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Blog Post

Product Owner vs Product Manager - What’s the Difference?

September 7, 2023
Scrum has an accountability called “Product Owner”, but you’ll also come across people with the title of “Product Manager”. Are they the same thing? Related to each other? Is one better than the other? PST'S Gregory Crown, Jason Malmstadt, and Robert Pieper shed some light on this confusing topic in this Scrum Lightning Round.
Blog Post

Scrum Master Skills We Rarely Talk About: Change Management

September 7, 2023
When we talk about desired stances of a Scrum Master - Change Agent is one of them and we emphasize that a Professional Scrum Master should be an effective Agent of Change. However, in my subjective point of view, we rarely mention the domain of Change Management explicitly and we do not emphasize that Scrum Master should be an expert in Change Management. So, let's dive a bit deeper into the domain of Change Management and discover what Scrum Master can do to become and effective Agent of Change.
Blog Post

🇮🇹 Superare il concetto di ritardo con Scrum

September 7, 2023
Superare il concetto di ritardo con Scrum è possibile! In un mondo in cui le scadenze sono spesso un pilastro cruciale, l’approccio di Scrum può inizialmente suscitare dubbi e scetticismo. La flessibilità apparente delle funzionalità da sviluppare può sembrare controintuitiva, ma è proprio questa caratteristica che rende Scrum un approccio ideale per affrontare problemi complessi in modo empirico. Questo articolo esplora come il concetto di “ritardo” si trasforma in un’opportunità di crescita, quando Scrum è applicato con competenza.
Blog Post

Rethinking 'User Stories': A Call for Clarity in Product Backlog Management

September 7, 2023
In the world of product development, the language we use can profoundly shape our approach to work. 🗣️ One term that I believe has been misused to the point of causing more harm than good is "User Stories". 📚 In my latest blog post, I argue for a shift away from this term towards a more flexible and transparent framework for describing our work: "Product Backlog Items". 🔄 This change can help us avoid the pitfalls of trying to force all our work into a user story format and ultimately lead to more effective product development. 💡 Join me as I delve into this topic and propose a new way of thinking about our work. 🚀 #ProductDevelopment #BacklogManagement
Blog Post

Influencing Leadership Toward Agility

September 6, 2023
Do you ever struggle to help the leaders in your organization see the benefits of agile thinking or using the Scrum framework? I will address this challenge as I answer the Scrum Lightning Round Question: “How can we influence high leadership levels into better implementation of Agile & Scrum methodologies?” I will also discuss the benefits of Misk Ritigation. 🤔
Blog Post

Como começar com o Scrum

September 6, 2023
Uma pergunta recorrente para quem está iniciando no Scrum: Por onde começar com o Scrum? Nesse artigo você verá sugestões de como começar com o Scrum - o que pode ser feito antes do primeiro Sprint, rodando o primeiro Sprint e o que fazer na sequência.
Blog Post

The Power of Facilitation: Liberating Structures for Effective Collaboration

September 6, 2023
In a world marked by constant change and complexity, effective facilitation has become a critical skill for individuals and organizations alike. Whether you're leading a Sprint Planning event, a brainstorming session, or a strategic planning workshop, the ability to guide conversations, foster inclusivity, and elicit valuable insights is paramount. Facilitation is not just about orchestrating discussions; it's about creating an environment where everyone's voices are heard, ideas are explored, and decisions are made collaboratively. This is where Liberating Structures come into play, offering a toolkit of powerful facilitation techniques that can transform the way groups work together.
Blog Post

New Features vs. Technical Debt: A Product Owner's Dilemma

September 6, 2023
The Product Owner is the bridge between corporate strategy and the Scrum Team. The Product Owner must balance the demands of users against the need to ensure that the product remains up to date from a technical perspective. This often means that the Product Owner may need to choose between developing new features to satisfy customer requests and fixes for technical debt.
Blog Post

Definition of “Workflow” in Kanban

September 1, 2023
In my opinion, the section on the definition of workflow in the Kanban Guide is probably the most important section. If you don’t understand your definition of workflow, many other things don’t work that well in the Kanban Guide as a result. If you don’t get that part, it’ll be difficult to really make progress.
Blog Post

Has Agile Stalled?

