Definitely, Maybe Agile

In this episode, Peter Maddison and David Sharrock discuss the complexities and misconceptions surrounding estimation in software development and agile project management. They explore the differences between bottom-up and top-down estimation approaches, emphasizing the importance of continuous conversations and feedback loops throughout the process.This week's takeaways:Bottom-up estimation, where every task is estimated and summed up, is highly inefficient and inaccurate, especially for long-term projects or when requirements are likely to change.Top-down estimation, which involves breaking down work into relatable chunks and understanding the journey, is more effective and allows for adaptability as the project progresses.Estimation should be an ongoing conversation between teams, stakeholders, and decision-makers, focusing on problem-solving, progress tracking, and continuous feedback rather than rigid timelines.Tune in for a riveting discussion that challenges traditional notches around estimation in agile software development. Subscribe to absorb invaluable insights on nurturing continuous conversations, embracing top-down estimation techniques, and fostering an environment primed for delivery excellence at scale.

In this episode, Peter and Dave discuss the importance of effective organizational change management in digital transformations. They highlight that simply implementing new processes and systems is not enough - organizations must also carefully manage the human aspect of change. This includes understanding the intangible factors and behaviors that can derail well-designed transformations. They emphasize the need to get close to the actual end-users, observe their behaviors, and adapt accordingly instead of relying solely on high-level communications.This week's takeaways:Organizational change management is essential, not optional, for successful digital transformation.Go beyond just communications - understand real end-user behaviors and intangible adoption factors.Build capabilities to collect user feedback/telemetry, learn from it, and adapt the change process accordingly.Join the conversation and share your insights at feedback@definitelymaybeagile.com. Your input could shape our next big topic. Subscribe today to learn more about organizational change. 

Embark on an enlightening journey with Peter Madison and David Sharrock as they tackle the ever-evolving world of service delivery. From the bustling crossroads of Agile, DevOps, and ITSM, they dissect the common confusions that arise from industry jargon, ensuring that when they speak of 'service', everyone is nodding in agreement. Promises of clarity in this tangled web of terminologies are fulfilled as they lay bare the distinctions between product and service delivery – a must-hear for those navigating the intricate paths of modern organizational structures.As the episode unfolds, Peter and Dave navigate the critical processes of incident response, problem management, and change management. They consider how these elements, integral to the IT service framework, come into play with Agile and DevOps methodologies. The dialogue weaves through the importance of maintaining system stability while managing risk, and the role of context in understanding the various perspectives and terminologies that often lead to confusion. This week's takeaways:Context-Driven Application of FrameworksRecognition of Overlapping IntersectionsHolistic Thinking for Organizational ChangeWe 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@definitelymaybeagile.com

Ever tried to untangle the stubborn knot of capacity planning in Agile teams? Brace yourself as we, Peter Maddison and David Sharrock, take you on an enlightening journey to decipher the complexities of this aspect. We shed light on the importance of crafting robust, dedicated, and cross-functional teams and how they become a reliable gauge for capacity planning. We acknowledge the uphill battle many organizations are fighting, leading to wavering predictability and dwindling trust. Traditional resource planning methods are out, and the focus on team consistency is in.This week's takeaways:Shift from Work-Centric to Customer-Centric View.Trust and empower agile teams to manage their capacities for better performance and adaptability.Identify critical skill sets and shared services beyond agile teams.Recognize potential bottlenecks in compliance, UX, or infrastructure for strategic capacity planning.If you're interested in editing or providing feedback for their upcoming ebook, please contact us at feedback@definitelymaybeagile.com. And don't forget to subscribe to the podcast for more insightful episodes.

 Are you ready to challenge conventional wisdom about traditional architecture and Agile practices? This week, Peter Maddison and Dave Sharrock steer us through the labyrinth of Agile Architecture, revealing how it can become a strategic partner rather than just a service function. We examine the potential barriers old-school architecture can pose, and how Agile principles can reshape the layers of your organization's system architecture.This week's takeaways:Ensure architects are actively involved in specific business domains or architecture, rather than being temporary consultants.Remember that architecture is not solely the responsibility of a select few; it permeates all levels of the organization.Avoid relying too heavily on Architectural Review Boards (ARBs) as they can impede decision-making and hinder innovation. Instead, prioritize empowering architects to make informed decisions and collaborate regularly with relevant stakeholders.Join the conversation by contacting us at feedback@definitelymaybeagile.com with your thoughts, questions, or suggestions for future episodes. Don't forget to subscribe to stay updated on our latest releases. Let us uncover the potential of Agile Architecture together! 

