Software Process and Measurement Cast

Today we feature our interview with Vincent Hendersen. We talked about scaling agility up -- not the same as scaling agile. Mr. Hendersen and I discussed thinking about agile as a service to align team and portfolio. This is a most thought-provoking interview. The idea of thinking about agile teams as a subscription model shifts the whole agile paradigm. Vincent’s bio: Vincent Henderson is an operations and product executive in B2B organizations that use knowledge and technology to create value. He has transformed information supply chains and content-driven businesses across 10 countries, 5 industries, and 3 decades. Vincent is a business technologist. He enjoys building rational and purposeful teams that focus on concrete, meaningful outcomes. He had his first Agile workshop about 10 years ago with Tom Cagley and Anthony Mersino. Since that watershed moment of insight, he has implemented and run Agile product development in the 4 different organizations that he has led since. As a business leader who rolls out Agile as part of his leadership practice, he has developed unique insights around how Agile fits within the broader context of business management.   Contact information:   Re-Read Saturday News  This week we re-read Chapter 5 of Project to Product  (Amazon Affiliate Link). As the previous chapters have highlighted, we can measure the flow items that enter and exit a value stream. There are a number of suitcase words (words that have many ideas packed in them) in that statement, such as value streams and flow items. connects flow items and metrics to business results. The integrated view is where the real power of the model is found (but only if you bite the bullet and understand the value streams in the organization). Catch up on previous installments: Week 1: -   Week 2: -   Week 3: -   Week 4: - Week 5: -   Week 6: -   Next SPaMCAST  Next week, another interview takes center stage.  We will speak to Kit Merker, COO of Nobl9 about Service Level Objectives (SLO). Kit provides down-to-earth advice for adopting and using SLOs to benefit teams AND organizations.

This week we continue the priority theme with an essay titled, “What is a Priority?” I wish it was a simple question. Since the whole idea of priority is premised on a group of people having a shared perspective and definition this is a question that needs to be asked and answered.  We also have a visit from Susan Parente with her I’m Not A Scrumdamentalist column.  In this installment, we tackle bad leadership (I wish tackle was not used metaphorically). Upcoming Events Out of Control Work Entry Means "No Agile For You" November 4, 2021 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM EST In this webinar, we will use five common patterns of work entry to highlight team dysfunctions of poor work entry practices.  We will also explore a path forward for each work entry pattern to help improve the delivery of business value. Register Now:   Re-Read Saturday News  I was busy preparing for my webinar, Out of Control Work Entry Means "No Agile For You" and did not complete Chapter 5’s re-read of Project to Product.  (Amazon Affiliate Link). We will be back next week. Catch up on previous installments: Week 1: -   Week 2: -   Week 3: -   Week 4: - Week 5: -   Next SPaMCAST  Next week we will feature our interview with Vincent Hendersen. We talked about scaling agility up -- not the same as scaling agile. Mr. Hendersen and I discussed thinking about agile as a service to align team and portfolio.

In the essay today, prioritization requires a steady hand and consistency. The process for prioritization should have more in common with a well-oiled basketball or futbol team than five-year-olds playing soccer in the schoolyard. How the moving parts work together is a process, but in some circles, “process” is a dirty word.   On the conversation side, Jeremy Berriault brings his QA Corner to the cast. We discuss test automation plans and strategies in agile.  Upcoming Events The Agile Online Summit!  This Week!!  Tom Henricksen delivers one of the most innovative online conferences. This year he has upped the bar again! While you can attend the Summit for free, there are a number of innovative options to learn even more from the Summit. Please join the premier Agile Online Conference from October 25th to 27th, 2021. Register at Re-Read Saturday News  This week, we dive into Chapter 4 of Project to Product titled Capturing Flow Metrics.  (Amazon Affiliate Link). Why capture flow metrics? The four components of the flow distribution reflect the investment pattern within the value stream. That pattern is a direct reflection of the value delivered by an organization. Catch up on previous installments: Week 1: -   Week 2: -   Week 3: -   Week 4: - Week 5: -     Next SPaMCAST  Next week another essay, perhaps even the promised Why Pragmatic Has Become Code For Half-assed.  We will also have a visit from Susan Parente with her I Am Not A Scrumdamentalist column.