August 31, 2023
Agile is over 20 years old, and the Agile conference has been running since 2005. But are we seeing any changes? Has agile adoption stalled? This blog discusses enterprise adoption challenges and the environment necessary for Agile to succeed.
Blog Post

Sculpting the Product Backlog: A Delicate Balance Between Lean Inventory and Future Readiness

August 31, 2023
🎯📝 Master the delicate balance of crafting a #ProductBacklog! 🚀 Our latest blog post guides you through the path of keeping it lean💡, but not too lean, anticipating the future🔭 without overcrowding. 🔄 Embrace the power of regular reflection meetings to turn surprises into golden insights! 🤔💼 Be the sculptor of your backlog 🎨⚒️ - Trim it, shape it and make it ready for the future.
Blog Post

Making Agile Work with Dependencies & Waterfall

August 30, 2023
Someone asked us the question “How can we make Agile work with a long dependency chain?” With that as a somewhat-vague staring point, Jason Malmstadt and I explore ideas around Waterfall-Scrum Hybrid models, managing dependencies, and whether trying to combine these two ways of working even makes sense in the first place.
Blog Post

Breaking Down User Stories

August 29, 2023
Most people familiar with Scrum know that teams need to break User Stories or other types of work into small pieces that can be done in a sprint. But this can be done in many ways. Are there ways that are better than others? Should you break it down by task? By area of expertise or specialization? PST's Jason Malmstadt and Robert Pieper discuss these ideas in this quick Q&A video.
Blog Post

Can Scrum Reduce Admin Overhead?

August 28, 2023
“Administrative Overhead” is a phrase that strikes terror, anxiety, and boredom in the hearts of productive developers everywhere - including us at Responsive Advisors! In this Lightning Round Q&A session, PST'S Robert Pieper & Jason Malmstadt explore ways that Scrum can be used to lessen the amount of wasteful and unnecessary work in your daily routine.
Blog Post

Greatest Benefits of Scrum

August 25, 2023
What are the biggest reasons to use Scrum? What should a team or an organization expect to gain when implementing this framework? Why should anyone care? In this short Q&A session, PST'S Robert Pieper and Jason Malmstadt tackle the value proposition of Scrum, exploring the real, tangible benefits to applying Scrum to build products and solve complex problems.
Blog Post

Transition From Mechanical Scrum To Professional Scrum

August 25, 2023
Looking to get your team out of Mechanical Scrum (Zombie Scrum)? In this vlog, Professional Scrum Trainer, Andreanna Marshall teach esyou how to escape Mechanical Scrum and level up to Professional Scrum. Mechanical Scrum is a common approach to Scrum that can stop your team from developing and achieving their goals. Professional Scrum is a more effective approach to Scrum that helps you achieve success. I'll show you how to adopt Professional Scrum values and principles, so you can start working in a more effective and productive way. If you want to succeed in Scrum, then this is the video for you! Watch it, learn from it, and get ahead in your Scrum career!
Blog Post

The Art of Prioritization: Coaching for Incremental Change in Teams

August 24, 2023
Coaching plays a pivotal role in guiding teams toward greater efficiency, collaboration, and overall success. It’s important to remember that you can't coach people out of every bad practice all at once. This article explores the wisdom behind focusing on the highest impact opportunities rather than attempting to create a perfect team overnight.
Blog Post

The Importance of Measuring Employee Satisfaction During Retrospectives

August 24, 2023
At the heart of Scrum lies the Retrospective, a crucial event where teams reflect on their work and identify areas for improvement. One often overlooked opportunity at the Retrospective is measuring employee satisfaction. This article highlights the opportunity of incorporating employee satisfaction measurement into Retrospectives and how it can contribute to team success.
Blog Post

Rethinking Product Backlog: Navigating Through the Weeds of Complexity

August 24, 2023
🔥 Navigating the Product Backlog just got more exciting! 🚀 Unravel why hierarchy might be your ship's anchor ⚓ in the stormy seas of complexity. 🔍 This article unveils the pitfalls of hierarchy and demystifies the complexities in product development. Learn how streamlining your backlog enhances innovation and collaboration. Discover the delicate balance between strategic direction and team autonomy. Equip your teams with the tools and insights they need to thrive in Agile environments. 📈