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Menlo Innovations
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In-Person Menlo Factory Tour

In-Person Menlo Factory Tour

Our tours of Menlo Innovations' factory floor are back! We'll spend 90 minutes together sharing Menlo's history, values, culture and practices. Come visit us and ask us anything!
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Joy, Inc. - Download Free Chapter

Joy, Inc. - Download Free Chapter

Written by our very own Richard Sheridan. This is about how it all got started. Download the first chapter free!
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Buy Chief Joy Officer

Buy Chief Joy Officer

Written by our very own Richard Sheridan. The follow-up to Joy, Inc.
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Run the Experiment!

Run the Experiment!

Sharing is what we DO. It's not stealing if we fully approve. Take the lessons, share the lessons. Make some joy, pass it on.
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Lead with JOY Postcards!

Lead with JOY Postcards!

Want to share Rich's airplane model with more of your team members? Order a pack of 10 to help you Lead with JOY! Use code FREESHIP for complimentary shipping.
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Virgin Unite

Virgin Unite

"Experiments Collection - Shaping the new world of work - Lessons from lockdown" by Anna Gowdridge.
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Medium

Medium

"#pairing" by Perry Timms. Pair working could be the mental health decompression, the belonging reminder, the efficiency creator and the human contact substitute we all need in a pandemic-afflicted world.
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Being an Engineer - A Joyful Approach to Product Development

Being an Engineer - A Joyful Approach to Product Development

Join us as we discuss "the Menlo way", paired work, kindergarten skills, storycards and other methods of producing the right product, on budget and on schedule. 
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Onward Nation - Turning to Joy to Navigate Hard Times, with Rich Sheridan

Onward Nation - Turning to Joy to Navigate Hard Times, with Rich Sheridan

Rich shares the story of Menlo innovations and how the a powerful culture helped the team make the transition to being a 100% virtual office. 
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Being Human - Building the Joyful Organization

Being Human - Building the Joyful Organization

A conversation with Richard Sheridan, author of "Joy, Inc" and the man who built the famously joyful Menlo Innovations.
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The Agile Wire - Run The Experiment With Rich Sheridan

The Agile Wire - Run The Experiment With Rich Sheridan

How the pandemic has affected a culture that is 100% pairing. The good thing is they have an incredibly adaptive culture. Run the experiment! 
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Autoline This Week - Panel

Autoline This Week - Panel

Traditional automakers work at a much slower clock-speed than Silicon Valley. Automakers want to speed up their clock-speed. Today’s show is about how they’re doing that. 
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The Motive

The Motive

A leader’s job is to help everyone else develop the skills and behaviors they need to contribute more effectively to the team’s collective output. It does not matter what the...
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LetGo & Lead - Rich Sheridan

LetGo & Lead - Rich Sheridan

In this episode of Let Go & Lead, Rich and Maril discuss how to create and sustain human energy in the workplace, and share how leading with joy increases fulfillment.
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Humanage

Humanage

"Hiring IT experts based on their kindergarten skills" by Sarah Spitz. Menlo Innovations designed a specific recruitment process to make sure newcomers who aren't used to this organization fit in.
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A Programmer's Introduction to Mathematics

A Programmer's Introduction to Mathematics

By Jeremy Kun. Sharpen your pencils and take a dive into a programer's perspective of mathematics.
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Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter

Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter

By Liz Wisman. Crack open this manifesto and how-to manual to realize the full potential of your team.
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The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Computer

The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Computer

by Sydney Padua. Pick up this whimsical book and learn the tale of creating the first computer. 
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Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead

Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead

by Brené Brown.  Join the author as shares her research on Vulnerability, which all started from her wildly popular 2010 Ted Talk "The Power of Vulnerability".
The Excellence Dividend

The Excellence Dividend

by Tim Peters. Learn to embrace excellence today!
The Infinite Game

The Infinite Game

By Simon Sinek A good book for purpose-driven businesses.
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The Unicorn Project

The Unicorn Project

By Gene Kim.  A book about DevOps from the perspective of a programmer.
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The Four Disciplines of Execution

The Four Disciplines of Execution

by Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, and Jim Huling. Learn how the most successful companies achieve their wildest goals.
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Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone

Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone

By Mark Goulston. How to de-escalate conflict and ensure you're being heard.
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Smart Choices: A Practical Guide to Making Better Life Decisions

Smart Choices: A Practical Guide to Making Better Life Decisions

by John S. Hammond, Ralph L. Keeney, & Howard Raiffa. Don’t let life just happen to you, take control and make conscious choices.
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Follow us on Instagram!

