Product Agility

Less Method. More Meaning.The world of Product Discovery and Creation is becoming increasingly challenging due to mistakes and missed opportunities that are prevalent in agile teams, large-scale Scrum and all other agile frameworks. History has shown that when organisations try and scale their product development to more than one cross-functional team, mistakes are made that cut short many chances of getting all possible benefits.The route of this for many is the need for more attention paid to the incredible advancements in Product Management driven by hordes of professional Product People who prove that making their customers happier is not a pipe dream but a hard and fast reality.This podcast exists to explore all topics related to Product and Agility and Coaching. How do you marry the agile principles with Product discovery?Is it really possible to have hundreds of cross-functional teams (or Product Teams) all working from an effectively prioritised single Product Backlog and a dedicated Product Owner?How can you embrace continuous improvement and empirical process control for your product, people and processes?Ever wondered how to overcome the problems people face when trying to scale the Product Owner role and how it relates to Product Management and Product Teams?Baffled by how to define a product in such a way that enables Feature Teams (aka Product Teams) and why doing wrong means you will only ever be stuck with technical teams? Scrum Teams are not compatible with modern product management techniques.Want to know what Product Focus means and how the right focus makes creating a shippable product less painful?Need to get your head around how to blend modern product management techniques with Sprint Planning and Sprint Reviews to achieve Product Increments that cover the entire product?This podcast's original focus was on Scaling Scrum vs Single-Team Scrum and how organisations can reap the benefits of Scrum when working on a larger product but still keeping a single product backlog. We found many Product People liked what we said, and then the penny dropped. This isn't a podcast about scaling Scrum or the limitations of single-team Scrum.This podcast is for Product People & agile advocates who coach or get their hands dirty with Product creation.We promise there is no Taboo topic that we will not explore on your behalf. We aim to transcend the conversations about a single team, Daily Scrums, Scrum Masters and the double-diamond and bring everyone together into responsible teams dedicated to working on the entire product to make their customers happier and their lives more fulfilling.Come and join us on our improvement towards perfection, and give us your feedback (we have a strong customer focus, too), and who knows, perhaps we will discover the magic wand that we can wave over all the broken agile and sudo-products to create a more resilient and adaptable future by bringing the worlds of Product, Agility and coaching together.This podcast has the conversations and insights you need.

Latest episodes

Nov 30, 2023 • 40min

Do User Stories Have a Place in Product Management (With Tara Wellington, Bill ex-GoDaddy)

Send us a textTara Wellington is an executive partner at Reforge, was a senior product manager at GoDaddy (working alongside their CEO) and now finds herself part of the senior leadership at Bill.com, leading their product to ever-increasing success🙌🎙️ Meet Tara, a passionate, collaborative, and curious product leader with 10 years of experience. She's dedicated to delivering value, especially in the small business tech world, where our host Ben Maynard spent the majority of his product career🚀Tara on LinkedIn - https://bit.ly/3s5kPRQIn this episode, Tara sheds light on the topic of user stories and their place in the product development process💡Discover the common pitfalls, misconceptions, and the critical role of communication and documentation in user story discussions📢Episode Highlights:🔍 05:23 - The Power of Story Mapping: How story mapping can enhance the effectiveness of user stories🔍 11:54 - The Limitations of User Stories: The limitations of user stories and the crucial role of effective communication and context in product development.🔍 17:32 - The Communication vs Documentation Dilemma in User Stories: The dilemma of finding the right balance between communication & documentation in user story discussions🔍 27:51 - The Power of User Stories: Learn how to avoid the pitfalls of forcing fit in user stories and harness their true power🔍 32:15 - The Importance of Putting Thoughts on Paper in Product Management: The significance of aligning perspectives and capturing thoughts on paper in effective product management.Join Ben and Tara in this episode as they navigate the complexities of user stories and provide valuable insights for product managers. Tune in now to enhance your understanding of user stories and their placHost Bio Ben is a seasoned expert in product agility coaching, unleashing the potential of people and products. With over a decade of experience, his focus now is product-led growth & agility in organisations of all sizes. Stay up-to-date with us on our social media📱! Ben Maynard 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmaynard-sheev/ 🐦 https://x.com/BenWMaynard 💻 https://sheev.co.uk/ Product Agility Podcast 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/productagilitypod/ 💻 https://productagilitypod.co.uk/ 🖇️ https://linktr.ee/productagility Listen & Share On Spotify & iTunes Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0lkwAYJzVSuk5zfJ1vIDZq?si=4c691fb12f124a56 iTunes - https://apple.co/3YvTX8p Want to come on the podcast? Want to be a guest or have a guest request? Let us know here https://bit.ly/49osN80

