Category Archives: Key problems

Autonomy

Do people have the right to be themselves? Do people have the right to tell the truth? Can people be themselves? Can we trust the Team to get the job done? *** Some people seem to believe that they give up their freedom as soon as they walk in the door of the company. Perhaps […]

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Michelin’s Agile Journey

Kevin Cosgrove, a great Canadian guy, made a wonderful presentation at Agile Carolinas last Wednesday night. I have three big takeaways, although it includes many great ideas.  (Others might have different take-aways.) 1. Team’s should be 100% dedicated. And (mostly) Michelin was NOT doing this at one time, but NOW is doing this. And a […]

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What should I do if I cannot get a real Team?

Question: What should I do if I cannot get a real Team? Answer: First, let’s assume you are doing something important.  That it is the next most important thing to do at your company (eg, a release).  If so, you would do best to get a real Team.  And Scrum will have a bigger positive […]

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Necessary Conditions

Note: Partly revised 4/7/2022. People often try Scrum without getting the following conditions.  I do NOT know for a fact, from lots of experiments, that the following conditions are “required”.  But I do think I have enough experience to recommend that you try to achieve these conditions as soon as you can.  And that you […]

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The Fuller Picture of Scrum

Very happy to post another short video showing my fuller picture of Scrum. A number of basics with a picture. The key thing, that I think many do not mention — and it’s important — is putting the “chickens” into the picture. Enjoy!

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Agile Halifax – Talk: Agile Estimating and Planning

Good group and fun to talk with. Thanks to Katie and everyone for having me! Put a fair amount into the deck and the drawings.  But surely not self-explanatory for all. But maybe a good start or a good refresher for many. The drawings and the deck. Enjoy! Paper.Agile Halifax Oct 2018.2018.10.23 Agile Estimation Agile […]

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Necessary Conditions for a Team

At the Lean Agile Open (an Open Space event) last Friday, October 19th, I was having lunch with Gwen Kestin (a great coach at Vanguard) and others. Gwen was talking about the necessary conditions for a Team before you start coaching them.  She mentioned someone who had come up with a list of about 6 […]

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Dark Scrum – Some comments

We have been talking about this issue for years. Well, we do not entirely agree on what the issue is. Ron Jeffries calls it Dark Scrum. To quote (almost): “too often “Scrum” is used to oppress people”…and he explains that it was his aim that agile would make the world safe for programmers and testers. […]

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Scrum and Power

Many organizations are built around power.  It is an old old idea.  Power and hierarchy — I think I was told — goes back to the days of Babylonia.  Roughly 5,000 years ago.  And the birth of the city and of city-civilization.  They needed some organizing principles, so they adopted those. If one has a […]

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The Team and Fun

Long ago I took a course on Homo Ludens. Man playing. And the idea was that man is in his most natural state when playing. At least for people who innovate, I think this is true. It may also be true of children. It is not true of ascetics, or those who believe they earn […]

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