.

PortfolioEC takes the opposite path:

It begins with a single, clean equity‑curve chart that shows your portfolio’s value over time, across 1D, 1W, 1M, 3M, 1Y, 5Y, and 10Y views.
Your buy/sell trades appear as markers on that same curve, so you can visually see which decisions drove growth and which dragged you down.

By deleting the “feed‑driven” UI and defaulting to the curve, PortfolioEC forces focus on what actually matters: performance over time and the trades that shaped it.

Delete the complexity traps

Many portfolio tools invite you to:

manually tag “winner” or “loser” trades,
maintain spreadsheets of “what‑if” scenarios,
cross‑reference tax‑lot data in a separate system.

PortfolioEC instead deletes those manual steps and replaces them with embedded simplicity:

Precise lot matching with FIFO cost‑basis calculations, so you don’t need to keep handwritten lot notes.
Split‑adjustment handling that keeps your historical equity curve accurate after splits and corporate events.
Visual trade‑attribution overlays that show which lots were sold, how long they were held, and where they fall on the price chart.

The result is less busywork and more insight: you no longer have to “translate” between your spreadsheet, your broker, and your app.

Delete the generic; keep the investor‑specific view

Most portfolio apps are optimized for “any investor,” which means they show generalized metrics that don’t reflect your actual decision‑making.

PortfolioEC deletes the one‑size‑fits‑all dashboard and instead exposes:

How your entries and exits line up with earnings announcements, dividends, and splits.
Performance attribution by individual trade, so you can answer questions like: “Was that early‑morning impulse trade anything but noise?”
Long‑term, multi‑account views that roll up bank accounts, brokerages, and off‑platform investments into one coherent equity story.

In other words, it deletes the “general investor” persona and replaces it with your equity biography — a timeline of risk, timing, and conviction.

Delete early optimization; optimize only after clarity

One of the core ideas in the Agile Complexification Inverter is that you should never optimize early. First define the system, delete the noise, and then make it faster, smoother, or more intelligent.

PortfolioEC follows that pattern:

Core structure first: equity curve, transaction overlays, multi‑account aggregation, and accurate cost‑basis.
Only then does it layer on advanced analytics like technical indicators mapped against your own trade history, and API‑driven market‑data plumbing.
The app is built on iOS 18+ technologies (SwiftUI, SwiftData), so future optimizations (like faster history sync, richer chart interactions, or AI‑assisted trade‑review workflows) can be grafted on cleanly, without re‑inventing the core model.

By delaying heavy‑handed automation until after the model is clear, PortfolioEC stays lean while leaving room for smart, surgical enhancements.

A “complexity‑inverter” mindset for your portfolio

If you imagine your portfolio as a system, the Agile Complexification Inverter mindset asks: “What can we delete here before we add anything else?”

With PortfolioEC, that means:

Deleting surface‑level noise and defaulting to the equity curve.
Deleting manual lot‑tracking and spreadsheet gymnastics in favor of integrated, split‑aware calculations.
Deleting generic dashboards in favor of investor‑specific timelines and trade‑attribution.

The result is an app that doesn’t just track your money — it inverts the complexity of modern investing into a clear, human‑scale story you can actually learn from.

the Partnership ahead ... Agile PMI

2025-01-10T20:38:00.002-06:00

If you felt the earth shake on 12/31/2024... it may be because you have a footing in the Agile world. I've removed most of my connections to that space... but I saw the tremors and went to look for the cause.

Here's about the best breakdown I've read:

Agile Alliance / PMI Partnership ?

Join me at The Swift Dojo - learning about the Apple App ecosystem.

What is the Most Successful Business Model?

2023-05-24T15:27:00.007-05:00

My friend and colleagues have released their new book:

Software Profit Streams(TM): A Guide to Designing a Sustainably Profitable Business

And it has me thinking about what it means to be a sustainable business. My best definition of a sustainable business would be to look at the lifetime longevity of the business. My guess is that a family business would be the most sustainable model. One could include a monarchy in that class of business model (looking at the House of Windsor).

I recently saw Andrew Kelley's conference talk on ZiG (a new language) - his section on "predicting the future" (20 minutes into the talk) discusses some interesting aspects of sustainable business models.

Then a friend of mine asked me a question - Does a solopreneur care about profit?

My answer: Yes - of course. But on pondering a bit more... it is not at all about profit - that is only a happy accident if it occurs at all.

So if your business depends upon another business - you better care about their model. Profit - might be a poor indicator of sustainability.

March 2024 - Had a great conversation with Alex G. of OptionsAI.com they have a *NEW* vision of Stock Market Options Trading Platforms. They are executing very well. I have a bit of an issue with the marketing - they have really MISSED the value proposition with their static screenshots of the very beginning of the trade. The great value of this platform is NOT the trade execution moment - but the series of moments - in REAL-Time of the evolution of the trade. With my first trade on the platform, I was floored by the continued visualization of the trade. It is unbelievable - no AI is required. Just reframing the problem domain. Building a trading platform for humans, not training people to use the existing infrastructure from the last century.

