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The ScrumButt Test (5): A prioritized Product Backlog is essential

We started a series on The ScrumButt Test some time ago. This is the fifth explanatory post about the test. To find the others, search above (right). Here is the original post. The second item in the second section of the ScrumButt Test is this: “There is a product backlog prioritized by business value” Seem […]

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Squirrel!!

The movie Up! is pretty good. A cartoon, with bits adults can enjoy. My kids were watching and I was also, out of the corner of my eye. There was one scene: the ‘bad dogs’ are in airplanes chasing the good guys. And someone yells: “Squirrel!” The bad dogs wreck their airplanes going after the […]

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Changing culture

I am giving a presentation at Southern Fried Agile on Oct 18th, 2013. On “Culture & Agile & Change”. Here is the presentation slide deck so far.  To me, it is mainly a reference and a take-away.  It does highlight some of the key things I will say (and many things I am sure I […]

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Scaling: How about the “Don’t do it!” option?

There is a lot of talk lately about scaling. And, to some degree, scaling is necessary and good. They say only truly professional Teams try complicated plays.  Or should try complicated plays.  Most ‘lesser’ Teams do well to stick to basic blocking and tackling.  I think this is wise advice for most teams. Scaling by […]

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4 Announcements

We are happy to announce 4 things. 1. New LeanPub Book: Agile Release Planning. Some of you may have seen a prior draft. It is revised now. And published. I expect to have some further revisions.  I seek your feedback. You can see it here. 2. New Workshop: Story Splitting (Feature Decomposition) This is a […]

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More success with Scrum – How to get it

Fernando Cuenca has an excellent blog post, here.  He discusses what he learned at Agile 2013. I will summarize his teachings in my words. The ultimate question is: how to have a better life for yourself, your Team, and your Customers.  Specifically at work, using Scrum. Measure velocity.  Look for increases in velocity. Otherwise known […]

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Story Splitting (Feature Decomposition) Workshop

We have added a 1 day Workshop to many of our courses.  The one day is composed of 1/2 Day on Story Splitting. And 1/2 Day on Scaling.  This Workshop can be attended ‘alone’ (ie, you can take only this one-day workshop). What.  Story Splitting is always required. We always need smaller stories in the […]

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Impediments – From the Charlotte Class in Sept.

Here are some impediments identified in an exercise by the Charlotte CSM Class in September. Some duplicates, some overlaps. May this list make your Team more creative about identifying impediments. May it lead to your Team to fixing the highest priority impediment first. The List: Personal Agenda Hierarchical approach Understand tasks (tasks not understood, I […]

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Getting the right people in the Team – Richard Branson

For useful innovation, truly good and fast innovation, I think a Team is essential.  They must do knowledge creation in a Team. As Takeuchi and Nonaka have explained pretty darn well. A real team, not a group of individuals. As a friend just reminded me, probably the most important thing in getting a Team started […]

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Scaling: Don’t forget the Team

What do you have if you have good scaling but all the Teams are terrible?  Nothing. What do you have if you have lame scaling, but all the Teams are good?  Something that is still pretty darn powerful. *** What happens when ‘everyone’ is talking about scaling?  They forget about the Teams.  And the Teams […]

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