Definitely, Maybe Agile

Feedback is a difficult topic for leaders to approach, but it's necessary.  This week, Peter and Dave talk about how to provide feedback effectively. This week takeaways: ·        Recognize the need for feedback. Remember to ask and when you ask, take action on it. ·        Teams succeed together but when they fail, it's the leadership ·        Give leadership in the right manner for the...

This week, Peter and Dave talk about the importance of understanding when to bring governance into your process. They also discuss ways you can minimize dependency on others while maximizing flow for success! This week takeaways: ·        Create balance ·        Minimize dependencies ·        Make flow the focus We love to hear feedback! If you have questions, would like to propose a topic, or eve...

 In this week's episode of the Definitely, Maybe Agile podcast, Dave and Peter discuss the ins and outs of how to handle change management for an organization. This week takeaways: • The change must be targeted, figured out who is going to be impacted by the change • Make sure that the communication is correct.  • Understand the experience of the users References in this episode: Jonathan Sma...

In this episode, Dave and Peter point out the value of gamification in workshops. They explain how this technique can help people to better understand some topics, and apply them to their own environment. This week takeaways:  Encourage the right types of conversation. Scenario-based exercises.  Compete against your own personal bests. We love to hear feedback! If you have questions, would like to...

Developing an agile process is not only about following a set of steps to the letter but how you're going to take that idea and apply it in your environment. Dave and Peter explain the importance of the Why, What, and How of Agile. This week takeaways:  Recognize that there are two paradigms  Mindset shift  The same solution can have different consequences   We love to hear feedback! If you h...

 In this week's episode, Dave and Peter talk about why leaders should help their teams eliminate WIP.    This week takeaways:  Understand and believe in it Stop starting, start finishing Consider the impact of what you say and when you say it We love to hear feedback! If you have questions, would like to propose a topic, or even join us for a conversation, contact us here: feedback@definitely...

In this week's episode, Dave Sharrock and Peter Maddison talk about the difficulties in delivering big programs.  In doing so, they cover how to approach them iteratively while acknowledging complexity.  This week takeaways: Recognize that planning is needed Classify and prioritize the work Identify the individual problems. Systems running in parallel. References in this episode: David J. Bla...

In this week's episode, Dave Sharrock and Peter Maddison share their insights on the importance of understanding and handling dependencies for your organization.  This week takeaways:  Understand priorities and their impact. Co-create a visual representation. Update technical rules and recognize the role of conversation.  We love to hear feedback! If you have questions, would like to propose...

In this week's episode, Dave and Peter answer a question from one of our listeners. They explore as the roles are evolving from your traditional IT Roles to more innovation on Products and Process Re-engineering, how would a leader/manager train their team to learn skills like Process Mappings? What resources are available? This week takeaways: Find ways to make learning experiential Train te...

In this week's episode, Dave and Peter will unpack lean thinking. They'll  explore how it works in an innovative and complex environment. This week takeaways: — Efficiency or effectiveness — System variance in complex systems — Apply the method to the right problem References in this episode: Gary Hamel — https://www.garyhamel.com/author Tom and Mary Poppendieck — https://www.goodreads.c...

This week's episode of Definitely, Maybe Agile uncovers how can we make the change stick. We explore why some people are more apt to change their minds than others, and what strategies can help us keep moving forward when it feels like there is no other option.  This week takeaways:   Are leadership built-in? Hidden agendas Start small and keep it simple References in this episode: Leaders Ea...

This week on the Definitely, Maybe Agile podcast, Peter Maddison and Dave Sharrock explore important topics relating to QA in teams. These include some of the major issues that arise when you don't test. Join us on this week's takeaway: — Don't separate the QA team — Testing capability must be integrated  — Identify the problem first, so you can focus on the right areas. We love to...

