„We practice improvement through work, work through improvement, one sprint at a time!“ – Jon Ker, co-author of Agile Manifesto

It’s inevitable that these turbulent times inspect our ability to adapt to a certain situation. Agile is quite a logical answer in these circumstances. Let’s say that you’re searching for an ideal solution and ideal vocation that has become more and more valuable in almost every business. Have you considered becoming a Product Owner? In the previous article, we talked about what skills are needed in order to be a fantastic Scrum Master.

But, what about Product Owners? Here is the most frequently asked question:

What skills do I need to have in order to become a Product Owner?

Well, before that, let’s talk about some of the myths about this role: Anybody can become a Product Owner. Doesn’t it? According to Scrum.org, a Product Owner is responsible for maintaining the entire Product Backlog. Is this really true? The keyword here is “responsible”. Ask yourself this – can a Product Owner maximize the value of work done by the Scrum Team if they are not involved in what goes on in the Product Backlog and in what order? From this perspective, it makes no sense to treat the Product Owner as the only person who can create items for the Product Backlog and prioritize them. Product Owners should work closely with the Development Team to create items for the Product Backlog and prioritize them to maximize the value of work done by them.

To become a real Product Owner Sensei you need to consider Scrum certification that is nowadays mandatory by many companies. In our ten years of experience in Product Owner courses and certification, in cooperation with Scrum Alliance as a world-leading organization, we have educated more than 1500 participants.

Imagine two different persons. Two individuals, ready to invest in their Product Owner careers. But, wait, what’s the difference between them? Answer: their skills.

#1 Always in high demand for Hard Skills

Through proper Certification, it’s easy to find out what skills are mandatory for your career as a Product Owner. But, it is truly challenging to adopt them. So, technical skills are really essential. According to Scrum Guide, Product Owners aren’t a part of the Development Team. So, if and which technical skills a Product Owner requires depend on how the role is applied, right? Actually, they will pick up an understanding of how products are made and be familiar with architectures, languages, and build cycles. Remember, they’re not building the product, they’re just collaborating with the people who are. On the other hand, organizational skills are inevitable for this role. For example, for Product Owner being a decision-maker is correlated with having analytical and negotiation skills. Many conflict situations may occur during work on creating a product. But remember, Product Owner is not only a „messenger” who does everything that the stakeholders intend to say. He/she must also have the ability to process information – discover hidden needs that even the customer or user could not imagine.

#2 Soft Skills are mandatory

These skills are somehow coming before gaining hard skills, right? Communication, as well as being an amazing storyteller is something that is nowadays mandatory for each position, not only Product Owner. Enthusiastic, assertive and excellent planner are something that you naturally adopt and also learn through Certification with your Trainer and the rest of the group.

#3 Conflict and Problem Resolver

We had to single out these skills because they’re essential for successful collaboration with Scrum Master. Remember – Scrum Masters and Product Owners are friends. They complement each other in current projects. Scrum Master should support the Product Owner in decision and empowerment issues and also help with tools and techniques. Also, Product Owner should have a global perception of the clients’ demands. For these reasons, the Scrum Master needs the Product Owner. And this is one long, unbreakable circle. As a Product Owner, you have to have the courage and the capability to engage when things get difficult. And know this: you generally have to go through conflict to get to a solution. You’ll need to be collaborative to minimize the negative, and you’ll need to mediate.

#4 And, what about the Product Leadership?

Leadership is the key to 99% of all successful efforts, right? Product Leadership is something you’ll learn continuously. But, here are some great tips that great leaders say every day:

a) “What do you need?”

This is crucial for two reasons. First, people need to know that you care about them on personal and professional levels and that you want them to succeed. Second, if you put together a great plan, you need to leverage every person’s abilities to the maximum extent possible.

b) “I trust you.”

If you can’t trust the people on your team, then they shouldn’t be in your team. You need to trust their integrity, judgment, confidence and their passion – and you need to ensure that they understand how much you depend on them.

c) “You can count on me.”

If your team can’t trust you, they shouldn’t do you the great honor of letting you lead them. So tell them you’ve got their back, and then work like hell to fulfill the promises you make.