Alex recommended Read Write Own - a book by Chris Dixon.

I've not read Chris Dixon's theses ... just the small excerpt here. I don't think I'm buying the BlockChain Internet Era - however.

Alex, was suggesting that one needed to OWN the complete TECH Stack of their platform. Maybe that's true. But, Andrew Kelly, makes a great point in his talk, that the consumer has different needs than the business. And the Open Source model meets that consumer need in the long-term much better than the corporate model.

The NEW assistant to the Product Owner

2023-05-23T20:30:00.008-05:00

Have you heard about the PO's new assistant?

It is quite the item of gossip - isn't it?

Could you imagine if we were to outsource our development jobs to someone? Someone in another country, a foreigner, or an artificial life-form, an AI - oh the shame of it all!

What would it require to craft an AI with the ability to write a Product Backlog? Would we require special software, expensive specialist knowledge, and millions of dollars?

Would we be able to trust that the user stories the AI wrote and placed in our backlog were the correct requirements for our unique product?

It is the 21st Century - we have to be ready!

That is a quote from Captian Jack Harkness, and he is in a Time to know.

Let's run a test. Let's try the AI out and see if it could write the basic product backlog for a travel app. Phone apps have been around now for 15 years or more. The best ones are targeted at just such a task.

We could then see if the AI generated user stories were good enough. First let's define good enough. A good enough user story is one that the team would be willing to start work upon next sprint. One that they could size and ellobrate upon maybe even slice up and make it better in Sprint Refinement. That is the working definition of good enough. We will know the work that needs to be done on these user stories by doing the work!

I asked my AI assistants for the first 5 user stories of our travel app.

Sure! Here are the first five user stories for the new software application:

As a traveler, I want to be able to search for and book flights easily, providing me with various options based on my preferred dates, destinations, and airlines, so that I can efficiently plan my air travel.
As a user, I want the application to provide real-time flight status updates, including departure and arrival times, gate information, and any delays or cancellations, so that I can stay informed about my flights and make necessary adjustments to my travel plans.
As a traveler, I want the ability to search for and reserve rental cars at my destination, specifying the pickup and drop-off dates and locations, as well as the car type and any additional services or features, so that I can conveniently arrange transportation during my trip.
As a user, I expect the software application to integrate with popular hotel booking platforms, allowing me to search for accommodations based on my desired location, check-in and check-out dates, and preferred amenities, and make reservations seamlessly, ensuring a comfortable stay during my travels.
As a traveler, I want the application to provide a centralized itinerary management feature, where I can view and manage all my travel details in one place, including flight bookings, rental car reservations, and hotel stays, so that I can easily access and organize my travel plans.

These user stories focus on the core functionalities of the software application, addressing the needs and requirements of travelers in managing and tracking air travel, rental cars, and hotel stays.

Let's pause here and critic the stories. The 5 user stories certainly follow the classic template. The AI even mistakenly uses the term "user" in some stories, and the better term "traveler" in others. But most impressive is the stories all have a sensible "so that" value phrase.

The downfall of the group is that I do not believe the AI understood the meaning of "first". While these are good and general early stories for delivering an app - they are not the FIRST FIVE the team will wish to implement.

Yet the wonderful thing about my AI Assistant is that it accepts feedback and instantly tries to incorporate this feedback into our shared work product - the backlog.

That first story seems rather large for the implementation team. Please divide it into 5 user stories.

Certainly! Here are five user stories derived from the original first user story:

As a traveler, I want to be able to search for flights based on my preferred dates, destinations, and airlines, so that I can efficiently plan my air travel.
As a traveler, I want to view a list of available flight options after performing a search, including relevant details such as flight times, airlines, and prices, so that I can compare and choose the most suitable option.
As a traveler, I want to be able to select a flight from the list of available options and proceed to the booking process, providing necessary personal and payment details, so that I can confirm and secure my flight reservation.
As a traveler, I want to receive a confirmation email or notification upon successful flight booking, including all relevant flight details and a booking reference number, so that I can have a record of my reservation.
As a traveler, I want the ability to view and manage my booked flights, including the option to modify or cancel a reservation if needed, so that I have control over my travel plans.

By breaking down the original user story, we have created smaller, more manageable user stories that focus on specific functionalities of the flight booking process. This allows the implementation team to work on each story independently, ensuring better clarity and progress tracking during development.

That was quick... and useful. Do they continue to pass the good enough test? Yes. I believe so.

One very nice aspect of these stories is they are NOT describing the implementation details nor the underlying technology required to resolve all the unwritten requirements (e.g. a data base to store traveler info, user accounts, etc.). This may be view as a plus or a negitive by some development teams. If it is viewed negitively - I would double down on the Agile Mindset philosphy trainning.

OK - I feel that we could work with this AI Assistant to develop a rather well though out product backlog. So let's skip ahead a bit and thorw some wish-list ideas that came from the executive suite at the AI.

