An Approach to Life

First part of Jeff Patton’s Communitech presentation Embrace Uncertainty, Strategies for on-time delivery in an uncertain world., given on Sept 9, 2008, at Holiday Inn, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.

Jeff Patton’s message is to question what you think you know if you want to avoid the troubles you could run if processes are followed by the book.

He shows in this episode the problem with the incremental approach to agile software development.

Duration : 0:9:46

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In the first of a series of mini-films, Excellent Development explains how its approach to creating development through conservation is benefiting communities in Kenya.

In addition to exploring each individual element of the charities holistic approach to soil and water conservation, these films also offer a valuable insight into how Sand Dams, a key element of Excellent Development’s approach, represent an effective and necessary small-scale approach to strengthening communities’ long-term sustainability.

Whilst being critical to improving water supplies, food production, health and incomes for communities in semi-arid Kenya, sand dams are also a grassroots answer to fighting climate change, a benefit recently reinforced by the release of the government commissioned Stern Report.

The Stern Report has renewed attention on the impacts of climate change in Africa highlighting their uneven distribution, with the poorest countries being most affected.

Simon Maddrell, Excellent Development co-founder comments, “The development challenges in semi-arid Africa are completely different to the industrial nations. In semi-arid Africa it is conservation that can actually create sustainable development. Water and soil conservation provides farmers with the environment to create livelihoods by creating oases in semi-arid lands that can support water and food security. Arguably, the communities we are working with are doing far more to reverse the impacts of climate change than any of us in the West. They deserve our support, not just because they struggle to sustain their lives, but as global citizens concerned with the future of our planet.”

To see more, please go to http://tv.oneworld.net

These films were produced by Globell Media — www.globellmedia.com

A DVD of these films, along with the full length feature documentary is available from

http://www.excellentdevelopment.com

Duration : 0:6:51

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In this video I discuss two different approaches to software development; Horizontal approach where the dependency tree is followed up from the simplest sub systems to the final product, and the vertical approach where a subset of requirements are fulfilled early to give to the customer. For more information about software development go to Devcentre.Org.

Duration : 0:4:16

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At the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, we’re moving the boundaries of science through our interdisciplinary approach to solving challenges in energy and the environment, national security and fundamental sciences. Its these advancements today that will bring about big changes for tomorrow—in our nation and in the world.

A complete transcript of this video is available at http://www.pnl.gov/labvideotranscript.pdf

Learn more about Pacific Northwest National Laboratory at http://www.pnl.gov/.

Duration : 0:5:8

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In this pair of films, designed for schools, Excellent Development provide case studies of their conservation driven development and community-led approach in semi-arid Kenya through the lenses of sustainable farming and sustainable development. These films and the series of mini-films which explore each individual element of the charity’s holistic approach to soil and water conservation offer a valuable insight into how communities can strengthen their long-term sustainability and make a positive grassroots contribution to fighting global climate change.

The sustainable farming case study demonstrates how farmers address problems of soil erosion and water availability using terracing, sand dams & trees as a first step towards sustainable farming. The terracing and trees massively reduce soil erosion and keep more moisture in the farms while the sand dams harvest rain water allowing farmers to dedicate more time to their farms, try out new farming methods like zero-grazing and inter-cropping, diversify the range of their crops and work towards achieving food security and generating incomes.
The sustainable Development case study explores why conservation of the environment has to be addressed first in order to make sustainable development possible in a semi-arid environment and looks at the impacts of soil and water conservation in terms of the improved availability of water and food, improvements in health, incomes and the positive contribution towards fighting climate change. The film also picks out the elements that make the development sustainable; the positive impact on the natural environment, Excellent Development’s bottom-up approach and the use of appropriate technology.

For more information please visit:

www.excellentdevelopment.com

to watch more films like this visit:

http://tv.oneworld.net

Duration : 0:2:14

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These are pictures of the SEARSOLIN Course Class 2007,Batch 43. The students take courses in community organizing (with focus on the et Based Community Development Approach,sustainable agriculture,cooperatives, micro-enterpirse and microfinance, peace approaches to development,monitoring and evaluation, and the formulation of the Development Action Plan. The course take 6.5 months so the program incorporated several fieldtrips and outside activities as shown in this video clip.

Duration : 0:8:10

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