Key Differences in Skills: Product Owner vs. ScrumMaster
Given the amount of training sessions we conduct over the course of the year, we are able to track some of the key questions people have when trying to...
Anti-patterns of the Product Owner
Welcome back! In this session, we will focus on Product Owner anti-patterns. There is no doubt that the Product Owner is a critical role in Scrum. Essentially, they are accountable...
Agile Metrics...To use or not to use?
Metrics are not always harmful in an agile team, but if not used appropriately, they can be detrimental. Agile is a value- and principle-based approach that stresses people and interactions...
What is DevOps?
In recent years, the phrase "DevOps" has become more and more common in the software development industry. It combines the roles of development and operations and symbolizes a culture and...
Copying a Scaling Technique (Spotify Example)
Spotify started its agile journey in 2011, and since then it has been implementing Scrum and Kanban practices. They have a unique way of working called “Squads, Tribes and Guilds”...
Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI)
The Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI) is a tool developed by Cameron and Quinn in 2006, to help organizations assess and understand their current culture and desired culture. OCAI is...
RVCE Prioritization Matrix
For product managers working in Agile/Scrum organizations, featuring and task prioritization is important for effective roadmap planning. Out of all the features you consider, prioritization helps identify the order of...
Eisenhower Decision Matrix (The 4D's)
Dwight Eisenhower was one of the greatest military minds and responsible for countless decisions during one of our world's most dire times (WWII). When I was in leadership training at...
How Getting to Small Helps Teams Get to Done
I recently visited with Brian Milner over at Mountain Goat Software to discuss some tips you might not be thinking about with Product Backlog Refinement and Team Design. Check it...
Story Mapping to Prioritize
As we continue on our series through the end of the year (the one that focuses on prioritization techniques for our Product Teams), we land on Story Mapping in this...
Priority Poker or Planning Poker
Prioritization significantly influences the development of a solid roadmap for Agile/Scrum organizations. It is a challenging and time-consuming task unless you have an easy and effective technique that helps to...
Reach-Impact-Confidence-Effort (RICE)
Welcome back (or just welcome) to our series on prioritization techniques. As I work with teams and organizations, I notice a huge component of planning missing in their endeavors; prioritization...