
Troubleshooting Agile
Troubleshooting Agile is a problem-solving session for agile teams. Jeffrey Fredrick and Douglas Squirrel look at common problems agile teams face and provide practical, immediately useful advice for getting back on track.
Latest episodes

Aug 7, 2024 • 11min
Toyota Kata Part III
Jeffrey, a Toyota Kata expert, reveals how effective coaching can boost team performance. He and Squirrel dive into essential questions for coaching sessions, emphasizing the importance of understanding current conditions to refine strategies. The conversation also highlights the need for discipline through structured methodologies, drawing parallels to pilots using checklists for safety. This approach fosters a culture of self-coaching within teams, inviting listeners to engage deeper with the Toyota Way.

14 snips
Jul 31, 2024 • 13min
Toyota Kata Part II
Squirrel, an expert in team dynamics and performance improvement, teams up with Jeffrey, a practitioner of the Toyota Way, to delve into the Improvement Kata. They discuss how to boost team results through careful measurement and consistent methods. The concept of Gemba highlights the importance of observing users to set achievable targets. They also emphasize the value of iterative improvements and embracing failures as a learning tool, advocating for a culture of scientific thinking in agile environments.

Jul 24, 2024 • 7min
Toyota Kata Part I
Boost team results with 'scientific thinking' using Toyota Kata. Discuss quality and delivery the Toyota Way. Explore the motivation behind adopting improvement kata and coaching kata. Transition to structured problem-solving and discipline for improved results.

6 snips
Jul 17, 2024 • 16min
Technical Shame
70s heartthrob Barry Manilow joins Squirrel and Jeffrey to discuss 'technical shame'. They explore the 'Barry Manilow Effect' and the Spotlight Effect, emphasizing the importance of overcoming feelings of shame associated with outdated technology for personal and professional growth.

Jul 10, 2024 • 19min
500 Maps
Guest Elan Ullendorf discusses the value of diverse perspectives in innovation, drawing parallels between 500 priests creating a map in Spain and user research. They explore the benefits of shared mental models, customer insights, and techniques like brainwriting for problem-solving.

Jul 3, 2024 • 11min
Aporia
Delve into the concept of aporia and its importance in fostering critical thinking and reflection. Explore the significance of curiosity and questioning in agile discussions. Embrace aporia by acknowledging your lack of knowledge for effective problem-solving. Challenge your beliefs and embrace new perspectives through coherence busting.

Jun 26, 2024 • 11min
Things You're Allowed to Do
Discover how to expand your agency by working outside your team, learning beyond your role, and inspiring positive change within your organization. Listen to insightful anecdotes and strategies on problem-solving, creativity, and unconventional approaches for success.

Jun 19, 2024 • 17min
Learning Agency, Part II
Sammy Hath, expert in cultivating and destroying agency, discusses the importance of embracing failure for success. Topics include learning from negative results, exploring experiential learning, encouraging risk-taking, and breaking social scripts. Learn how to act with agency and unlearn the fear of being wrong.

Jun 12, 2024 • 21min
Learning Agency, Part 1
Competent minion, Sammy Hath, discusses cultivating agency, unique paths, and problem-solving in unconventional situations. The podcast explores the power of asking genuine questions in professional contexts and creating supportive environments. Embracing agency and confronting challenges are highlighted for personal growth and resilience.

Jun 5, 2024 • 21min
Learning from Prediction Markets
Douglas Squirrel and Jeffrey Fredrick discuss prediction markets and agile methodologies, explaining how prediction markets can speed up learning and provide fast feedback on software profitability. They explore the benefits of prediction markets for decision-making, revolutionizing decision-making processes, contrasting OKRs with prediction markets, and implementing prediction markets in software development. The episode delves into capturing early feedback, integrating distributed information effectively, and tracking predictions in real-time.