Today, we feature an essay titled, So I Asked What Is Agile. A simple question that yields interesting answers. One interesting outcome was that answers fit into three categories. We explore the process and people-oriented groups this week. I will come back to the rant category later this month.   In addition to the essay, Tony Timbol brings his To Tell A Story column to the cast! In this installment, the product owner’s role is under the microscope. Check out Tony’s website at https://bit.ly/2Z1IrIg Upcoming Events The Agile Online Summit!  The clock is ticking - loudly!  Tom Henricksen delivers one of the most innovative online conferences. This year he has upped the bar again! While you can attend the Summit for free, there are a number of innovative options to learn even more from the Summit. Please join the premier Agile Online Conference from October 25th to 27th, 2021. Register at Re-Read Saturday News  This week, we are taking a break from Project to Product.  Remember to buy a copy today (Amazon Affiliate Link) and we will be back next week.  Previous Week’s Installment: Week 1: -   Week 2: -   Week 3: -   Week 4: - https://bit.ly/3lqJTwd Next SPaMCAST  Kyle Siemens returns to the podcast to talk about certifications and running a testing business. Kyle does not shy away from hard topics in a world that is certification crazy.

Until this week, Disciplined Agile was a topic we had not investigated on the Software Process and Measurement Cast. DA is an approach to scaling agile development.  Today, Jonathan Lee and I discuss Disciplined Agile and reinventing yourself to stay relevant in a dynamic world.  Mr. Lee’s Bio: Jonathan has over 25 years of diversified IT consulting experience working with private and public sector clients.  His latest passion is in agile coaching and delivering Disciplined Agile training to individuals and organizations that want to transform themselves to practice Business Agility.  Jonathan is a Certified Disciplined Agile Instructor (CDAI). Jonathan has volunteered at PMI Chicagoland Chapter for many years serving on the board including serving as the Chapter President for 3 years in the past.  Jonathan is a frequent speaker at PMI chapters in North America. Email: LinkedIn: Upcoming Events The Agile Online Summit!  The clock is ticking!  Tom Henricksen delivers one of the most innovative online conferences. This year he has upped the bar again! While you can attend the Summit for free, there are a number of innovative options to learn even more from the Summit. Please join the premier Agile Online Conference from October 25th to 27th, 2021, Register at Re-Read Saturday News  One of the most influential books in my career was Peopleware by Tom DeMarco and Tim Lister. One concept in the book was the concept of flow state, being fully in the zone so that a problem or piece of work can be focused on and delivered. Flow maximizes the amount of value delivered. Demarco and Lister’s introduction to flow paved the way for my interest in The Flow Framework. Chapter 3 of Project to Product introduces the Flow Framework. Buy a copy today This Week’s Installment: Week 1: -   Week 2: -   Week 3: -   Week 4: - https://bit.ly/3lqJTwd   Next SPaMCAST  Next week we have an essay titled, What is Agile? There are a few things that just need to be said. For example, just because you are doing ceremonies doesn’t make you agile and might just make you fragile. In addition, Tony Timbol brings his To Tell A Story column to the cast! In this installment, the product owner’s role is under the microscope.