And these are just small pieces of a great puzzle called Product Owners’ skills. Organization, empathy and a sense of community are also crucial, and we assure you that through certification, especially working with different people and their mindset, you’ll notice these significant aspects faster and smarter. ☺️

Don’t be shy and join us on this unusual journey. 🎯 

Product Owner skills are easy to find but very challenging to learn. If you’re at the beginning, maybe you are looking for Certified Scrum Product Owner Course with Petri Heiramo (24th – 26th April 2022) with Petri Heiramo. He will be your trainer, teacher, coach and true support during this important journey.

Are you with us?

Photo sources:

www.romanpichler.com

www.uxdesign.cc

,,Success it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey.ʻʻ

Imagine this situation: you’re working for a company where there’s a need for a change. Easy, refreshing with a whole new approach. The change in your business environment is inevitable and depends on different factors. And, in that position preparing yourself for every modification in career is desirable.

Scrum as a secret spice

And for that reason, Agile world is a place for all who are seeking for a change. Under this Agile umbrella, Scrum is the most used framework (even 81% companies in the world are using Scrum, according to 2019 Scrum Master Trends Report). Impressive?

Scrum is a widely used, agile product development strategy – a set of values, team roles, and procedures used in combination to create work products. Today Scrum is mostly used in the software industry and has expanded to universities, military, and beyond. Actually, the term comes from rugby and refers to the way a team works together when moving the ball across the court. Let’s face it that…

…all comes to what moves and motivates people

Scrum is based on a simple idea: whenever you start a project, you always check if it is going in the right direction and is that really what clients want. In order to accomplish that, you need this – the Team with gigantic THE. What Scrum does is to unite teams to create great things and this means that everyone progressively contributes to its achievement. Exactly like in this picture below:

Scrum asks the team for assortment – in skills, thoughts, and experiences. It wants the teams to be altruistic and self-reliant, but also multifunctional. Teams that can complete the whole project. With support from Scrum Master and Product Owner, this will be a successful and quite inspirational job.

”Scrum is not just about the meetings and schedule. It’s not about Sprints, meetings and having different roles named to fit Scrum roles. It’s not about just being able to say Scrum, ‘cause it’s not a magic word to be used when you need it. Scrum is belonging, trust, commitment and lots of hard and high-quality work…”, Milica Lubinić, Scrum Master

As the main headline suggests, we’re going to look back on two important roles – Scrum Master and Product Owner. And just to be clear – they’re designed to work together on the same project which means that they need each other, not excluding their mutual knowledge, expertise, and experience.

Source: KnowledgeHut

As you can see, they’re completely connected. Both roles have the same objective of adding value to the main project. But, these two are defined very differently from each other. While the Product Owner looks at the project from the customer’s point of view, the Scrum Master focuses on the team and its activities. A Scrum Master’s role is to motivate the team in various ways.

,,Scrum Master and Product Owner roles can relate with Shu Ha Ri, a concept from Japan that explains Scrum as a way of life. Shu state means that you know all rules and forms. By repeating them, you become better. Ha state means after you adopted rules, now you can make innovations, respecting each human being around yourself. After all, Ri state says that you’re your own master with inspiration and motivation ready to accomplish the goal.ʻʻ, Jeff Sutherland: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time

Friends or foes?

They complement each other in current projects. Scrum Master should support the Product Owner in decision and empowerment issues and also help with tools and techniques.  Experienced professionals say that Scrum Master is a mix of the HR manager and Process manager, but on the other hand, Product Owner’s guiding about the business value of the product is priceless. Also, Product Owner should have a global perception of the client’s demand. For these reasons, the Scrum Master needs the Product Owner. And this is one long, unbreakable circle.

Potayto, potatho?

There are crucial differences between their skills and responsibilities, which we’ll present to you through this serial. There’s a thin line between these performances that allow Scrum Masters and Product Owners to be unbreakable buddies. It’s crucial to remember that both roles are important in one project, without any animosity between them.

Let your journey through Scrum roles begins. 😊 

Read more: Scrum Master & Product Owner: Friends or foes? (Part 2)

Well, there are 6, 7, and 8… even more. 😊

So keep reading…

Regional Scrum Gathering Belgrade 2021 is a big thing for the Agile community. Especially in Europe. For the first time, Belgrade is going to be an epicenter of one of the most important Agile events. And that is a biiiig thing! We can’t wait for 7th and 8th October, and we’re sure of one thing – education isn’t on the break. Yes, you heard about this a million times, but it’s necessary to mention the importance of this conclusion.

