Agile/Scrum Training in Livonia, Michigan

Design thinking is a crucial pillar in today’s problem-solving imperatives. In fact, it is being pursued as a unit course in various institutions across the globe, thus underlying its importance in aiding objective human thinking. It’s not a specific property for designers. Far from it, it has emerged as an innovative solution-seeking tool for all great inventors and innovators.

By description, it is a design methodology used for tackling complex problems that are virtually unknown or ill-defined, through a careful evaluation of the human needs involved, understandably restructuring the problem, by brainstorming to create many solutions, and by adopting a direct approach in testing and prototyping. It helps us come up with creative ways to solve nagging problems that stem from us and especially in the workplace setting.

The ‘overwhelmed/overburdened employee’ is a common term in HR offices across many organizations in the world. Employees are faced with a huge challenge in regards to coping with fast-paced technological and office changes in the working environment. This had led to a massive stagnation in productivity, prompting HR heads to look for new ways to reduce their employees’ stress and workload.

While evaluating many options, this model of thinking has posed as a helpful tool for HR managers when dealing with their vexed employees. IT training, in particular, has helped shape the productive realms of many companies out there.

Let’s explore how this thinking domain can be used to plan employee skill training:

Empathize

If you want to show concern for your employees, first empathize with their situation. Seek to understand the needs of the employees deeply, what they lack, what they need, and the challenges that they are likely facing. This will act as the basis of plotting the problem and working on the next phase of solving it.

You can collect data in this phase through empathy maps and journey maps. In the latter, you endeavor to steadily track the day-to-day activities and tasks of employees. This is achieved through observations or structured interviews. In turn, it aids in elevating the thinking process.

Through empathy maps, you ponder on collected findings and synthesize them keenly. Here, you seek to establish how an employee is thinking, their feelings, and insights into the probable root cause of the problem.

Define the Problem

After a comprehensive analysis of the collected data; the problem definition phase should follow. The idea here is to locate the underlying root of the problem concisely. HR should seek to utilize an analysis framework to help address problems affecting the holistic being of all employees. Therefore, each issue would require a list of underlying causes: lack of motivation, lack of knowledge/understanding, or just lack of skill.

Once the root cause(s) are clearly defined, a clear problem statement should be drawn up alongside performance goals that are firmly based on actual drivers.

Think Solely About Employee-Based Solutions (iterative learning)

Conventionally, customers are at the heart of every organization’s dealings. They inspire and drive the company’s objectives because they are crucial in profit making. However, employees have greatly suffered while working ‘behind the scenes.’ Such situations have led to employees feeling discontent and work under immense pressure, which inevitably leads to underperformance. To avoid this, the experimental learning concept can be utilized by HR offices to engage employees more by creating solutions that directly suit the situations they encounter daily.

Here, trainers are removed as the center of focus. An iterative ‘reflection’ cycle is established to tap continuous employee feedback in a bid to sharpen their skills. This method helps employees adapt to new technology through a well established IT consulting network. In the long run, employees don’t forget how they handled a particular problem, and this effectively raises a firm’s productivity.

Support Employee Tasks with Simple Technology (Ideate)

The simplest way to support employee-working experience is by not sidelining them unprepared with changing technology processes. As an HR Manager, fully engage your employees when transitioning to new tech by making use of effective training or consulting services. Specific training needs can be assessed and addressed within the organization or with a third party industry expert.

According to Deloitte’s 2016 Global Human Capital Trends Report, design thinking was isolated as crucial in crafting the employee experience. 79% of those interviewed identified it as imperative. However, almost a similar percentage agreed that a lot of compliance programs and training are still based on outdated modes of meetings and processes.

The report also recommended the need to put necessary consideration on employees through proper IT training for far colossal efficiency. One way to make this work is by drawing a connected roadmap of skills and information needed at certain work intervals. Shedding off overwhelming and irrelevant amounts of data for new employees is vital in retaining their concentration and output. What’s more, a customizable app can help employees undertake appropriate tasks at the specified time, thus resulting in higher revenue for the long term.

Implementing an Intuitive Tech Learning Approach (Ideate)

The basis of this argument is that not every employee is the same. All of them are differently gifted and shouldn’t be forced to use one inflexible technology or system that doesn’t cater to their individual needs in a buzzing work environment. This mode of critical thinking brings to life personas such that fictive employees representing a defined group of external employees are drawn up. In this set-up, the personas should be able to learn and work efficiently within their own small environment while quickly utilizing their own skill set and the required information to make things work.