Please write user stories for this list of ideas:

Destination Weather Info

One Click to switch to Traveler’s preferred Weather App

Flight Check-In

Share travel plans with family, friend or co-workers

Flight change notification via email, text message, or alert

View Trip in List of Events (timeline)

Add Trip info manually

Monitor other’s trips after receiving their plans

Augmented Reality in Airport route mapping

Language Translation

Alerts for local inoculation required and recommended

Do it Yourself Full body Scanner

And here are the AI Assistant's stories.

Here are the user stories based on the provided list of ideas:

As a traveler, I want to access destination weather information within the application, displaying current weather conditions, forecasts, and any severe weather alerts, so that I can plan and prepare accordingly for my trip.
As a traveler, I want the ability to seamlessly switch to my preferred weather application with a single click from within the travel management app, so that I can obtain more detailed weather information and forecasts.
As a traveler, I want to be able to perform flight check-in through the application, providing necessary details such as passport information, seat selection, and baggage preferences, to expedite the check-in process and receive my boarding pass.
As a traveler, I want to easily share my travel plans with family, friends, or co-workers directly from the application, allowing them to view my itinerary, flight details, and hotel reservations, so that they can stay informed about my travels.
As a traveler, I want to receive flight change notifications via email, text message, or alerts within the application, informing me of any updates or changes to my flight schedule, such as delays, cancellations, or gate changes.
As a traveler, I want the option to view my trip as a list of events or in a timeline format within the application, displaying all relevant travel details and activities in chronological order, so that I can easily track and manage my itinerary.
As a traveler, I want the ability to manually add trip information, such as non-flight related events, hotel stays, car rentals, and activities, within the application, so that I can have a comprehensive view of my entire trip itinerary.
As a user, I want to monitor other travelers' trips after receiving their travel plans, with their consent, allowing me to view their itineraries, flight details, and accommodation information, so that I can coordinate or assist them as needed.
As a traveler, I want to experience augmented reality (AR) technology within the application, providing me with airport route mapping, directions, and navigation assistance, enhancing my travel experience and making it easier to navigate through the airport.
As a traveler, I want language translation functionality within the application, allowing me to translate and understand different languages, signs, and conversations encountered during my travels, facilitating communication in foreign countries.
As a traveler, I want to receive alerts within the application for local inoculation requirements and recommendations based on my travel destination, providing me with important health information and ensuring I am prepared for any necessary vaccinations.
As a traveler, I want the option to utilize a do-it-yourself full-body scanner within the application, allowing me to complete security screening processes conveniently and efficiently at participating airports, reducing wait times and enhancing security measures.

These user stories cover a range of features and functionalities that address the needs and preferences of travelers using the software application for managing and tracking their travel plans.

What do you think my assistant will do with this next request?

Please decompose the 12 user stories into smaller stories for the team.

Let's talk User Experience - What's worse?

2023-03-20T20:16:00.001-05:00

I've recently been party to a somewhat rare event in one's life. It has made me think about the customer experience - or the UX that we discuss so much in software.

On a scale of 0 - 10 rank these events in your life:

Applying for and receiving a home mortgage.
Being the subject of Inter-Stellar Species cataloging and experimentation (Alien Abduction).
Having the periodic Colonoscopy exam.

I feel like I can be considered an expert in all of these areas, having multiple experiences in each unique domain. Here is how I rate them on the scale (terrible to uneventful):

(0) Home Mortage - - - - (5) - - - Colonoscopy - Alien Abduction (10)

What is your worst UX experience?

Is anything worse than a Home Mortage experience?

What is a Coder's Umwelt?

2022-11-13T11:38:00.003-06:00

I've been exploring the Umwelt of my dog, Malibu through our walks (it is a practice described by Ed Yong in An Immense World). So I'm practicing the practice of ... Umgebung (an Umwelt as seen by another observer).

It is an interesting practice - one that takes extreme empath - it is exhausting and exhilarating at times.

I read a book sometime in the 1990s about a spaceship crash-landing on a planet with beings like trees - the trees were sentient and I cannot remember the title nor much more about the storyline. Those trees had a unique Umwelt, and to communicate the humans had to first, practice Umgebung. [Note: this book could have been by Don Saker - Scattered Worlds series - maybe]. I've been reading about the Hlutr - they have a First Language - of color, they have a Second Language - of sounds, and they have the Universal Language. I'm trying to remember... investigate this...

When I read about a minke whale in captivity that "learned to speak" ... more could mimic a human voice. But to do this they had to do some extreme sound manipulation not typical in their native voice. The "catch" they told a working diver to get out of their pool. Investigating this story ... and pondering their deprived Unwelt... they were reaching out and exploring in the way their environment presented "itself" back to them. But to do this mimic - well that requires great neuroprocessing ability. Like the common - parrot - that we give little thought to...

