Everybody is interested in improving productivity. It’s in the title of the book from one of the creators of Scrum – boost your productivity by a factor of 4! Yet, when I reflect on the work I’ve done helping organizations in their Agile transformations, I realize I’ve had a somewhat conflicted relationship with the topic […]
The four perspectives of a Product Owner
One of the challenges organizations face when moving towards Agile ways of working is the role of a product owner. We generally understand the idea of the one person ultimately accountable for return-on-investment for their “product”. However, go into a company doing Agile nowadays and ask one of the product owners if they are empowered […]
Organizational transformation II: Value Streams
As mentioned in the previous article, delivering high-quality products in a fast way is essential for organizations to be competitive. One of the alternatives to speed up software development and continuously deliver value to customers is through Value Streams Management. What is Value Stream? According to the Lean Manufacturing method, value is defined through the […]
Organizational transformation I: Agile Scaling Frameworks
It’s important to reflect on the use of agile practices. Are we applying and evolving Agility with a purpose? Are we copying the Agile framework only because it’s a trend? Do we implement Agile scaling frameworks for the sake of it? The Paradigm Of The 5 Monkeys The monkey paradigm is an experiment where researchers […]
Pair your agile transformation with a change management framework
Recently, they published the 14th State of Agile Report. The sheer amount of information this report shares with the reader is astounding. For the sake of processing it, I filtered some key insights. One of these insights struck me the most: the main reason for agile transformation failure is the general organization’s resistance to change. […]
Paradigms of work management: conversations with the philosophers
I have finally made it, today I come to tell you about a conversation I was able to have yesterday (with the social distance measures recommended during these times) with two people I have admired since I heard about them in my high school years. They are René Descartes and David Hume. René will surely […]
5 essential skills of a Product Owner
A Product Owner (PO) is a constitutive part of the Scrum Team. The Product Owner represents the Stakeholders and is accountable for maximizing the value of products created by the developers. In agile, maximizing the value means creating a valuable product for the Stakeholders and customers that ensure the return of the investment. In this […]
Agile Contract: know the deal before you set it
You have probably been in the position where you had a project and the money to fulfill it, but not the manpower or knowledge to do it. You would’ve had to engage a supplier to get the work done. If we look at the Agile Principle ‘collaboration over contract negotiation’, we notice that while a […]
PreMortem risk assessment
You are starting a new project. You have a mix of feelings that range from anxiety to excitement. You have your team gathered and ready to start. You will be assuming formal or informal leadership roles at least once during the project. You know you and your team are all in this together. You want […]
5 top skills to develop for a Scrum Master or Agile Coach
Are you looking to become a better Scrum Master or Agile Coach? Here’s where you need to focus on! We give you 5 essential skills for a Scrum Master or Agile Coach. So, you already know Scrum. Ok, what’s next? Before you start – Assess yourself honestly. Do you really know Scrum well? This article […]