I have setup a reading group with my reports at work. It has been running for about a year and change so far. The goal for the group is to provide a place for continuous learning, shared culture, and a little accountability for learning goals. We have just finished the book Tidy First? by Kent Beck.

The continuous learning comes from the regular scheduled meeting to discuss and plan the next weeks reading. The topics for the meeting are books, articles, or activities. Topics are suggested by the group and voted on. Topics have ranged from personal improvement, management, programming books programming activities. No one has put any fiction on the list, but I yet remain hopeful.

Shared culture: I find the more things I have in common with a person the easier it is to relate. A reading group provides a way to start building these shared experiences. It doesn’t really matter what the activity is doing together is the important part. Each book or article completed and talked about together builds another shared experience and adds to the shared language of the group.

Accountable, Learning on your own is hard. Reading a book on a topic that will help me but isn’t more fun than other entertainment is difficult. Adding responsibility to the group helps overcome this for me. It isn’t only to help me, it is now to help me and contribute to the group’s conversation on the topic.

So far the practice has been meeting my expectations. I would recommend trying it out with your coworkers. As part of that find out if there are company funds set aside for learning or skill acquisition. Raising this question might produce surprising results.

Tidy First?

I enjoy Kent Beck’s writing style. He doesn’t waste words and cuts straight to the point of the topic in each chapter.

The first part of the book shows examples of the various types of tidyings. Each chapter show an example of a tidying, a little mess and how to make it a little better.

The second part of the book talks about how to manage tidying and changing behavior. It provides guidelines for when to tidy (before a change, after a change, or never).

The third part of the book provides some theory to back up the first two parts. I was able to follow the theory computer science (Coupling and Cohesion). I am still trying to get my head around the economic theory of the types of value software produces.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who builds and maintains software.