Follow us on Instagram!

Keep an eye on what Menlo is doing. Follow us now to make sure you don't miss a thing!
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Motivate2B

Motivate2B

"The Art and Magic of Making Joy the Driver of Your Business" by Thomas Juli. Inside a Human Business. An interview with Richard Sheridan, Co-Founder and CEO of Menlo Innovations.
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Joy of Heights and Distances Previously Unimaginable

Joy of Heights and Distances Previously Unimaginable

"A company that discovers the relevant principles of organizational flight can also fly to heights and distances that were previously unimaginable." - Richard Sheridan
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Humanage

Humanage

"Pair programming at Menlo: never work alone" by Sarah Spitz. At Menlo Innovations, everything is about pair working. So how does that work exactly? And how is it profitable?
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the Henry Ford

the Henry Ford

Five Questions with... Rich Sheridan, Entrepreneur in Residence
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Future Proof - Rich Sheridan

Future Proof - Rich Sheridan

How to create a joyful place to work (and why you should).
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CNBC

CNBC

"Why not having a succession plan can derail your business—and put your legacy at risk" by Scott Steinberg. Actively thinking ahead is an increasingly important principle.
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C&G Newspapers

C&G Newspapers

"CVHS alum presents to students, staff" by Alex Szwarc. "The opposite of courage is not cowardice, but conformity. In 1971, Chippewa Valley was one of the nonconforming schools."
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Talk Burnout - Rich Sheridan

Talk Burnout - Rich Sheridan

What is Rich's definition of burnout? "Burnout is where you're there, but you're not there. You're at work in body but not in mind..."
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FORBES Magazine

FORBES Magazine

"Understanding The Agile Mindset" by Steve Denning.  As a rule, managers that demonstrate an Agile mindset outperform those that do not.
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WardsAuto.com

WardsAuto.com

"Unhappy With Tech Industry's 'Chaos,' He Tried Something New" by Steven Finlay.  Fight fear, embrace change and run with the experiment rather than form a committee to study it.
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Autonews.com

Autonews.com

"The Guru of Joy Looks at Automaking" by Leslie J. Allen.  The auto industry has a problem, and it doesn't involve curb weight, horsepower or machine efficiency.
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HRExaminer.con

HRExaminer.con

"The Real Reason We Fail at Feedback" by  Feedback has become this lightning rod issue the past few years among those working to create a more human experience.
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InfoQ.com

InfoQ.com

"Humanity at Work: Interview with Rich Sheridan, Author of Chief Joy Officer" by Shaaron A. Alvares. "Human energy and purpose are at the heart of...a joyful place to work."  
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The Art of Grateful Leadership - Joy and Gratitude

The Art of Grateful Leadership - Joy and Gratitude

Rich tells us about the fact that it's all about people working with people and why Gratitude is necessary at Menlo Innovations.
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FORBES Magazine

FORBES Magazine

"Reshaping Capitalism" by Steve Denning. The Forth Industrial Revolution is well under way, folks. Be nimble, be adaptable, or be left behind.
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Intelligent Transport

Intelligent Transport

"Defining The Role of Government in The New Mobility Ecosystem" by Jean Ruestman. Southeast Michigan's public transit is getting a makeover and Menlo is designing the look.
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InfoQ.com

InfoQ.com

"Author Q&A: Chief Joy Officer" by Shane Hastie. Palpable human energy is part of being a joyful workplace.
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OZY.com

OZY.com

A new crop of free-thinking leaders proves there’s far more to a successful business than numbers. They're embracing altruism, promoting personal freedoms and fighting back against a stodgy status quo.
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FORBES Magazine

FORBES Magazine

"Create An Irresistible Work Culture, Not A 'Best Place To Work'" by Jamie Notter. Winning a best place to work award means you have exceeded a generic standard, but...
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NBC News Flint

NBC News Flint

By Sarah Jaeger. For moms and even dads who chose to go back to work after their little one is born, the guilt can sometimes be unbearable.
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INC. Magazine

