Continuous Improvement – The Kaizen Way
Summary The Lean Model of continuous incremental improvement has proven to be effective vs episodic, large-scale improvement projects. Lean focuses […]
Improvement
Agile Transformation, Improvement, Retrospectives
Common Challenges with Retrospectives
Retrospectives play a key role in continuous improvement. However they often fail to deliver due to lack of vision/strategy, dysfunctional team cultures, and no real follow-through on improvement actions.
Improvement, Retrospectives, Scrum
Success with Retrospectives
Summary Retrospectives are a fundamental practice in all agile frameworks. Retrospectives enable Agile delivery teams to continuously improve their performance
Agile Transformation, Improvement
Surveys for Continuous Improvement
Summary Well-designed surveys can provide data and other actionable insights in support of continuous improvement. Surveys can be used to
Agile Assessments, Agile Transformation, Improvement
Combining Retrospectives and Surveys
Summary Retrospectives and surveys both play a role in organizational learning, adaptation and improvement. Retrospectives are an integral part of
Agile Organization, Agile Transformation
Team Health Surveys
If an organization is not agile at a basic team level, it’s going to be really difficult to build an
Agile Assessments, Improvement
Agile Maturity Assessments
An Agile maturity assessment evaluates an organization, team, or department’s adoption, practice, and proficiency in Agile methodologies. It helps identify
Agile Assessments, Agile Transformation, Improvement
Agile Delivery Capability Assessment
In a previous post, we talked about the benefits of team surveys as a method of driving improvement. In this
Kanban
Predictable Flow with WIP Limits
WIP limits are the key to establishing and optimizing the flow of work in a system. When WIP limits are
Kanban
Kanban Flow Physics
Our goal is to deliver maximum value at minimum cost. We seek to achieve this via a relentless focus on
Agile Planning, Flow
Monte Carlo Forecasting for Agile Teams
The Monte Carlo Method can be used to analyze past data and then predict a range of future outcomes. This can be applied to situations where there is no single deterministic answer, like software development planning.
Agile Assessments, Improvement, Retrospectives
Data-Driven Improvement for Agile Teams
Are your retrospectives actually moving the needle, or are you just having fun? Summary Agile delivery teams aspire to continuously
Improvement, Kanban
Flow Metrics for Accelerated Delivery
Summary The basic measures of flow are: WIP: The number of items in progress – started but not finished Cycle
Kanban
Kanban for Software Teams
The Kanban Method can be applied as flow accelerator for software delivery frameworks. Adopting the Kanban Method for software development creates efficient and predictable flow of value.
Agile Transformation, SAFe, Scrum
The SAFe Feature Factory
SAFe Development Model: Define Requirements: Once a quarter a Product Manager creates a new set of requirements – aka the
Agile Product Management
Design Thinking & Product Discovery
“People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole!” – Harvard Business School Professor Theodore Levitt “If
Agile Product Management
Weighted Shortest Job First (WSJF)
Weighted Shortest Job First (WSJF) A method for objectively ranking and sequencing Product Backlog items Ensures items of highest value
Agile Transformation
Agile Transformation A Basic Framework
“Change is not mandatory. Neither is survival”. W. Edwards Deming Agile Transformation is a means to an end. Agility is
SAFe
PI Planning: A Step-By-Step Guide
Quick update on the book. Both the paperback and Kindle versions have been revised and updated, and are now available
DevOps, Improvement, Kanban, Lean
A Little’s Law State of Mind
Team wishing to enact improvements in their delivery performance can look to Little’s Law for guidance.