What would be the First Language of Malibu? He's days old - eyes still closed after being born. He is yet to be sentient... he gets hungry and starts probing the environment with his tongue... finds mom's teat and starts sucking. So smell & taste are his First Language. Much later in life - perhaps after being sentient - he becomes able to understand (Umgebung) the world of his human and their sound Language - so he develops a Second Language of words, & gestures. He is quite good at both, and between us, there may be a nascent Third Language, typically my wife has to translate for Malibu and he has learned she speaks in this Third Language much better than I do. So it quite often appeals to her for me to get off the couch, or out of the programming chair and go for a walk. A walk where he will ignore me and wonder why I don't listen in his first language.

So this Umgebung of Malibu's Umwelt has me wondering if I can distinguish between a First & Second Language by the "facts" that a First Language is received but much less transmitted by the sentient. A Second Language is both received and propagated by the sentient.

This realization of a distinguishing characteristic for First/Second Languages - is brought about by Sarun's article on Swift KeyPaths being a Meta-Programming Language. Yes, dear reader, I'm getting to the point. What's the point?

I do not see the Swift KeyPath as a meta-programming behavior available to me... (should I apply ... YET). I've tried to read about keyPaths and get distracted before ever having the ah-ha! moment. Someone needs to hit me over the head with the point! I've tried to apply Double-Loop learning to KeyPaths, so that the Meta will ooze out... But OMG, it ain't happening. Maybe tomorrow I'll be smarter.

So then I got to pondering... (I love the nuance of the word... pondering) - what is a way to enhance my Umwelt when coding... the IDE is largely responsible for this - enhancement. Some people prefer to code in a basic editor... OK, to each their own. I now want my Xcode editor to pop up a small hover-window with the Instance name that is inferred by the compiler - especially on keyPaths that I'm often confusing what the compiler knows with what I think I "know" and those two are not the same! My mistake!

This whole line of pondering... may have been primed by a Twitter conversation that I had - perhaps mostly with myself... about why humans are still using a very Flat-World (2D) encoding of communication (text on a page) when we so definitely live in a 3D world. What would it take to raise the bar... to pop up a dimension... to communicate in 3D representation of Language? It could not be our "native" (First Language) it would require a popping of our mental stack - up a level of "sentience" (is there a word for this?).

So in order to understand a Coder's Umwelt... one most likely must have experience as a Coder. One would need many varied experiences of a Coder - because there is a wide swath of tasks and input/outputs the coder is learning to deal/juggle/manipulate - mostly in a 2D textural language that describes a virtual behavior (connected to the real via some actuators) that they might have written a test to specify the desired virtual --> actuator --> human response (via largely the visual cortex. What might happen if we popped up a very few layers and thought about how to generate a communication "system" a Language, that included much more than instantaneous light transmission - but encompassed some of our First Languages (smell, taste, touch) into a 3D communication media?

Pondering...

XP Explained - Embrace Change - ToC

2022-11-06T18:40:00.003-06:00

The first edition, 2000 copyright, version of XP Explained by Kent Beck has a uniquely great table of contents. I've talked with people about this... I feel that these 27 chapters could be the outline for a master's degree in software.

I don't know if this content was removed in later editions or what... I don't see it in the online versions of the table of contents.

At the risk of getting called out - here are some images of those pages. Decide for yourself - is this not the greatest SW Dev book of the last 30 years?

Table of Contents - eXtreme Programming eXplained

Introducing Ask Apple

2022-10-11T12:56:00.003-05:00

Did you see this offer for developer help? This is great for the solopreneur iOS Dev.

Limitless - Visualizing Wisdom

2022-10-11T12:54:00.001-05:00

I just found a site and fell in love with the illustrations. Here's just a sampling...

GoLimitless - Visualising the World's Wisdom.

A decade of Views

2022-09-15T20:37:00.003-05:00

The Google Site manager gave me this graph of the history of Agile Complexification Inverter views over the history (since 2011). In 2017 I guess I was most active and received about 15K per month.

An application of Benevolent Dictator with Dunbar's number in Mind.

2022-09-01T11:49:00.005-05:00

Do you want your team to run upon the principle of democracy or benevolent dictator or some form of holarchy or self-selection, etc? There are many ways to organize or self-organize. But the one form that humans have found valuable and worth repeating is best described by the term Benevolent Dictator. This is the pattern that describes so so many of our businesses and many organizations. We must find it useful.

I just heard that scientists have found that dolphins have a tiered network of associations.

"Bottlenose dolphins form multi-level alliances to find mates — the largest known network outside of humans, according to a new study. Bottlenose dolphins are social creatures, usually traveling in a pod of 12 or more, even though they do strike out on their own from time to time."

I was talking with a business owner who described one of the key factors in his weeding out of people that didn't fit well with the company (either culturally, mission, temperament, etc.) He resonated with the classic communication connections required for a human network to function well (Order of Magnitude N*N). This may relate to a human cognitive capability - typically called Dunbar's number (150).

