This article challenges the conventional view of Scrum as merely a delivery framework and reframes it as a powerful engine for product innovation and evolution. While many teams use Scrum to deliver work more predictably, the real opportunity lies in using it to discover what truly adds value for customers. This blog presents four practical strategies to make Scrum more innovation-focused: 1. Treat releases as experiments to validate assumptions. 2. Release based on value, not just Sprint boundaries. 3. Embrace strategic procrastination to keep backlog items flexible. 4. Refine frequently in small efforts to reduce rework and support adaptability. The conclusion emphasizes that Scrum, when used thoughtfully, enables teams not just to ship features, but to learn, adapt, and deliver meaningful outcomes in dynamic markets.

Excessive handoffs in software development create delays, reduce quality, and harm team morale. Learn how eliminating handoffs boosts agility, flow, and value delivery.

In diesem Artikel stellt PST Simon Flossmann die Product-Owner-Reifegrade vor.

In Scrum, “Done” means done. Not halfway done, not “almost there,” and certainly not “we’ll get to it next Sprint.” Yet, many teams find themselves with a growing burden of unfinished work. Over time, that burden starts to feel like a monkey on the team’s back—heavy, distracting, and hard to shake off.

In this blog, Ryan Brook asks, "Is your Product Owner actually owning anything?" He explores what real Product Ownership looks like; setting clear goals, making value-based decisions, owning the customer journey, and building strong user relationships. If they're just forwarding emails or waiting on approvals, it's time to ask why.

Despite 25 years of the Agile Manifesto, countless books, conferences, and armies of consultants, we’re still collectively struggling to make Agile work.

In this blog, author Ryan Brook shares a practical approach to launching new products by treating go-to-market as a learning process. He explains how using real customer insights, short Sprints, and Strategyzer’s Test and Learning Cards helps teams validate assumptions, reduce waste, and make smarter decisions with each step.

Scrum isn’t missing pieces—it’s purposefully lean. This post explains why the framework only includes what’s required to implement its theory, and how teams can avoid over-complicating it with extras that dilute focus and slow down learning.

In diesem Artikel beschreibt PST Simon Flossmann 5 Werkzeuge, die Product-Ownern helfen sichere Entscheidungen zu treffen.

Es gibt einen Weg, ethische KI und Agilität zu verbinden, indem vier pragmatische Grundsätze festgelegt werden: Datenschutz (Klassifizierung von Informationen), Wahrung menschlicher Werte (Definition der Rollen von KI und Mensch), Validierung der Ergebnisse (Verifizierungsprotokolle) und transparente Nachvollziehbarkeit (Erfassung von Beiträgen einer KI).

Case Study on the Power of Flow Metrics: How a struggling team slashed their Cycle Time by 89% and rocketed their Release Frequency by 1.200%.

Ryan Brook explores consent as a competency of professional mentoring in Scrum Mastery. He outlines how true mentoring requires ongoing permission, not assumption, and offers reflective questions to assess professionalism. The post emphasises humility, timing, and ethical restraint as essential to consent-based mentoring.

In diesem Artikel beschreibt PST Simon Flossmann 5 Modellen, um schwierige Teamdynamik zu navigieren.

One of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen in Agile adoption is the separation of design and development into different teams, each with their own Product Owner and their own Product Backlog.

Over the last year, we have continued to refine our understanding of the Agile Product Operating Model(APOM). In this blog, we discuss the key elements of APOM. The seven characteristics are Unique, Holistic, Evidence-based, Empowered Teams, Empirical, Complete, and Change Management built in.

Are your workdays truly productive? What if I told you that despite the long hours, only 2.8 hours of your 8-hour workday are spent on meaningful tasks? This article dives into the Productivity Paradox, uncovering the root causes of distractions, ineffective communication, and poor leadership practices. I’ll also share practical solutions—Structured Working Agreements—to help teams reclaim their focus, improve decision-making, and foster a culture of deep work. Ready to tackle the hidden productivity killers in your workplace?

You might think agility is something you apply uniformly. And if you are working in a large org, you have probably heard someone propose that “we all should have one way of working”. A standard way across the entire company. I am here to share that, in my experience, this does not make much sense most of the time. Different Flavours of Adaptability Different parts of a business move at different speeds, operate under various constraints, and require different types of adaptability. Also, not all products are in the same phase. Some might be emerging, with lots of uncertainty, others might be ready for scaling up, and others are mature. All these differences require a different flavour of agile, in terms of adaptability, governance, budgeting, processes and structure.

In diesem Artikel teilt PST Simon Flossmann 10 Coaching-Fragen für Scrum Master.

Ryan Brook outlines five principles; Consent, Safety, Restraint, Relevance, and Integrity for professionalising the mentor stance in Scrum Mastery. He distinguishes mentoring from coaching, emphasising relational fit, ethical presence, and reflective practice. This post sets the foundation for a series exploring each principle in depth.

