SummaryDenise discusses the concept of product operations and its role in helping product managers make faster and better quality decisions. Product operations involves providing PMs with the necessary inputs and support to set strategy, prioritize, create roadmaps, and collaborate effectively with stakeholders. It differs from traditional agile approaches by focusing on the system around teams rather than just the teams themselves. Denise also highlights the importance of defining the product and understanding the problem to be solved. She emphasizes the need for buy-in from leadership and the importance of clear communication and stakeholder management in implementing product operations. In this part of the conversation, Denise discusses the challenges of stakeholder discussions and balancing strategic decisions with short-term opportunities. She also talks about the relationship between strategy and incentives in a product organization. The conversation then shifts to the topic of Denise's book on product operations and why she decided to write it. She emphasizes the importance of understanding what product operations is and how it can be implemented in different areas of a company. The chapter ends with a discussion on scaling challenges and the role of go-to-market alignment and data in product operations. In this conversation, Yuval and Jim discuss various topics related to agile portfolio management and OKRs. They explore the challenges and benefits of implementing agile practices in traditional project management offices (PMOs) and the importance of aligning goals and strategies at different levels of the organization. They also delve into the use of OKRs as a tool for setting and measuring goals, emphasizing the need for outcome-oriented goals and collaboration in their development. Throughout the conversation, they highlight the importance of continuous improvement and adaptability in managing portfolios and achieving organizational success.TakeawaysProduct operations helps PMs make faster and better quality decisions by providing the necessary inputs and support.Product operations focuses on the system around teams, rather than just the teams themselves, setting it apart from traditional agile approaches.Defining the product and understanding the problem to be solved are crucial for effective product operations.Buy-in from leadership is essential for implementing product operations.Clear communication and stakeholder management are key to successful product operations. Balancing stakeholder discussions and strategic decisions can be challenging, especially when short-term opportunities arise.The relationship between strategy and incentives in a product organization is complex and can lead to conflicting goals.Product operations is a key function in a company and understanding its role and potential is crucial.Implementing product operations requires considering areas of deficit and opportunity within the organization.Denise's book on product operations provides actionable tips and real-life experiences to help companies navigate these challenges. Agile practices can be challenging to implement in traditional PMOs, but they offer benefits such as increased alignment and adaptability.OKRs are a useful tool for setting and measuring goals, but they should be outcome-oriented and developed collaboratively with the people doing the work.Continuous improvement and adaptability are key to managing portfolios effectively and achieving organizational success.Experimentation and learning are crucial for driving innovation and differentiation in portfolio management.Check out our sponsor:www.xebia.comwww.scrummatch.comwww.wiserbees.comwww.masteringagility.orgHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

SummaryThe conversation explores the overuse of the phrase 'it depends' and the importance of providing context and honesty in responses. The speakers discuss the value of understanding the starting point and the direction one is moving in. They also emphasize the need to optimize for value rather than efficiency and consider the broader impacts and trade-offs of decisions. The role of fun in retrospectives is highlighted, as well as the importance of finding a sustainable pace and taking care of administrative tasks. The conversation concludes with the question of the biggest learning for the year.TakeawaysAvoid overusing the phrase 'it depends' and provide context and honesty in responses.Understand the starting point and the direction one is moving in.Optimize for value rather than efficiency and consider the broader impacts and trade-offs of decisions.Incorporate fun into retrospectives to keep participants engaged and improve the quality of actions.Find a sustainable pace and take care of administrative tasks to avoid burnout.Continuously learn and adapt to improve and grow.Check out our sponsor:www.xebia.comwww.scrummatch.comwww.wiserbees.comwww.masteringagility.orgHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