Big, bigger, the biggest

Agile Serbia continues to fly above the clouds trying to give a lot of reasons why education is crucial and meaningful. We don’t give up on this fact. For the last 10 years, we have been carefully building our community and making worthwhile friendships. Our previous Agile Serbia Conferences were an overture for the grandiose Regional Scrum Gathering Belgrade in Belexpocentar! Now, we can convince you to attend this Conference for these reasons:

#1 Hybrid is a new normal

Online is the new normality. Actually, hybrid is a new normal. If you don’t feel safe, you can always follow the Conference online, through MatchAbout. If you have lectures in the morning, and panels in the afternoon, you can make a pause and take a breath. Maybe a little nap or chit-chat with your friends and family.

According to the guidelines of the World Health Organization, we carefully follow epidemic measures and recommendations for your safety during COVID-19. Regional Scrum Gathering Belgrade 2021 will be organized with strict compliance of health protocols and measures because we care about your health and safety.

#2 Yes, you can really meet and talk with the greatest Agile Stars

Imagine Arie van Bennekum in front of you, or Miljan Bajić? Isn’t that cool? Well, from where can we start? Howard Sublett, Daniel Mezick, Tomasz Dubikowski, Olaf Lewitz, Apeksha Patel, Brian Marick, Predrag Rajković, Zuzana Zuzi Sochova… Each is an expert. Also, our panel discussions have a special value. As well as our Fun and Coaching corners. We’re preparing a lot of surprises.

#3 This isn’t just another Conference

A completely different online experience – yes!
Moving from one to another live stage – yes!

Interactive practical conversations with all Agile Superstars – yes!
Continual networking – yes!

MatchAbout is a unique platform. It allows you plenty of creative opportunities and it’s quite amusing to see these multiple options. Switch from one stage to another or join the panels at the same time. You can also chit-chat with other participants, share your experience, and more importantly – all material from Conference you’ll find on MatchAbout. Isn’t that cool?

#4 Regional Scrum Gathering is important for your Agile career

By attending Regional Scrum Gathering Belgrade 2021 you don’t only get great insights and contacts. Scrum Education Units® (SEUs points) are very important, especially if you wanna validate your participation and continued proficiency in the fundamental principles and practices of Scrum. At this Conference, you’ll get SEU points depending on if you’re attending only lectures and panels or the whole Conference – including all content we’ll provide. More details about this valuation find here.

#5 Affordability and commodity in one place

The best value for money when we talk about Regional Scrum Gathering Belgrade 2021 is completely true. Taking into account that you get really, really excellent knowledge, guidelines and tips & tricks from the best Professionals in the Agile universe. Isn’t that great?

Life according to Agile

If you want to survive nowadays, think about how flexible and adaptable you or your organization is – could you continue with the present or even better with the next big market change(s)?

Learning while listening is more productive when you adopt new useful insights. So, what are your plans for 7^th & 8^th October 2021? The upcoming Regional Scrum Gathering Belgrade 2021 has plenty of possibilities for personal growth. Thanks to the app MatchAbout, you’ll really enjoy multiple content on this platform.

The choice is yours – you can wait to see what will happen or you can be prepared and welcome the change! So, don‘t think too much and register for this amazing event in October. It will pay off!

More useful information find here: https://www.agile-serbia.rs/conference/regional-scrum-gathering-belgrade-2021/

„Scrum Masters, please don‘t touch the task board. It (and the items on it) do not belong to you.“ – Michele Sliger

Let’s make it clear – doing your job efficiently in turbulent times is really challenging, right? But, Agile is the new normal. And that’s the main fact. Being aware of the significance of Agile for every company, project or team is priceless.

Actually, getting out of your comfort zone is the best way to feel great about things that are good for you. More and more companies are using Scrum as the most beloved Agile framework. But, most of them are using Scrum not so well or in inefficient ways. Some researches show that many companies claim that Scrum isn’t for them (not because they’re not adequate for Agile) but mainly because some other frameworks work better. The context for an Agile Mindset has changed a lot. Really a lot. We can distinguish the development of Agile in the past, then how it really works in present after defining of Agile Manifesto and what are predictions for the future. You can see that the changes are inevitable and these changes are recommended and in the spirit of Agile mindset.