INC. Magazine

"Here's How to Tell Within 5 Minutes If a Leader Is As Good as Advertised" There are leaders, and then there are people who think they are leaders.   
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OZY.com

OZY.com

The Office of Happy: Hiring, Firing, and Promoting by Consensus by Dan Peleschuk. Rich Sheridan is on a mission to promote the single most important factor in any company: joy.
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OZY.com

OZY.com

Unconventional?... That's an understatement. From our hiring practices to extreme programming. We eschew convention.
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FORBES Magazine

FORBES Magazine

Creating Joy In Your Workplace by Roger Dean Duncan....Genuine joy should be a strategic imperative of any organization seeking high performance.  
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FORBES Magazine

FORBES Magazine

Satisfaction? Engagement? Why Not Joy At Work? by Roger Dean Duncan....while both satisfaction and engagement are desirable, joy is an even higher standard for the way people can feel about their work.  
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HTA Starter Deck

HTA Starter Deck

Writing cards looks simple enough, but it won't come naturally. They should be succinct, yet detailed, and totally unambiguous. This starter kit will hopefully help you avoid the classic mistakes.
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Project Timeline: All Visual Artifacts

Project Timeline: All Visual Artifacts

We are huge fans of visuals! Here we threw them all into one great, big, awesome, mega-visual...well, it's really just a moderately sized pdf.
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A Taste of HTA

A Taste of HTA

On that long trip home, it's easy to forget some of the lessons you wanted to take back with you. View a bite-sized version of your 3-day workshop here.
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INC. Magazine

INC. Magazine

"The Traditional Job Interview Is Dead. Here's What Top Companies Are Doing Instead" by Marcel Schwantes. Here we are in 2019, still interviewing like was 1989.
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Entrepreneur, Business Leader, Author

Entrepreneur, Business Leader, Author

Meet Richard Sheridan, learn more about Joy, Inc. and Chief Joy Officer, and book Rich for speaking engagements.
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Quartz at Work

Quartz at Work

Santa is the world's worst manager by Lila MacLellan.   It's a scientific fact. Read on, you'll see.
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Harvard Business Review

Harvard Business Review

"How One CEO Creates Joy at Work" interview by Curt Nickisch. As a company leader today, Rich Sheridan works hard to make sure his job—and the jobs of his employees—are joyful.    
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Investor's Daily Business

Investor's Daily Business

Leadership Style: 'Joyful' Approach Seen As Kick-Starting Creativity And Productivity. By Michael Mink Disengaged employees represent $400-$500 billion in lost productivity annually. Menlo has some unique values to combat this.
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InGlobal Learning Design

InGlobal Learning Design

"The Sweet Spot" by Jefft Kupperman.  Design stories from Menlo's High-Tech Anthropologists®. There's almost never a solution that works perfectly for both the client and the users, but somewhere there's a...
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Chief Joy Officer Book Trailer

Chief Joy Officer Book Trailer

The founder of Menlo Innovations and author of the business culture cult classic Joy, Inc offers an inspirational guide to leaders seeking joy in the challenge of leading others.
Watch
FORBES Magazine

FORBES Magazine

Leadership is something that is constantly evolving and shifting with time.
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FORBES Magazine

FORBES Magazine

"Why Menlo Innovations Relies On Employees To Decide Who Gets Promoted," by Susan Adams. It's your peers who know you best. 
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Agile 2018 - Diana Larsen

Agile 2018 - Diana Larsen

Agile Fluency, Organisational Design and Being an Ally By Diana Larsen - speaking with Shane Hastie, Lead Editor for Culture & Methods
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Steelcase - The Business Value of Joy

Steelcase - The Business Value of Joy

Who do you serve and what does delight look like for them? Rich says these questions helped his team create a workplace full of joy. Listen to discover the business value of joy. 
Listen
INC. Magazine

INC. Magazine

"Parabricks finds a niche to target its computing power" by Tom Henderson. Parabricks operates out of our garage, but unlike your high school band, they're on their way to becoming famous. 
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FORBES Magazine

FORBES Magazine

"People Pay Up To $20,000 To See How Menlo Innovations Designs Software" by Susan Adams. A two-day tour at Menlo Innovations digs into the problems that cripple many companies.
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VitalSmarts Influencer Training

VitalSmarts Influencer Training

VitalSmarts’ Influencer Model from Influencer Training was named the Change Management Approach of the Year by MIT Sloan Management Review. Here's how Menlo used it.
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Arbinger Institute

