take5IRL Podcast

🎙️ In this kickoff episode of our new AI series, host @Mike sits down with @Ben Floyd—Certified Scrum Trainer turned AI expert—to explore how innovators are navigating the world of artificial intelligence. Ben shares his 3 unique tips to working with AI tools. Whether you're new to AI or looking to sharpen your prompt engineering game, Ben’s insights offer a powerful way to unlock better outco...

🎙️ How Agile Transformed a Hardware Company’s Competitive Edge In this episode of the Take5IRL podcast, our host Jeff Lee is joined by Peter Borsella, co-founder of Big Orange Square, and a leading expert in Agile for hardware. Together, they uncover the fascinating story of a company struggling to keep up in a competitive market. Faced with declining international market share and long developmen...

🎙️ In this episode of the Take5IRL podcast, our host @Jeff is joined by @Peter Borsella, co-founder of Big Orange Square with Hubert Smits and a leading expert in Agile for hardware. Together, they dive into the unique challenges of applying Agile in hardware development—a world where traditional software practices don’t always translate smoothly. Peter shares insights on how many organizations ar...

Complex product development requires an adaptive approach. In our latest podcast, join our hosts @Jeff and @Pat as they dive into the tools and practices that can help you improve your product delivery, even when firmware and hardware changes are involved—enabling you to navigate the unknowns with confidence. Don’t miss this insightful discussion on how to drive innovation in a field where adaptab...

🎙️ This week on the Take5IRL podcast, we dive into a transformative case study with CAPITAL Services, a leading credit card servicer. Once reliant on traditional waterfall methodologies, they sought a faster way to innovate and maintain a competitive edge. By adopting Scrum, they set out to deliver the best work and get real-time feedback on their progress. Join our host @Jeff and representatives...

🎙️ This week on the Take5IRL podcast, our host @Jeff is joined by special guest Kelly Weyrauch to explore a critical question: Why should the Quality and Regulatory departments care about Agile, isn’t that just for the development teams? If you rely on high-quality products, Agile matters to you. Kelly and Jeff dive into how Agile not only streamlines development, but it also enhances product qual...

🎙️ This week on the Take5IRL podcast, our host @Jeff is joined by special guest Kelly Weyrauch for a deep dive into the latest updates to TIR45. Tune in as Kelly tackles hot topics like what truly requires a signature, how Agile practices can enhance regulatory compliance, and how to integrate Agile into regulatory requirements. Plus, learn how defining "done" at every increment can prev...

🎙️ In part 2 of this powerful medical device case study, our hosts @Pat and @Jeff continue the journey from where we left off in episode 62. https://youtu.be/HKp04B341dU After hands-on Agile training, we moved into coaching the team as they executed their first sprints. Tune in to hear about the cultural shift that took place—a big change for the company that allowed them to see improvement in rea...

🎙️ In this compelling episode of the take5IRL podcast, co-hosts @Pat and @Jeff take you behind the scenes of a transformative case study. We dive into the challenges faced by a struggling product group in the medical device industry—burdened by excessive work in process, significant cost and team cuts, and drawn-out compliance testing cycles. Faced with the urgent need for change, they turned to A...

🎙️ Ready to dive deeper into Agile for medical device systems? In this episode of the take5IRL podcast, @Jeff is joined once again by Agile Med Device Expert Kelly Weyrauch for an insightful continuation of their conversation on implementing Agile in the medical device industry. They break down what the FDA truly expects from your systems and reveal how adopting an Agile approach can give your com...

🚀 Ready to navigate the complexities of Agile in regulated environments? Join @Jeff and our special guest, Kelly Weyrauch—the go-to expert for Agile in the medical device world—as they dive deep into the challenges and breakthrough strategies for integrating Agile in regulated industries. In this eye-opening episode, we tackle the critical need to document your current processes and ensure every...

In this episode, Pat and Jeff continue our conversation about organizational assessments.  The most important part of an assessment is the tailored solutions that are determined  after  the assessment is complete. Tune in to this week's episode to learn more!

In this episode, @Pat and @Jeff will delve into the value of assessing your product delivery flow. Understanding the unique challenges that your organization faces, as well as the outcomes you are looking to achieve, will help you chart a course to business value. This will ensure that changes you make are both effective and sustainable.

In this episode, @Pat and @Jeff share why starting with an assessment is the best strategy for your agile journey. No matter where you are in your agile journey, knowing the state of your organization with clarity will lead to data-driven recommendations. Most importantly, your organization will be able to measure growth. Learn how you can get started today.

🎙 Exciting News! Tune in to our latest podcast episode where Pat and Jeff delve into the world of SAFe. Learn the truth about SAFe planning, debunk myths, and put your knowledge to the test. Can you get a perfect score of 4 for 4? Don't miss out - listen now! 🚀 #SAFe #Podcast #Planning #MythBusting

🎙️ Excited to level up your scaling game? Tune in to our podcast, where Pat and Jeff share how to blend practices from various scaling frameworks for maximum success. Don't limit yourself - run experiments and explore new possibilities! 🚀

Are you fed up with productivity clichés that don't deliver? Discover a simple, effective strategy: reduce Work-in-Progress (WIP) and focus on finishing rather than starting. Dive into this approach on the latest episode of the take5IRL podcast, featuring insights from @Pat, @Mike, and @Jeff on how doing less can achieve more—essential for anyone wanting to cut through the noise and enhance th...

Are you faced with budget constraints? Do you have a high-performing team that believes it's outgrown the need for a dedicated Scrum Master? Don't worry; you don’t have to compromise your team's success or bid farewell to the Scrum. Even without a dedicated Scrum Master, you can adopt plenty of strategies to maintain, or even enhance, your team's performance. Curious about how to n...

In recent episodes, we discussed the importance of tracking metrics to measure the effectiveness of your work.  Sounds great, right?  But what metrics are important to measure?  Hint: If your list of metrics starts and ends with Story Points you might be missing something. In this episode @Mike and @Jeff share some of their favorite metrics to measure.

In our recent episodes, we’ve discussed aligning value and creating a visual map of your stakeholders. Now what? In this episode, Mike and Jeff discuss getting stakeholders actively involved, from product definition to delivery. They are probably less involved than you think. Hear how to ensure you have the right people involved, at the right time, and doing the right things.

Are your meetings effective? Are the right people there? Do they all know why they are there? Are you confident that you have alignment across the organization on your product’s direction? If you answered “no” to any of those questions, you might benefit from a stakeholder mapping exercise. In this week’s episode, Jeff and Pat talk through two simple tools to group your stakeholders, allowing you...

In our recent episodes, we emphasized the need to focus on business outcomes in successful Agile organizations. Once business outcomes are prioritized, good Agile coaches focus on the agile practices that support those business outcomes. In this episode, we share some concrete examples of how to do it. To better understand how to map the right Agile practices with your prioritized business outcome...

In our last episode, we delved into Agile Failure Modes. In this episode, Pat and Mike share their expertise on how to avoid these modes by aligning your organization with the most important business outcomes. 

When an organization shifts from traditional practices to an Agile way of working, it faces numerous challenges. However, only a handful of common issues are responsible for the outright failure of Agile transformations. In this episode, Mike and Pat will examine these prevalent failure modes and introduce a framework designed to prevent them.

In our recent episodes, we've explored Lean Portfolio Management (LPM) and its pivotal role in optimizing value delivery for both businesses and stakeholders. LPM shifts from the traditional Project-oriented management to more impactful Product-oriented management.    In this episode, Project Management Professional Patrick and Jeff discuss the key disparities between Project- and Product-mind...