TL; DR: Talking to Customers, Learning Repository — Food for Agile Thought #332
Welcome to the 332nd edition of the Food for Agile Thought newsletter, shared with 34,681 peers. This week, we regret that most product managers seem to have stopped talking to customers nowadays. Also, we list nine reasons to become agile, from a bad ‘it’s the trendy thing to do’ to a good ‘we believe in the Agile values and principles.’ Moreover, we deal with fixing unnecessary dependencies, and we suggest utilizing seven classic team building models to ‘inspire, troubleshoot, and build alignment,’ from Tuckman to Katzenbach to Hackman.
We then argue that it is essential to create a learning repository to run experience-informed experiments, and we share an epic list of binge-worthy material on product ownership. In addition to that, Teresa Torres provides her approach to identifying candidates for both “beginner” and experienced product teams for user interviews.
Lastly, we share a simple visualization tool to foster rapid idea generation—quantity may have its own quality, and we follow Jeff Gothelf, who vigorously opposes the notion that goals do not need continuous review and adjustment. And there is one more thing: The Guardian reports on a damning new Netflix documentary, detailing the consequences when a once engineering- and quality-driven culture is forced by the new management to bow to Wall Street.
Did you miss the previous Food for Agile Thought’s issue #331?
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🏆 The Tip of the Week: Talking to Customers
(via Medium): The Great Silence: Why have Product Managers stopped speaking to customers?
Brad Dunn regrets that nowadays, most product managers no longer seem to talk to customers.
➿ Agile & Scrum
: Good and Bad Reasons for Moving to Agile
Mario Moreira lists nine reasons to become agile, from a bad ‘it’s the trendy thing to do’ to a good ‘we believe in the Agile values and principles.’
: See and Resolve Team Dependencies
Johanna Rothman created a short article series on fixing unnecessary dependencies. This article addresses the outside architect or (chief) product person.
(via Atlassian): What strong teamwork looks like: 7 proven models
Kat Boogaard suggests utilizing seven classic team building models to ‘inspire, troubleshoot, and build alignment,’ from Tuckman to Katzenbach to Hackman.
🎓 🖥 🇬🇧 Advanced Professional Scrum Master Online Training w/ PSM II Certificate — March 29-April 1, 2022
Discover Scrum’s four success principles in this official Scrum.org Advanced Professional Scrum Master training class, leading to and including the industry-recognized PSM II certification. The training 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 CET.
Learn more: 🖥 🇬🇧 Advanced Professional Scrum Master Online Training w/ PSM II Certificate — March 29-April 1, 2022.
Customer review: “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
(via Convert.com): You Need an A/B Testing Learning Repository to Run Experience-Informed Experiments (Experts Say)
Trina Moitra, Daniel Daines Hutt, and Uwemedimo Usa argue that it is essential to create a learning repository if you want to run experience-informed experiments.
: A Working List of Resources for Product Owners
Andy Cleff aggregated an epic list of binge-worthy material on product ownership.
: Ask Teresa: How Do You Select Customers for Customer Interviews?
Teresa Torres provides her approach to identifying candidates for both “beginner” and experienced product teams for user interviews.
📺 The Power and Pains of Autonomy — Jimmy Janlén at the Agile Camp Berlin 2021
In this highly engaging talk at the Agile Camp Berlin 2021, Jimmy Janlén addresses the core element of “Agile,” it’s key to speed, innovation, and success: team autonomy. Learn more about its benefits, challenges, fears, and pains and what organizations can do to unleash it.
Watch now: 📺 The Power and Pains of Autonomy — Jimmy Janlén at the Agile Camp Berlin 2021.
🛠 Tools & Measuring
: Crazy Eights
Paulo Caroli shares a simple visualization tool to foster rapid idea generation—quantity may have its own quality.
: OKRs are not ‘Set it and forget it!’
Jeff Gothelf vigorously opposes the notion that goals do not need continuous review and adjustment.
✂️ Cutting Room Floor
(via The Guardian): ‘All those agencies failed us’: inside the terrifying downfall of Boeing
The Guardian reports on a damning new Netflix documentary, detailing the consequences when a once engineering- and quality-driven culture is forced by the new management to bow to Wall Street.
📅 Scrum Training Classes, Workshops, and Events
See all upcoming classes here.
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 3,500-plus Agile Peers on Youtube
Now available on the Age-of-Product Youtube channel to improve learning:
- 🆕 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.
- Agile Camp Berlin 2021: Adapt How You Lead for Agile Success with Johanna Rothman.
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