Stephen C Watson

Author: S Watson

  • Swallows and sparrows

    Swallows are happier than sparrows. How do I know this? Well just look at them. Swallows spread their wings, fly high and fast, make a quick turn, pull their wings in and dive, then turn in the other direction. They ride the wind and glide, then pull up and flutter against all takers. A Sparrow takes off from the tree and flies to the other tree. Much better, you say? Point A to point B efficiently retrieving the quotient of insect protein awaiting on the branch. Come to think of it, I rarely see swallows reaching point B, and I’m darned if I know where point A was.

    What if there is no point A or B? Just the flight? There would be no start or finish, just what is experienced in between. Fulfillment in the experience, not the fruition. A seeking, not a beginning and end.

  • Scrum is Micromanagement

    Scrum has been hailed as the latest and greatest in iterative software development. It’s claim to fame is the breaking down of software development tasks in small easily manageable time frames. It introduces or reintroduces a number of dynamic work processes such as the ability to rapidly adapt to change, rapid cycles to keep work moving, constant collaboration through daily stand ups, and self managed teams.

    Scrum has been very successful in efficient development of software, but not because of the grand ideas expressed in the structure. Rarely is change allowed as there is great pressure to create long sprint backlogs, although stories are usually sized to fit in a single sprint, they are often carried over into multiple sprints, the stand ups are an ideal situation  for collaboration, but they are usually a check in for what progress developers have made。I have never seen a truly self managed Scrum team, usually the Scrum Master acts as a Project Manager.

    Does this mean the Scrum is totally useless? Is it a fake new fad? No. It is an efficient way of organizing work on a largely repeatable software project. These days most software projects are reproducing structures that we have been building for the last twenty years. For example Web/mobile applications for commercial. When I worked on projects like that back in the last century, we were thinking of new ideas and solving all kinds of problems. Now the patterns and APIs are well established, and the work is routine, like building a house from a blueprint.

    For such work, small tasks closely monitored are probably the best approach . In fact, an algorithm could probably come up with a three-month backlog in a few seconds. AI Scrum might be the wave of the future. I’m all for the most efficient way to get the job done.

    When I started working in software in the 1990s, we were solving big problems and coming up with new ideas. A wise manager would assign us a big problem that would take much time and interaction to accomplish. The skills required were creativity, problem solving and and new thinking. Wise people such as the Gang of Four (Google their book on patterns), and Matin Fowler distilled the learning of those times which greatly increased our productivity but also made our work repetitive and routine.

    For most basic software development these days, Scrum is an easy way for Scrum Masters (now a glorified name for Project Mangers) to keep track of and move production along. To micromanage.

    Does this mean the day for creative problem solvers is over. Absolutely not. There are huge new problems in machine learning and data analytics that require thinkers and deep knowledge. Scrum will not work for these artists. The need room to roam.

  • Showing Weakness in Ukraine

    What should we in America be doing about the war in Ukraine? There are those that say that country is so far away, what does it have to do with us, let’s forget it and spend on [fill in your favorite domestic program]. That may have been a valid argument 200 years ago when crossing the Atlantic was a perilous one-month trip on a sailing ship, but we are now one world connected. Now we have maybe 25 minutes to respond to a nuclear missile launch from anywhere in the world.

    We Americans are now connected directly to the rest of the world and have to live accordingly. We have done well to become wealthier and more powerful than other countries, but that does not automatically go on forever. We don’t like war. We like to trade with and visit with people everywhere, but the fact is that at times evil players emerge and spoil what could be a beautiful cooperative world.

    Russia is a great country that has contributed greatly to world civilization, but is now tyrannically ruled by an imperialist, expansionist regime. Russia itself is a large country rich in resources but insists on subjugating its neighbors to build an ever-greater empire. It has already humiliated its neighbors Georgia, Belarus, and parts of Ukraine. Now it is committing Nazi level atrocities to humiliate and conquer all of Ukraine.

    Now should we just let them do that and then let everything rest? Does anyone think Russian expansion will end there? Next will be the Baltic countries, and Poland, Moldova. They won’t worry about attacking NATO countries because they will have figured out that we will only put up a timid defense. If we let them have those, western Europe is next. This is a severe threat to American security. We need to stop it now. Once it gets to NATO countries, American soldiers will have to fight.

    Importantly, Ukraine shows the bud of democracy starting to emerge in a part of the world that was ruled by Soviet brutality for nearly a century. Democracies trade, exchange ideas, and compete, but they rarely shoot at each other.