Are you ready to shatter the glass ceiling of traditional management methods? We promise this episode will equip you with the tools to achieve just that! Join us, Peter Madison and David Sharrock, as we journey into the realm of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results). Learn about their power in fueling organizational alignment and goal-setting and how they stand apart from other management frameworks like MBOs, balanced scorecards, and KPIs. Discover why they are indispensable in setting long-term objectives and milestones that can pivot with the ever-changing landscapes of your business operations.This week's takeaways: OKRs are a goal-setting framework are effective at creating alignment and, though simple on the surface, they take practice to get right.They are not meant to be static but rather should be updated and adjusted as new information becomes available.It should not be tied to performance reviews or bonuses. Instead, they should be used as a tool for setting ambitious goals and tracking progress.To join the discussion, email us at feedback@definitelymaybeagile.com with your thoughts, questions, or suggestions for future episodes. Remember to hit that subscribe button to stay updated on our latest releases.   Tune in, and let us help you revolutionize the way your organization marches towards achieving its goals. 

 Join Peter Maddison and David Sharrock on the latest episode of Definitely, Maybe Agile as they sit down with Pia Wendelbo, change agent and CEO of Scandinavian Change Agents. Together, they delve into the crucial topic of holistic thinking in change management. Pia highlights the often overlooked impact on people during a transformation, emphasizing the importance of considering culture, staff happiness, and the structures and processes affected by the change. This insightful conversation highlights the need for a more comprehensive approach to change management that fully embraces human aspects of organizational transformation. This week's takeaways:Recognize that individuals are at the core of any transformation effort.Incorporating "slack" into work life can bring balance and productivity.Continuous learning and improvement are crucial in transformation.To join the discussion, email us at feedback@definitelymaybeagile.com with your thoughts, questions, or suggestions for future episodes. Remember to hit that subscribe button to stay updated on our latest releases. 

Erin Leslie, a leadership coach, and career strategist, joins the Definitely Maybe Agile podcast to discuss the importance of vulnerable leadership and emotional intelligence in agile transformations.Erin shares her experience leading agile teams in the public sector, and discusses the challenges and opportunities of working in this environment. She emphasizes the importance of creating a safe space for creativity and risk-taking and of being able to relate to team members on a human level.This week's takeaways:Allow space for emotions and feelings to be expressed in conversations and listen for the answer rather than coming in with preconceived ideas.New roles in government. The public sector is increasingly adopting new roles, such as product owner. These roles allow public servants to take on more responsibility and ownership of their work.Compassion is essential in both public and private sector leadership.To join the discussion, email us at feedback@definitelymaybeagile.com with your thoughts, questions, or suggestions for future episodes. Remember to hit that subscribe button to stay updated on our latest releases. 

 In this episode of the Definitely, Maybe Agile podcast, Dave and Peter talk to Marius de Beer, Senior Director of Digital Product Delivery at Aritzia, about the challenges and evolution of agile practices. After years of working on transformations at different organizations, Marius has distilled agile transformation down to four things: How you are measured, recognized, rewarded, and supported. This is an episode you won't want to miss!This week's takeaways:Change itself has changed: Making change a natural part of learning, responding, and growing helps remove the fear and resistance associated with it.Applying the four principles at each organizational layer: It's important to consider the needs and recognition of the organization as a whole, not just individuals or teams.Instead of forcefully pushing tools and practices onto individuals or teams, providing support and focusing on how people are measured, recognized, and rewarded is more effective.To join the discussion, email us at feedback@definitelymaybeagile.com with your thoughts, questions, or suggestions for future episodes. Don't forget to hit that subscribe button to stay updated on our latest releases. 