I deviated from the plan this week and recorded a conversation with my colleague, mentor, and friend Anthony Mersino (Anthony was last on the podcast SPaMCAST 583   ). Our chat, titled, “Is Your Scrum Master The Problem?” Our conversation looks at transactive memory from the point of view of teams and Scrum Masters.  Is it a boon or a train wreck?  Anthony has also published a version of the conversation at   We also have a visit from Susan Parente who brings her I’m Not A Scrumdamentalist column to the cast. I have titled this conversation, “I Have A WIP Problem”. Ok so maybe both Susan and I have a lot on our plates, but we have the tools to tackle the problem. We talk about how to get your WIP under control.  Upcoming Events The Agile Online Summit!  Tom Henricksen delivers one of the most innovative online conferences. This year he has upped the bar again! While you can attend the Summit for free, there are a number of innovative options to learn even more from the Summit, the early bird pricing on those options is nearly gone. Please join the premier Agile Online Conference from October 25th to 27th, 2021, Register at   Re-Read Saturday News  In Chapter 1, The Age of Software, Kersten established that we were at or just past a turning point; those that do not embrace change will face grave difficulties surviving to the next cycle. As a consultant, I work with companies wrestling with trying to transform. Not all succeed for a variety of reasons. In this chapter, the author highlights and compares the lessons derived from his visit to the BMW plant, his study of the development of the Boeing Dreamliner, and the transformation failures at Nokia and a large bank. Buy a copy today   This Week’s Installment: Week 1: -   Week 2: -   Week 3: -   Next SPaMCAST  Next week, Jonathan Lee and I discuss Disciplined Agile. DA is an approach to scaling agile development.  We will discuss how DA is different from other approaches and when Johnathan would recommend using DA.

Luis Gonçalves and I talked about his new book introducing the ADAPT Methodology. We discussed why using a framework can help leaders stay relevant. Our conversation dovetails nicely into the Re-read Saturday focus on Project to Product. There is a lot of synergy between the ideas of Kersten and Gonçalves.  Luis’s Bio: Luis Gonçalves is an Entrepreneur, Best Seller Author, and International Keynote Speaker.   When consulting he works exclusively with Entrepreneurs, Founders, and Senior Leaders on the implementation of his game-changing "ADAPT Methodology".  By following the "ADAPT Methodology" Executive Leaders will be able to assess the 5 main pillars of their organization by identifying gaps that are required for them to succeed as a modern and digital leaders.   He has been successfully involved in the software industry since 2003 and his company blog is considered a ‘must-read’ for everyone in the software development industry. Upcoming Events The Agile Online Summit!  Tom Henricksen delivers one of the most innovative online conferences. This year he has upped the bar again! While you can attend the Summit for free, there are a number of innovative options to learn even more from the Summit, the early bird pricing on those options is nearly gone. Please join the premier Agile Online Conference from October 25th to 27th, 2021, Register at   Re-Read Saturday News  Chapter 1 begins Part 1 of Project to Product (there are 3 parts to the book). This part of the book introduces the Flow Framework, the core of the book. The graphic showing the whole model is the first thing you see when you open this part of the book which anchors the importance of the model for the rest of the book. Buy a copy today This Week’s Installment: Week 1: -   Week 2: -   Next SPaMCAST  Next week, an essay titled, What is Agile. There are a few things that just need to be said. For example, just because you are doing ceremonies doesn’t make you agile and might just make you fragile. In addition, Susan Parente will bring her I’m Not A Scrumdamentalist column to the podcast.

As a coach, I use and observe transactive memory all the time. Used wisely, transactive memory means a team can be more than the sum of its individual members. Mess it up and you might as well put your hand in a running garbage disposal. For example, my wife remembers things like special events and then clues me in…if she is around. This year I missed an important birthday.  Coaches and Scrum Masters often act as the official process memory for teams until they move on . . . you can guess what happens next. This week we explore when transactive memory works and when it does not. Also, Jeremy Berriault and I discuss helping improve Daily Scrums in his QA Corner column. Note: I have been made aware that SPaMCAST 667 is missing in action. I am trying to track the issue down. Upcoming Events The Agile Online Summit!  Tom Henricksen delivers one of the most innovative online conferences.  This year he has upped the bar again!  Please join the premier Agile Online Conference from October 25th to 27th, 2021, Register at Re-Read Saturday News  This week we begin our re-read of Mik Kersten’s Project to Product. I am reading from my Kindle version published by IT Revolution (buy a copy). Today we are tackling the front matter which includes the Foreword by Gene Kim (author of the DevOps Handbook) and the Introduction, which is titled the Turning Point. In past re-reads, I have argued strongly that jumping immediately to the core of a book is a mistake, I again urge you not to make that mistake. Buy a copy today   This Week’s Installment: Week 1: -   Next SPaMCAST  Next week we discuss the ADAPT Methodology with Luis Gonçalves. We discussed how using a framework can help leaders stay relevant. Based on the discussion of long-wave economic models in this week’s Re-read Saturday, Mr. Gonçalves’ ideas provide a useful framework for building a more robust change model as we approach a more competitive part of the long-term cycle.  It is exciting to see the explosion of new ideas synthesizing practical experience and theory coming to market. A Luis points out, perhaps the lockdowns during the pandemic have a silver lining.

