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Sr. Content Developer at Microsoft, working remotely in PA, TechBash conference organizer, former Microsoft MVP, Husband, Dad and Geek.
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While Meta lures TikTok creators to Instagram and Facebook with cash bonuses, its X competitor Instagram Threads is now making things easier for creators, brands, and others who need more professional tools to manage their presence on the app. On Thursday, Instagram head Adam Mosseri announced a small handful of new features coming to Threads, […]
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Though Nintendo can technically claim it had the first big gaming news event of the year, at least Xbox’s Developer Direct actually showed off some games and let us know when we can play them. The showcase was anchored by deep dives into the biggest games coming down the green pipe like Doom: The Dark Ages and Compulsion Games’ South of Midnight, with a couple of surprises to fill out the nearly one-hour-long runtime. Here are the highlights from the show.
Xbox kicked off the Direct with the surprise reveal of Ninja Gaiden 4. The game is being codeveloped by Koei Tecmo’s Team Ninja and Bayonetta studio PlatinumGames. Ninja Gaiden 4 revives the series’ bloody, fast-paced combat and high-stakes (but often frustrating) platforming with a new face, the ninja Yakumo. Yakumo will use his unique fighting styles to defeat the Divine Dragon Order that’s turned Tokyo into a dystopian, crumbling mess. Gaiden’s former protagonist, Ryu Hayabusa, will also make an appearance as a playable character and Yakumo’s rival.
Ninja Gaiden 4 will launch in the fall of this year, but if you don’t want to wait for your bloody ninja action, you don’t have to. Xbox stealth dropped Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, a remake of Ninja Gaiden II, and it’s available right now on Xbox and Game Pass.
The developers at Compulsion Games went into detail about South of Midnight’s gameplay and story. You play as Hazel who must use her powers as a Weaver, fighting monsters and traversing the haunted landscape, to rescue her mother who gets swept away in a hurricane. With this, everything I’ve seen about South of Midnight makes it seem like it’ll be one of my games of the year. It’s got a Black protagonist, features characters and tropes that harken to Southern gothic folklore, and its stop-motion art style makes it immediately stand out. I cannot wait to get my hands on this game when it releases on April 8th.
Sandfall Interactive was founded in Montpellier, France, in 2020 with a team led by former Ubisoft developers. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the studio’s first game — a turn-based RPG with a compelling narrative hook. The world has been ravaged by a being known as the Paintress. Every year, she writes down a number, and everyone older than that number disappears. Expeditions are sent out to stop the Paintress, and the game will follow Expedition 33 in their attempt to save humanity. In addition to an interesting Persona 5-style take on turn-based combat, Expedition 33 features some serious voice acting talent, starring Charlie Cox, Jennifer English, Ben Starr, and Andy Serkis. Can’t wait to hear them perform when Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 launches on April 24th.
To close out the Direct, Xbox gave us another look at Doom: The Dark Ages, the prequel to id Software’s 2016 Doom reboot and Doom Eternal. It will, of course, feature all the ripping and tearing a Doom enjoyer could want, along with an interesting focus on narrative — something the series isn’t really known for. But I suspect folks are far more interested in piloting a 30-story Doomguy-shaped mech suit when the game releases on May 15th.
Android 16’s first public beta will start rolling out later today, bringing with it dynamic lockscreen notifications for ride-sharing and food delivery, following yesterday’s reveal of a similar feature in Samsung’s Galaxy S25 phones. The new beta also forces apps to be resizable, a move to make sure they run full-screen on tablets and foldables. This is expected to be the first of four public beta releases before Android 16’s full release in Q2.
Live Updates are dynamic notifications that “help users monitor and quickly access important ongoing activities” and are updated in real time. They’re Android’s take on the Live Activities that Apple added to its iPhones in 2022.
Samsung also added a similar feature in One UI 7, shown off in its Galaxy S25 phones at yesterday’s Unpacked event, which it calls the Now Bar. However, while Apple and Samsung’s versions support a range of app and notification types, including live sports scores, the Android 16 implementation is so far limited to progress trackers, and Google suggests it should only be used for ride-sharing, food delivery, and navigation apps.
While Samsung’s Now Bar appears as a floating notification at the bottom of the lockscreen, and Apple’s are designed around its Dynamic Island camera cutout, Android 16’s Live Updates seem to instead be pinned to the top of the regular notification stack.
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Image: Google
The other major change in the public beta release is a restriction on developers’ ability to lock the size and orientation of their app windows. The change is intended to make sure that apps “work seamlessly” on devices “regardless of display size and form factor.” In short: this is to make sure apps open full-screen on larger devices like tablets and foldables, and can be resized freely for multi-tasking. Games are exempt, and app developers are able to opt out for this release, but won’t have that option by the time Android 17 rolls around in 2026.
Other additions to the public beta include support for the Advanced Professional Video (APV) codec, scene detection to enable night mode in camera apps, and better support for vertical text rendering. These join features already revealed in Android 16’s two developer betas including improvements to Android’s photo picker menu, richer haptic controls, and a Health Connect app for sharing medical information.
