The Agile Challenge

March 18, 2018

I am devising a challenge called “The Agile Challenge.” I want to challenge all the Agile teams in North Carolina and South Carolina to prove they are the best.

I want some firms or organizations to sponsor the challenge in every way: offer prize money, offer to support teams that enter the challenge, put their names on placards that advertise the challenge, etc. I want “Agile experts” in North Carolina and South Carolina to join me in judging the challenge.

And I am open to input about how to shape this thing. I think of it like the America’s Cup…

Simplest Version of the Rules.

  1. We set a deadline for submission.
  2. Each team must submit their qualifications and ake their own case why they are the best in NC/SC. (In a short paper of no more than 10 pages total; eight pages preferred.)
  3. Success is not defined by one dimension, but success can usually be shown numerically with numbers (although not only numbers maybe).
  4. Each team’s situation is different, so how each team defines success could well be different for each and every team.
  5. The team must find an independent person or persons to review and support their entry. Independence means, at least, that the person is knowledgeable of Agile and outside the team and willing to say, “BS to that!”
  6. There will be a panel of judges. (Please nominate people!)
  7. For the finalists, the judges will talk to each team or representatives of each team.
  8. The judges’ decision is final. It is likely, to some degree, to be a matter of opinion.
  9. We will have a celebration and dinner for the winners and the top finalists.

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The true purpose of this is not to congratulate the winners, who in any case did not need this to become as good as they have become. And, anyway, the winner still needs to improve. The purpose is to make clear to people that Agile can be very successful, and to show people, with examples, how successful a team can be despite all the well-known problems.

That is, the real purpose is to help and inspire others, draw upon their sibling rivalry urges to fight through all the problems of life and become better, be good sportsmen and sportswomen, and recognize the success of others.

The world can be better for your team, and you can show the way for others.

I hope you will support this challenge.

It is not unlike March Madness, if you know basketball and that feeling.

 

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One thought on “The Agile Challenge”

  1. Rob Hoover

    Great idea Joe. I don’t think I have a candidate for this right now but am intrigued and will run it by my coaching team. What is the commitment / qualifications needed for a judge?

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