Oct 26, 2023 • 44min

Story Telling Tactics For Product Managers (With Tara Wellington, Reforge ex GoDaddy)

Send us a textTara Wellington is an executive partner at Reforge, was a senior product manager at GoDaddy (working alongside their CEO) and now finds herself part of the senior leadership at Bill.com, leading their product to ever-increasing success🙌🎙️ Meet Tara, a passionate, collaborative, and curious product leader with 10 years of experience. She's dedicated to delivering value, especially in the small business tech world, where our host Ben Maynard spent the majority of his product career🚀Tara on LinkedIn - https://bit.ly/3s5kPRQ In this episode, Tara reveals the importance of storytelling for product managers📊📢 Learn how to master the art of storytelling step by step, from crafting the right narrative to inspiring and motivating teams!💼Episode Highlights:🔍 04:12 - The Power of Storytelling: Discover the transformative power of storytelling in various contexts, from everyday conversations to high-stakes CEO presentations.🔍 12:37 - Inspiring and Motivating as a Product Manager: Tara shares techniques for leveraging storytelling to drive alignment and execution within your organisation.🔍 27:58 - How Airbnb Found Their Vision Through Storyboarding: Tara delves into how Airbnb discovered their vision through the power of storytelling and storyboarding.🔍 31:25 - The Power of Asking: Tara highlights the power of asking and how it can enhance the effectiveness of your story.🔍 36:48 - Demystifying Engineering Speed: Gain insights into the role of storytelling in engineering speed. Tara demystifies the connection between storytelling tactics and engineering success.Join Ben and Tara in this episode as they explore the synergy between people and products, and uncover the secrets to becoming a master storyteller in the world of product management. Tune in now!🎙Host Bio Ben is a seasoned expert in product agility coaching, unleashing the potential of people and products. With over a decade of experience, his focus now is product-led growth & agility in organisations of all sizes. Stay up-to-date with us on our social media📱! Ben Maynard 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmaynard-sheev/ 🐦 https://x.com/BenWMaynard 💻 https://sheev.co.uk/ Product Agility Podcast 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/productagilitypod/ 💻 https://productagilitypod.co.uk/ 🖇️ https://linktr.ee/productagility Listen & Share On Spotify & iTunes Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0lkwAYJzVSuk5zfJ1vIDZq?si=4c691fb12f124a56 iTunes - https://apple.co/3YvTX8p Want to come on the podcast? Want to be a guest or have a guest request? Let us know here https://bit.ly/49osN80

Oct 21, 2023 • 12min

Dan Gibson: Fund Products - Start An Evolution! - Lean Agile Brighton 23 Talk In Ten

Send us a textDan Gibson is a has over 25 years IT experience, with the last 15 years spent mostly delivering Digital platforms with Agile methods, working both client side and for consultancies.Dan Gibson on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-gibson-it/We find ourselves at Lean Agile Brighton 2023 interviewing world class Agilists getting their "Talks In Ten"TalksInTen are the best to get the inside track and behind the scenes insights on the talks and workshops from the conferences we partner with, so you don't miss beat.And for you our TalkinTen listeners here is a super special discount to our favourite (and perhaps soon to be yours) engagement tool AhaSlides!50% off Essential Yearly Plan that is valid for 1 month (expiration date: 10 Nov, 2023) - Promo code: AHAXPROD https://ahaslides.com/Dan was speaking about: Fund Products - Start An Evolution! Today, most organisations are on some form of Agile Journey, but most of the meaningful change happens at the team level and Agile operates in a bubble, constrained by traditional management structures. This is the particular case when it comes to funding Product Development; where it’s common to see the decades’ old methods of Annual Budgeting and Project Management practiced. This talk: * Explains why Annual Budgeting and Project Management practices fail to meet the demand of today’s fast-moving businesses, and how they operate at loggerheads with Agile values. * Describes the alternative approach of Funding Products, and the benefits a Product centric approach yields. * Gives the listeners evolutionary ‘Nudges’ that can gently shift an organisation towards funding Products, while keeping senior stakeholders onboard. Host Bio Ben is a seasoned expert in product agility coaching, unleashing the potential of people and products. With over a decade of experience, his focus now is product-led growth & agility in organisations of all sizes. Stay up-to-date with us on our social media📱! Ben Maynard 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmaynard-sheev/ 🐦 https://x.com/BenWMaynard 💻 https://sheev.co.uk/ Product Agility Podcast 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/productagilitypod/ 💻 https://productagilitypod.co.uk/ 🖇️ https://linktr.ee/productagility Listen & Share On Spotify & iTunes Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0lkwAYJzVSuk5zfJ1vIDZq?si=4c691fb12f124a56 iTunes - https://apple.co/3YvTX8p Want to come on the podcast? Want to be a guest or have a guest request? Let us know here https://bit.ly/49osN80

