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Scrum is Hard and Disruptive #8 - Old Habits Die Hard

September 18, 2024
Todd and Ryan discuss the ongoing struggle of Scrum teams against ingrained Waterfall habits and predictive thinking that undermine Agile principles. Despite shifts in workforce generations and management styles, many teams still sacrifice quality to meet deadlines and rigid plans.
Blog Post

“OKRs S&%k, but we don’t know anything better” – Scaling Founder Mode by Fixing OKRs (Leveraging EBM)

September 18, 2024
“OKRs S&%k, but we don’t know anything better” This was a direct quote from a cybersecurity scaleup’s Chief of Staff, but I hear the sentiment way too often from founders, chiefs of staff, COOs, and others in the scaleup ecosystem. I started encountering OKRs when working with scaleups a couple of years ago, helping leaders fix their ways of working to reap the promised benefits of “Agile.”
Blog Post

Scrum is Hard and Disruptive #7 - Change is Required!

September 17, 2024
Scrum adoption requires top-down leadership but thrives with a “middle-out” approach that engages middle management to drive organizational change. Sustained effort and healthy conflict resolution are crucial, as the journey is ongoing and filled with challenges. To succeed, organizations must embed Scrum principles deeply enough that change continues effectively beyond the influence of any single individual.
Blog Post

Agile in Medical Device

September 17, 2024
In this episode of the take5IRL podcast, Jeff Lee and Kelly Weyrauch break down what the FDA expects from your systems and reveal how adopting an Agile approach can give your company a competitive edge. Don't miss out on these game-changing insights!
Blog Post

Scrum is Hard and Disruptive #6 - The Point of Scrum is DONE!

September 16, 2024
This blog post explores how Scrum's intentional pressure on both engineering and product management teams drives continuous improvement and excellence. It emphasizes the importance of the "Definition of Done" and the need to close the "Effectiveness Gap" between current and target practices. Ultimately, the stress Scrum creates is a positive force that helps teams achieve better outcomes with each sprint.
Blog Post

How to Make Value Flow Without Interruptions in SAFe

September 16, 2024
In 2022, Andrew Sales (Chief Methodologist and SAFe Fellow at Scaled Agile, Inc.) was talking at the Tecnifor SAFe Day. You can find the talk here. His subject was “accelerating flow of customer value”. I want to reflect on this talk and share how we can help improve flow of customer value in SAFe systemically. This post invites you to improve SAFe beyond the solutions proposed in this talk.   
Blog Post

Scrum is Hard and Disruptive #5 - I'm All In

September 13, 2024
Partial implementations of Scrum often obscure critical dysfunctions in product development, preventing teams from fully benefiting from the framework's potential. Scrum Masters are vital in identifying and addressing these issues, requiring experience and leadership to drive real change.
Blog Post

How to Develop Your Company’s Purpose

September 13, 2024
Developing your company's purpose is one of the most critical steps in building a meaningful and successful business. Gone are the days when work was solely about trading time for money. Today, employees seek a deeper sense of purpose, often valuing it more than financial compensation. In this blog, we explore the significance of company purpose, why it matters, and how to develop your company's purpose to inspire your team and create a basis for sound future decision-making.
Blog Post

What Is Product Discovery?

September 12, 2024
Product discovery is not just a process — it’s a critical mindset for driving successful product development. By adopting a structured approach to discovery, teams can ensure they are solving the right problems and delivering value to both customers and the business.
Blog Post

Scrum is Hard and Disruptive #4 - Look in the Mirror

September 12, 2024
Scrum is more than a project management tool; it’s a competitive advantage that exposes organizational weaknesses and drives continuous improvement. Todd and Ryan emphasize that while Scrum highlights inefficiencies, true success requires adapting and addressing these issues rather than ignoring them.
Blog Post

Product Management with Purpose: Addressing the Problems Your Customers Face

September 12, 2024
Teams can build a product or feature exactly to specification and still fail if customers don’t respond positively to the product. In their haste to deliver the teams don’t have the necessary information to understand what their customers and users want nor why, so they build.. something. This blog discusses and suggests ideas for readers to consider when using product discovery in their product management process.
Blog Post

Dispelling Myths of Product Discovery in Scrum

September 12, 2024
In this blog, we dispel a series of myths associated with product discovery in Scrum. Myths such as “it's a phase in the process and can not be done in a Sprint,” “It's only for greenfield projects,” to “ The DoD stops us from doing Discovery”.
Blog Post

Why Is Mechanical Scrum a Trap?

