6 things videogames have in common with software development

Sometimes you’re playing a game and wondering how similar it is to real life. Most of those times you’re comparing it to whatever the game is based on, but there are things that can be derived for other areas. In this article, I’ve picked 6 games and grabbed 6 things that they have in common with software development. They go from team management to communication, along with planning and risk management. Hope it’s a fun comparison! 🙂 A team needs time and stability (Football Manager 2019) How do you build a team that works as a team? Football Manager players...

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12 tips for having an awesome meeting

I have to admit it: the title is only partially true. These tips may contribute for awesome meetings, but they likely won’t be enough. However, they will help preventing dreadfully boring meetings. If you attend dreadfully boring meetings on a regular basis, you know that being able to prevent them is kind of awesome. 1. Invite only the required attendees Meetings can be both useful and a waste of time, depending on how they’re handled. But even the best meeting can be a waste of time for someone that shouldn’t be there. When scheduling a meeting, always see if the...

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Why I hate the open plan office layout

It goes by different names: open space office layout, open plan layout, open floor layout… and it’s everywhere. Whenever someone thinks about people working in an IT company, they’ll imagine a wide open office, filled with people sitting at their desks, brimming with activity. The theory is simple. Tear down the walls, eliminate the closed offices and sit everyone together in the same space. This will create an environment where people will talk to each other more easily, boosting communication and collaboration. Great ideas will pop up everywhere, and everyone will be immersed in this intense creative energy, causing productivity...

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5 things to keep in mind when working with distributed teams

A typical day for me can start with a meeting with people from China or India, proceed with some discussions with teams from Poland or Finland, feature syncs with teams from Portugal and end with a meeting with a customer team from somewhere in America. This is also similar to what a typical day may look like to most of you. Working with people from across the globe is commonplace nowadays, whether they’re from other teams or from your own team. However, while being commonplace, it does have its challenges. Here are 5 things to keep in mind if you’re...

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7 tips for working from home

I’ve started my career in a fully remote company, back in 2003. This wasn’t too common at the time but, 16 years and lots of network advancements later, working from home has become one of the most popular perks companies provide and fully remote companies are no longer an oddity. After some years in a regular office environment, I’ve recently resumed working that way a lot more often as well. Here are seven tips I’ve picked up during my experience with it. 1. Find a spot for meetings While working from home, you’re not restricted to your desk. Working on...

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