In the previous articles about Scrum and its interesting (and very attractive) facts we find out that this framework is nowadays extremely popular with lots of advantages. As we said, Scrum is the most beloved Agile framework.

Making your Scrum work? How’s that?

Scrum implies an equation – a framework that helps the team to work together. While Scrum is most frequently used by software development teams, its lessons can be applied to all kinds of teamwork. This is one of the reasons scrum is so popular. Often thought of as an Agile project management framework, scrum describes a set of meetings, tools, and roles that work in concert to help teams structure and manage their work.

#1 Scrum consists of three roles

1a) Scrum Master is a servant leader, someone who is responsible for the process, setting up the team, sprint meeting and removes obstacles;

1b) Product Owner is responsible for Product and all of its aspects. He/she creates product backlog, prioritizes the backlog and is responsible for the delivery of the functionality at each iteration;

1c) Scrum Team consists of different vocations and manages and organizes the work to complete the sprint. That’s why they called self-organizing teams.

#2 And how about Scrum Practices?

They are equally important for each Role. So, we have Sprint planning, Sprint, Daily Standup Meeting, Sprint Review Meeting and Sprint Retrospective Meeting. Each of them is crucial for understanding how the team works and was the sprint successful. But, a very meaningful event is…

#3 Daily Standup Meeting

The Daily Scrum is a 15-minute meeting/event of the Scrum team. This meeting’s flavor is unique to each team, and there are three simple questions to generate structure:

• What did I work on yesterday?
• What am I working on today?
• What issues are blocking me and how do I work despite them?

This ceremony is quite useful in order to inform your teamsters how they can help you to finish tasks and sprint successful.

#4 But, the process flow is everything

So, that’s why each part of the Scrum framework is necessary. Each iteration in Scrum is called Sprint. Because of that, we have a Product Backlog as a list where all details are entered in order to get a proper product. Team works as a cross-functional, checking their activities on Daily Standup and delivers Product at the end of the Sprint.

In the end, Agile is a colorful umbrella with so many valuable frameworks. Which one do you choose? We wanted to offer you some great options and hopefully, you’ll find them helpful. Just tell us how can we assist you in this process and the rest is going to be fantastic! And, don’t forget to follow our Agile & THE Frameworks training in order to learn from the best about this business mindset.

Go for it, Agile Rookies!

This article is inspired and published on www.guru99.com and  www.atlassian.com blogs. Thank you for your inspiration and guidelines. 

„Scrum is like your mother-in-law, it points out all your faults.“ – Ken Schwaber

Let’s make it clear – doing your job efficiently in turbulent times is really challenging, right? But, Agile is the new normal. And that’s the main fact. Being aware of the significance of Agile for every company, project or team is priceless.

Actually, getting out of your comfort zone is the best way to feel great about things that are good for you. More and more companies are using Scrum as the most beloved Agile framework. But, most of them are using Scrum not so well or in inefficient ways. Some researches show that many companies claim that Scrum isn’t for them (not because they’re not adequate for Agile) but mainly because some other frameworks work better. The context for an Agile Mindset has changed a lot. Really a lot. We can distinguish the development of Agile in the past, then how it really works in present after defining of Agile Manifesto and what are predictions for the future. You can see that the changes are inevitable and these changes are recommended and in the spirit of Agile mindset.

In the previous articles about Agile and its interesting (and very attractive) facts we find out that this mindset is nowadays extremely popular with lots of advantages. As we said, Scrum is the most beloved Agile framework.

Scrum? How’s that?

#1 Same boat for the same passengers

You already know (or you’ve heard somewhere) that a marketer, software developer and programmer must function as one. Our dear friend and Trainer Petri Heiramo once said: “Once the above is in place, the people need to self-organize and get the freedom to do that. The management must not micromanage the team, but trust and expect that they figure out how to solve the problem.” So, Scrum supports self-organizing teams.

#2 Solving problems – yes or no?

