Metrics can be a tricky thing and certainly what is measured can be a focus for the team. Choose wisely, be transparent, and talk about the what and the why for each metric your team chooses…or is chosen for you. If you need a place to start, here are a few to consider.
Continue reading “Agile Team Metrics”
One the templates I’ve used most often as a ScrumMaster is a PowerPoint sprint schedule. This tool is particularly useful for teams that are newly adopting Scrum. Here are some examples of how I’ve used it… Continue reading “Sprint Schedule Template”
I used to carry my facilitation tools (markers, stickies, etc.) around with me in a plastic shopping bag. While at my desk, a pile like this one usually began to form and occasionally toppled over. Typically, it was much more disheveled than the one in the picture, but you get the idea. Perhaps you can relate. Continue reading “Agile Attaché or Coach’s Companion or Super Agile Satchel”
Flip chart paper is expensive – typically ranging from $30 to $40 for about 25 sheets. It’s convenient for sure and is a staple in any facilitator’s toolbox. Let’s face it…we all love our flip charts and markers. Continue reading “Flipchart Paper Alternative”
First, let me say that I’m a huge fan of roadmaps as information radiators for projects, programs, or the enterprise. If done well, communicating large amounts of information in a beautifully simple set of boxes, text, and lines is nothing short of art. However, done poorly and you’ve got yourself a multi-colored, pain-in-the-neck to update, distraction. Continue reading “Five Signs That It’s Time to Ditch Your IT Roadmap”
I recently had my first negative visceral reaction to seeing a Microsoft Project plan in a meeting and I’m both frightened by it and sort of proud of it. Continue reading “A Visceral Reaction to a Project Plan”
Preface – by change control process I’m referring to managing changes to software and not the process of promoting those changes into production. The latter is configuration management (to me anyway) and that process is independent and critical no matter how changes are decided. Check out the concepts of DevOps for ways to link development and operations together. Continue reading “A Form is Not the Answer…A Starting Point to Agile Change Control”
I first learned the terms Agile and Scrum when I joined my current employer Excella Consulting in 2010, so I guess I was late to the game. Up to that point in my career (10 years) I had just sort of winged the usual cycle of gather requirements, work with the developers to build something, test, show the customer, repeat. Continue reading “We Weren’t Agile”
As a project manager I’ve come to recognize the warning signs of a failing IT project and learned the best methods to get the project back on track. Here are three (of many) things to keep and eye out for and what to do if you find yourself experiencing these common issues…or better yet things to avoid from the beginning. Continue reading “Warning!…Signs Your IT Project May Fail”
Agile Grit. Keep Moving Forward. 