If multiple typical persons in the company (team) didn't know what another specific person was working upon... and this was common. That specific person was suspected of "not fitting in" and was worth further evaluation. That is to say - he didn't hesitate to fire that person, as they were friction to the collaborative social construct the company fostered (e.g. culture)

A Divided House - US Congress

See Also: a list of reading on the topic of scaling up and team size: Before Scaling UP - Consider.

Do you recognize this definition of Agile?

2022-08-20T11:20:00.001-05:00

Here's a 2022 Article about what Agile is and even better a combined V-Shaped software development method that combines the best of Agile with Waterfall. Proving that just because you can read it - doesn't make it TRUE.

The Growing Popularity of Agile in Software Development

Nate Nead / 20 Aug 2022 / ReadWrite

The Agile model of software development is becoming more and more popular compared to the V-shaped model. This model is based on iterations and feedback, and it allows for changes to be made quickly and effectively. The V-shaped model is a combination of the two most popular models currently in use-Agile and Waterfall.

The Agile model of software development is a more recent model that has been gaining in popularity in recent years. It is based on the principle of iterations-meaning that the software is developed in short, repeatable cycles-and feedback. This allows for changes to be made quickly and effectively, which is beneficial for both the customer and the developer.

The Agile model can be broken down into four main phases:

Planning: In this phase, the team establishes what needs to be done and how it will be done.
Development: In this phase, the team works on developing the software.
Testing: In this phase, the team tests the software to make sure it meets the requirements set in the planning phase.
Release: In this phase, the software is released to the customer.

One of the main benefits of using the Agile model is that it allows for changes to be made quickly and effectively. This is important because it means that the customer can give feedback and make changes during the development process, which helps to ensure that they are getting what they want. It also means that developers can make changes quickly without having to wait for approval from higher-ups. This makes for a more efficient and productive work environment.

Another benefit of using Agile is that it encourages collaboration between team members. The team works together closely to complete each cycle, which helps to build teamwork and communication skills. Additionally, since tasks are assigned during the planning phase and then worked on during the development phase, everyone knows what they are responsible for and there is less confusion overall.

Challenges associated with using Agile include managing changing requirements and ensuring that all stakeholders are on board with the new way of working. Additionally, teams need to be able to work effectively together in order to be successful with Agile. If team members do not get along or are not able to communicate well, then it will be difficult to implement this model successfully.

What is the V-Shaped Model

The V-shaped model is a combination of the two most popular models currently in use-Agile and Waterfall. It offers the benefits of both models, such as the quick turnaround times of Agile and the detailed planning and documentation of Waterfall.

The V-shaped model is a good option for companies that want the best of both worlds. It allows for the flexibility that is needed in today’s fast-paced world, while also providing the stability and organization that is often required for larger projects. Additionally, it can be more cost effective than using two separate models, since it eliminates the need for multiple teams and overlapping resources.

There are some challenges associated with using the V-shaped model, such as ensuring that everyone is on board with the new way of working and managing changing requirements. Additionally, teams need to be able to work effectively together in order to be successful with this model. If team members do not get along or are not able to communicate well, then it will be difficult to implement this model successfully.

Waterfall vs. Agile

Waterfall differs from Agile in that it is a sequential model in which tasks are completed one at a time in a predefined order. This can often lead to delays as teams wait for approvals from higher-ups before moving on to the next task. Additionally, if requirements change after tasks have been started, it can be difficult to make changes without starting over from scratch.

Waterfall has been around for a longer time than Agile and is often used for larger projects where there is more certainty about the requirements. It provides detailed documentation and planning, which helps to ensure that everyone is on the same page and there are no surprises down the road. There are some advantages to using Waterfall, such as its predictability and its focus on quality assurance.

However, there are also some disadvantages of using Waterfall, such as its inflexibility and its tendency to lead to delays. Additionally, it can be more expensive than other models due to the need for multiple teams and overlapping resources.

How to Implement the Agile Model for Your Business

If you’re looking to implement the Agile model in your business, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. First, it’s important to have a clear understanding of what Agile is and how it works. Additionally, you need to be able to adapt to changes quickly and be willing to try new things.

One of the benefits of using Agile is that it can be customized to fit your specific needs. There are a variety of different frameworks available, so you can choose the one that is best suited for your company. Additionally, you need to be willing to invest time and resources into training your team members on how to use Agile.

It’s also important to have a good communication plan in place. The team needs to be able to communicate effectively with each other and with stakeholders in order to ensure that everyone is on the same page. If there is a lack of communication, it can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts.

Finally, you need to be patient. It takes time for teams to adjust to using a new model and for them to see the benefits. But if you’re able to stick with it, Agile can help your business become more agile and responsive to changes in the market.

Conclusion

The Agile model of software development is becoming more and more popular as businesses strive to become more agile and responsive to changes in the market. This model is based on iterations and feedback, which allows for changes to be made quickly and effectively. There are also a number of challenges and opportunities associated with using this model. The V-shaped model is a good option for companies that want the best of both worlds, combining the quick turnaround times of Agile with the detailed planning and documentation of Waterfall. However, teams need to be able to work together effectively in order to be successful with this model. If team members do not get along or are not able to communicate well, then it will be difficult to implement successfully.

