AI, Agile & The Future of Work: ALI Labs

Send us a textWelcome to another episode of ALI Shorts, where we simplify Agile concepts. Today, we're exploring Value Stream Mapping. Imagine it as optimizing your Agile process like perfecting a recipe. Just like cooking, you identify bottlenecks in your process and make it more efficient. This ensures value delivery to customers is faster. So, whether in your kitchen or at work, Value Stream Mapping is your recipe for success.  Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textAs we all settle into the post-Covid era, it's clear that working from home, or WFH, has transformed into a marathon of endurance and adaptability. We'll discuss how employees are seeking the autonomy and flexibility that come with WFH and how organizations are embracing this marathon to attract top talent and avoid the pitfalls of the Turnover Tsunami and The Great Resignation.But how does this remote work marathon truly impact an employee's ability to perform effectively? Join us as we uncover the twists and turns in this journey. We'll share insights from Microsoft's experiment, which dove deep into the causal relationship between remote work and collaboration practices. Discover how remote work has changed the way employees interact, and why this marathon can be a challenge for organizations aiming to foster innovation.In this marathon, we'll also find solutions in intentional design, such as 'virtual water cooler' events. These informal, synchronous pit stops offer a refreshing break in the marathon of Zoom meetings and enhance collaboration without the fatigue of traditional meetings. We'll explore how HR professionals can play a role in orchestrating these pit stops, ensuring that the marathon of remote work remains balanced and innovative.So, lace up your running shoes and join us as we navigate the marathon of remote work, discovering the importance of endurance, balance, and collaboration in this evolving landscape. Don't forget to subscribe and share this episode with your fellow marathoners (colleagues) as we continue this exciting journey into the future of work. Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textJoin us in this episode as we dive deep into the world of project management and explore the intricate art of making precise project predictions. Work estimation has always been a challenge, but we've got a powerful tool in our arsenal - the Monte Carlo simulation.Discover how this mathematical technique, grounded in historical data and random simulations, can revolutionize the way you forecast project outcomes. We'll explore its applications in Lean and Agile project management, where certainty and throughput are paramount.We'll answer two fundamental questions:How many tasks can you realistically complete within a specific timeframe?When can you expect to finish a predetermined number of work items?Learn how to harness the Monte Carlo simulation's capabilities to boost your project management skills and achieve continuous improvement. Say goodbye to guesswork and hello to data-driven predictions. Don't miss this insightful episode! Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textJoin us in this episode of ALI Shorts as we delve into the captivating world of crafting environments that transcend profit-focused mindsets and nurture purpose-driven companies. In today's business landscape, the notion that companies should embody more than just financial gains is widely acknowledged. However, the true challenge lies in transforming these aspirations into tangible reality.Drawing inspiration from real success stories, including the remarkable resurgence of Best Buy, we explore the essential components that lay the foundation for a company's purpose to flourish. Imagine a workplace where employees are invigorated by a noble mission, where personal growth seamlessly aligns with the company's overarching purpose. We liken emotions to rainbows, enriching the landscape of purpose-driven endeavors. Discover how an environment of "human enchantment" can spark remarkable transformations, as seen in Best Buy's revitalisation.In this episode, we journey through the six core ingredients that foster an environment conducive to human enchantment. From connecting personal aspirations to the company's purpose, nurturing genuine human bonds, and fostering psychological safety to granting autonomy and nurturing learning spaces, each ingredient forms a vital piece of the puzzle.Join us as we explore the significance of creating an atmosphere that allows human magic to thrive. Embrace the art of building authentic connections, even in remote work settings, and learn how businesses can adapt and evolve in the face of challenges. Whether you're a seasoned executive, a team leader, or an aspiring entrepreneur, this episode will inspire you to craft an environment that nurtures both the growth of your workforce and the realisation of your company's purpose.Tune in to ALI Shorts for insights, anecdotes, and practical advice on unleashing human enchantment and fostering purpose-driven success in your business journey. Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textWelcome to "Agile-Lean Ireland Shorts." In this episode, we uncover the vital role of emotional intelligence in Agile teams. Discover why it's more than a buzzword – it's essential for success.Emotional intelligence involves recognizing, managing, and positively using emotions. We explore its impact on Agile, from stress navigation to empathetic communication.Imagine leading an Agile team; your emotions shape the team's strength. We discuss why emotional intelligence is key for effective leadership.Breaking it down, we cover self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management – the pillars of emotional intelligence.Explore the repercussions of a technically skilled yet emotionally lacking team member. Learn how emotional intelligence fosters open communication, vital in Agile's transparent environment.Start with self-awareness, a foundation to enhance emotional intelligence. Find linked resources for further learning.In a nutshell, emotional intelligence drives Agile leadership and teamwork. Remember, emotions guide the team's direction.Resources:High-Performing Teams Need Psychological Safety: Here’s How to Create Ithttps://hbr.org/2017/08/high-performing-teams-need-psychological-safety-heres-how-to-create-it Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textIn this episode, we explore the synergy between the agile movement and psychological safety. The host underscores the crucial intersection for software development and team dynamics.Agile is hailed as flexible software development, prioritizing individuals and interactions. But the journey isn't always smooth; failure often stems from a lack of psychological safety. This safety allows fearless expression of ideas and challenges, akin to dancing without missteps.The roadmap to psychological safety involves inclusion, learning, contribution, and becoming a challenger. Five actionable tips follow: crafting a shared vision, clarifying roles, fostering feedback, endorsing experimentation, and celebrating wins.Ultimately, this episode highlights that agile's success rests on nurturing psychological