Scrum doesn’t actually promise to solve any problems. Instead, it points to your problems and then it’s up to you to solve them. That’s why using Scrum is often so challenging but worthy for your business or a current project.

#3 Introspection: why not?

One of the things we love about Scrum is one special ceremony called retrospective. That’s right. Retrospective helps you to discover what goes wrong during the Sprint in order to look for potential improvements.

#4 Everything is about the people

And that’s one of the biggest truths in Scrum. You should respect and value people in your team and as Manifesto for Software Development says that “individuals and interactions over processes and tools” are very crucial. Especially good and meaningful communication.

In the end, Agile is a colorful umbrella with so many valuable frameworks. Which one do you choose? We wanted to offer you some great options and hopefully, you’ll find them helpful. Just tell us how can we assist you in this process and the rest is going to be fantastic! And, don’t forget to follow our Agile & THE Frameworks training in order to learn from the best about this business mindset.

Go for it, Agile Rookies!

„…the agile movement in software is part of a larger movement towards more humane and dynamic workplace in the 21^st century.“ – Rowan Bunning

Let’s make it clear – doing your job efficiently in turbulent times is really challenging, right? But, Agile is new normal. And that’s the main fact. Being aware of the significance of Agile for every company, project or team is priceless.

Actually, getting out of your comfort zone is the best way to feel great about things that are good for you. More and more companies are using Scrum as the most beloved Agile framework. But, most of them are using Scrum not so well or in inefficient ways. Some researches show that many companies claim that Scrum isn’t for them (not because they’re not predestined for Agile) but mainly some other frameworks work better. The context for an Agile Mindset has changed a lot. Really a lot. We can distinguish the development of Agile in the past, then how it really works in present after defining of Agile Manifesto and what are predictions for the future. You can see that changes are inevitable and these changes are recommended and in the spirit of Agile mindset.

We bet you didn’t know these interesting facts about Agile

If you’re an Agile Rookie who wants to know more about Agile don’t be afraid. Agile is sometimes challenging to understand, but over time it’s easier to adapt. Actually, Agile is about value delivery in complex environments. Right? In the previous article, we gave some valuable reasons why nowadays Agile is necessary. But, in order to closely understand this mindset keep reading about some amusing facts about Agile and its frameworks.

#1 Salaries in Agile are higher

That’s right. According to Agile Annual Salary – Agile Coaches in the US earn $153,810 per year (data from 2021). Also, the average salary for a developer, who knows Agile development principles, is over $90k a year (also in the US). These information tell you that learning everything or specific part of Agile (for your role or project) is quite valuable in these times.

#2 Projects that are using Agile methodology are more successful

More than 25% of the projects based on Agile are more profitable and successful than the projects based on the traditional model of project development. Also, interesting fact – more than 85% of more than 100 international software development companies prefer to use Agile methodology in their regular work.

#3 Agile is a mindset and beyond that

More and more companies are beginning to use this mindset, and that’s the great news. Agile is meant to help others employ this technology in their business. The idea of Agile is to react quickly in turbulent environments and to face uncertainty. Agile includes several significant frameworks with efficient strategies how to set and achieve goals.

#4 Faster, more productive and more efficient with Agile

Faster production, significant savings, more efficiency in achieving goals and more profitable projects are results of using Agile in your business, organization, or team. Agile development is giving companies a chance to edit through each stage of a project, rather than turning in the completed project, right? The advantages of Agile are wider and bigger than the disadvantages, right?

In the end, Agile is a colorful umbrella with so many valuable frameworks. Which one do you choose? We wanna give you some great options and here you can see them. Just tell us how can we assist you in this process and the rest is going to be fantastic! And, don’t forget to follow our Agile & THE Frameworks training in order to learn from the best about this business mindset.

Go for it, Agile Rookies!

This article is inspired and published on PM World Network and Ingenium Web blogs. Thank you for your inspiration and guidelines.

„There is a way to do it better – find it!“ – Albert Einstein

Let’s make it clear – doing your job efficiently in turbulent times is really challenging, right? But, Agile is the new normal. And that’s the main fact. Being aware of the significance of Agile for every company, project or team is priceless.

