Food for Agile Thought’s issue #201—shared with 22,612 peers—delves into software nature, we correct some popular misconceptions about Scrum, and we revisit the idea that innovation always includes failure, and that teams should experience it safely.
We also address the conceptual difference of product management for machine learning compared to ‘normal’ product management; we embrace the importance of disrupting ourselves, and we appreciate the Product Backlog ordering quadrant.
Lastly, we learn how to help teams that do not want to be coached.
Did you miss last week’s Food for Agile Thought’s issue #200?
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🏆 The Essential Read: Software Nature
: Grown-Up Lean: The Nature of Software
Software nature: Mary Poppendieck shares work in progress; a chapter of the forthcoming ‘The International Handbook of Lean Organization,’ by Cambridge University Press.
Agile & Scrum
: 🎙 Coaching Teams That Do Not Want To Be Coached
Viktor Cessan shares his secret recipe on how to get an invitation to coach a team without imposing your coaching offer.
: Truth, Lies, and Scrum
Zach Bonaker shares ‘some truths of what Scrum is, what it isn’t, and how you can improve as a practitioner.’
: Why Innovative Agile Teams Need a Safe Space to "Fail" and How to Create One
Scott Weiner points at the obvious: if failure speeds up learning so dramatically, how come that organizations are still struggling with embracing the idea that failure is not merely an option, but a necessity for innovation?
📅 Professional Scrum Master Training PSM I + Liberating Structures — Berlin, September 17-19, 2019
This extended PSM class adds a third day to the Professional Scrum Master training that focuses on the application of Liberating Structures to Scrum Events such as the Sprint Retrospective or the Sprint Review to apply the PSM training immediately to practical problems.
Learn more: 📅 Professional Scrum Master Training PSM I + Liberating Structures — Berlin, September 17-19, 2019.
Product & Lean
(via Data Science Blog by Domino): Machine Learning Product Management: Lessons Learned
Ann Spencer shares product management insights and lessons learned from Peter Skomoroch regarding machine learning.
(via WiderFunnel): Not running experiments? You're falling behind
Natasha Wahid points at the elephant in the room: how to avoid disruption from the outside when you’re not trying to disrupt yourself?
(via Scrum.org): PO Perspective: Team development for the Development Team
Willem Vermaak shares his Product Backlog ordering quadrant, including team development and experimentation.
📅 Scrum Training & Event Schedule
You can secure your seat for Scrum training classes, workshops, and meetups directly by following the corresponding link in the table below:
| Date | Class and Language | City | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🖥 💯 🇬🇧 July 1, 2026 | GUARANTEED: HoA 75: Token Economics. (English) | Meetup | FREE |
| 🖥 💯 🇬🇧 July 20, 2026 | GUARANTEED: AI 4 Agile Course v3 — Master AI for Agile Practitioners (English; Self-paced Online Course) | Self-Paced Online Course | $149 incl. 19% VAT (If applicable.) |
| 🖥 💯 🇬🇧 July 23, 2026 | GUARANTEED: HoA 76: Where Are Your Decisions to Avoid AI Debt? (English) | Meetup | FREE |
| 🇩🇪 August 25-26, 2026 | Professional Scrum Product Owner Training (PSPO I; German; Live Virtual Class) | Live Virtual Class | €1,299 incl. 19% VAT (If applicable.) |
| 🖥 💯 🇬🇧 August 27-September 17, 2026 | GUARANTEED: AI4Agile BootCamp #8, August 27 – September 17, 2026 (English; Live Virtual Cohort) | Live Virtual Cohort | €499 incl. 19% VAT (If applicable.) |
You can book your seat for the training directly by following the corresponding links to the ticket shop. If the procurement process of your organization requires a different purchasing process, please contact Berlin Product People GmbH directly.
📺 Join 1,525-plus Agile Peers on Youtube
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