safety - a cornerstone for team excellence.Inspired by  Agile Doesn’t Work Without Psychological Safety - Timothy R. Clark Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textThe talk is about prioritization techniques and RICE framework for prioritizing product backlogs. This will be a highly interactive session, so come prepared to participate and engage in the conversation.The RICE framework can be used to prioritize features or ideas based on their importance. The higher the RICE score, the more important the feature or idea is. The RICE framework can help teams make more informed decisions about which features or ideas to work on first. It can also help teams track their progress and make sure they are working on the most important things.The talk session will cover the following topics:Various ways to prioritize your product backlogWhat is the RICE framework?How to use the RICE framework to prioritize product backlogsExamples of how the RICE framework has been used in the real worldTips for using the RICE framework effectivelyThe session will be of interest to anyone who is involved in/working with Agile teams and will provide participants with the tools they need to prioritize their work more effectively and make a bigger impact on their customers Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textRecorded on Wednesday, June 24, 2020We are delighted to invite you to our next virtual meetup on Organizational and HR Agility.Our guest speakers for this session are highly experienced Agile HR practitioners, leaders, and experts, who will share with us their experience and learnings, particularly with regard to organisational and HR agility in these Covid times - and beyond.Speakers:Niamh McNamara is currently an Enterprise Product Owner & Global Process Owner Performance Management at Novartis. Niamh was previously Head of People & Organization Novartis Global Service Centre. Niamh will discuss the Novartis journey with Organisational Agility and her own experience of leading the global reform and redesign of Performance Management for Novartis using Agile principles and practices.Fabiola Eyholzer is the CEO of Just Leading Solutions, a New York-based consultancy for Lean | Agile People Operations. Fabiola is an international consultant and leader in helping enterprises to accelerate their agile transformations and agile people operations. Fabiola is no stranger to the ALI community and will be giving a talk at ALI2020 later this year.We look forward to you joining us for what will be an engaging and insightful session.If you have any questions re. this session, please do not hesitate to contact Kevin Empey or Joanna Koprowicz (hosts). Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textIn today's fast-paced and constantly changing business landscape, companies must be able to innovate quickly and adapt to new challenges. Agile methodologies are becoming increasingly popular as they offer a flexible and iterative delivery method. However, a growth mindset can be the missing link that elevates the effectiveness of Agile ways of working.A growth mindset is a belief that intelligence, skills, and abilities can be developed through hard work, dedication, and continuous learning. It contrasts with a fixed mindset that assumes that these qualities are innate and unchangeable. In an Agile environment, a growth mindset can empower individuals and teams to embrace challenges, experiment with new ideas, and learn from failures.This talk will explore the benefits of a growth mindset in an Agile ways of working. We will discuss how a growth mindset can foster innovation and creativity, promote collaboration and communication, and enhance the ability to respond to change. We will also provide practical tips and strategies for cultivating a growth mindset within teams, such as seeking feedback, embracing challenges, and celebrating progress.Joanna KoprowiczJoanna is a passionate Agile Enthusiast who has made it her mission to bring positive change to a wide range of organisations and sectors. With a strong background in business and technology, Joanna has developed an impressive career in consulting, coaching, and leadership development, helping start-ups and multinational corporations alike to reach new heights.Joanna's work has spanned many industries, including the Financial Sector, the Travel Industry, Aviation, E-learning, and Gaming. Her focus is always on helping teams to grow and improve, delivering work on the next level and creating sustainable, highly-efficient teams.In addition to her work as a consultant and coach, Joanna is a professional coach and one of the co-organizers of Agile-Lean Ireland Community. She has also helped to coordinate Agile-Lean events internationally, including the Global Scrum Gathering in Vienna.Joanna's academic background includes a Masters in Project Management from University College Dublin Michael Smurfit Business School. She has also earned numerous Agile certifications and is a provider of Agile and Lean training and consulting to clients of Enterprise Ireland, IDA, and the Local Enterprise Offices. She is authorized by the International Consortium for Agile to run the certified ICP-AHR (Agile HR) and ICP- LEA (Agile Leadership) trainings. Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textThe effects of the shift to hybrid workEnabled by new technologies and informed by the experiences during COVID pandemic, many employees would like to continue working remotely. Many companies, on the contrary, would like to see their employees back to the office. In this context, hybrid work is often proposed as a solution that meets the interests of both employees and employers and captures the benefits of both remote and in-office work. But is it indeed “the best of both worlds”?In this talk, Dr. Andreeva (Maynooth University School of Business) will discuss her ongoing research on the effects of the mass-scale shift to hybrid work. For example, what happens in a team, when some of your team members work mostly from the office, while others work mostly from home? How do work arrangements of the employees – in the office, hybrid or remote - influence their experiences at work and their performance? How do organisations manage the shift to hybrid work? The talk will explore the emerging evidence on these issues and discuss implications for individual employees and organisations.The SpeakerDr. Tatiana Andreeva is an Associate Professor in Management and Organisational Behavior and Research Director at the School of Business, Maynooth University, Ireland. Her ongoing research projects explore how the shift to remote and hybrid work influences knowledge sharing and collaboration in organisations – what challenges companies face and how to address them. Tatiana’s work has been published in leading international academic journals such as Human Resource Management Journal, Human Resource Management and Journal of World Business, amongst others, as well as in the business media outlets. Prior to joining academia, Tatiana worked in management consulting and in HR.Her notes are here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1E5UACsLfviml2Zx92ohqs6d-3M9cZ-mw/view?usp=share_link Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org