Actually, getting out of your comfort zone is the best way to feel great about things that are good for you. More and more companies are using Scrum as the most beloved Agile framework. But, most of them are using Scrum not so well or in inefficient ways. Some researches show that many companies claim that Scrum isn’t for them (not because they’re not predestined for Agile) but mainly some other frameworks work better. The context for an Agile Mindset has changed a lot. Really a lot. We can distinguish the development of Agile in the past, then how it really works in present after defining of Agile Manifesto and what are predictions for the future. You can see that changes are inevitable and those changes are recommended and in the spirit of Agile mindset.

Agile… why not?

For all Agile Rookies we have an important message – don’t be afraid. Everything is going to be fantastic. So, we wanna give you some fantastic reasons why Agile mindset is the best solution for your company, organization, project and team:

#1 Agile increases satisfaction, for everyone – employees, employers and stakeholders

During the Agile development process, all parties are involved – employees, employers and stakeholders. All of them have significant roles. Employees – in taking and making decisions. Employers – in providing trust and support to the team. Stakeholders (users, customers) are giving valuable feedback.

#2 Agile reduces costs… significantly

Maybe one of the most significant benefits of Agility to a business is that the Agile processes can reduce costs. It does this in a variety of ways, some of which will be reasons for using Agile in their own way, but specifically Agile allows clients, customers and Product Owners to get exactly what they want.

#3 Agile saves money… a lot

By lowering risk, involving stakeholders and having faster time to market — businesses save money by building the right product rather than basing development on assumptions. The team is productive and they feel completely engaged in the process.

#4 Agile allows efficiency and innovations

And it does that on so many efficient levels. Agile is creative; it encourages free-thinking. By freeing teams from pre-determined set tasks that could take months – often asking them to work continuous overtime in order to achieve them – you allow room for innovation. A sustainable development environment through Agile approaches encourages collaboration.

#5 Agile allows faster time to market

Agile frameworks emphasize the value of the Product/Service at the market. Mainly, the Agile framework emphasizes working in short iterations. Each iteration ends in a potentially shippable product increment, which affords a business the ability to incrementally release.

In the end, Agile is a colorful umbrella with so many valuable frameworks. Which one do you choose? We wanna give you some great options and here you can see them. Just tell us how can we assist you in this process and the rest is going to be fantastic! And, did you hear about Agile & THE Frameworks Training? 

Go for it, Agile Rookies!

This article is inspired and published on TheScrumMaster.co.uk and Celerity.com blogs. Thank you for your inspiration and guidelines.

It’s easy to understand Agile, but hard to implement in practice. The Agile way of working and thinking is efficient in so many ways, but it’s on us how to react to unpredictable circumstances. In the previous article, we talked about Agile values and their successful implementation into one organization.

But how about principles?

Drastic times call for drastic measures or Agile measures. Agile innovations made huge changes in different business areas. They also made a fantastic impact on the software industry and that’s inevitable. Did you think about how companies implement Agile principles when they use Agile for the first time?

Let’s remind ourselves…

What are 12 Agile principles of Agile Software Development:

#1Importance of early Delivery of the Product

#2 Easily adapt to change

#3 Frequently Delivery

#4 Cooperation between Business and Developers

#5 Importance of motivated individuals

#6 Face-to-face interaction

#7 Having an efficient working Software

#8 Maintain a Constant Pace

#9 Having a Technical Brilliance

#10 Always Simplicity

#11 Teams Self-Organization

#12 Regular Reflection and Adjustment

Also, like in the previous article, we can take the example of our bookstore to explain how Agile principles work in practice. So, we’ve just opened a fantastic bookstore with various assortment including gift program and valuable literature for different generations. But, the tastes of readers change daily and you need to be constantly informed about these trends. The competition is fierce, but what distinct you from them is how you’re gonna react to unexpected changes from the environment.