Google has also confirmed that it’s working on adding more Gemini Extensions, after yesterday launching the ability for its AI assistant to act across multiple apps in a single prompt. So far Gemini only works with Google’s own apps, a few of Samsung’s, and a handful of third-party options including Spotify and WhatsApp, but Google promises support for “more apps with more OEMs on more devices across more form factors.”
The Android 16 beta is rolling out today to any Google Pixel phone since the Pixel 6, plus the Pixel Tablet. This is the wider public’s first chance to try out the new Android version, but you won’t have long to wait if you’d rather not risk beta software. Google is changing its update cadence this year, with Android 16 expected to be released fully sometime in Q2, following a final beta release in April, much earlier than its usual Q3 release window.
It’s been less than a year since Microsoft launched its first Qualcomm Snapdragon X-powered Surface devices, and now a new rumor says followups could debut as soon as this spring. A report from Windows Central updates rumors that have circled since 2023, citing sources who say that new versions of the Surface Laptop and Surface Pro 2-in-1 are in the works, with 11- to 12-inch size screens, Windows on Arm, and lighter but still “premium” designs.
Microsoft has already scheduled a “major” Surface for Business event next week. There, we’re anticipating variants of the current Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 11 CoPilot Plus PCs that have Intel’s Lunar Lake chips inside and are aimed at business customers.
According to Windows Central, it’s unclear where these smaller devices might launch, but they will have cheaper chipsets, like the Snapdragon X Plus or possibly the Snapdragon X that launched earlier this month at CES, to keep prices in the $800 - $900 range. When Microsoft last updated its Surface Laptop Go lineup with a third-generation in 2023, we thought it no longer made sense at the asking price, but the battery life and performance supported by Qualcomm’s hardware might change things for a new replacement.
The smaller Surface Pro is described as a competitor for Apple’s 11-inch iPad Pro. However, Windows Central reports it’s unclear if it is positioned to replace the old Surface Go series, which was last updated with the business-focused Surface Go 4.
High-performing teams are the engine of innovation and efficiency in any software development organization. Their success stems from producing high-quality software while effectively navigating the complex environments of large organizations. They balance competing priorities, adapt to evolving technologies, and collaborate across diverse, often siloed, teams.
Empowered with greater responsibility and autonomy, high-performance teams deliver more value in less time, accelerating the organization’s progress toward its goals. Increased ownership fosters engagement and motivation, often placing them at the forefront of innovation and driving the development of new features, products and services.
The benefits of high-performance teams extend beyond the software they build. They serve as a model for other teams, disseminating best practices and raising the organization’s overall performance.
These teams don’t emerge spontaneously; they are developed through deliberate planning, strong leadership and a culture that promotes excellence. Software leaders can foster high-performing teams by implementing the following steps:
Track and assess which teams routinely surpass performance benchmarks. Spend time with their leaders to learn how they have optimized their processes. This discovery step also builds relationships with these teams, positioning them as examples for the broader software development practice.
High-performing teams thrive when they have clear, achievable goals that align with the organization’s vision. These goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (SMART).
Empowered teams are more agile and adaptable. To steer the direction of their work, give them control over decision-making processes, such as tool selection, workflow design and priority setting.
Trust is the foundation of any high-performing team. Foster a culture where team members feel comfortable sharing ideas, providing feedback and holding each other accountable. Regular retrospectives and feedback loops can help teams reflect on their performance and identify areas for improvement.
High-performing teams always look for ways to improve. Help team members develop their skills by providing access to ongoing training, certifications and other learning resources. Encourage a culture of continuous improvement through regular workshops and learning opportunities.
Collaboration within and between teams is crucial for success. Utilize a platform to facilitate real-time communication, document sharing and project management. Encourage transparency in communication to ensure that all team members have the information they need to make informed decisions. A collaborative environment fosters creativity and innovation as diverse perspectives come together to solve complex problems.
High-performing teams thrive in environments where their efforts are recognized and rewarded. Establish a system for acknowledging achievements, both big and small. This could include formal recognition programs, performance bonuses or simply public acknowledgment of a job well done. Recognizing excellence motivates teams and reinforces the behaviors and practices that lead to success.
At a time when software excellence is the key differentiator for many businesses, nurturing exceptional teams that produce high-quality, innovative software is critical. While high-performance teams are valuable in their own right, they also play an outsized role in setting standards and practices for the whole organization.
Building and nurturing these teams enhances productivity and software quality and increases job satisfaction and retention for your most valuable engineers. Follow the steps above to build outstanding software development teams and drive the business forward.
The post Building High-Performance Software Development Teams: 7 Tips appeared first on The New Stack.
I currently run several engineering teams in FinTech. Our work involves large distributed systems and strict requirements. Although I started using more “traditional” processes, I eventually discovered Agile and user stories.
Honestly, the first time I heard about user stories, they sounded too simple. Yet, once I tried them, I realized they bring clarity and reduce team confusion.
