Elizabeth Whitworth, Author at Shortform Books

Team Topologies: Platform Teams Support the Organization

Does your organization have a team that’s dedicated to infrastructure services? Could your organizational resources be handled more efficiently? In Team Topologies, platform teams are one of the four team types recommended by software engineers Matthew Skelton and Manuel Pais. These teams handle underlying organizational functions such as cloud storage and internal security. Keep reading to learn about the purpose and design of platform teams and how they intersect with all aspects of the organization.

5 Roland Barthes Quotes From Mythologies to Think About

What images, objects, and stories have you seen or heard today? What’s the real message of each meme, advertisement, and headline? In Mythologies, 20th-century French philosopher Roland Barthes says that all of these contain subtle messages that subconsciously shape the way you view the world. He calls these messages myths. Keep reading for a few Roland Barthes quotes from his essays in Mythologies, along with some context and explanation.

Manifesting Positive Energy: The Key Is How You Interpret Reality

Which version of reality are you feeding with your energy? What if you just chose to be positive? Multiple realities exist, and you materialize the one you feed with your energy—positive or negative. That’s the view of Vadim Zeland, who argues that you can choose to consistently interpret experiences in a positive way and, thus, move toward your ideal reality. Keep reading for Zeland’s advice on manifesting positive energy, along with six tips from The Happiness Equation.

Team Topologies Interaction Modes: The 3 Ways Teams Link Up

Do the teams in your organization work well together? Are there protocols in place for smooth interaction? In Team Topologies, software engineers Matthew Skelton and Manuel Pais show you how to set up your development teams to work as efficiently as possible. They recommend dividing your workforce into four types of teams, and then they outline three ways these teams can most effectively work together. Keep reading to learn about the three Team Topologies interaction modes.

How to Redirect Your Energy: 3 Methods From Vadim Zeland

What’s your ideal reality? Does it match your current emotional energy? Vadim Zeland contends that you’re continually transmitting emotional energy at a frequency that sustains your version of reality. If you want to control which version of reality you live in, you must learn how to redirect your energy. Continue reading to learn three methods for doing exactly that.

Problem-Solving Teams: How & When to Deploy Them

Does your team get stuck when it encounters a problem that’s beyond its expertise? What if your organization had a team designed to come in and save the day? In Team Topologies, Matthew Skelton and Manuel Pais recommend dividing your workforce into four types of teams. One type is what they call “complicated-subsystem teams,” which are basically problem-solving teams. Read more to understand how and when such specialized teams should be deployed.

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson: Book Overview

When and how did our solar system form? Why is the universe fine-tuned for life? What do scientists know about the origin of life? Scientists have learned a ton about the universe and the Earth. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson covers the major discoveries and theories and points out what we still don’t know. Keep reading for an overview of this accessible guide to science and natural history, from the big bang to the arrival of hominids on Earth.

How to Create Your Own Reality: Transurfing in 2 Steps

Do you feel like you have no control over what happens in your life? Does it seem like life just happens to you? According to best-selling author Vadim Zeland, you feel like this because you’re not conscious of how your thoughts and emotions create your reality. Consciously choosing the way you think and feel allows you to control which version of reality you live in. Keep reading for Zeland’s two-step advice on how to create your own reality.

Team Topologies: The 4 Team Types Explained

What’s an enabling team? What type of team handles an organization’s infrastructure? What’s the most important team type? Team Topologies is a manual for restructuring your organization’s approach to software design. Matthew Skelton and Manuel Pais argue that, by dividing your workforce into four types of teams, you’ll set your organization up for success. Keep reading for an overview of the four Team Topologies team types, plus a discussion on when it’s time to reassign teams.

History of the Cosmos: The Big Bang, Stars, & Our Solar System

What’s the theoretical basis for the big bang? What’s a supernova? Why is Earth’s moon important? Consider the matter, energy, stars, and planets that make up our universe. At some point, they came into existence. Scientists have developed certain understandings about the big bang, the life cycle of stars, and the formation of the solar system. Continue reading for a brief history of the cosmos.