The Software Process and Measurement Cast 401 features three columns! We begin with our essay on listening. Every time we answer the phone, interact with a co-worker or even turn on the television we need to hear and interpret the messages that are being sent. Our complicated business and life environments impact how we listen through the situations we face. Listening is important. Like reading, it is fundamental to almost every activity needed to build, enhance or maintain a product; therefore, learning and understanding how to listen, and as importantly how not to listen, are table stakes for getting anything done! Jon M. Quigley's second column discusses the topic of cost, quality, testing and contract closure. All of the parts of a product have to fit together for everyone to feel comfortable and pay the bill! Jeremy Berriault and the QA Corner anchor the cast. I asked Jeremy to talk about whether developers should test. (Don't tell anyone, but the answer is HECK YES.) Re-Read Saturday News This week we continue the Re-read Saturday of Kent Beck's XP Explained, Second Edition with a discussion of Chapters 4 and 5. We do a deep dive into values and principles. Values and principles are the basis for all of the practices we will explore as we read. Use the link to XP Explained in the show notes when you buy your copy to read along to support both the blog and podcast. Visit the Software Process and Measurement Blog (www.tcagley.wordpress.com) to catch up on past installments of Re-Read Saturday. Next SPaMCAST The next Software Process and Measurement Cast will feature our interview with Ulises Torres. Ulises and I talked about how his firm, Intellego, has leveraged Agile and the CMMI to improve quality, increase customer satisfaction and business. Shameless Ad for my book! Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received unsolicited reviews like the following: "This book will prove that software projects should not be a tedious process, for you or your team." Support SPaMCAST by buying the book here. Available in English and Chinese.