An HR manager can replicate this working scenario through the use of role-plays. This can be achieved by conducting short-term soft skills training sessions to sharpen their ability to handle similar situations. In the case of new technology, video-replays on how to use it in a one-on-one customer scenario can help relieve the pressure and spur the employee to be more productive.

Prototype and Testing

Here, the HR Manager should run a couple of tests to ensure whether the desired model of skill training is working. One way to get started is by crafting a simple prototype of the technology required, probably as a single module to establish its viability.

The new technology should be vigorously tested during prototyping to pinpoint any leaks, disjoints, or performance issues. Structured walkthroughs can be implemented to help employees navigate the solution through proper IT training sessions.

What’s more, HR should conduct sessions to get the employees’ views, emotions, or feelings regarding the new solution. In case of any cause for concern, the prototype should be improved until it meets the intermediate needs of its users.

Iterations are also a common occurrence in this phase. Refinements and alterations are curved out to make sure that the final thing suits every employee in some understandable capacity.

Wrapping Up

Design thinking is crucial in any organizational setting in making sure that employees sync properly with the technology in place. This will go a long way in improving their productivity.

What skills and programs should you know/have to design video games?

[Mar, 21, 2013] |
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Many individuals are looking to break into a video game designing career, and it's no surprise. A $9 billion industry, the video game designing business has appeal to gamers and non-gamers alike. High salaries and high rates of job satisfaction are typical in the field.

In order to design video games, however, you need a certain skill set. Computer programming is first on the list. While games are made using almost all languages, the most popular programming language for video games is C++, because of its object-oriented nature and because it compiles to binary. The next most popular languages for games are C and Java, but others such as C# and assembly language are also used. A strong background in math is usually required to learn these languages. Individuals wishing to design games should also have an extensive knowledge of both PCs and Macs.

There are many colleges and universities that offer classes not only in programming but also classes specifically on game design. Some of these schools have alliances with game developing companies, leading to jobs for students upon graduation. Programming video games can be lucrative. The average game designer's salary is $62,500, with $55,000 at the low end and $85,000 at the high end.

Programmers are not the only individuals needed to make a video game, however. There are multiple career paths within the gaming industry, including specialists in audio, design, production, visual arts and business.

Designing a video game can be an long, expensive process. The average budget for a modern multiplatform video game is $18-$28 million, with some high-profile games costing as much as $40 million. Making the game, from conception to sale, can take several months to several years. Some games have taken a notoriously long time to make; for example, 3D Realms' Duke Nukem Forever was announced in April 1997 and did not make it to shelves until July 2011.

Video game programmers have a high level of job satisfaction. In a March 2013 survey conducted by Game Developer magazine, 29 percent of game programmers were very satisfied with their jobs, and 39 percent were somewhat satisfied.

If you're interested in a game development career, now's the time to get moving. Take advantage of the many online resources available regarding these careers and start learning right away.

10+1 Quick Tips to Boost Your ASP.Net Application Performance

[Jul, 26, 2013] |
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Unless you have a great product, service or idea for which people are willing to wait, chances are highly likely that these potential clients will leave your website should your response time take too long to their incoming requests. Ignore your application’s performance and you are more likely to be dumped by your users sooner than expected.

boost website performance

To improve the performance of an ASP.Net application you need to optimize your front-end UI (user interface) code as well as the back-end database. You can also think of the following tips as a brief best practices guide for the ASP.net performance optimization. So, whether you are a developer, UI designer or member of the deployment team, the following tips may help you. No matter what’s your role in the project or what you do to boost performance of your application, always remember that your goal should be to:

· Minimize the amount of data you sent across the network.

· Reduce the number of server requests.

Here you go (in no particular order)

At Database level

Python Programming for Cisco Networking Engineers

[Jun, 25, 2018] |
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Wondering why Cisco is teaching network engineers Python in addition to their core expertise?

Yes, arguably there are many other tools available to use to automate the network without writing any code. It is also true that when code is absolutely necessary, in most companies software developers will write the code for the network engineers. However, networks are getting progressively more sophisticated and the ability for network engineers to keep up with the rate of change, scale of networks, and processing of requirements is becoming more of a challenge with traditional methodologies.

