Food for Agile Thought #264: PM-PO Delta, Lead-Squad Protocol, User Stories 101, Evidence-Based Backlogs

TL; DR: PM-PO Delta, Lead-Squad Protocol — Food for Agile Thought #264

Welcome to the 264th edition of the Food for Agile Thought newsletter, shared with 27,603 peers. This week, we delve into the PM-PO delta, the difference between product managers and Product Owners. We also revisit the Agile Manifesto’s notion that working software is the primary measure of progress, and we learn how to avoid becoming a lonesome servant leader.

We then come back to critical issues of the practical use of user stories; we create an evidence-based Product Backlog, and we consider quitting saying ’no‘ but asking a question instead when it comes to prioritizing the Product Backlog.

Lastly, we applaud Crisp for sharing the Lead-Squad Protocol, a lightweight attempt to align several teams collaborating on joint projects, products, or initiatives.

Food for Agile Thought #264: PM-PO Delta, Lead-Squad Protocol, User Stories 101, Evidence-Based Backlogs — Age-of-Product.com

Did you miss last week’s Food for Agile Thought’s issue #263?

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Scrum Guide 2020 — Download the new edition of the Scrum Guide Reordered — Age-of-Product.com

🏆 The Tip of the Week: PM-PO Delta

Teresa Torres: 📺 Product Managers and Product Owners: What’s the Difference?

Teresa Torres delves into the difference between product managers and Product Owners and how all of this relates to product discovery.

Agile & Scrum

(via Crisp): The Lead-Squad Protocol

Christophe Achouiantz introduces the Lead-Squad Protocol, a lightweight attempt to align several teams collaborating on joint projects, products, or initiatives.

Ron Jeffries: Working Software

Ron Jeffries revisits the Agile Manifesto’s notion that working software is the primary measure of progress.

(via InfoQ): The Lonely Servant Leader

Nick Loe tells his story of how he avoided becoming “The Lonely Servant Leader.”

📅 🖥 💯 🇬🇧 Professional Scrum Master Online Training: November 10-13, 2020

This guaranteed Professional Scrum Master training is an official Scrum.org class that leads to and includes the industry-recognized PSM I certification. The training is designed as a live virtual class of 4 hours per day from 9 to 13 o’clock CEST and will be offered in English.

🖥 Professional Scrum Master Online Training: November 10-13, 2020 — Berlin Product People GmbH

Learn more: 📅 🖥 💯 🇬🇧 Professional Scrum Master Online Training: November 10-13, 2020.

Product & Lean

Lisa Mabli (via Lithespeed): 📺 20 Questions: User Stories

Lisa Mabli addresses critical issues of the practical use of user stories.

John Pagonis (via Mind The Product): Evidence-Based Product Backlogs

In this video, John Pagonis shares his experience of creating an evidence-based Product Backlog.

(via Brainmates): Prioritise your Product Backlog with one simple question

Marco Tebaldi advocates quitting saying ’no‘ but asking a question instead.

📯 Why Agile Turns into Micromanagement

You guessed right: it is time for a rant and short “checklist” to get the discussion going in your organization.

Agile turns into micromanagement as a result of the middle management’s resistance to change. Despite better knowledge, changing an organization into a learning one that embraces experimentation and failure is not in everybody’s best interest. Self-organizing, empowered teams often conflict with the middle management’s drive to execute personal agendas, self-preservation being one of them.

Agile micromanagement: autonomy, mastery and purpose

Learn more: Why Agile Turns into Micromanagement.

📅 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
🖥 🇩🇪 January 28-31, 2025 Professional Scrum Product Owner Training (PSPO I; German; Live Virtual Class) Live Virtual Class €1,299 incl. 19% VAT
🖥 💯 🇬🇧 Feburary 4-6, 2025 GUARANTEED: Hands-on Agile 2025: From Concept-Based to Context-Based Agility (English) Live Virtual Conference FREE
🖥 🇬🇧 February 12-13, 2025 Professional Scrum Master Advanced Training (PSM II; English; Live Virtual Class) Live Virtual Class €1,299 incl. 19% VAT
🖥 💯 🇬🇧 February 27, 2025 GUARANTEED: Professional Scrum Facilitation Skills Class (PSFS; English; Live Virtual Class) Live Virtual Class €749 incl. 19% VAT
🖥 💯 🇬🇧 March 6-April3, 2025 GUARANTEED: Align, Discover, Deliver: The Product Backlog Management Cohort Class (English; Live Virtual Class) Live Virtual Cohort €499 incl. 19% VAT
🖥 🇩🇪 March 11-12, 2025 Professional Scrum Product Owner Training (PSPO I; German; Live Virtual Class) Live Virtual Class €1,299 incl. 19% VAT
🖥 🇬🇧 March 26-27, 2025 Professional Scrum Master Advanced Training (PSM II; English; Live Virtual Class) Live Virtual Class €1,299 incl. 19% VAT
🖥 🇩🇪 April 10, 2025 Professional Product Discovery and Validation Class (PPDV; German; Live Virtual Class) Live Virtual Class €749 incl. 19% VAT

See all upcoming classes here.

Professional Scrum Training by PST Stefan Wolpers, Berlin  Product People

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.

Download the Remote Agile Guide for Free — Age-of-Product.com

📺 Join 2,450-plus Agile Peers on Youtube

Now available on the Age-of-Product Youtube channel:

✋ Do Not Miss Out and Learn about the PM-PO Delta: Join the 8,400-plus Strong ‘Hands-on Agile’ Slack Community

I invite you to join the “Hands-on Agile” Slack Community and enjoy the benefits of a fast-growing, vibrant community of agile practitioners from around the world.

Large scale agile: Join the Hands-on Agile Slack Group

If you like to join all you have to do now is provide your credentials via this Google form, and I will sign you up. By the way, it’s free.

Download the ’Scrum Anti-Patterns Guide’ for Free — Age-of-Product.com

🗞️ Last Week’s Food for Agile Thought Edition

Read more: Food for Agile Thought #263: Engineering Sanity, Skill Mapping, Technical Debt Survey, Outcomes vs. Outputs

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