Arbinger Institute

An exploration of how Menlo intentionally created such an effective and inspiring workplace.
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Ann Arbor SPARK - James Goebel

Ann Arbor SPARK - James Goebel

A2 Tech Trek is a free community event that showcases the innovative companies and careers in downtown Ann Arbor.
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The Art of Innovation

The Art of Innovation

by Tom Kelley. Books that inspired the experiment that is Menlo.
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INC. Magazine

INC. Magazine

Menlo's story isn't a tech story at all, but rather a lesson in ending corporate suffering.
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FORBES Magazine

FORBES Magazine

The Joy of Work: Menlo Innovations by Steve Denning. Read the full article to better understand why and how Menlo actually accomplishes a host of paradoxical practices.  
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The Ideal Team Player

The Ideal Team Player

by Patrick Lencioni. Books that inspired the experiment that is Menlo.
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Agile India 2016 - Rich Sheridan

Agile India 2016 - Rich Sheridan

Conference keynote: Just Add Joy. 
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Freedom At Work™ - Rich Sheridan

Freedom At Work™ - Rich Sheridan

Freedom At Work™ Talks by WorldBlu. One of the biggest (and most painful!) challenges in running a business is how to hire – and sometimes fire – the right people.
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TedX Traverse City - James Goebel

TedX Traverse City - James Goebel

Joy is a powerful force that can bring about positive change in the world. I challenge you to be mindful about fostering joy.
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Joy, Inc.

Joy, Inc.

Written by our very own Richard Sheridan. This is about how it all got started.
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Crain's Detroit Business

Crain's Detroit Business

"A heart for software: Led by its upbeat CEO, Menlo spreads joy of technology" by Tom Henderson. Menlo does this through its "one-man marketing juggernaut."
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VitalSmarts - Rich Sheridan

VitalSmarts - Rich Sheridan

VitalSmarts’ recording of Rich Sheridan's keynote at the 2014 REACH Conference.
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Path to Agility Conference - James Goebel

Path to Agility Conference - James Goebel

Many teams attempt to adopt agile by focusing on the process, the practices, or the tools. All too often, this results in a new vocabulary but the same old outcomes.
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Joy, Inc. Book Trailer

Joy, Inc. Book Trailer

“A guidebook for how leaders can motivate, engage, and recognize their people all the while growing the business profitably.” —Forbes.com
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The Design of Everyday Things

The Design of Everyday Things

by Dan Norman. Books that inspired the experiment that is Menlo.
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NPR: All Things Considered

NPR: All Things Considered

"Inside The 'Bossless' Office, Where The Team Takes Charge" by Elise Hu. No TPS reports, no cubicles, no bosses, and it actually works. How does Menlo make it work?
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Menlo Innovations' High-Tech Anthropology®

Menlo Innovations' High-Tech Anthropology®

What is High-Tech Anthropology®? How does it work? Watch this video to see how "observation" can produce unexpected and dramatic results in design.
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Menlo Innovations & Accuri Cytometers

Menlo Innovations & Accuri Cytometers

When is "expensive" design worth the cost? Can "design" save money, improve sales, increase word-of-mouth referrals? Here's the story of the Accuri C6 Flow Cytometer.
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TEDxDetroit - Rich Sheridan

TEDxDetroit - Rich Sheridan

"Ending Human Suffering As It Relates To Technology"®
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Influencer: The Power to Change Anything

Influencer: The Power to Change Anything

by Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, David Maxfield, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler. Books that inspired the experiment that is Menlo.
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Agile Java

Agile Java

by Jeff Langer Books that inspired the experiment that is Menlo.
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Test Driven Development by Example

Test Driven Development by Example

by Kent Beck. Books that inspired the experiment that is Menlo.
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Five Dysfunctions of a Team

Five Dysfunctions of a Team

A realistic fable that follows the travails of a CEO as she faces the ultimate leadership crisis: unite a team in such disarray that it threatens to derail the entire company.
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Extreme Programming Explained

Extreme Programming Explained

by Kent Beck with Cynthia Andres. Books that inspired the experiment that is Menlo. 
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Escape Velocity

Escape Velocity

Velocity is the most commonly used metric in agile software delivery and perhaps the least effective. Learn common issues with metrics and how to avoid them.
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