Oct 20, 2023 • 14min

Shelby Wilson: Consult(ancy) Your Agile Coach - Lean Agile Brighton 23 Talk In Ten

Send us a textShelby Wilson is a versatile, award winning Agile Scrum Master and Product Owner with strong facilitation, communication and organisational skills. Their focus and passion is for Agile approaches and empowering individuals and teams.Shelby Wilson on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelbywilson27/ We find ourselves at Lean Agile Brighton 2023 interviewing world class Agilists getting their "Talks In Ten"TalksInTen are the best to get the inside track and behind the scenes insights on the talks and workshops from the conferences we partner with, so you don't miss beat.And for you our TalkinTen listeners here is a super special discount to our favourite (and perhaps soon to be yours) engagement tool AhaSlides!50% off Essential Yearly Plan that is valid for 1 month (expiration date: 10 Nov, 2023) - Promo code: AHAXPROD https://ahaslides.com/Shelby was talking about: Consult(ancy) Your Agile CoachWorking with the big Consultancies may not always be the right choice. This talk explores why an Agile coach is the Agilist you only need when transforming your ways of working to Agile.Host Bio Ben is a seasoned expert in product agility coaching, unleashing the potential of people and products. With over a decade of experience, his focus now is product-led growth & agility in organisations of all sizes. Stay up-to-date with us on our social media📱! Ben Maynard 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmaynard-sheev/ 🐦 https://x.com/BenWMaynard 💻 https://sheev.co.uk/ Product Agility Podcast 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/productagilitypod/ 💻 https://productagilitypod.co.uk/ 🖇️ https://linktr.ee/productagility Listen & Share On Spotify & iTunes Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0lkwAYJzVSuk5zfJ1vIDZq?si=4c691fb12f124a56 iTunes - https://apple.co/3YvTX8p Want to come on the podcast? Want to be a guest or have a guest request? Let us know here https://bit.ly/49osN80

Oct 19, 2023 • 10min

Julie Starling: How We Use Data To Ignite Action - Lean Agile Brighton 23 Talk In Ten

