Agile and Project Management Talks at SXSW 2012 Last year I attended SXSW for the first time. While I had intended to spend my days basking in the onslaught of music and film that it is known for, what I actually spent my time doing was focusing mostly on the talks that centered on Agile and Project Management. Each of the presentations on PM and Agile were very well attended. In some cases there was a line waiting to get in, so there is a definite hunger for information at the event. Unfortunately, with the exception of one talk (given by Brett Harned and Pamela Villacorta) the content presented in most of the PM and Agile talks was disappointing. SXSW 2012 is right around the corner and they’ve opened the area where people can vote on proposed topics. If you’ve got a few minutes, follow the links below to become an SXSW 2012 Panel Picker, search for Agile and PM presentations vote Thumbs Up for the ones you think look interesting.  This Spring, there will be another crowd of PMs in Austin who are interested in learning about project management and how to do it better.  Help make sure the talks they get to choose from are going to help them raise their game. Who knows… you may end up working with some of them someday. SXSW 2012 Interactive Panel Picker  http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/index/10 SXSW 2012 Music Panel Picker http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/index/12 SXSW 2012 Film Panel Picker http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/index/11 And while you’re voting, you may want to consider… Project Leadership Through Personal Branding (ProjectShrink Bas de Baar and Dave Prior) http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/10995 Developing Music and Software Across a Distance (Dave Prior with Panda Transport’s Kathy Compton and Thierry Holweck) http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/12133

Lessons from the Yurt Part 2 - Interview with Kathy Compton

Part 2 of my interview with Kathy Compton from Panda Transport

Lessons From The Yurt  - An Interview with Kathy Compton from Panda Transport

This is one of my all time favorite interviews. Last fall I had the great fortune to meet Kathy Compton and Theirry Holoweck from Panda Transport at the Øredev 2010 conference. One of the really unique things about Panda Transport is that this two person band exists 1/2 in the US and 1/2 in France. In talking to them I realized that those of us who struggle with offshore have a lot to learn from the music world. Kathy has focuses in using vocal techniques and body language as ways  of making herself a more effective performer - to me, this ties directly back to a PMs ability to utilize body language, emotional intelligence, etc. to be more effective in our jobs.

This part one of the interview. Part 2 will be posted in a week or so.