SummaryEvelien Hölsken, founder of the Free A GIrl Foundation, discusses her work to end sexual exploitation of children. She shares her journey from a commercial background to the nonprofit sector and explains how she was inspired to start her own foundation. Evelien discusses the challenges of fundraising and the need for transparency in the nonprofit sector. She also highlights the importance of education and prevention in combating child exploitation. Evelien shares heartbreaking stories of children trapped in the sex trade and the impact her foundation has had in rescuing and rehabilitating survivors. She emphasizes the need for continued efforts to bring justice to perpetrators and support survivors.Want to donate or contribute? Check out the website:https://www.freeagirl.us/Keywordssexual exploitation, children, nonprofit sector, fundraising, transparency, education, prevention, rescue, rehabilitation, justiceTakeawaysThe Free A Girl Foundation works to end thesexual exploitation of children and has rescued almost 8,000 children so far.The foundation focuses on both rescue and rehabilitation, as well as prevention and raising awareness.There are challenges in fundraising, but transparency and personal connections with donors can help.The justice system needs improvement to ensure perpetrators are convicted and survivors feel safe to report cases.Education and prevention are crucial in combating child exploitation, and the foundation runs programs to empower survivors and educate communities.The foundation aims to continue its work until there is no more sexual exploitation of children.TitlesEmpowering Survivors: Education and AwarenessChallenges and Triumphs: Fundraising for a NonprofitCheck out our sponsor:www.xebia.comwww.scrummatch.comwww.wiserbees.comwww.masteringagility.orgSound Bites"The direct impact, the outputs, the results are the rescue of almost 8,000 children.""There's lots of impunity. So perpetrators are arrested, they are hardly convicted.""We educate survivors to become lawyers themselves, or judges, or prosecutors or other kind of professions that have to do with human rights."Chapters00:00Introduction and Background08:04Rescue and Impact21:32Empowering Survivors25:26Fundraising and Awareness33:37Call to ActionHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

SummaryIn this conversation, Joe Krebs joins us at the ScanAgile24 conference in Helsinki. He discusses the concept of Agile Kata and its role in continuous improvement. He shares his passion for this topic and how it originated from his experience with agile transformations. Joe emphasizes the importance of challenging existing processes and habits to drive meaningful change. He also highlights the need for a continuous improvement mindset and the challenges organizations face in embracing it. Joe shares success stories of organizations applying Kata and the potential benefits it brings. He concludes by discussing the importance of building the Agile Kata community and the slow progress in doing so.TakeawaysAgile Kata is a pattern for continuous improvement that can enhance the world of Agile.Agile transformations should not be treated as projects with an end date but as ongoing journeys of improvement.Kata introduces scientific thinking and challenges existing habits and processes.The biggest challenge in embracing continuous learning and improvement is breaking through existing habits and routines.Chapters00:00Introduction and Background02:24The Importance of Continuous Improvement04:17The Misconception of Agile Transformation05:14Evolution of the Talk on Agile Kata06:12The Challenge of Embracing Continuous Learning07:40Challenges in Challenging Existing Processes09:07The Time Investment for Creating New Habits10:08Using Kata to Improve Business Situations11:36Success Stories of Applying Kata13:31Applying Kata in Lean Manufacturing Environments14:55The Challenge of Having a Continuous Improvement Mindset15:23The Danger of Zombie Scrum20:35Challenging the Sprint-Based Approach24:21Applying Kata in Simple Product Spaces25:20The Slow Progress of Building the Agile Kata Community27:35Question for the Next GuestHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

SummaryThis conversation explores the concept of empathy and its importance in various contexts. Esther Derby gives valuable insights into defining empathy, the possibility of having too much empathy, and practical tips for practicing empathy. The conversation also delves into the role of empathy in product design, overcoming barriers to empathy, and effective communication. Additionally, it highlights the importance of creating a safe environment for empathy and discusses the challenges and benefits of empathy in virtual settings.TakeawaysEmpathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others.Having too much empathy can lead to over-indexing on others' emotions and neglecting one's own needs.Practicing empathy involves actively listening, asking open-ended questions, and seeking to understand others' perspectives.Empathy plays a crucial role in product design, customer satisfaction, and effective communication.7 Rules for Positive, Productive Change: Micro Shifts, Macro Resultshttps://a.co/d/iUONUbZCheck out our sponsors:www.wiserbees.comwww.xebia.comwww.scrummatch.comwww.masteringagility.orgHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