Nate Nead

Nate Nead is the CEO & Managing Member of Nead, LLC, a consulting company that provides strategic advisory services across multiple disciplines including finance, marketing and software development. For over a decade Nate had provided strategic guidance on M&A, capital procurement, technology and marketing solutions for some of the most well-known online brands. He and his team advise Fortune 500 and SMB clients alike. The team is based in Seattle, Washington; El Paso, Texas and West Palm Beach, Florida.

BBQ life coach leads you to new understanding of the Agile Manifesto

2022-01-09T16:48:00.002-06:00

Some times it takes time to process great truths. They don't all hit you like a grand piano falling from the 5th floor. Many take time and considerable ruminating to totally GROK.

The 20-Day Agility Challenge

DeMystifying Agility, one belief at a time.

There is a good friend of mine that has worked to make the Agile Manifesto reachable by the many people who need to read (reread) and come to terms with its true meaning. Here is Derek's summary in a multipart pod-cast The Long Way Around the Barn.

PLAY EPISODE

Podcast: Unlimited Agility

The Agile Manifesto is often thought of as a historical event or document, but Derek Lane is hoping to redefine how it’s introduced and revisited because the principles are time- and battle-tested in how it brings value to people. As 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of the Agile Manifesto, Lane and fellow colleagues have formed a community, Unlimited Agility, where you won’t find answers, but you will find like-minded individuals to challenge your beliefs and help you grow in your thinking and your work.

Part I: Deconstructing the Agile Manifesto to Make Better Barbecue

The first of a series where guest Derek Lane deconstructs the Agile Manifesto and applies its lessons to making better barbecue. In this episode, you'll hear how his journey as a continuous learner helped him pursue and map together both passions.

Part II: Deconstructing the Agile Manifesto to Make Better Barbecue

Guest Derek Lane deconstructs the Agile Manifesto and applies its lessons to making better barbecue. In this episode, they discuss the Agile Manifesto and the four value pairs.

Part III: How Deconstructing the Agile Manifesto Makes You Better at Barbecue

Guest Derek Lane deconstructs the Agile Manifesto and applies its lessons to making better barbecue. In this episode, they discuss the first two principles of the Agile Manifesto.

Part IV: Deconstructing the Agile Manifesto to Make Better Barbecue

Guest Derek Lane deconstructs the Agile Manifesto and applies its lessons to making better barbecue. In this episode, they discuss principles 3-6 of the Agile Manifesto.

Part V: How Deconstructing the Agile Manifesto Makes You Better at Barbecue

In this episode, Derek Lane and Matthew D Edwards deconstruct principles 7-10 of the Agile Manifesto to help software developers and engineers bring more value to clients but also, become better barbecue pitmasters.

Part VI: How Deconstructing the Agile Manifesto Makes You Better at Barbecue

Guest Derek Lane deconstructs the Agile Manifesto and applies its lessons to making better barbecue. In this episode, they discuss the final two principles of the Agile Manifesto.

How does a Rocket Engineer Reason?

2021-08-12T10:52:00.004-05:00

They tell me I'm not a Rocket Engineer - and it's true. To think like a rocket engineer is to think very differently. So who is a rocket engineer - I bet you came up with the name Elon.

Here is Elon's thought process for building rockets.

Make the requirements less dumb. Question the requirements - the constraints are wrong. Especially if the requirements are given by an expert. Also all requirement need to be traceable to a person - not a department.
Delete the part or the process - it's redundant or not at all needed. Remember the human bias is to add. The rocket engineer should be adding back only after first deleting and proving it must be added back (an acceptable rate of re-addition is 10%).
Simplify or optimize only after steps 1 & 2. Never optimize early. Do NOT optimize the thing that shouldn't exist. Example SpaceX grid fin folding parts - they just are not needed.
Excelerate cycle time. But only after 1, 2, 3 and sometimes just to find the new bottle neck.
Automate the process or part production - as the last step.

The creations process is inside an iteration cycle. One must iterate toward acceptable engineering.

One of the downfalls of the Space Shuttle program was that it could not iterate on the requirements because it had human life on board - therefore safety was primary - not learning.

Yet another problem - in process testing that's left in the process - after end of process testing is passing.

It appears that one of the parts you can delete is the grid-fin folding mechanism - it's not on the Super-Heavy rocket grid-fins.

See: Everyday Astronaut's Starbase Tour with Elon Musk (part 1). (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t705r8ICkRw 15:00 min)

Item number 1 - Question the requirements reminds me of some other fliers - the Wright Brothers and what they had to do to achieve controlled flight. They discovered that the prevailing knowledge of the day on drag and lift were not working out for their machines. So in 1901 they built a wind tunnel and balance scales and began testing wind foils for them selves. https://airandspace.si.edu/exhibitions/wright-brothers/online/fly/1901/flight.cfm

Some concepts from Simon Wardley.

