DPL Reading List – November 20, 2015

Here are some of the articles we’ve been reading around this office this week.

Innovation Through Execution (Thanks to Brian Zimmer for recommending this article) – “While we typically remember Edison as the inventor of the lightbulb and the father of the electric age, Edison’s legacy is largely the result of his management style and work ethic — not some innate proclivity for inventiveness.”

Fast Path To A Great UX — Increased Exposure Hours (Thanks to Jarrod Wubbels for recommending this article) – “Teams that have dedicated user research professionals, who watch the users, then in turn, report the results through documents or videos, don’t deliver the same benefits. It’s from the direct exposure to the users that we see the improvements in the design.”

Microsoft’s 16 Keys To Being Agile At Scale (Thanks to Todd Guenther for recommending this article) – “Doing Agile and Scrum in a single team, or even a couple of teams, is one thing. Doing Agile and Scrum in hundreds of teams in a coordinated way is a whole different ballgame. How are dependencies handled? How do the teams keep in sync? How does management even know what’s happening, let alone stay in control, if hundreds of teams are autonomous?”

Use ‘The Force’ For Code: Lucasfilm Teams With Code.org For Star Wars ‘Hour of Code’ Tutorials – “Millions of fans are anticipating Star Wars: The Force Awakens, dissecting the trailers and trying to get any glimpse possible of the new characters in the upcoming film. So why not use The Force to teach a new generation of kids to code?”

8 Secrets No One Will Tell You About Being An Entrepreneur (Thanks to Brian Zimmer for recommending this article) – “There’s no doubt that leaving behind a routine job and becoming your own boss is exciting, and many of those who set off on that path find personal and professional fulfillment there. But in any endeavor, reality is better preparation than fantasy. And when it comes to entrepreneurship, the reality is complicated.”

The Power Of Purpose At Work – “In the old days of lifetime employment, the presumed payoffs were security and predictability. Now, more and more professionals look for positions at companies where they can create meaningful impact and experience personal growth. Companies that understand the increasing emphasis of purpose in today’s professional landscape improve their ability to attract such employees and also their ability to retain them for longer periods of time.”

Designing A Landing Page That Sells (Thanks to Jarrod Wubbels for recommending this article) – “You want to make your pages as readable and easy to understand as possible — on the web, you only get 3 seconds before the visitor decides if you’re worth their attention. In other words, don’t make them think.”