 In this week's episode, Dave and Peter explore what the right amount of planning means. We discuss the meaning behind "Responding to change over following a plan". Do I have enough information to make a decision? Do I have enough information to decide what direction I’m going to go in? Sometimes we end up stuck on one way of doing things, but if you do planning right, it can help g...

Agile expounds on the need for decentralization, self-organizing teams, autonomous teams, but is there such a thing as too much decentralization? If there is, why? And what's the alternative? This week takeaway:  Balancing de-centralized autonomy and centralized governance The impacts on the speed of decision-making Architecture, security, and more!  We love to hear feedback! If you have ques...

What happens to the aspects of the functional manager when you shift to a team centric delivery model? There are many functions the manager fills in terms of resource, line and skill management, so where do those go?  Join Peter and Dave on this week takeaway:  Consider the impact on your managers Discuss what their new responsibilities might be Understand the number one reason things go sideways...

 What delivery roles are needed? How many do you need? In this week's episode, Dave and Peter go over everything there is to know about sources that work in agile delivery.    This week takeaway:  Resource the work. Don't understaff the outcome you are trying to achieve. Skills development.  Create a talent journey.  Properly define the roles and the accountabilities they will have.   We...

 How does your team come together to create their strategy? It's a loaded term, prone to misinterpretation, but there's no time like today to start strategically planning. Far too often though, these sessions are poorly planned and the results leave us wanting. Join us for this week's episode, “Strategy Sessions,” where Dave and Peter explore the secrets of making strategy sessions...

In this week's episode, Dave and Peter discuss Portfolio Level Management.  Key decisions are made at every level of your organization, aligning these and managing the larger scale initiatives can be a challenge.  This week takeaway: Fractal nature of work at different levels Make work visible Follow the decision-making References in this episode: Klaus Leopold Practical Kanban — https://www....

In this week's episode, Dave and Peter explore why you should stop doing too much at the same time. We discuss the culture where we always have to say yes when work is coming through - even though that often means doing a task half-assed or trying desperately juggling everything with no time for anything else in our lives.  Join us on this week takeaway:   Too much WIP  Asking the strategy qu...

In this week's episode we explore change fatigue in more depth as well as discuss how everyone responds differently to changes.  Join Peter and Dave on this week takeaway:  Invite over inflict// Human element of the change, the beneficiaries in the change  The continuous change over big changes Not everybody responds to a given change in the same way   References in this episode: Gary Hamel -...

In this episode of the Definitely Maybe Agile podcast, Dave and Peter give listeners an overview on where to start when you've been given a short timeframe to show value.  This week takeaway:  Start small, don't boil the ocean Pick something that is a pain point Don't just document it, do it. Design an experiment and get started  We love to hear feedback! If you have questions, woul...

 This week learn everything there is about financing, from fund value streams over projects to incremental funding models.  Join Dave and Peter on this week takeaways:  ·     Fund value streams over projects  ·     Aim for incremental funding models  ·     Finance is a supporting function, avoid letting finance dictate product direction.  We love to hear feedback! If you have questions, would like...

 This episode of the Definitely, Maybe Agile podcast uncovers a surprisingly common problem plaguing today's agile environment: efficiency and effectiveness. Join Peter and Dave on this week takeaway: -You need both but focus on effectiveness because it has been neglected -This focus is driven by the rapidly changing environment -Solely efficient systems will be fragile, effectiveness builds...

In this episode, Dave and Peter give listeners an overview of what Value Stream mapping is as well as some tips for success when implementing these techniques at your company.   This week takeaway:  You already have value streams The importance of the customer Streams are often entangled We love to hear feedback! If you have questions, would like to propose a topic, or even join us for a conversat...

In this episode, Dave and Peter discuss everything about data radiators and how to have metrics drive better conversations. This week takeaway:  Track metrics as vectors, not targets Product, Team, System health Make metrics positive so your conversations can be too. We love to hear feedback! If you have questions, would like to propose a topic, or even join us for a conversation, contact us here:...