NOTE: This isn't a full episode, just an intro to the next season We're definitely excited for season 2 of the Definitely, Maybe Agile podcast!Peter Maddison and Dave Sharrock are ready to tackle the big questions around digital transformation. What does it look like? How can we define it? Why does it all go wrong? These are just some questions they'll be exploring in the upcoming season. But more than just understanding digital transformation, they want to help their listeners recognize where they are in their transformation journey. Is it an agile transformation or a digital transformation? And, of course, no transformation discussion would be complete without challenging some paradigms. So tune in for an exciting season 2 of the Definitely, Maybe Agile podcast!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@definitelymaybeagile.com 

 In this episode, Dave and Peter discuss the role of vendors in large companies and why we don't let vendors lead the strategy. We discuss how vendor solutions or products are brought to accelerate growth. A good choice of products maximizes the opportunities an organization can leverage to accelerate skills, and a poor choice can leave you tied to a partner that does not bring you value.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@definitelymaybeagile.com

In this episode, Dave and Peter discuss the potential differences between Lessons Learned (the end of project debrief) and Retrospectives (the more frequent and regular look at work). We cover many topics before landing on the concept of aligning 3 F's, Frequency, Focus, and Flow when looking back at what has been done.Book references:Think Again - Adam Granthttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55539565-think-againAtomic Habits - James Clearhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40121378-atomic-habitsWe 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@definitelymaybeagile.com

Does training have value? There is certainly plenty of it out there and companies spend plenty of money on it. Is it money well spent?In this episode we talk through some of the benefits of training and when it is most effective. We also talk about how to get more from the training you do invest in. 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@definitelymaybeagile.comLinks:Xodiac corporate training: https://xodiac.ca/services/IncrementOne training:  https://www.incrementone.com/training

This week Dave and Peter talk through the perils and benefits of estimation. They touch on relative and absolute estimations, and how they apply to our daily work.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@definitelymaybeagile.com

This week we dive into experimentation, what it is, its purpose, and how we often mess it up. How do you design experiments? What makes an experiment good? How might you measure success? All this and more! 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@definitelymaybeagile.com

Peter and Dave discuss the difficulty of taking Agile practices out of IT and into the rest of the organization. We discuss the need for creating a common language and acknowledging the differences between areas. There may even be some hints about how to overcome these adoption barriers.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@definitelymaybeagile.com

Peter and Dave discuss how value is often seen through the lens of the company, focusing value on dollars and cents. There are many types of value especially when products are free to use. Value is very difficult to predict and defined by the customer.References in this episode:Saeed Khan's Medium post on value:https://swkhan.medium.com/a-framework-for-understanding-value-25a8eefcf61cWe 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@definitelymaybeagile.com

Dave and Peter discuss Change Approval (or Advisory) Boards. They are a crucial component to organizational change and managing change with companies. As organizations starts to adopt Agile, responsibility of change shifts into the team level and the Board becomes a facilitator to change. Resources: Better Value Sooner Safer Happier - Jon Smarthttps://soonersaferhappier.com/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@definitelymaybeagile.com

Peter and Dave on the relationship between agile practices and innovation, what is meant by process innovation vs. product innovation, and what they really think of the HBR article (Stand-up Meetings Inhibit Innovation). Resources: Stand-up Meetings Inhibit Innovationhttps://hbr.org/2021/01/stand-up-meetings-inhibit-innovationLoonshots by Safi Bahcallhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39863447-loonshotsWe 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@definitelymaybeagile.com

How do we approach conversations or engagements with clients, and begin to understand what is happening within an organization? How do we help clients understand where they are now, and what they need to focus on with a holistic view. And most importantly, how do we map and shift a company focus to outcomes? This Podcast is hosted by Peter Maddison from Xodiac and Dave Sharrock from IncrementOne.Resources mentioned in the episode:You can find out more about Flow Engineering on the Xodiac website: https://xodiac.ca/services/flow-engineeringAnd at our partner, Visible's, website:https://thinking.visible.is/post/flow-engineering---a-kickstart-workflow-5ff61f303609424e1f2fba63Agendashift: Outcome‑oriented change and Continuous  https://www.amazon.com/-/es/Mike-Burrows/dp/1787197263We 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@definitelymaybeagile.com