    Our leaders have stood unequivocally with Ukraine’s resistance. But we need to do more. We always seem to ship the weapons they needed six months ago. F-16s should have been there on day one of the war. It is almost as if there is a plan to keep the war going as long as possible until people are tired of it and ready to surrender. The correct answer is to go all out now and win as soon as possible. Yes, it will be bloody and expensive, but much less so than a war that goes on for a decade. We are told we don’t want to provoke escalation. Russia has already escalated. In fact, timidity just encourages more escalation.

    The United States should be shipping the most advanced weapons as soon as possible and how about we build a massive base in Poland right on the Ukraine and Belarus borders? Peace is won through strength, not through retreat. If you don’t want to fight, show strength.

  • Will You Still Employ Me, When I’m Sixty-Four

    Let’s face it. Many of us old farts will be working for the rest of our life. Looking for work gets more difficult when you get that grand title “Senior”. Discussions about the problem usually start with age discrimination. I say, bring it on. I want to work in a role where I can provide real value, and not where I am a token antique to fill a quota.


    I have worked in my field for a long time and frankly, I’m pretty good at it. True, age has impacted my abilities, but in both positive and negative ways. I am ready to sit down with employers and tell them honestly where my skills have ebbed and what strengths time and experience have brought me.


    Every person is different and we must be introspective. I would describe my own situation as follows. I am slower. My mind has added microseconds to my thought process which, for example, makes me less dynamic in fast-paced meetings. My memory is not as good as it used to be which I compensate for by taking more notes and systematically storing documents. My jokes are not as funny as they used to be.


    But time has also given me a deep understanding of human beings, what motivates them, how they react, and what causes conflict or cooperation. I have solved my share of seemingly impossible problems and seen solution patterns that work, and some that fail miserably.In short, I still have value, but it comes in a different shape.


    Employers are often looking to fit the people they hire into cookie-cutter roles that already work well in the machinery of their operations. It makes sense – why deviate from what is already working? But truly great teams are built from quirky groups of people with different and complementary talents. Every team member has a strength that compliments another’s weaknesses. Each brings a unique experience framework and point of view. This kind of team is harder to build because everyone is different, but the rewards are great. I propose that geezer wisdom is one of those added ingredients that can stimulate teams.


    If you take my strengths – maybe I can be useful in big-picture design roles. Or throw me in front of big problems, I’ve probably solved a few like that.


    It is true that age can, and eventually will reduce everyone’s value in the workplace. This is a fact that we must face. But even as we fade, there will be elements of past strengths that can still contribute, perhaps in a diminished role. In forming teams, we might consider how to take advantage of this. For myself, I know what is coming eventually and I will always lay it out for any employer considering me. When the time comes, I will welcome my promotion to Walmart Greeter and eventually the rocking chair on the back porch.


    There is a common thought that old people are change adverse, and some are. But the generation that is getting old now has seen more change than most. We started our working life with telephones, paper, pencils, file cabinets, typewriters, and postage stamps. Now we sit in front of computers, rarely touch a piece of paper, and communicate instantaneously over the Internet. Perhaps the workforce that was the first wave of workplace digital transformation can help with the new challenges on the horizon.
    People who have been around for a while tend to know what works and what doesn’t. Even if the context is different, they can recognize patterns from their past experience and contribute to new solutions. Hiring managers should look for these skills in more seasoned candidates.


    I propose a partnership. Those of us who are aging should take a realistic inventory of what we can provide an employer and communicate honestly with employers. Past glories don’t count. I have a CIO award from a Fortune 500 company, but no way I could pound out the code like I did back then. It’s what I can do now. Employers in turn should consider on balance what this person can do to further the company’s objectives today. Age discrimination legislation is well intended and, no doubt, has righted injustices. But because of these laws, employment conversations can be difficult. We need to find a way to honestly share how companies and old people can help each other. I am sure these days there are companies that won’t interview old people and some elderly who will call a lawyer the moment they get turned down for a job. That is a toxic situation we need to remedy. Let’s just be honest with each other even if we have to talk in code. For example, I might say, “I’m not as good at X as I used to be but I’m better at Y now”. Ultimately, it’s what can I do for you and what can you do for me regardless of age or any other difference.


    If hiring managers look closely, they will find some gems among the older generations. I have known 80 pluses who are as with it as the smartest Ivy League whiz kid. It is amazing how so many problems faced in the latest programming language, design concept, management fad, or development methodology has been around for a while and that gray haired guy or gal on the team will recognize it right away.