Let’s talk more about Lean and Flow

Last month I wrote about creating free training on Agile Planning. I’ve had some positive feedback so I thought I’d write about the next (also free) course, “Improve Agile delivery with Lean“. I’m writing in a modular format, so I’ll be extending with new material as I did with the Agile Planning course. Subscribe or revisit to see more. And please take a look and tell me what you think and how I can improve or extend the courses.

“7 lines” mapping A coding project for non-coding data scientists.

Agile Planning Planning and estimation in an Agile environment

Lean in Agile Enhancing your Agile approach with Lean ideas

“7 lines” – helping non-coders

I’ve just finished creating my first on-line course. An obvious choice would have been around leading Agile teams, related to my recent book. But for many years I’ve been leading teams of developers. How could I help people who are not coders? I’d love to know what people think of the result – please take a look.

course link here

Like many people I was reluctant to put my real, flawed self out on the Web. And that’s despite having done plenty of face-to-face training (which I love). But like writing books, once you take the plunge it’s a great way to think through the best approach.

5 steps to the future of agile task boards

Task boards are the main method used by agile teams to track work. 
What might be the impact of changes in team dynamics and new technology on task boards and how they are used?

Software with social impact

“I want to work at a company with social impact”.

I was interviewing a candidate for a software role last week and I asked him why he had applied to 1Spatial.  Cambridge is an exciting city with a lot of opportunities for developers.  So why us in particular?

I was quite struck by that response. “Social impact“.

5 aims for an Agile Leader

There are many articles exploring the idea of “Agile Leadership” and how it may differ from traditional leadership models. The idea that this is a different approach goes back at least to the “Subtle Control” of “The New, New Product Development Game” in 1986.

A Gemba learning for 2019.

Our team were discussing some data about Story sizes. The data showed that our average Story size was around 1 day of effort. Were we right to feel that 1 day Stories are “good enough”?

The Toyota Way – not just tools

The Toyota Production System (TPS) is an approach which has been very successful and widely copied.   But the copying has largely focussed on the systems and processes (Kanban for example) and not on the underlying ethos.

This is particularly topical as we see the same issues occurring with agile methodologies.  A desire to copy rapidly the success of organisations in agile development has led to the growth in certification and frameworks.  The resulting risk is in “doing agile” not in “being agile”.

Toyota’s real achievement is not merely the creation and use of the tools themselves; it is in making all its work a series of nested, ongoing experiments.

Learning to Lead at Toyota

Agile – seen as opportunity or threat?

Project Challenge bills itself as “The UKs leading independent show for projects, programmes, process and resource”.  I try to go every year.  What was I particularly looking for this year?

Empowered teams, or why you should never unicycle on Mars

Control is overrated.
If everything’s under control, you’re going too slow!
Henrik Kniberg

I’d always seen the statement above as being a bit glib.  One of those quotes that people like to put in lists.  Snappy, but a bit shallow.  But recently I started thinking about how there might be a bit more to it than I’d thought.

State of Agile in 5 data points

The publication of the 12th “State of Agile” survey is a chance to take a look at the current thinking and challenges of a range of Agile organisations.