We are back from backpacking on Isle Royale. Simply awesome.  Today, we feature a discussion with Tom Henricksen.  You know Tom from the Agile Online Summit and the Dev Ops Online Summit however Tom is more than just the Summits. Today we discuss learning and then get into whether hybrid working scenarios are all they are cracked up to be. I am not sure we agreed. Tom Henricksen is a technology professional with over 20 years of technical experience. He has worked as a developer, Team Lead, Scrum Master, and Manager. Tom is the founder of the Agile Online Summit! Use this link:   Upcoming Events The Agile Online Summit!  Tom Henricksen delivers one of the most innovative online conferences.  This year he has upped the bar again!  Please join the premier Agile Online Conference from October 25th to 27th, 2021, Register at Re-Read Saturday News  Next week we will begin to read Mik Kersten’s Project to Product. I will be reading from the Kindle version of the book published by IT Revolution.  The book includes a foreword, introduction, nine numbered chapters, a conclusion, and resources (we will not re-read this section). This works out to be 342 numbered pages for the Kindle Version. I have read this book twice, most recently during a book club (I hang around with geeks), and actively leverage the ideas from the book in my practice. Buy a copy today Whether you are just beginning fall or spring, I look forward to reflecting on Project to Product with you starting next Saturday. Upcoming Events The Agile Online Summit!  Tom Henricksen delivers one of the most innovative online conferences.  This year he has upped the bar again!  Please join the Premier Agile Online Conference from October 25th to 27th, 2021, Register at Next SPaMCAST  Next week we discuss transactive memory.  My wife remembers things like special events and then clues me in…if she is around. Coaches and Scrum Masters often act as the official process memory for teams until they don’t. When they move on, the team more often than not forget and revert back to other ways of working. Transactive memory is efficient, a team is more than the accumulation of memories they all share, but has risks. I missed calling my father’s on his birthday this year - a failure in so many ways but also a failure of transactive memory. Jeremy Berriault will also bring his QA Corner to the podcast.

The SPaMCAST is on summer holiday for the next two weeks (SPaMCAST 666 and SPaMCAST 667. Today we are featuring an interview released on December 27, 2015, with  Gerald (Jerry) M. Weinberg.  Gerald Weinberg is the author of more than 100 books, including the best-selling Secrets of Consulting, other non-fiction series, and the ever-popular Women of Power novels. He is a principal in the international consulting firm of Weinberg and Weinberg. The festschrift, The Gift of Time (Fiona Charles, ed.) honors his work for his 75th birthday. A website for Jerry’s fans may be found at .  A talk with Jerry was always profound, and I must admit that Jerry’s humor caused me to laugh more times than I can count during our conversation. Mr. Weinberg died on August 7, 2018, I wish I had interviewed him more times for the podcast.  Re-Read Saturday News  The poll for the next book in the series has begun! Note there are two books in the list I have not read. I am planning to read them and have been highly recommended. Therefore I would be happy to read them with you rather than re-read them with you. I will close the poll when I leave radio silence on August 28th’ish.  This week we highlight our re-read of the Goal by Ely Goldratt.  Check out the reposting of one of the most popular entities and then grab your copy and read along will all of the entries.  Upcoming Events The Agile Online Summit!  Tom Henricksen delivers one of the most innovative online conferences.  This year he has upped the bar again!  Please join the Premier Agile Online Conference from October 25th to 27th, 2021, Register at Next SPaMCAST  Next week, the SPaMCAST will be the second week of our summer holiday.  We will feature another interview from the archives.  Show 37 was my first interview with Ed Yourdon. I have titled the interview, “Collaborate or Die!”  A bit over the top you say, well Denis Waitley once said, “online or in the bread line."  I think I was right. Ed died in January 2016 as he was pursuing his love of photography.