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Your invitation to join me in Unlimited Agility

2021-06-24T15:14:00.001-05:00

Unlimited Agility

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I'd like to invite you to our community, Unlimited Agility.

It takes less than a minute to join and together we're sharing our stories, experiences, and ideas.

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Discovering unlimited agility through servant leadership.

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Imposing Process is a Known Failure of Agile

2021-05-26T11:30:00.003-05:00

Where do you stand on the imposition of a process upon the workers doing the work?

Is this Imposition OK in the Agile community? Well, yes if one observers the work in enough work places it becomes quite obvious that this is common practice, and done by the most Agile of the change initiatives.

But have YOU stopped to question this practice of imposition?

Martin Fowler - Where we (the agile community) are in 2018 - 3 main topics (AIC Imposing Process, Technical Excellence, Organize around Products) at Agile Ausis (2018). "It sounds like success."

"Individuals and Interactions over Process and Tools" - "The team chooses its own path." "And it goes further than that..." "the team should not just choose the process, but they should be actively encouraged to continue to evolve it and change it as they go..." (7 minutes into talk).

the Post COVID-19 Workforce Return with Different Expectations

2021-03-10T10:42:00.001-06:00

Hey Manager,

I'm going to work from home this week, you can IM me if you need anything. I will be at the beach with my family. No, I'm not talking vacation - why would I... I'll be working.

How will you respond?

Returning to work is going to raise some command and control issues. Are you buying the works time and presence and efforts for an 8 hour day - or has that changed? We have experienced a different way. Can we discuss what this means upon the return to work?

The shape of Classic Sprint Burndown Charts

2021-03-08T10:54:00.002-06:00

Many new leaders of scrum teams want to know what the burndown chart "should" look like. Some even start running statistical calculations on the data (I once worked with a 'coach' that had a spreadsheet custom designed to extract just such anomalies). The best answer I've given is a session on the whiteboard to explain:

how the data is obtained
how accurate & precise the data is - just good enough & not any better
interruptions that MAY be made ... but only by the TEAM

So here is that whiteboard session - on index cards...

Let's go one at a time.

They are learning to make their work visible... praise this effort - it can be quite scary to show your work.

Do not use tools that show this mathematically perfect line from start to finish. Only robots are capable of such precession, and only with the perfect PLAN.

If you see something like this in the first 3 or 4 sprints... it is a good sign. Now reduce the scope of work by at least HALF.

This is what a great team of high performing collaborating team mates can achieve.

What if the performing team does this 3 sprints in a row?

A performing team that can PULL in work can increase their Velocity - this is the only way to see acceleration. PUSHING will not work.

[speller errors are to be blamed upon the ink pen]

No Problem: Our ScrumMaster was Kidnapped

2021-02-25T11:41:00.000-06:00

Years ago there was a pattern in the Scrum community - loosely call "Kidnapp the ScrumMaster" - I googled and didn't easily find it - so here the reason this is a good practice.

In general I am not talking about kidnap and ransom... I'm talking about agreeing with the ScrumMaster before the daily Scrum that they have an important personal errand and they just disappear for 30 minutes, with no warning, no preparedness, nothing - just gone!

Then observing the team, from a distance - do not take over any of the duties of "DRIVING THE MEETING" (yuck) do not step in and facilitate. The objective is to see the team, wait a few minutes and then start their daily Scrum meeting without missing a beat.

If this can happen for the SM it could happen to any Team Member. Feel empowered to kidnap other Team's players from time to time to test the resiliency of the teams.

I suggest once a month all the SM meet at the local coffee bar to have a group kidnapping.

Fascinating Brains - beyond the tool-making brain.

2021-02-21T15:57:00.005-06:00

Here is the set up of the classic joke:

A human brain, a dolphin brain, a octopus brain, and an ant brain walk in to a bar....

Well that will not happen... but 4 diverse experts studying those creatures brains did walk into an interview and this is what came out of it.

"Redefine 'Man', redefine 'Tool', or accept chimpanzees as human." - Louis Leakey

PARTICIPANTS: Simon Garnier, Suzana Herculano-Houzel, Frank Grasso, Denise Herzing MODERATOR: Faith Salie

The Swift Dojo - my newest venture

2020-11-14T15:50:00.003-06:00

I have embarked on a new venture,... writing about my journey of learning Swift, the iOS platform and the Apple Ecosystem.

Part of this new venture is working with an old friend and colleague Lancer Kind - a Sci-Fi writer, developer of TDD code, and fun guy to hang out with. He's refreshing my rusty skills as a Test-First Enthustictic Code Designer... and keeping me honest about the TDD practice. He is the founder of TDD.Academy and has a Twitch.TV (and a YouTube channel) stream.

We are broadcasting our Baseball Scorecard iOS App development on Fridays 5:30 CT. You can read more about it on TheSwiftDojo.com (we don't have a cool logo yet).

