In this issue
	MAKING YOUR TECH TALK MEANINGFUL Tech Resources for the Savvy: Agile Programming/ XP Our Business Partner on Stage: The Makers of PR Tracker See Yourself in Any of These Mirrors?

MAKING YOUR TECH TALK MEANINGFUL

You know what information is --- that stuff that defines our Age and spews forth from our TVs, computers, books and friends. You know what technology is - all the gadgets that do the work we're too busy, too slow or too uncoordinated to do on our own. However, when you put information and technology together a whole new meaning springs forth: software development. Imagine that! To complicate matters further, information technology often goes by the acronym, IT. Most of the readers of this e-newsletter know what IT means, but you'd be surprised how many intelligent people don't. Each day we sprinkle our emails and conversations with a growing list of specialized words from our particular areas of expertise. Its surprising and daunting to notice how many kinds of specialists there are. I ask my communication specialist to edit my work and she asks whether I want an edit for English mechanics, organization, coherency or a host of other edit flavors I didn't know existed. Those of us in technical fields are particularly challenged when we work with others -- we use lots of acronyms and words that are recent additions to even our vocabularies. That's what led me to join Toastmasters. In a world where it is critical that you understand the needs of your customers, describe technical options in plain English, and give constructive feedback, Toastmasters can help. Not only does Toastmasters give you a chance to learn and practice the art of face-to-face communication, but it also has created learning modules on presentation skills, listening, team leadership, staying on task, organizing your thoughts and giving and receiving constructive criticism. Topics we all recognize, but cannot necessarily claim as skills. Local Toastmaster groups meet for one hour weekly or bi-weekly. Each session is a learn-by-doing workshop in which men and women hone their communication skills in a comfortable, friendly atmosphere. You get feedback from smart people who want to help you be clear, interesting and succinct. For an affordable membership fee, you're able to progress through a series of 10 speaking assignments to craft a basic foundation in public speaking. Then you can go on to advanced topics such as public relations, discussion leadership and technical presentations. When I started Vuong Information Technologies I knew that communication would be key to delivering outstanding service to my clients. That's what led me to join my local Toastmasters group, Everett Pacesetters. We meet every Thursday from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. at the Washington Oak, 1717 Rockefeller Ave., Everett, WA. I've gained confidence in my presentation skills and the ability to communicate with team members effectively. Try Toastmasters. Expressing your "tech talk" so that all players understand you is key to successful business. I know from experience. Click here to find a Toastmasters group near you ... »

Tech Resources for the Savvy: Agile Programming/ XP

When you call VIT for your software development needs we arrive with a solid background in the XP discipline of software development. XP is based on simplicity, communication, feedback and courage. In this issue we'll focus on the communication features of the XP techniques we use. VIT develops with each customer a shared and simple vision of the system we are building. We call this the "metaphor". At its best, the metaphor is a simple, evocative description of how the program should work. For example, a metaphor for an agent-based information retrieval system might be "this program works like a hive of bees, going out for pollen and bringing it back to the hive". As you might imagine, sometimes a poetic metaphor does not arise. With or without it, the team will develop a common set of terms to be sure that everyone understands what we're building, how it works and where to place or look for functionality. Good communication requires a shared vocabulary and vision. At VIT we know how to put that in place from the start of a project. Call us for more details. Click here to learn more about XP ... »

Our Business Partner on Stage: The Makers of PR Tracker

There are easily over 50 bug tracking systems designed for Windows or the web. However, there can only be so many survivors in this crowded market. PR-Tracker is one of them. Since 1994 it has been an enterprise level problem-tracking system built to be simple, yet elegant. Since we are focusing on communication in this issue, I've listed three important ways PR-Tracker promotes good communication on IT projects: 1. People who originate bug reports are prompted for important information like the version of software a bug was discovered in, what actions must be performed to reproduce the bug, along with whatever else you think is important. 2. Bug reports are always assigned to someone so that everyone knows what they should be doing and who is responsible for what. PR-Tracker automatically notifies users by email when problem reports need their attention. 3. Bug reports are required to go through a communication process that ensures that they are not closed if they shouldn't be. The person who reports a bug must verify that it has been fixed or approve any other type of resolution. PR-Tracker is a well designed, reliable tool providing a critical communication link for IT projects. Learn more about PR-Tracker bug tracking system at their website ... »

See Yourself in Any of These Mirrors?

Need to have your software or web application tested externally? Want your customer database, product catalog or order management system built professionally? We can probably help. Contact us to set up a free, one-hour consultation to find out. Vuong Information Technologies ...»