Author: marcabraham
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What to do with Apple’s “iBeacon”?

The ‘iBeacon’ is Apple’s recent product which uses location-sensing technology to help extend location services within the iOS operating system. For example, with the help of an iBeacon an iOS device or other hardware can alert its (location based) apps when a user leaves or enters a certain location. Also, when a user is getting closer…
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“Collaboration Explained” (Book Review)

The book “Collaboration Explained” by Jean Tabaka was published in 2006 and had been on my ‘books to read’ list for quite a while before I finally got my hands on it. Jean Tabaka specialises in Agile software development and has worked closely with a host of businesses and teams to implement Agile methodologies. In “Collaboration…
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Learning more about direct manipulation and reducing the ‘gulfs’

“Direct manipulation” is one of those Human-Computer Interaction (‘HCI’) terms that sounds intriguing. During the online HCI course instructed by Scott Klemmer which I did recently, I learned a bit more about what direct manipulation means. Direct manipulation is a HCI method which involves continuous representation of objects of interest and rapid, reversible, and incremental actions…
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What on earth is “mob programming”?!

The other day I heard Woody Zuill – an Agile Coach at Hunter Industries in San Diego, US – speak about “mob programming”. At first, the simpleton in me thought this meant writing code dressed in fancy suits, wearing shady hats and stylish sunglasses … Woody corrected this presumption fairly swiftly: “mob programming” involves having…
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Seeing the Toyota way in action
After having read a lot about the Toyota way of doing things, I had a chance to visit the Toyota plant in Burnaston, Derbyshire. Every now and then Toyota open up their factories to public visits and I went in there a few months ago to see things for myself. Reading books like The Toyota Way…
