How to write technical documentation: Tips and tools

Technical documentation is a catch-all term for writing that tells the end-user how to use your product, and what it can do. In relation to software engineering, technical documents can take many different forms. The goal of this type of writing is to explain everything the reader needs to know, in a way they can understand. Relative to the software development life cycle (SDLC), these documents also keep objectives clear for the developers and shareholders and maintain the organization. Simple, right? Unfortunately, it can be far more complex than that.

16 Web application ideas to start a business with

If you’ve made it to this website, you already know what a web application is, but just in case you’re unsure, here’s a quick explanation. A web application is a computer-based program that uses the Internet to perform specific functions for the user. This can be anything from a pizza joint’s make-your-own-pie page, to an online appointment reservation system at your local doctor’s office.

Sprint Reviews and Sprint Retrospectives: What’s the difference?

Sprint reviews take place after the sprint goal has been met, and before the next sprint planning session. The goal of each sprint is usually a functional increment, or deliverable. People who should attend these meetings are the stakeholders, Scrum Master and team, and the product owner. These meetings shouldn’t be any more than 4 hours, to keep them from being tedious. 2 to 3 hours should be enough to cover all the relevant topics.

Time and materials vs fixed-price: Comparison of pricing models

When we outsource a software development project, we need to know which billing agreement will best meet our needs. We have the choice between two major types of billing agreements: Time and materials and fixed-price. Each model offers distinct advantages and disadvantages. Let’s take a closer look at these two models:

The guide to five scrum values

Back in 2016, the creators of Scrum, Ken Schwaber, and Jeff Sutherland, updated the Scrum Guide. They decided to add five values to the guide to help software development teams achieve their goals. While on their face these values may seem simple, they offer teams a set of tools to stay on track and deliver results. The five values are:

Scrum Release Planning & how to make one

Scrum in Agile is popular because of its efficiency, and it works so well because of the attention to detail and meticulous planning. A Scrum release plan is a guide that lays out what will be completed, when, and general progress. In addition, the release plan also factors in budget, deadlines, new priorities, and specifications. Despite being in Agile, release planning in Scrum has a rigid structure.

What is scrum velocity and how do we calculate it?

When we talk about scrum velocity, we talk about the number of user story points completed in each sprint. By user stories, we mean informal and naturally written descriptions of a feature in a software development project. We should write user stories from the perspective of the end-user. When measuring scrum velocity the development team uses story points.

8 scrum metrics to measure the effectiveness of your team

Scrum, an agile methodology, uses time-boxed sprints to organize projects. Time-boxing simply means that the sprint has a fixed time in which the team must complete the sprint. Each sprint typically lasts from one to four weeks. When operating within the scrum framework the software development team uses scrum events to manage iterations and control the process.

Minimum Viable Products examples and how to implement them

Minimum viable products (MVPs) are small, working increments of the new product or service a business wants to provide, and they are helpful when studying the market. It’s the most basic, yet still functioning, action that can show the customer what the product or service is offering. An MVP is minimal, meaning there are no extra features, and it’s viable, which means it can work as is.

Differences between IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS