A Warrior In Each of Us

Frontline, they termed you, you went way beyond

Victim and hero, gasping, yet you carried on

Bizarre, it was to you, this way of life and death

God, to each one of us, you gave back breath

Your survival instinct, posessed for long, was tested again

Your selflessness and courage helped relieve others pain

You owned nothing yet could give so much

How will we be able to value you and be just?

Refrained from studying and playing with others together

Cancelled exams, online classes, masked altogether

Yet you maturely understood and learnt to adapt

Will it be possible to undo these months back?

You lost track of the days passing by at home

Drowned in the monotony of everyday chores that bummed

Yet you continued serving and supporting on repeat mode

As family is the foremost institution and home-the safest abode

The stands and the halls were gloomy and deserted

Your art provided some respite to the minds- wounded

You missed the crowd's appreciation more than the renumeration

Yet you continued to heal with your celebration

You were brave to change your offerings and models

You liquidated your assets and simplified your channels

You reminded us that the things that cannot be accounted count

You persisted with your faith that the markets will soon rebounce

You were at your home during a crisis trying to do your job

Changing plans, reduced budgets, work life (im)balance and what not

You missed the liberating drive to work and face to face conversation

Grateful that you could pay your bills but searching for purpose, health and satisfaction

Distanced from your loved ones by few or more meters, kilometres or light years

Caretakers for someone, counselling to remove fears

Organising centers, supplies, fundraising and food

Setting up helplines, improving immunity and lifting the mood

There is light at the end of this tunnel for sure

We will learn to celebrate normalcy and kindness above all

Changes in mindset, lifestyle and priorities, certainly less fuss

The battle is far from over but there is a warrior in each of us

Mentoring musically

A kid with a notebook in his tiny hands, sitting down in eagerness of what he would learn that day, discovering the difference between a nice sounding shruti and a bad sounding one, moving his fingers over the lines of the song on his notebook while singing even though he hardly knows how to read, relating what he has learnt to cartoon characters and the great Indian stories, correcting himself to stay in taalam and layam, laughing when he knows he isn’t getting the pronunciations right, clapping in joy after finally getting it on the keyboard, touching my feet before leaving (after demanding a chocolate!) and humming the tune all along his way back home- Ah! One of life’s most satisfying experiences has been teaching music to a 5 year old kid.

If music was a science, it would be about pitch, timbre and harmonics and I would have required extensive theoretical and practical sessions to get the funda across. If music was only about creativity then any creative child would have acquired and mastered it all by himself. If it was just an abstract concept, it would require ages to cognize what the soul of music was. It’s amazing how any skill is a beautiful confluence of god-giftedness, training, upbringing and observation which ought to be passed on and cherished in the process!

Talent can only be enhanced by spreading, by having the humility of knowing that the ocean of knowledge is boundless, by maintaining the spark of curiosity on with passing years and by keeping the ears open to let any fresh new tune in! Try mentoring a child, teach anything that you know, instill skill and ethics with the additional benefit of being able to stay a child forever! Act as a value adding nutrient to this sapling that will eventually grow into a big tree and hold the soil of this world! 

Acceptance Test Driven Development (ATDD)

ATDD (Acceptance Test Driven Development) is an interesting topic and has been around for some time, however, initially I had failed to understand it in totality. After some reading and some on the job experience, I am presenting my understanding on ATDD (Acceptance Test Driven Development) through this blog post. At the end of this seemingly technical text, if you exclaim that this is just some common sense that could be potentially useful in your agile project; I would consider my writing has made a reach!

Formally,

“Acceptance Test Driven Development (ATDD) is a practice in which the whole team collaboratively discusses acceptance criteria, with examples, and then distills them into a set of concrete acceptance tests before development begins. It’s the best way to ensure that we all have the same shared understanding of what it is we’re actually building. It’s also the best way to ensure we have a shared definition of done.”

(Source for definition: 

http://testobsessed.com/2008/12/acceptance-test-driven-development-atdd-an-overview/)

You should try ATDD if:

• You keep getting different viewpoints and concerns from stakeholders, product owners, developers and tester on the same story.
• You have a large agile team spread across various work locations.
• You have encountered situations wherein misunderstandings occur often because no one knows the misunderstandings exist and no one asks about them right up.
• Discussions on requirements often happen after defects are found-whether or not a defect is a defect or a future story!
• Developers and testers often get a different understanding of the same story.
• You want the testers to contribute through quality assurance, quality control, revealing holes in stories, other misalignment and eventually reducing risk.

ATDD process:

• Discussions take place over confirmation criteria of the story by the whole team. Inputs for test scenarios are obtained from all team members including stakeholders, product owners, developers and testers. All requirements clarification happen upfront. This happens just before, on or just after the day of planning for the iteration.
• Consensus obtained from all regarding the acceptance tests at the earliest.
• Testers begin to drill down the acceptance tests into test cases. Developers begin coding with the acceptance tests in hand.
• Coding is done. Testers test using their test cases to see whether acceptance criteria has been met or not. If a defect is found that hinders meeting of the acceptance criteria, the developer fixes the defect and retesting is done.
• Testers also perform exploratory testing ( by using domain knowledge, creativity and minimal planning)
• The team demos the working software for the story to the Product Owner for acceptance. Also, results of the exploratory tests, other potential risks, misalignment are highlighted. This often feeds as the input for future stories.

Some of these points might clarify your doubts at this stage:

• The questions that are asked to derive the acceptance tests from the confirmation criteria probably are as- How will we know we have done that? What about these? Does this also mean this? What would happen if otherwise?
• Acceptance Test Driven Development (ATDD) is NOT a testing technique. It is a development process wherein acceptance tests are specified upfront before any coding takes place.
• Acceptance Test Driven Development is actually NOT about testing. It is about communication, collaboration and clarity to counter notorious requirements that could be misunderstood and the unknown unknowns.
• Breaking down acceptance tests into test cases ( top-down approach) ensures completeness and alignment to what the customer expects.

Benefits of Acceptance Test Driven Development:

• Requirements clarification is done upfront. Whole team is on the same page.
• Inputs from all. Consensus from all. Works good for non-collocated teams.
• Developers code to meet acceptance criteria.
• Less chance of getting a defect that prevents acceptance of story.
• Testers' work gets cross-checked.
• Prevents unnecessary code changes/discussions towards iteration end.
• Smooth acceptance. Gives testers enough time for regression, highlighting risks and mis-alignments.
• More avenues for defect prevention

ATDD Vs TDD, BDD and Industry Trends:

• If you are browsing through this topic, you should also browse about BDD (Behavior Driven Development ) , TDD (Test Driven Development) and Specification By Example
• If you are interested in knowing about related tools and frameworks, do have a look at Fitnesse, Cucumber, Spectacular, Concordion, Thucydides etc.
  
   

The Ecstasy and Enigma of BEING 20 something!

It’s a phase, they say, when you feel like singing the popular “Mein Pareshaan” all the time. A phase where you experience all emotions together, jumbled up, back to back – weird to that extent that your thoughts play around perpetually in the labyrinth of your mind! So for the first time, your “Di” is writing a blog that doesn't offer clear solutions but just exposes the “mental state” that we – the 20 somethings share in common. Hope you enjoy it! 

It wouldn't be wrong to say that until recently you looked forward to your birthdays and now you no longer because you turn a year “older” with every year. Whether studying or working or waiting for something to happen to you, the million-dollar question remains – Ok. What Next? Most of the yes/no questions asked to us require 2 bit of memory storage these days – Yes, No, Do not know, Maybe and the traffic is more towards the latter two. For example - A volcanic eruption of brooding occurs when that very inquisitive relative of ours asks- yeppo namba veetula aduthudhu kalyanam?(When is the next marriage in the house?). You would feel like telling him/her when it happens you will surely send him/her an invitation with the date on it, but then actually it seldom is as simple as that. And then –We, the Devdases and the Meeras immerse ourselves into another set of infinite anxiety and confusion depending on the “status”. Singles desperately want someone, people having “someone” want it to work it out at home, and people who took no initiative and paid no thought over this sector of life begin to think how long they can remain in this “I really am perfectly happy without bothering about this” state, the others pray hard their parents get someone nice for them and a very few privileged ones have to choose between multiple options that lie in front of them. It wouldn’t be unfair to say that the“status” determines the “state of mind” and the “state of mind” determines the “status”. So there goes the music of our boggling lives in a loop yet again. How to approach? Whom to ask? What is the next best step? When is the right time? What will others think? Is this what I want? If these questions run in your mind, welcome to the “Being a Normal 20 something” gang. How we wish there was a 100% accurate Help Desk or Software that we could put our questions and get the answers! But the fun part is we have to play this game called “LIFE” – and I am afraid none of us is given any cheat code or power booster.

20 something is a powerful period of time wherein you start understanding the various circles of life and the best part is that it is this phase that we begin to set “desired states” propelled by the infinite supply of energy in us. However, academics, job, hobbies, family, friends and society all remain as disjoint sets with separate lines of focus. We begin to understand that education just teaches us “how to learn to learn” and that’s it. At work place it’s more of mind games and people games and money games and we still learn to make our way through.  How many of us get that one day attack of thought that we can and should do something for the affairs of the country or some kind of social work? How many of us convert them into actions? Or that thought in which you suddenly decide-“Yes! This is going to be my life!!”. Yesterday you measured everything in terms of status and money, today you begin thinking about the very controversial “happiness”. So what is that you want? ( Oh! Do not bother to answer!).Youth instills the bravado of exploring these various circles without any rules or regulations. Settling down, they say, is the act of finding/deciding an intersection point or balance between these various circles of life. Nevertheless that’s a distant “state of mind”.

Has this muddle suddenly appeared in our lives? No. The muddle has evolved. It has evolved as a result of our observations of the world and its complex dynamics. We begin to understand its various components, their interaction and the resulting effect created. Without doubt, the muddle keeps evolving as the years go by. By the time we gain clarity and we think it is wise to enlighten the NextGen with it we realize that during the course of our journey, the NextGen has evolved its own muddle! You see, there is no “Moksha” in this “Samsara” (Reference to Bhagwad Gita). Enjoy this muddle, play around for now, we shall settle down in sometime-don’t worry!

Be Agile Or Get Worn Out – The Choice is YOURS!

Recently, I attended sessions on the Agile Philosophy and its impact on the IT Industry. As I deep dived into it, I understood why they say – “You can’t do agile, you can only be agile”! I love relating everything to normal life so here I am with “The Agile Philosophy” as I view it in different dimensions like IT industry, Marketing, Social and personal life. And trust me, you do not need to be a Software Professional to enjoy this one. Hope you all like it!

I realized the importance of this word in IT Industry when I first uttered it during one of my interviews and there I saw the twinkling eyes of the interviewer and a big smile – like a satisfied father finally getting a suitable bride for his son!

Formally,

Agile is a philosophy (not a methodology) of software delivery in which

(i)                  Individuals and interactions are valued more than processes and tools

(ii)                Working software is valued more than comprehensive documentation

(iii)               Customer collaboration is valued more than contract negotiation

(iv)              Responding to change is valued more than following a plan

There is a large pool of agile practices out of which any team/organization can choose the ones suitable to the context.  Refer to http://guide.agilealliance.org/ if you want to explore them in detail. Each of these practices is intelligently and practically structured and very interesting to follow. I would suggest the IT beginners to have a look.

 Agile is more about changing the “mindset” or “fashion of operation” than change in process or methodology. Hence, its applicability is not just in one industry. You can beautifully fit it in anything and everything around you.

Look around in the arena of product development and marketing. Obsolescence levels have gone up to the extent that a Samsung Galaxy SII, which looked “fantabulously spectacular” looks outdated today when you see a Samsung Galaxy SIII. The product cycles have shrunk tremendously. Delays in delivery have cost Nokia (Pureview 808) and Blackberry (BlackBerry 10). Earlier, models in auto industry lasted for years together. Today, people buy cars more because they get bored of their old ones rather than their old cars wearing out. What I mean to say is you cannot survive long if you are unable to change according to the needs and change fast- pretty fast. Automatically, the importance of brainstorming, surveying, designing innovatively, forecasting and communicating increases tremendously.

There is a beautiful dimension of the “Agile Philosophy” in day to day social and personal lives.

Give importance to talking out directly face to face-1:1 avoiding secondary means of communication like texts, emails etc. or routing the communication which eventually results in something like “Chinese Whispers”.

Try to follow and understand the essence of everything. The world is full of processes, methods, procedures, customs and traditions that may look to bind you down. Nevertheless, try to understand their core ideas and more often than not these are very simple and pure.

Everyone wants results-results-results. Nothing on paper is valued unless you really matter somewhere. Your degree is a waste unless you are able to practically implement it at work. Records do not matter. Every player has to earn his place in his side (unless you are a Sachin Tendulkar!). Everyone wants quantifiable results.   

Basically no one wants to wait these days. You need to react fast to everything. You get a proposal from a girl and you say that you need some time to think and by the time you finish “thinking”, the girl is gone! You need to learn to accept fast, reject fast and adapt fast.

 The situation is such these days that you cannot make someone work for you unless you put enough “maska or butter”. Everyone, including the servant maid’s demands have to be met. The best part is that none of them are on paper yet they are implied norms. Everyone needs dignity. You need to learn to “collaborate” with peers and juniors to complete the task in hand. Listening, motivating, convincing, presenting and communicating are the mantras of the day.

Theoretically, many processes and methods have proved to be working. However, only the entity that has flexibility and can adapt itself to changes survives. Empowerment comes from within and a person can remain empowered irrespective of the situation he is in.  

Keep the end goal in mind and trace it backwards to determine what you need to do now. Remain lightweight and flexible - shun stubbornness. Aim for the right balance of determination and flexibility. Just imagine how easy our lives would become if we do not micro-manage everything and everyone around us!