SummaryIn this conversation, Amber shares insights on leading change and higher performance within teams. She emphasizes the importance of inspiring action rather than commanding action, drawing parallels between sports teams and product development teams. Amber also discusses the power of debriefing and learning from failure, as well as the need for effective communication and understanding of technical concepts for different audiences. She highlights the value of asking the right questions to assess baseline knowledge and prioritize information. Amber concludes by expressing her interest in seeing more discussions on talent development and the growth of individuals in the workplace.TakeawaysInspire action rather than command action to lead change and drive higher performance within teams.Debriefing and learning from failure are essential for continuous improvement and success.Effective communication involves understanding and translating technical concepts for different audiences.Asking the right questions helps assess baseline knowledge and prioritize information.Talent development is crucial for individuals to elevate their knowledge, skills, and abilities in the workplace.Check out our sponsors:www.wiserbees.comwww.xebia.comwww.scrummatch.comwww.masteringagility.orgHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

The conversation explores the concept of simplicity and its challenges in various contexts. It delves into the importance of feedback, organizational and cultural change, and the friction between doing the thing right and doing the right thing. The difficulty of simplicity is discussed, along with the power of simple solutions. The conversation explores the importance of simplicity in product development and the challenges organizations face in achieving it. The three main drivers in the workforce are identified as community, cause, and compensation, with their importance varying depending on career stage. Perks and benefits, such as ping pong tables and beer on tap, are no longer sufficient to attract and retain talent. The focus should be on creating work that matters and providing employees with a sense of purpose. Short-term focus and financial stress can hinder organizations and individuals from achieving simplicity. It is crucial to let go of unnecessary tasks and amplify the value of the work being done.TakeawaysSimplicity is the antithesis to complexity and is essential in various domains, including software development and product design.Feedback is crucial in achieving simplicity and ensuring that the right solutions are developed.Organizational and cultural change are necessary to foster simplicity and create an environment that values simplicity.There is often a friction between doing the thing right (craftsmanship) and doing the right thing (meeting customer needs and business goals). Balancing these two aspects is essential.Simple solutions can be powerful and effective, and often the simplest solution is the best one. The three main drivers in the workforce are community, cause, and compensation, with their importance varying depending on career stage.Perks and benefits are no longer sufficient to attract and retain talent; the focus should be on creating work that matters and providing employees with a sense of purpose.Short-term focus and financial stress can hinder organizations and individuals from achieving simplicity.It is crucial to let go of unnecessary tasks and amplify the value of the work being doneCheck out our sponsors:www.wiserbees.comwww.xebia.comwww.scrummatch.comwww.masteringagility.orgHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Summary In this conversation, Sander and Don discuss their journey in public speaking and share their experiences and insights. They talk about how they started doing public speaking, the challenges they faced, and the lessons they learned along the way. They emphasize the importance of having a supportive network, being open to feedback, and continuously improving their presentations. They also discuss the cultural differences they encountered at different conferences and the impact of their talks on the audience. They conclude by sharing their plans for the future, including exploring speaking opportunities outside of the agile community. Keywords public speaking, journey, challenges, lessons, feedback, cultural differences, networking, improvement, future plans Takeaways Start doing public speaking by finding a supportive network and being open to feedback. Continuously improve your presentations based on feedback and lessons learned. Be aware of cultural differences at different conferences and adapt your approach accordingly. Engage with the audience and create a dialogue during your talk. Explore speaking opportunities outside of your comfort zone to gain new perspectives and experiences. Check out our sponsors: www.wiserbees.com www.xebia.com www.scrummatch.com www.masteringagility.org Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 01:00 Starting in Public Speaking 10:30 Supportive Network and Structure 13:20 Lessons Learned and Continuous Improvement 21:30 Choosing Conferences and Networking 25:40 Feedback and Integration 31:00 Future Plans and TopicsHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

