TL; DR: Agile and Deadlines, Lack of Strategy — Food for Agile Thought #351
Welcome to the 351st edition of the Food for Agile Thought newsletter, shared with 35,559 peers. This week, we delve into Agile and deadlines, debunking the myth of many managers that being agile only works in environments without them. Moreover, James Shore and Aino Vonge Corry dissect a core event to help teams reflect and improve. Also, we learn how Safesite went from two-week sprints to an approach that helped them understand ‘our customers better and [validate] what should be built next.’
Then, we reflect on disincentives to thinking strategically, starting with system design, and we describe Paypal’s innovation system that involves a ‘blockchain-based token system that lets employees place wagers on ideas.’ Also, we list suggestions to free yourself from administrative tasks for the benefit of figuring out what is worth building.
Finally, we analyze why most managers are good at managing but lack a critical skill of the 21st century, and we define lean metrics based on insights from the leading organization in everything ‘Lean’—Toyota. Lastly, we delve into the lessons learned from mastering mobbing together in a live stream.
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🏆 The Tip of the Week: Agile and Deadlines
(via Medium): Can Agile and deadlines coexist in perfect harmony?
Todd Lankford debunks the myth of many managers that being agile only works in environments without hard deadlines.
➿ Agile & Scrum
and : 📺 Agile Book Club: Retrospectives
James Shore and Aino Vonge Corry, the author of the book ‘Retrospective Antipatterns,’ dissect the core event to help teams reflect and improve.
(via Medium): Why we transitioned from Sprints to Basecamp’s “Shape Up” methodology
Cory Torres Bishop describes how Safesite went from two-week sprints to an approach that helped them understand ‘our customers better and [validate] what should be built next.’
(via Reforge): Why Most Managers Aren’t Effective Coaches
Natalie Rothfels analyzes why most managers are good at managing but lack a critical skill of the 21st century, namely in industries striving for business agility.
🎓 🖥 🇬🇧 Advanced Professional Scrum Master Online Training w/ PSM II Certificate — September 6-9, 2022
Discover Scrum’s four success principles in this official Scrum.org Advanced Scrum Master training class including the industry-recognized PSM II certification. The PSM II training class is designed as a live virtual class and will be offered in English.
Enjoy the benefits of an immersive class of four sessions with like-minded agile peers in the morning hours from 09:00 – 13:00 o’clock CEST.
Learn more: 🖥 💯 🇩🇪 Advanced Professional Scrum Master Online Training w/ PSM II Certificate — September 6-9, 2022.
“Very hands-on class with lots of concrete takeaways to help in real world scenarios. Reinforced practices and highlighted things that helped in passing the PSM II exam but that was merely a bonus as the content of the class is so useful – certifications or not. Stefan Wolpers is an excellent trainer with broad practical and theoretical knowledge on the subject and his classes seem to have very good working atmosphere (this was a second class by him that I have taken).”(Link.)
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🎯 Product
: Why Don’t We Have a Strategy?
John Cutler reflects on disincentives to thinking strategically, starting with system design.
(via Harvard Business Review): How PayPal Gets Employees Invested in Innovation
Gerry Tsoukalas describes Paypal’s innovation system that involves a ‘blockchain-based token system that lets employees place wagers on ideas.’
(via Medium): 13 ways to free up time for Product Discovery
Markus Müller lists suggestions to free yourself from administrative tasks for the benefit of figuring out what is worth building.
📯 Prisoners of Retrospectives — Making Your Scrum Work #24
There are plenty of failure possibilities with Scrum. Given that Scrum is a framework with a reasonable yet short “manual,” this effect should not surprise anyone. What if, for example, not all of your Scrum team’s members feel enthusiastic about the Sprint Retrospective, the critical event when the Scrum team inspects itself? How can you help them become dedicated supporters instead? Join me and delve into how to avoid teammates feeling like prisoners of Retrospectives in less than two minutes.
Learn more: Prisoners of Retrospectives — Making Your Scrum Work #24.
🛠 Concepts, Tools & Measuring
: All About Lean Metrics
Nigel Thurlow defines lean metrics based on insights from the leading organization in everything ‘Lean’—Toyota.
(via Cucumber): Cucumber Open New Contributors Ensemble
Karin Dames and Jo Laing delve into the lessons learned from mastering mobbing together in a live stream.
✂️ Cutting Room Floor
(via Medium): Why Split Big User Stories?
Brian Link advocates the benefits of small work items.
📅 Scrum Training & Event Schedule
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See all upcoming classes here.
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📺 Join 4,000-plus Agile Peers on Youtube
Now available on the Age-of-Product Youtube channel to improve learning:
- 🆕 Hands-on Agile 42: Lean Roadmapping and OKRs with Janna Bastow.
- 🆕 Hands-on Agile 40: The Best Team Ever with David Burkus.
- Hands-on Agile 38: The Product Owner with Roman Pichler.
- Agile Camp Berlin 2021: The Power and Pains of Autonomy with Jimmy Janlén.
- Hands-on Agile 31: The Zones of Value Framework with Valerio Zanini & Zeina Zeitouni.
- Hands-on Agile 35: Designing Powerful Questions to help you Coach & Create with Daniel Stillman.
- Hands-on Agile 34: Core Protocols for Psychological Safety with Richard Kasperowski.
✋ Do Not Miss Out and Learn more about Agile and Deadlines — Join the 12,000-plus Strong ‘Hands-on Agile’ Slack Community
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