Does that mean that all network engineers have to become programmers in the future? Not completely, but having certain tools in your tool belt may be the deciding factor in new or greater career opportunities. The fact is that current changes in the industry will require Cisco engineers to become proficient in programming, and the most common programming language for this new environment is the Python programming language. Already there are more opportunities for those who can understand programming and can also apply it to traditional networking practices.

Cisco’s current job boards include a search for a Sr. Network Test Engineer and for several Network Consulting Engineers, each with "competitive knowledge" desired Python and Perl skills. Without a doubt, the most efficient network engineers in the future will be the ones who will be able to script their automated network-related tasks, create their own services directly in the network, and continuously modify their scripts.

Whether you are forced to attend or are genuinely interested in workshops or courses that cover the importance of learning topics related to programmable networks such as Python, the learning curve at the very least will provide you with an understanding of Python scripts and the ability to be able to use them instead of the CLI commands and the copy and paste options commonly used. Those that plan to cling to their CLI will soon find themselves obsolete.

As with anything new, learning a programming language and using new APIs for automation will require engineers to learn and master the skills before deploying widely across their network. The burning question is where to start and which steps to take next?

In How Do I Get Started Learning Network Programmability? Hank Preston – on the Cisco blog page suggest a three phase approach to diving into network programmability.

“Phase 1: Programming Basics

In this first phase you need to build a basic foundation in the programmability skills, topics, and technologies that will be instrumental in being successful in this journey. This includes learning basic programming skills like variables, operations, conditionals, loops, etc. And there really is no better language for network engineers to leverage today than Python. Along with Python, you should explore APIs (particularly REST APIs), data formats like JSON, XML, and YAML. And if you don’t have one already, sign up for a GitHub account and learn how to clone, pull, and push to repos.

Phase 2: Platform Topics

Once you have the programming fundamentals squared away (or at least working on squaring them away) the time comes to explore the new platforms of Linux, Docker, and “the Cloud.” As applications are moving from x86 virtualization to micro services, and now serverless, the networks you build will be extending into these new areas and outside of traditional physical network boxes. And before you can intelligently design or engineer the networks for those environments, you need to understand how they basically work. The goal isn’t to become a big bushy beard wearing Unix admin, but rather to become comfortable working in these areas.

Phase 3: Networking for Today and Tomorrow

Now you are ready to explore the details of networking in these new environments. In phase three you will dive deep into Linux, container/Docker, cloud, and micro service networking. You have built the foundation of knowledge needed to take a hard look at how networking works inside these new environments. Explore all the new technologies, software, and strategies for implementing and segmenting critical applications in the “cloud native” age and add value to the application projects.”

Community resources:

GitHub’s, PYPL Popularity of Programming Language lists Python as having grown 13.2% in demand in the last 5 years.

Python in the June 2018 TIOBE Index ranks as the fourth most popular language behind Java, C and C++.

Despite the learning curve, having Python in your tool belt is without a question a must have tool.

Tech Life in Michigan

Home of the Ford Motor Company and many other Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 Companies, Michigan has a list of famous people that have made their mark on society. Famous Michiganians: Francis Ford Coppola film director; Henry Ford industrialist, Earvin Magic Johnson basketball player; Charles A. Lindbergh aviator; Madonna singer; Stevie Wonder singer; John T. Parsons inventor and William R. Hewlett inventor.

It has been my observation that most people get ahead during the time that others waste time. Henry Ford

other Learning Options

Software developers near Livonia have ample opportunities to meet like minded techie individuals, collaborate and expend their career choices by participating in Meet-Up Groups. The following is a list of Technology Groups in the area.