Agile teams face ethical challenges. However, there is a lightweight framework that integrates with existing practices, protecting sensitive data and human expertise while enabling teams to confidently realize AI benefits without creating separate bureaucratic processes.

Upstream Kanban is a Kanban system designed to uncover new knowledge and assess delivery options. The upstream is a highly creative, collaborative, and unpredictable activity. Consequently, the Upstream Kanban requires a specific set of metrics that can help guide your decisions. This article explores seven essential Upstream Kanban metrics to support product backlog management, agile decision-making, portfolio management, and agile product development.

In this blog, Ryan Brook examines the structural challenges of portfolio planning within the UK Government, including political churn, annual budget cycles, and restricted funding. He argues that agility, through adaptive governance, empowered boards, and value-led delivery, is not just beneficial but essential for responsive, effective public sector outcomes.

Scrum’s power lies in its simplicity. It defines only the essentials—leaving space for teams to adapt, experiment, and grow. This post explores why the Scrum framework is purposefully incomplete and how that gives teams the freedom to find what really works in their context.

Unsicherheiten können für ein Scrum-Team auch eine Chance sein In der Softwareentwicklung streben wir oft nach Klarheit, bevor wir loslegen – doch was, wenn Unsicherheiten nicht nur Hindernisse, sondern auch Chancen sind? In meinem Blogpost zeige ich, wie Scrum-Teams durch empirisches Arbeiten im Sprint nicht nur effizienter werden, sondern auch neue Möglichkeiten entdecken. Anstatt den Sprint als Mini-Wasserfall zu sehen, sollten wir Unsicherheiten als Teil des Prozesses akzeptieren und nutzen, um innovative und zielgerichtete Lösungen zu entwickeln. Entdecke die Kraft der Flexibilität und den wahren Wert agiler Methoden!

In diesem Artikel erfährst du von PST Simon Flossmann 5 Werkzeuge, um ermüdenden Online-Meetings wieder lebendig zu machen.

Ryan Brook explores how Scrum and the Double Diamond model complement each other in fostering innovation. By combining structured discovery with iterative delivery, teams can better frame problems, experiment safely, and deliver meaningful outcomes in complex environments.

Ken Schwaber und Jeff Sutherland haben am Ende ihrer Scrum-Trainings stets betont, dass es wichtig sei, nun selbst Erfahrungen zu sammeln. Fachkonferenzen bieten hierfür eine ideale Plattform für Feedback und Weiterentwicklung. Sie sind eine gute Ergänzung zur agilen Community im eigenen Unternehmen oder in der Region. Doch welche konkreten Vorteile bringen solche Veranstaltungen für Einsteiger in die agile Arbeitswelt?

It isn't just individuals who can suffer from burnout. Sometimes, it's the whole Scrum Team. PST Mary Iqbal explores this serious problem in her latest blog post.

The Untold Story: How the Revolutionary Scrum Master Role Lost Its Way Once envisioned as transformative change agents, Scrum Masters have increasingly become mere meeting facilitators in many organizations. Drawing from two decades of experience guiding agile transformations, this article exposes the critical factors behind this troubling evolution—from certification factories to fundamental leadership misunderstandings. Discover why the reduction of this dynamic role to ceremony management represents just 1% of its true potential, and learn how organizations are unwittingly setting their Scrum Masters up for failure through contradictory structures and impossible expectations.

Case Study on Breaking the Tech Barrier: Implementing Scrum in Both Technical and Non-Technical Teams to Drive Measurable Business Outcomes.

Change can feel like a minefield, especially when you're leading a team. Are you seeing enthusiasm, resistance, or something in between? This post unveils the five core human responses to change, equipping you with practical strategies to navigate each one, fostering resilience and high-performance in your team.

Scrum isn’t about ticking boxes or increasing velocity—it’s about achieving meaningful goals. This post unpacks how goal clarity fuels effective Scrum and what happens when teams forget that purpose comes first.

Bitte hören Sie auf, KI als ein Teammitglied zu behandeln, das Sie „an Bord holen“ müssen! Es ist ein ausgesprochen fähiges Werkzeug; nutzen Sie es im bestmöglichen Sinne.

In diesem Artikel erklärt PST Simon Flossmann, warum Selbstmanagement ohne diese 3 Prinzipien nicht funktionieren kann.

Answer Leveling is a simple technique for coaxing AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude out of their shell to generate more exciting and in-depth responses. In this blog post, you'll learn how Scrum Masters can use this method to get more detailed and well-thought-out answers to team-related challenges from large language models—even without advanced prompt engineering skills.

In this article, I discuss Scrum in toxic environments, how Scrum Master's push for transparency might be doing more harm than good, and I give some advice for those in such a situation.

In episode 5, Mehdi and Nils explore how AI can transform the way we interact with Jira. They also introduce two AI tools (LM Arena, OpenRouter) to compare different LLMs.