Send us a textJulie Starling is a passionate about actionable data that helps increase flow, generates conversation and enables experimentation in order to drive enhanced delivery of value to customers.Julie Starling on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliestarling/We find ourselves at Lean Agile Brighton 2023 interviewing world class Agilists getting their "Talks In Ten"TalksInTen are the best to get the inside track and behind the scenes insights on the talks and workshops from the conferences we partner with, so you don't miss beat.And for you our TalkinTen listeners here is a super special discount to our favourite (and perhaps soon to be yours) engagement tool AhaSlides!50% off Essential Yearly Plan that is valid for 1 month (expiration date: 10 Nov, 2023) - Promo code: AHAXPROD https://ahaslides.com/How We Use Data To Ignite Action Are you tired of having the same conversations, delivering “late” and being put under pressure for decisions you didn’t even make? In this session, I’ll walk through how we managed to flip the script in a highly regulated, risk-averse, financial institution by introducing probabilistic forecasting and flow metrics as well as ditching wasteful estimations. I’ll cover what you need to get started (very little!) and we’ll explore things I wish we knew when we started our journey, including what is involved in making the mindset shift at an organisational level. I’ll also be sharing some of the success stories we’ve seen, which include teams improving their ways of working based on data as well as critical decisions being made by stakeholders at the earliest possible opportunity rather than when we’ve missed a deadline. Probabilistic forecasting has helped move our risk-averse stakeholders away from traditional and comfortable but ultimately higher-risk ways of working… however, we’re still on our journey and there is so much more to come, so I’ll also touch on where we are going which includes using DORA metrics.Host Bio Ben is a seasoned expert in product agility coaching, unleashing the potential of people and products. With over a decade of experience, his focus now is product-led growth & agility in organisations of all sizes. Stay up-to-date with us on our social media📱! Ben Maynard 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmaynard-sheev/ 🐦 https://x.com/BenWMaynard 💻 https://sheev.co.uk/ Product Agility Podcast 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/productagilitypod/ 💻 https://productagilitypod.co.uk/ 🖇️ https://linktr.ee/productagility Listen & Share On Spotify & iTunes Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0lkwAYJzVSuk5zfJ1vIDZq?si=4c691fb12f124a56 iTunes - https://apple.co/3YvTX8p Want to come on the podcast? Want to be a guest or have a guest request? Let us know here https://bit.ly/49osN80

Oct 19, 2023 • 22min

Daniel Terhorst-North: The Most Dangerous Phrase: Solid, Scrum, And Other Antiquities - Lean Agile Brighton 23 Talk In Ten

Send us a textDaniel Terhorst-North is a Lean and agile methods, organisation design and transformation, software and business architecture, DevOps and Continuous Delivery.Daniel Terhorst-North on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielterhorstnorth/We find ourselves at Lean Agile Brighton 2023 interviewing world class Agilists getting their "Talks In Ten"TalksInTen are the best to get the inside track and behind the scenes insights on the talks and workshops from the conferences we partner with, so you don't miss beat.And for you our TalkinTen listeners here is a super special discount to our favourite (and perhaps soon to be yours) engagement tool AhaSlides!50% off Essential Yearly Plan that is valid for 1 month (expiration date: 10 Nov, 2023) - Promo code: AHAXPROD https://ahaslides.com/Daniel Terhorst-North Was Talking About The Most Dangerous Phrase: Solid, Scrum, And Other AntiquitiesSome advice is timeless; it ages like a fine wine. Each time you revisit it you discover a nuance, a new connection to something else. As you grow, the advice is waiting there to reveal another layer you had never considered. Some advice is a product of its time; it ages like milk. It starts fresh, then it begins to smell, and eventually it rots and can even become harmful! It made sense in the context and constraints of its day, but things have changed and it is no longer relevant. As Admiral Grace Hopper famously said: "The most dangerous phrase you can use is 'But we've always done it this way!'" Daniel believes this is why so many people have an almost religious zeal for SOLID, Scrum, and other antiquities. In this session, Daniel argues from first principles why ideas like SOLID and Scrum made sense in their day, over a quarter century ago, and why they have been superseded and should now be considered harmful. For contrast, he suggests Continuous Delivery and lean product development are ageing like fine wines. If there is time, he will show how methods like SAFe have never been relevant and never will be, but can be very appealing to a certain kind of manager.Host Bio Ben is a seasoned expert in product agility coaching, unleashing the potential of people and products. With over a decade of experience, his focus now is product-led growth & agility in organisations of all sizes. Stay up-to-date with us on our social media📱! Ben Maynard 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmaynard-sheev/ 🐦 https://x.com/BenWMaynard 💻 https://sheev.co.uk/ Product Agility Podcast 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/productagilitypod/ 💻 https://productagilitypod.co.uk/ 🖇️ https://linktr.ee/productagility Listen & Share On Spotify & iTunes Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0lkwAYJzVSuk5zfJ1vIDZq?si=4c691fb12f124a56 iTunes - https://apple.co/3YvTX8p Want to come on the podcast? Want to be a guest or have a guest request? Let us know here https://bit.ly/49osN80

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Product Agility

Latest episodes

From Sales Led to Product Focused (With Mike Moran)

Engagement + Purpose = 1M Users (With Dave Bui, CEO Ahaslides)

Measuring Your Success as an Agile, Product or Team Coach (With Michael Lloyd)