SummaryIn this episode, Goiko shares his experiences and insights on visualizing specifications, writing Specification by Example, and solving communication problems in software development. He discusses the challenges and patterns in the adoption of Spec by Example and the importance of identifying bottlenecks and visualizing problems. Goiko also talks about causing organizational change and the evolution of software development solutions. He concludes by discussing the promise and reality of no-code tools and sharing his recent work and projects. The conversation explores various themes related to software development and its impact on organizations and society. It discusses the power of expressing human knowledge in software and the role of visualization tools in increasing shared understanding. The shift from specialists to generalists in the software industry is examined, as well as the potential for smaller organizations and general-purpose work. The conversation also delves into the role of AI in minimizing political games in organizations and the responsibility of software professionals in creating good software. The need for spending more time on edge cases and negative use cases is highlighted, along with the societal impact of bad software and the potential for IT to become a profession. The conservation and shifting of complexity in software development is explored, and the conversation concludes with a discussion on the impact of shoddy software on people's lives.TakeawaysVisualizing specifications can help improve understanding and reduce rework in software development.The adoption of Spec by Example and other agile practices can be hindered by organizational politics and resistance to change.Identifying bottlenecks and visualizing problems can lead to effective solutions and improvements in software development processes.No-code tools have the potential to democratize software development and empower non-technical users to create automation. Visualization tools like FigJam and Zeppelin increase shared understanding in organizations.The software industry is shifting towards smaller organizations and general-purpose work.AI cannot eliminate political games in organizations, as they are driven by cultural factors.There is a need for more focus on edge cases and negative use cases in software development.The responsibility of software professionals is to create good software and address the societal impact of bad software.Gojko's booksCheck out our sponsors:www.xebia.comwww.wiserbees.comwww.scrummatch.comwww.masteringagility.orgSound BitesChapters00:00Introduction01:21Visualizing Specifications03:04Early Experiences with Software Quality04:09Solving Communication Problems05:31Validating Real-World Usage of Spec by Example06:29Getting Permission from Companies for Case Studies08:28Persistent Challenges and Positive Patterns09:49Adoption of Given-When-Then and Consolidation of Tools11:42Identifying Bottlenecks and Visualizing Problems13:01Causing Organizational Change14:09The Challenge of Change Resistance16:30The Evolution of Software Development Solutions26:48Goiko's Recent Work and Projects35:26The Power of Expressing Human Knowledge in Software36:03Visualization Tools and Increased Shared Understanding37:27Specialists vs. Generalists in the Software Industry38:49The Shift Towards Smaller Organizations and General Purpose Work41:49The Role of AI in Minimizing Political Games in Organizations42:54The Responsibility of Software Professionals in Creating Good Software51:01The Need for Spending More Time on Edge Cases and Negative Use Cases53:31The Societal Impact of Bad Software and the Role of Governments57:41The Potential for IT to Become a Profession01:01:29The Conservation and Shifting of Complexity in Software Development01:04:43The Impact of Shoddy Software on People's Lives

SummaryIn this conversation, David Ash discusses his book, The Agile Enterprise, and his experiences applying Agile principles across companies. He shares his initial hesitation about writing the book and his journey of self-discovery and overcoming imposter syndrome. David emphasizes the importance of leaders who think differently and the need for organizations to prevent and address fires rather than constantly firefighting. He also explores the role of AI and technology in augmenting work and the challenges of quantifying the costs of technical debt. The conversation concludes with a question for the next guest about the future of development and incorporating new technologies.TakeawaysOvercoming imposter syndrome is a common challenge, but recognizing one's expertise and unique perspectives can lead to valuable contributions.Applying Agile principles beyond software development can lead to success in various departments and stages of company growth.Leadership is not determined by job titles, but by individuals who take initiative and think differently.Preventing and addressing fires in organizations requires a balance between firefighting and proactive measures to improve processes and prevent future issues.AI and technology should be seen as tools to augment work and should be incorporated thoughtfully to enhance productivity and outcomes.Breaking the chain of technical debt requires a collaborative effort between technical teams and the business side of the company to prioritize and address issues.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.