So, how an artistic organization can implement Agile principles in their system:

• #1 Importance of early Delivery of the Product: your readers want to have the most popular title in their personal library. Try to be agile and be the first publisher that published that book. Early delivery gives your customers invaluable satisfaction, right?
• #2 Easily adapt to change: welcome changing requirements, even late in development. As a publisher, try to easily adapt to changes that are necessary for each side, both organization and customers (in this sense – readers).
• #3 Frequent Delivery: short time to market. Meaning: try to frequently deliver values for your readers and make sure that those values are good and valuable for them.
• #4 Cooperation between Business and Developers: in this case – between the organization and Sales/Marketing managers in order to give the best solutions for each aspect of your business. This principle became necessary due to the extensive amounts of documentation that were part of the planning process.
• #5 Importance of motivated individuals: this means – each individual, including all employees in your bookstore. How to motivate them is a different kind of action, but it’s valuable and meaningful for later.
• #6 Face-to-face interaction: the most effective way of communication is face-to-face. Direct communication is fantastic on so many levels and that’s why each employee needs to know and tell others how he/she feels and what bothers him/her.
• #7 Having efficient working Software: in the bookstore’s case means that working software increases efficiency and productivity through the job and allows better organization of everyday tasks.
• #8 Maintain a Constant Pace: think about this – when you put Agile to practice, your goal is to avoid overburden and optimize the way you work so you can frequently deliver to the market and respond to change without requiring personal heroics from your team.
• #9 Having a Technical Brilliance: means that in a development context, this principle allows teams to create not just working software but also a stable product of high quality. Our bookstore must have up-to-date software with amazing tools to quickly respond to upcoming challenges.
• #10 Always Simplicity: but that also means a simple way of working, thinking and taking responsibilities. If you can do something in a simple way, why waste time complicating it?
• #11 Teams Self-Organization: Agile also means team self-organization. Allow your teams to generate a proper value and let them be responsible for their tasks and activities. That’s why Agile is so helpful in practice.
• #12 Regular Reflection and Adjustment: this principle allows you to experiment and improve your performance continuously. Especially in publishing. Adjustments to new circumstances are hard but very effective on other levels. You can’t lose anything.

Getting started with Agile is always challenging

…and that’s why Agile as methodology and its frameworks aren’t so complicated if you want to learn about them. And adopt through good practical examples. You can always gradually shift to Agile principles by using different software available on the market and with the support of the right people.

What do you think?

This article is written and partly inspired by Kanbanize.com blog Thank you for your guidance and great suggestions. 

Photo sources: 

www.selleo.com

www.slideshare.com

Drastic times call for drastic measures, or Agile measures. Easy going, but effective on so many levels. 20 years passed since defining the Agile Manifesto. So, these Agile innovations made huge changes on different business areas. They also made a fantastic impact on the software industry and that’s inevitable. Did you think about how companies implement Agile values and principles when they use Agile for the first time?

Let’s remind ourselves…

What are 4 Agile values:

#1Individuals and interactions over processes and tools;

#2 Working software over comprehensive documentation;

#3 Customer collaboration over contract negotiation;

#4 Responding to change over following a plan.

Imagine this: you just opened a huge bookstore with a various assortment including gift program and valuable literature for different generations. But, the tastes of readers change daily and you need to be constantly informed about these trends. The competition is fierce, but what distinguishes you from them is how you’re gonna react to unexpected changes from the environment.

So, how an artistic organization can implement Agile values in their system:

• Individuals and interactions over processes and tools: yes – employees know how to sell products and know how to make daily, weekly and monthly reports. But, did you think about how they function between themselves? Are they easy-going, trying to put good communication and collaboration in the first place rather than formal processes? Think about this aspect and try to make your own conclusions.
• Working software over comprehensive documentation: yes, boring documentation is present everywhere. Plans, reports, budgets and etc. Making an efficient working software that will significantly reduce costs, time and paperwork is a great investment and one of the benefits of applying Agile values.
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation: feedback is everything. Not only between employees and employers, but also on relation employees – customers. Book lovers need to be involved in each promotional offer, rebranding or building up a book community. This is actually an example of socially responsible business (not only in the ecological or social way).
• Responding to change over following a plan: Agile sees organization through values that are constantly improving business quality. If there’s a new and very popular book author, the bookstore as a publisher will try to introduce that author to domestic readers. That is one way of improvement in an organization, in addition to a current plan that is being followed, right? Change is good. Change is desirable in each area.

Getting started with Agile is always challenging

…and that’s why Agile as methodology and its frameworks aren’t so complicated if you want to learn about them. And adopt through good practical examples. You can always gradually shift to Agile values by using different software available in the market and with the support of the right people.

What do you think?