The Latest
Agile Coaching for Your Agile Company[article] Coaching and training are indispensable to Agile transformations. This can be difficult for some organizations to accept.Agile frameworks are simple to understand, but there are many nuances to handling the complexities involved in an Agile transformation.While it is often helpful to tap into outside resources (books, websites, courses or consultants), the organization will need someone who understands the subtleties of Agile transformations and the context of the organization to make the transition as successful as possible.We refer to this role as the “internal Agile coach” and we often encourage clients to identify one or more such individuals as the organization's need for Agile knowledge and understanding grows. Being an Agile coach requires a wide range of human qualities, skills and experience, and selecting one for the company should be done carefully.In this article, we discuss when you need an Agile coach, what an Agile coach does, and a few tips on how you might create your own internal Agile coach. |
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You Have To Be Agile To Coach Agile[article] If software development is about wiring code, then coaching is about re-wiring the neurons in each practitioners head and re-wiring their relationships. Yes, coaching is about changing people. You cannot expect a one-size fit all solution, so you need to adapt the recommended practices and approach. This paper discusses how to work with people, how to manage the coaching progress and setting objectives and expectations. This paper also talks about coaching not being just about helping the team learn, but also for you to learn and grow. You have to be agile to coach agile.
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Coaching Fundamentals[article] What is the Purpose of Coaching? In our work environments and personal lives we’re always looking to make clear, thoughtful choices, speak them clearly, and execute them in effective ways. We want to optimize our time and energies to create valuable outcomes. All this can happen spontaneously and without a plan, but with foresight to think and plan before taking actions, especially for larger goals, there’s a higher probability for getting quicker and more reliable results. |
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The Power of Play[article] Let the Fun Begin! As children, we learn through play. Because play is so much fun, it creates a virtuous circle where we play and learn. As adults, with the help of educational or “learning” games, the lucky ones among us find ourselves playing to learn once again. Judging by the popularity of learning games, we can still learn a lot through play. For some, it may even be the best way to learn. |
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The Agile Tipping Point[article] Nirav P Assar uses Malcom Gladwell's best selling book , The Tipping Point to discuss what's necessary to fully, and successfully implement agile, in order to take advantage of all that it can bring to a software development team. |
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Are You Done Yet?[article] Johanna Rothman recently wrote, commenting on Joshua Kerievsky's proposed definition of done. Both posts are worth a read, if for no other reason than to better understand why we have such a difficult time defining what "done" is, and why defining "done" is one of the major challenges for teams trying to adopt agile practices. |
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Six Behaviors to Consider for an Agile Team[article] If you've been tasked with creating an agile team, first consider what differentiates an agile team from a non-agile team. In this column, Johanna Rothman highlights six behaviors of people on successful agile teams that candidates for an agile team should possess. |
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Agile ALM—Opposites Attract[article] Agile and ALM are two terms that you don’t often see side by side. To most developers, agile means team interaction, customer collaboration, dynamism, and responsiveness to change. In contrast, ALM seems to imply the opposite of agile, with echoes of rigid procedures, inflexibility, and top-down process control. But are the agile and ALM approaches as contradictory as they first appear to be? |
Mike Shepard
July 20, 2010 |
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ADP West 2010 - Jean Tabaka -Linchpin[article]
Podcast
ADP West 2010 - Jean Tabaka -Linchpin |
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Enterprise Change Management in Agile Software Development[article] Agile software development is designed to thrive within even the most dynamic business and technical environments. All agile methodologies include integrated practices and processes that manage evolving requirements to efficiently develop a continuous stream of new software capabilities. However, what Agile does not address are changes related to enterprise support that falls outside the scope of the project work. Enterprise Change Management (ECM) provides a framework that addresses many of these missing factors. |
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From Tsunami Development to Continuous Lean and Agile Development[article] Moving to agile development (or doing anything new) is not easy. Beyond learning some of the technical stuff, the new terms like SCRUM, stories and so on, it is about changing mindsets. How do you change mindsets? How do you understand mindsets, and to do so quickly? |
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Agile and Lean Software Development: Mastering the Art of Change[article] Mastering the “art” of adopting agile and lean software product development and delivery requires you to understand the science (technology) and the art (behavioral nuances) associated with this undertaking. This article focuses on how to make the cultural changes necessary for adoption and overcome general resistance to change in all of us. |
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Managing Organizational Change as a Result of the Agile Process[article] The CEO of a financial services company had blocked off a day to take his management team offsite for a dedicated session focused on using agile to run the organization. After devoting the first half of the day to understanding agile practices and principles, the balance of the day focused on taking the specific initiatives and goals of this financial services company and translating them into tangible stories. These stories could be used to populate the company’s new Kanban board, one of the tools they would use to begin applying what they learned. |
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Meeting Resistance to Change Head-On[article] Jim sat in his manager’s office about to have his 6-month review. His boss seemed to have that look on his face. A look he’d seen before. “Jim, I’d like to say your work is outstanding, but while we’ve been pleased with your project outcomes, your approach to your work needs improvement.” Jim squirmed in his seat and tried to prepare himself for what would probably mean another layoff. |
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Us Against Them[magazine] How well does creating an opposing force serve to deliver on shared objectives within the same organization? A stronger argument may be to teach both business stakeholders and delivery personnel to reach across organizational boundaries to share not only the vision but also the methods used to achieve it. |