In this blog, PST Alex Ballarin explains how OKR and Scrum provide a powerful system for strategy execution and team alignment. This provide huge value both for executives and teams!

We may not be able to control market conditions or increase LandD funding right now. But we can redefine how we lead. The world of work is shifting, and so must the way we manage. As organisations face shrinking budgets, volatile markets, and rapid change, many leaders feel the pressure to tighten control, to demand more output, track every hour, and squeeze every ounce of efficiency.

In this final post, I reflect on the importance of professional standards when teaching Scrum. It’s not just what we teach, but how we behave that shapes learning. Inclusion, integrity, and clear boundaries build trust. As a former teacher, I’ve seen how conduct can make or break a learning environment.

Ever wondered what the "Professional" in Professional Scrum Master really means? It's not just a fancy prefix. In this article, I explore how true professionalism in Scrum goes far beyond certification—it's about unwavering integrity when stakes are high and shortcuts tempt. Through powerful comparisons between medical ethics and software development accountability, I reveal why mutual responsibility is the backbone of effective Scrum teams. Discover the binding covenant that separates those who merely practice Scrum from those who truly embody its transformative power. This isn't just about building better products—it's about becoming an agent of positive change in your organization.

In diesem Artikel erklärt PST Simon Flossmann 5 Ursachen, warum Scrum Teams mit Sprintzielen kämpfen – und was sie über dein Team verraten

Stop treating AI as a team member to “onboard.” It’s a tool.

Algunas voces claman que "la agilidad ha muerto" —señalando burocratización, captura corporativa y rituales vacíos— la evidencia muestra que la agilidad no ha muerto: ha madurado. Estudios globales confirman su expansión, su impacto superior en resiliencia, innovación y crecimiento, y su adopción creciente en industrias críticas. El problema no es Scrum ni la agilidad; es la superficialidad con que a veces se implementan. Scrum sigue siendo vital si se practica desde sus fundamentos: compromiso, coraje, foco, apertura y respeto. Estos valores no son adornos, sino prácticas vivas que sostienen a los equipos frente a la incertidumbre y el cambio. Sin embargo, mientras celebramos ceremonias ágiles, otras transformaciones silenciosas —como la inteligencia artificial, la fragmentación laboral, y la automatización del conocimiento— están redefiniendo las bases mismas del trabajo humano. Nos enfrentamos al riesgo de que la adaptación, inspección y retroalimentación sean tomadas por sistemas automáticos, desplazando la agencia humana. Frente a este escenario, Scrum puede ser un refugio de humanidad consciente o una ilusión vacía. La elección es ética, no técnica.

Many Scrum Masters seem to limit themselves to team-level work, avoiding the broader organizational challenges where real change often happens. This narrow focus raises questions about the role’s value and whether it's living up to its potential. Maybe it's time to rethink expectations—or redefine the role entirely.

People tend to highlight that Scrum is best suited as training wheels. However, what most people forget is Scrum is a means to an end; it's not a silver bullet. It is only as good as the members of the Scrum Team. If your team is not getting the desired results with Scrum, then it probably is not Scrum, it’s your Scrum Team that is ineffective.

Scrum’s strength lies in its structure—from theory and values to roles, events, and artifacts. This post explores how each part fits together—and why tweaking them might be hurting more than helping.

Softwarearchitektur ist mehr als nur die Auswahl von Technologien und Patterns – sie ist das Rückgrat, das sicherstellt, dass ein Produkt langfristig erfolgreich ist. Doch wie funktioniert Softwarearchitektur in einem agilen Kontext, in dem immer wieder auf neue Anforderungen eingegangen werden muss? Alles beginnt mit einer klaren Produkt-Vision, die vom Product Owner definiert wird. Diese Vision wird in Key-Value-Indicators (KVIs) und Qualitätsziele heruntergebrochen, die die Architektur aktiv unterstützen müssen. Architekturentscheidungen werden nun an diesen Qualitätszielen ausgerichtet und überprüft. Wenn der Product Owner seine Mitwirkung an Architekturentscheidungen jedoch nicht wahrnimmt, drohen Entscheidungen, die auf persönlichen Vorlieben oder Technologietrends basieren – mit langfristig negativen Folgen für das Produkt. Im Scrum-Framework gibt es keine explizite Architektenrolle, daher ist es die Verantwortung des gesamten Teams, sicherzustellen, dass Architekturarbeit in die tägliche Arbeit integriert wird. Regelmäßige Reviews und enge Zusammenarbeit zwischen dem Product Owner und den Entwicklern sind der Schlüssel zu einer Architektur, die das Produkt heute und in Zukunft erfolgreich macht.

Wie Sie KI nutzen, um Interviews von Teamkollegen, Stakeholdern und dem Management zu analysieren

In diesem Artikel erklärt PST Simon Flossmann wie Undercover Scrum funktioniert.