

Repurpose the Retrospective
Sounds crazy doesn't it? Afterall, the retrospective influences change which we all know is highly valuable. In an ideal world, a...


SMART goals are great, but...
It does seem to lack something quite critical. It doesn't address ACCOUNTABILITY. Most Agile teams have no issues coming up with SMART...


Why do teams resist Pair Programming & Test Driven Development (TDD)?
At first, the answer may seem obvious. You may be tempted to assume that the teams are anti-Agile and they’re never going to buy into...


Are T-shaped skills really necessary?
Let’s say you have an Agile team that is composed of team members with only I-shaped skills. Doesn’t sound good, does it? But...


Teaching new Product Owners
The role of a Product Owner can be especially intimidating for those that are new to the role. Many organizations that are looking to...


Do executives need to attend Agile training?
"Come yourself or send no one." This quote comes from W. Edwards Deming. Deming was a management consultant who was sending a message to...


Is Overtime an Agile anti-pattern?
There are definitely some downsides to overtime: -The team may start to burnout -The increase in velocity may become an expectation -It...


Consulting vs. Coaching vs. Mentoring
Is there a difference and if so, what is the difference? All 3 are important and there is definitely overlap. Consulting typically refers...


Working Agreement: Ask for help after ### minutes
Back in March 2017 we shared a blog about adding “Admit when you’re wrong” to your working agreement. 2.5 years later, we have another...


Sprint Planning Checklist
(This applies to Scrum Masters and Product Owners) You've just completed Sprint Planning, the team has already returned to their work...