There are so many meetings that just keep popping up… what’s the point?” Scrum ceremonies, or meetings, are an important part of the Agile framework. They provide the structure for the teams to get work done, set expectations and empower the team to collaborate effectively. Contrary to popular belief, the purpose of these ceremonies is […]
Agile Mindset: Scrum in Real Life
With the school year winding down and the prospect of no summer camps on the horizon, many parents are wondering how they are going to survive until school starts back up in the fall. The thought of weeks of balancing conference calls while nagging kids to put down the video games and play outside or […]
Agile Mindset: Acceptance Criteria
“Joe was telling me all about his new car at the water cooler this morning, and the way he described it, I thought he bought a Ferrari… but I just saw him drive off in a brand new minivan.” How often does someone describe something to you that is way different than what you imagined? […]
Agile Mindset: Micromanagement
Have you ever heard someone groan that “Agile just seems like micromanagement?” If practiced incorrectly, Agile can seem like leaders are trying to micromanage, inadvertently stunting the growth of the team. EMPOWERING, NOT MICROMANAGING To ensure that the team doesn’t feel like they are constantly under a microscope, try these tips: Encourage the team […]
Agile Mindset: Estimating Story Points
If you had to guess, how long would it take you to… Unload the dishwasher? Make a cup of coffee? Fold and put away a load of laundry? I’m convinced the dishwasher takes a minimum of half an hour. Making a cup of coffee is easy, that’s a two minute task, no problem. Folding and […]
Agile Mindset: Meetings
If you poll your office, it turns out many people absolutely despise meetings. (Raise your hand if you’ve laughed at – and considered purchasing – the coffee mugs that say “this meeting could have been an email.”) Now reflect back on how many times you’ve attended a meeting where you were absolutely not needed. Maybe […]
Agile Mindset: Impediments
Impediments are anything that hinders the team’s productivity. Many things can slow down a team: software not working, overcommitment, an out-of-office teammate, or lack of team empowerment. Adapting to working from home has likely created a few impediments for all of us! Agile teams address their impediments head-on so they can work as effectively as […]
Agile Mindset: Agile in a Virtual Environment
While face-to-face conversations are the most rich communication channels, we have to pivot in this remote working world where we can’t physically be in the same space. Things to think about: what are the advantages and disadvantages of being co-located? How can we take the super awesome parts of co-location and achieve the same result […]