September 10, 2024
Mechanical Scrum can become a trap when we follow Scrum without understanding Scrum. The Scrum framework is a great place to start in order to deliver value, but it shouldn’t be itself a destination.
Blog Post

Agile in Regulated Environments

September 10, 2024
Ready to navigate the complexities of Agile in regulated environments? Join Jeff and his guest, Kelly Weyrauch—the go-to expert for Agile in the medical device world—as they dive deep into the challenges and breakthrough strategies for integrating Agile in regulated industries. Tune in to discover how you can master the balance between compliance and agility, transforming your processes into models of efficiency and effectiveness.
Blog Post

The Paradox of Leadership: Confident Humility

September 9, 2024
As a leader, navigating the pitfalls of overconfidence and fear is crucial for effective leadership. By cultivating confident humility you can avoid the dangers of these ditches and inspire your team to achieve their full potential.
Blog Post

Why Agile Fails: The Mindset Shift Organisations Miss

September 9, 2024
Agile often fails not because it's flawed, but because organisations focus on quick results instead of embracing the mindset shift it demands. This blog explores how the rush for success leads companies to miss Agile's core values -adaptability and value-driven decision-making - resulting in frustration. Ready to move beyond surface-level Agile practices and unlock true business agility? Discover why embracing the journey of transformation is key to lasting success. Dive in to learn more!

Liderazgo de producto

September 6, 2024
El liderazgo de producto es necesario para asumir una adecuada propiedad de producto enfocado en la entrega de valor. En el siguiente post mencionó algunos aspectos que se pueden considerar para lograr este tipo de liderazgo.
Blog Post

Scrum's Essential Elements (SG003)

September 5, 2024
The Scrum Guide outlines essential elements of the Scrum framework, each serving a critical purpose. Understanding the true purpose of these elements, rather than common misconceptions, is vital for effective Scrum practice.
Blog Post

Scrum.org and ScrumMatch a Perfect Partnership

September 5, 2024
Scrum.org and ScrumMath partner to help organizations that are looking to hire Scrum Masters and Product Owners find candidates that have been qualified by experts in Scrum, while at the same time helping those who are already Scrum Masters and Product Owners grow throughout the process.
Blog Post

Get Agile and Stay Agile: A Continuous Journey

September 4, 2024
Agility is not just a one-time transformation but an ongoing process that involves optimizing actions and strategies to respond effectively to changing circumstances. True agility requires continuous effort, and maintaining it is essential for organizations to stay responsive and adaptable.
Blog Post

Can A Waterfall And Scrum Hybrid Be Effective?

September 4, 2024
Can a Hybrid of Waterfall and Scrum Work? In this Responsive Advisors video, discover how to effectively blend Scrum with Waterfall while avoiding common pitfalls. Gain insights on managing phased Sprints, parallel workstreams, and ensuring robust feedback and integration.
Blog Post

Why “I Don’t Know” is a Game-Changer

September 3, 2024
When you admit that you don’t have all the answers as a Scrum Master, you’re not losing credibility—you’re gaining trust. You’re telling your team, “It’s okay not to know everything. What matters is how we tackle the unknown together.”
Blog Post

The Journey and Future of Scrum and Agile – A Reflection

September 2, 2024
In this reflective blog post, I explore the evolution of Scrum and Agile over the past two decades, highlighting key milestones and shifts in how these frameworks have been adopted. I discuss the current state of Agile, addressing ongoing challenges and the strong community support that persists. Looking ahead, I consider the future of Scrum, emphasizing the importance of transcending past practices while integrating new technologies and cultural shifts. I also highlight the innovative work of my colleagues in helping organizations better assess their current state to make informed decisions.