 

Papa..

My earliest memories with dad are playing “sarukumaram” on his long legs, waiting for him to come home from office so that we could go for a scooter ride, listening to old Hindi songs on the radio and watching cricket (yes, good old 90’s cricket!). I used to request him to ask questions from textbooks/notebooks the day before my class tests. The day he couldn’t ask me I would feel so nervous about the exams. One fine day, he decided to end this system as a result of which I had to start studying independently. It hit like a disability and I failed the test due to lack of confidence.

 “A short-term stern action might have a soft (out of love/concern) long-term objective. Any result is achievable with proper planning and proper training. ”  

All my friends got BSA Ladybirds but I got a BSA Trail Blazer! I learnt to drive a cycle by falling a million times. I used to wonder why he did not hold me forever like the other fathers did. He loved sports and adventure. He made sure we availed all the LTAs and saw many places in the country in an attempt to understand its beauty and culture. He taught me to drive a car in class 10!

“Girls should have grace but they must never be weak or too delicate and dependent on others. See places, meet people, dare to go beyond your limits. Learn to adjust with anything, because you will be rewarded in the end.”

Even with work, he knew how to learn continuously. I used to laugh at his drawing skills while I was at school. My father and I joined drawing classes together. I had asked him to come in different batch because my friends kept asking why he had joined drawing class with me. He went on to master the skill of oil painting. Today, his paintings stand on the walls of my home each of which have a mesmerizing story to tell. He used to solve CAT and IAS questions just to test his own knowledge and learn more. He used to experiment a lot, repair a lot of things by himself.

“Knowledge is everywhere around you, you need to grab it. No matter how old you get, never stop learning. It only comes with humility-humility of not being greater than Vidya- or knowledge. Never kill the childlike curiosity inside you.”

Today I work as a software professional, but if I think back and trace where my interests were first instilled, it again reminds me of dad. Those were the days of paid mailbox, good old windows 98 whose most fascinating component was Paint and the only place where you could take a printout of your document/drawing was your father’s office with only one cabin that had A.C for computer mahashayji! Computers fascinated me then and they continue to even now. I learnt BASIC at the age of 10!

“The greater you are exposed to things in childhood, the easier it is later on in your life.”

He always had time to do what he loved. He always had time for people around him. He always had time to teach me and listen to the funny/masala things that happened at school. Even the couple who worked as cleaners for us, used to look up to him like a demigod. Anyone going from our society area to the main road got a lift in his car if he was going that way.

“Life is not about your achievements or how much you earn-it’s about how happy you are. When you respect and love people around you, these achievements come your way automatically. No matter what, try to keep yourself and others around you happy. Never stretch yourself so much that you do not have time for the things that you love. No profession is bigger or better. Do your job with dignity.”

He was proud of his wife and children and celebrated their achievements. I still remember how my trophy broke once and he rushed to get it welded. He had kept the trophy on his desk and each customer at his bank was told about my achievement. He trusted us with everything and gave us all the freedom.

“Grooming others is not about restricting them- it’s about giving all the freedom and developing the conscience of forming their own boundaries in their mind.  Nothing else works as well as encouragement.”  

Happy birthday, Papa! The void can never be filled, but I can feel you in everything good around me! Thank you for everything!

Dear young gentlemen,

Learn from your father. Learn to appreciate his way of showing love- trying his best in getting you a gadget, vehicle, buying/renting suitable property, investing for you in insurance, mutual funds, etc.  to make YOUR future comfortable and secure. Observe how hard he works to give YOU comfort. Learn how he expertly does the income-expense calculations for the family. Observe how he silently organizes everything. Learn how he respects the female members of the family by giving the right proportion of protection, freedom and training. Ask him to avail the casual leaves he is entitled for every year. Ask him if he has any pending wishes that would make him a child again – something that he loved doing in his childhood (kite flying, boat riding, pallanguzhi, anything). Take him to the places he lived during his childhood days. Play his favorite song and just see the smile on his face! Make sure you pester him to take his health-checkups in time. More importantly, ask him to speak out, open up because often the heart fails because there is so much inside untold and unshared. Do not wait for his retirement for you to take all these initiatives. He might not be perfect, nobody is. Accept him as he is and learn from his mistakes.

Dear young ladies,

We get that extra soft-corner in our fathers’ hearts. We all love our fathers, don’t we? All the above things that I mentioned can be done far easily by us, but do we take the pains? Understand why he says NO for something. Understand that he sometimes takes certain measures so that we learn and benefit from them. If any guy even remotely exhibits the kind of love your father has for you, marry him!  Hold onto your father, he needs you forever.