MobiDevDay Detroit · Ann Arbor PHP MySQL · Detroit Java User Group ·

Fortune 500 and 1000 companies in Michigan that offer opportunities for Agile/Scrum developers

Company Name	City	Industry	Secondary Industry
Lear Corporation	Southfield	Manufacturing	Automobiles, Boats and Motor Vehicles
TRW Automotive Holdings Corp.	Livonia	Manufacturing	Automobiles, Boats and Motor Vehicles
Spartan Stores, Inc.	Byron Center	Retail	Grocery and Specialty Food Stores
Steelcase Inc.	Grand Rapids	Manufacturing	Furniture Manufacturing
Valassis Communications, Inc.	Livonia	Business Services	Advertising, Marketing and PR
Autoliv, Inc.	Auburn Hills	Manufacturing	Automobiles, Boats and Motor Vehicles
Cooper-Standard Automotive Group	Novi	Manufacturing	Automobiles, Boats and Motor Vehicles
Penske Automotive Group, Inc.	Bloomfield Hills	Retail	Automobile Dealers
Con-Way Inc.	Ann Arbor	Transportation and Storage	Freight Hauling (Rail and Truck)
Meritor, Inc.	Troy	Manufacturing	Automobiles, Boats and Motor Vehicles
Visteon Corporation	Van Buren Twp	Manufacturing	Automobiles, Boats and Motor Vehicles
Affinia Group, Inc.	Ann Arbor	Manufacturing	Automobiles, Boats and Motor Vehicles
Perrigo Company	Allegan	Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals and Biotech	Pharmaceuticals
BorgWarner Inc.	Auburn Hills	Manufacturing	Automobiles, Boats and Motor Vehicles
Auto-Owners Insurance	Lansing	Financial Services	Insurance and Risk Management
DTE Energy Company	Detroit	Energy and Utilities	Gas and Electric Utilities
Whirlpool Corporation	Benton Harbor	Manufacturing	Tools, Hardware and Light Machinery
Herman Miller, Inc.	Zeeland	Manufacturing	Furniture Manufacturing
Universal Forest Products	Grand Rapids	Manufacturing	Furniture Manufacturing
Masco Corporation Inc.	Taylor	Manufacturing	Concrete, Glass, and Building Materials
PULTEGROUP, INC.	Bloomfield Hills	Real Estate and Construction	Real Estate & Construction Other
CMS Energy Corporation	Jackson	Energy and Utilities	Energy and Utilities Other
Stryker Corporation	Portage	Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals and Biotech	Medical Devices
General Motors Company (GM)	Detroit	Manufacturing	Automobiles, Boats and Motor Vehicles
Kellogg Company	Battle Creek	Manufacturing	Food and Dairy Product Manufacturing and Packaging
The Dow Chemical Company	Midland	Manufacturing	Chemicals and Petrochemicals
Kelly Services, Inc.	Troy	Business Services	HR and Recruiting Services
Ford Motor Company	Dearborn	Manufacturing	Automobiles, Boats and Motor Vehicles

training details locations, tags and why hsg

the hartmann software group advantage

why take Agile/Scrum Training with the hartmann software group?

A successful career as a software developer or other IT professional requires a solid understanding of software development processes, design patterns, enterprise application architectures, web services, security, networking and much more. The progression from novice to expert can be a daunting endeavor; this is especially true when traversing the learning curve without expert guidance. A common experience is that too much time and money is wasted on a career plan or application due to misinformation.

The Hartmann Software Group understands these issues and addresses them and others during any training engagement. Although no IT educational institution can guarantee career or application development success, HSG can get you closer to your goals at a far faster rate than self paced learning and, arguably, than the competition. Here are the reasons why we are so successful at teaching:

Learn from the experts.
1. We have provided software development and other IT related training to many major corporations in Michigan since 2002.
2. Our educators have years of consulting and training experience; moreover, we require each trainer to have cross-discipline expertise i.e. be Java and .NET experts so that you get a broad understanding of how industry wide experts work and think.
Discover tips and tricks about Agile/Scrum programming
Get your questions answered by easy to follow, organized Agile/Scrum experts
Get up to speed with vital Agile/Scrum programming tools
Save on travel expenses by learning right from your desk or home office. Enroll in an online instructor led class. Nearly all of our classes are offered in this way.
Prepare to hit the ground running for a new job or a new position
See the big picture and have the instructor fill in the gaps
We teach with sophisticated learning tools and provide excellent supporting course material
Books and course material are provided in advance
Get a book of your choice from the HSG Store as a gift from us when you register for a class
Gain a lot of practical skills in a short amount of time
We teach what we know…software
We care…

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Agile/Scrum Training Classes in Livonia, Michigan

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Tech Life in Michigan

training details locations, tags and why hsg

Interesting Reads Take a class with us and receive a book of your choosing for 50% off MSRP.