Hannah Aster, Author at Shortform Books

The Three Ways From The Phoenix Project—Explained

What are The Three Ways from the book The Phoenix Project? How can you make your IT development teams run more smoothly? None of the problems of IT are insurmountable, but authors Kim, Behr, and Spafford argue that addressing them requires completely rethinking how IT work is done. The Three Ways from The Phoenix Project can be summed up as fast workflow, quick feedback, and continual improvement. Continue reading for a detailed overview of The Three Ways.

What Is Buddhist Meditation? Background & Types

What is Buddhist meditation? What are the two most popular types? What is the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism? Buddhism is a religion often associated with meditation and mindfulness. Buddhism focuses on finding happiness through self-improvement, rather than through understanding God or seeking divine guidance. Here’s a look at the background of Buddhist meditation, including vipassana and metta meditation.

The First Way: Create a Fast Workflow (The Phoenix Project)

What is the first of the Three Ways from The Phoenix Project? How can you create a faster, more efficient workflow among your IT team? In their book The Phoenix Project, authors Kim, Behr, and Spafford lay out the three ways to improve your IT department. The First Way involves improving the department’s workflow, which isn’t always an easy task. Here’s a look at The First Way and how you can increase the speed of your IT department.

What Is Hindu Meditation? Overview & Styles of Yoga

What is Hindu meditation? How is Hindu meditation related to yoga? Hindu meditation is also known as yoga. While many people practice yoga without practicing Hinduism, yoga is rooted in the religion. There are two styles of yoga, hatha yoga and kriya yoga—one focuses on the physical and one focuses on breathing and energy. Continue reading to learn about the Hindu meditation practice of yoga.

The 2nd Way: Create Feedback Cycles (The Phoenix Project)

What is The Second Way from The Phoenix Project? Why is a quick feedback cycle essential to IT departments? In The Phoenix Project, Kim, Behr, and Spafford demonstrate how work management principles developed on factory production lines can be applied in an IT environment. The three foundational pillars of production can be summed up as 1) fast workflow, 2) quick feedback, and 3) continual improvement. Continue reading for an overview of The Second Way and how to implement it.

What Is Christian Meditation? (+ Prayers to Start With)

What is Christian meditation? Can prayer be a form of meditation? When you hear the word “meditation,” your mind probably jumps to Buddhism or Hinduism. However, Christian prayers are another form of meditation that’s often overlooked. Whether you want to refer to written prayers or come up with your own, praying has many benefits. Keep reading to learn how praying is a form of meditation.

Blowout: Book Overview & Takeaways (Rachel Maddow)

What is Rachel Maddow’s book Blowout about? What shocking revelations does she share? In Blowout, journalist and MSNBC commentator Rachel Maddow aims to expose the corruption and exploitation underlying the oil and gas industry. Ultimately, she argues that only full transparency and strict environmental regulation can protect the planet from devastating accidents and corporate greed. Here’s an overview of the book Blowout, including Maddow’s advice for the world.

Why a Continuous Improvement Culture Is Necessary in Business

5 Steps to Practicing Empathy in the Workplace

What is a continuous improvement culture? Why should IT departments deliberately introduce faults and design flaws into the production line? In their book The Phoenix Project, Gene Kim, Kevin Behr, and George Spafford stress the importance of continuous growth in a company. Without growth and the ability to make mistakes, the workplace becomes toxic and stagnant. Here’s how and why you should create a culture of continuous improvement in your company, IT or not.

Western Meditation: Beliefs, Practices, & Benefits

What exactly is Western meditation? Is Western meditation based on religion? Meditation in the West doesn’t come from any specific religion—instead, practitioners often believe in some form of universal consciousness. This form of meditation is often goal-oriented and can help you improve your focus. Continue below for an in-depth look at Western meditation.

Why Are Oil & Gas Company Profits So High?

Are oil and gas companies monopolies? Why are these industries so profitable? In her book Blowout, Rachel Maddow discusses why gas and oil company profits are so high. To understand, it’s important to first know the histories of both the oil and gas industries. Keep reading to understand why oil and gas companies dominate the market.