In this article, I’d like to share my perspective on user stories, why they matter, and how they fit into the broader Agile picture. I’ll also discuss the differences between Agile and Waterfall, explain how backlogs work, and show you how sprints organize everything. By the end of this blog post, you should have a good idea of how to use user stories effectively.
Agile gained momentum in 2001 when a group of developers met in Utah to discuss better software-building methods. They realized traditional methods often locked teams into plans that were hard to change, even if new information surfaced. The Agile Manifesto emerged from that meeting. It values working software, team collaboration, and openness to evolving requirements.
Many approaches — like Scrum and Extreme Programming — grew out of these core ideas, emphasizing shorter cycles, frequent feedback, and minor, functional releases.
A user story is a quick statement that tells you who needs something, what they need, and why it’s valuable. You can usually spot it by the sentence structure:
“As a [type of user], I want [action], so I can [goal].”
For example: “As a frequent shopper, I want to save my payment details to check out faster next time.”
That single sentence highlights the user (a frequent shopper), the action (save payment details), and the reason (faster checkout). It forces you to consider the user’s goal before pursuing design or technical details.
If you write a user story well, the team immediately sees which person they’re helping and what problem they’re solving. This connects the Engineers with the Customer and ensures they deliver what is needed. User stories encourage a more user-focused mindset.
You can break extensive features into smaller user stories. In addition, you can prioritize these stories based on which goals matter most.
Moreover, if business needs change, you can easily reorder them in the backlog.
Teams can discuss each story and determine whether they understand it. Furthermore, testers and developers can raise questions about edge cases to clarify everything before coding starts.
User stories tend to remain high-level, but acceptance criteria bring in specifics. Think of them as a checklist that clarifies how to confirm the story is done. For instance, if your user story says:
“As a visitor, I want to sign up for a weekly newsletter so I can stay informed about new products,”
The acceptance criteria might look like this:
With these points in place, developers and testers know what success looks like. The product owner can also see if anything is missing and add more details.
A backlog is where you store all your user stories, bug reports, and ideas for future improvements. The product owner (or whoever manages your backlog) orders these items so the highest-value tasks appear at the top.
For example, if I’m working on an online marketplace, a top-priority story might say:
“As a seller, I want to list my products quickly to reach more potential buyers.”
Items lower in the backlog might involve optional features or tasks that can wait until after the core product is stable.
The team will also refine these items, adding acceptance criteria or clarifying details. This process, often called “backlog grooming,” ensures that it’s clear enough to work on a story whenever your team is ready to work on a story.
A sprint is a short period — often two weeks — where the team selects a few stories from the backlog and commits to finishing them. Typically, this involves:
The product owner presents the highest-priority items. The team then asks questions, estimates effort, and decides how many stories to manage.
The team builds, tests, and reviews each story during the sprint. They also track progress using a board or tool that shows which stories are “to do,” “in progress,” or “done.”
Ultimately, the team shows the completed stories to stakeholders, who can provide feedback or request changes. This might lead to new or updated stories in the backlog.
The team reflects on how the sprint went. Were there any blockers? Could they improve their processes? This continuous improvement cycle is a key part of Agile.
A statement like, “As a user, I want to do stuff,” doesn’t guide the team — clarity matters. Ensure that you follow the “As a [Type of user] when I [perform a specific action], I [get an outcome].
For example, “As an Admin user, when I correctly enter my username and password and log in, I am redirected to the admin console.”
Conversely, if you cram too many technical details into one story, you might lose sight of the primary user goal. Keep the story itself brief, and store deeper notes elsewhere.
You don’t want: “As a user who is logged in but not an admin user, when I enter the admin URL and try to access it, I am shown the error message “You do not have privileges to view this resource” in bold, red, italic text which is converted to the local language and remains on the screen for the duration that the user is there.”
This is too long and convoluted.
You want: “As a standard user, I am shown an error when I try to access the admin console.”
Leave the rest of the details to the acceptance criteria.
If you skip the acceptance criteria, you may not know when the story is complete. Also, testers won’t have a straightforward way to verify the work.
“As a customer, I want to track orders, update my profile, and request refunds.” These are three separate needs, and splitting them up simplifies testing and completion.
Moving from rigid processes to Agile, I found user stories simple to understand but hard to master. Sometimes, my teams wrote user stories that were too broad or too narrowly focused on code. Over the years, we have learned that the best user stories sound like users talking about what they want to accomplish without delving into deep technical details.
I also discovered that acceptance criteria serve as a gentle safety net. They ensure that everyone (developers, testers, and product owners) agrees on what the story must do before it’s considered “done.” This alignment reduces misunderstandings and late-stage surprises.
User stories are a straightforward way to keep software projects on track. They shift the conversation away from technical tasks and toward real user goals. Acceptance criteria offer measurable targets for each story, while Agile practices like sprints and frequent reviews create regular opportunities to check in with stakeholders.
Your backlog organizes everything and helps you decide which stories to tackle next. Once a sprint begins, your team can focus on just a few stories, deliver working software, and collect valuable feedback.
The post How To Write User Stories: A Beginners Guide appeared first on The New Stack.
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