Last Friday (Nov 20th) we had a good show... got the first few tests with ViewInspector working and understood. ViewInspector is a library tool for testing the SwiftUI views quickly without having to spin up a simulator and navigate the UI into the code under test. Instead of the UI navigation you implement the Inspection protocol and then walk the view chain down to what you wish to verify. This performs in the microsecond time frame that good unit test require. Instead of the seconds required navigating the UI.

The first few articles:

Baseball Object Model

Is TDD Effective

Twelve Days of Christmas Kata & Challenge

Notes on XCTest Framework

Baseball Kata

Katas List - with Fibonacci Sequence

The Umpire - Baseball's Final Answer

2020-10-16T22:38:00.000-05:00

It ain't nothing - until I call it.

- The Umpire

My brother was an intramural league referee at App State (that's Appalachian State in NC); that's the most important lesson they taught beginners. So if you were going to start to program a baseball game - where would you start? At some point, you are going to come to the conclusion that on any given play... anything could happen... that is until the Ump calls the play. So is this key person part of the object model?

In November Lance Kind & I are going to start on a venture to program a baseball game - in Swift on the iOS Apple platform. We are going to start with Test Driven Development - Red, Green, Refactor. The end goal - to have an App to launch in the Apple Store.

I'm not real sure what that App might do... but I trust it will emerge and we will learn quite a lot about the app as we build it. We have set some other objectives: to practice TDD, to learn Swift 5+, to use SwiftUI (a declarative GUI), to use and learn the XCTest framework including the UI testing features. Oh also to learn the Apple App eco-system and deploy to the store and make 10s of dollars.

If you want to join us on this venture - please do... chime in on the comments... join the Twitch TV TDD Acadamy comment on Twitter, etc. I will also be blogging on The Swift Dojo.

Tonight I've been thinking about telling the first user story... here's the first draft.

some memorable title...

I want to watch a baseball game in real-time on my phone as my neese is the shortstop at the local school - the Eagles. They are playing the Bobcats at 5 pm and I cannot make it to the game. But I'm sure someone there will broadcast the play-by-play events. I'd like to be able to watch as the roster's scorecard filled its-self out as each play was called. For example, if there was one out and the right fielder got up to bat and hit into a double play - I'd see something like this:

The Last Hominide Standing...

2020-09-01T17:27:00.004-05:00

We are the last Hominidae standing...

Well, at this moment in time / history / as far as we can predict into a reasonable future (but Planet of the Apes starts in 2011 and the original story is set in 3978!) By that time apes have started bipedal movement. And are standing quite well. I say this to point out that it is far too early (in evolutionary terms) to say H. sapiens is the last of the Hominidae (all apes - who knows why the gibbons were separated out?). And our future is very questionable - given our terrible politics of division - our count down clock to nuclear (doomsday clock - 100 seconds to midnight!) annihilation, our refusal to deal with human climate destabilization, and our inability to curb our desires.

Each of those species on the tree of life is at the pinnacle of evolution! We H. sapiens are just one, and just happen to hold the cat-bird seat in the food pyramid. That could change quite quickly - it did for the dino's back in the day (KT-day).

But how did we climb to the top of the pinnacle - what has made the human a fit for survival species?

Anthropologists might tell you we were not the fittest - our 50 yard dash time is not that good. And we are good at long distances... have you seen the movie, Hidalgo? It is a great story of legendary horseman Frank Hopkins and his mustang Hidalgo. Frank and Hidalgo outrun the pure bread Arabians and the Bedouins across the Najd desert to the sea in the 3000 miles "Ocean of Fire" endurance horse race. But not that good... the horse won the race not the rider.

But humans gain considerable advantages in groups. We group up well. Heck some of us do this so well that we stand in lines... sometimes for no apparent reason (like at the DMV). It is this - almost unique - ability to group up, while still collaborating with other groups/individuals that have made humans a force to be reckoned with.

In their writings authors, Biran Hare & Vanessa Woods discuss our uniquely human ability to be friendly and team up with others. I've yet to read their book Survival of the Friendliest - Why We Love Insiders and Hate Outsiders, and How we can Rediscover our Common Humanity - but I've devoured a few articles. It reinforces the collaboration principle underlying all of Agile - Software Systems - Industry - Enlightenment - etc.

See Also:

Are we in one large group delusion - our mass media attention-grabbing delusion that I am the center of it ALL?

In the early days of digital culture, Jaron Lanier helped craft a vision for the internet as public commons where humanity could share its knowledge -- but even then, this vision was haunted by the dark side of how it could turn out: with personal devices that control our lives, monitor our data and feed us stimuli. (Sound familiar?) In this visionary talk, Lanier reflects on a "globally tragic, astoundingly ridiculous mistake" companies like Google and Facebook made at the foundation of digital culture -- and how we can undo it. "We cannot have a society in which, if two people wish to communicate, the only way that can happen is if it's financed by a third person who wishes to manipulate them," he says.

How we need to remake the Internet - Jaron Lanier - TED Talk