I will be giving two talks at the upcoming .NET Architects user group this month (December 24). More info here.

The talks I will be giving(Guitar is still in question...):

Part I:

Introduction to Agile Methodologies and Concepts

Ever knew on your first day on the project that you're going to miss the deadline? Ever been 'surprised' that the customer changed their mind? Ever had long nights trying to fit your latest changes into code that just keeps on breaking? You're not alone. Wondering where you should start if you want to go Agile? This session is for you. We'll take a look at the traditional 'Engineering' based methodologies such as the waterfall model, how they came to be, why most projects today fail, and what the differences are between Engineering methodologies and 'Agile' methodologies. We'll explore what 'Embrace Change' really means in the context of Agile development and what 'People-Oriented' 'Adaptive' development mean in that context. We'll see how methodologies such as XP, Scrum, Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF) Agile and others fit into the context of Agile development and talk about the ways in which one can start adopting agile in their organization. Finally, we'll look at some of the most basic steps any organization can take in the road to becoming more and more Agile.

Part II

Implementing Continuous Integration: With and Without Team System

In this session we'll dive into a world where the system is built and run on a daily basis, and even on an hourly basis. We'll discuss Tools and Libraries that help you get there with VS 2003, 2005 and Team System. Even with Express tools – it's all possible, and more easy than you think.