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More Effective Agile: A Roadmap for Software Leaders

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Introduction

About This Course Course Structure

What’s Really Different About Agile?

Sequential Development vs. Agile Development

What Is the Source of Agile’s Benefits?

The Agile Boundary

Suggested Leadership Actions

Additional Resources

Responding to the Challenges of Complexity and Uncertainty

Cynefin and Its Domains Cynefin and Software Challenges Succeeding on Complex Projects: OODA Key Principle: Inspect and Adapt Suggested Leadership Actions Additional Resources

More Effective Agile Beginnings: Scrum

Key Principle: Start with Scrum Common Failure Modes in Scrum Success Factors in Scrum Issues Transitioning to Scrum Suggested Leadership Actions Additional Resources

More Effective Agile Team Structure

Key Principle: Build Cross-Functional Teams

Key Principle: Integrate Testers into the Development Teams

Organization of Production Support

Agile Teams as Black Boxes

Other Considerations

Suggested Leadership Actions

Additional Resources

More Effective Agile Team Culture

Key Principle: Motivate Teams Through Autonomy, Mastery, Purpose Key Principle: Develop a Growth Mindset Key Principle: Develop Business Focus Other Considerations Suggested Leadership Actions Additional Resources

More Effective Distributed Agile Teams

Key Principle: Tighten Feedback Loops Toward Successful Distributed Agile Teams Key Principle: Fix the System, Not the Individual Other Considerations Suggested Leadership Actions Additional Resources

More Effective Individuals and Interactions

The Potential of Focusing on Individuals Key Principle: Increase Team Capacity via Individual Capacity More Effective Interactions (Teams)Suggested Leadership Actions Additional Resources

More Effective Agile Projects

Key Principle: Keep Projects Small Key Principle: Keep Sprints Short Use Velocity-Based Planning Key Principle: Deliver in Vertical Slices Key Principle: Manage Technical Debt Structure Work to Avoid Burnout Other Considerations Suggested Leadership Actions Additional Resources

More Effective Large Agile Projects

What’s Really Different About Agile—On Large Projects?Key Principle: Support Large Agile Projects Through Architecture Collaboration, Coordination, and Success Factors Other Considerations Suggested Leadership Actions Additional Resources

More Effective Agile Quality

Key Principle: Minimize the Defect Detection Gap Key Principle: Create and Use a Definition of Done Key Principle: Maintain a Releasable Level of Quality Other Considerations Suggested Leadership Actions Additional Resources

More Effective Agile Testing

Key Principle: Use Automated Tests Created by the Dev Team More Keys to Effective Agile Testing Other Considerations Suggested Leadership Actions Additional Resources

More Effective Agile Requirements Creation

Agile Requirements Lifecycle Agile Requirements: Stories and the Product Backlog Key Principle: Refine the Product Backlog Key Principle: Create and Use a Definition of Ready Other Considerations Suggested Leadership Actions Additional Resources

More Effective Agile Requirements Prioritization

Product Owner Story Mapping Other Considerations Suggested Leadership Actions Additional Resources

More Effective Agile Delivery

Key Principle: Automate Repetitive Activities Benefits of CI/CD Other Considerations Suggested Leadership Actions Additional Resources

More Effective Agile Leadership

Key Principle: Manage to Outcomes, Not Details Key Principle: Express Clear Purpose with Commander’s Intent Key Principle: Focus on Throughput, Not Activity Key Principle: Model Key Agile Behaviors Suggested Leadership Actions Additional Resources

More Effective Agile Organizational Culture

Key Principle: Decriminalize Mistakes Key Principle: Plan Based on Measured Team Capacity Communities of Practice and Organizational Support Suggested Leadership Actions Additional Resources

More Effective Agile Measurement

Measuring Quantity of Work Measuring Quality of Work Other Considerations Suggested Leadership Actions Additional Resources

More Effective Agile Process Improvement

Improving Productivity Disciplined Mapping and Monitoring of Work in Progress The Agile Retrospective Beware of Gaming of Measures, and Inspect and Adapt Other Considerations Suggested Leadership Actions Additional Resources

More Effective Agile Predictability

Predictability at Different Points in the Release Cycle Strict Predictability of Cost and Schedule Strict Predictability of Feature Set Looser Approaches to Predictability Predictability and the Agile Boundary Other Considerations Suggested Leadership Actions Additional Resources

More Effective Agile in Regulated Industries

How Agile in General Supports Work in Regulated Environments How Scrum in Particular Supports Work in Regulated Environments The Agile Boundary for Regulated Systems Other Considerations Suggested Leadership Actions Additional Resources

More Effective Agile Portfolio Management

Weighted Shortest Job First Common Alternatives Other Considerations Suggested Leadership Actions Additional Resources

More Effective Agile Adoptions

General Change Approach The Domino Change Model Propagating Change Through the Organization 40,000-Foot Rollout View, Take 2 Suggested Leadership Actions Additional Resources

Closing

Enjoy the Fruits of Your Labor Summary of Key Principles Biblography

Additional Resources

Aghina, Wouter, et al. 2019. How to select and develop individuals for successful agile teams: A practical guide. McKinsey & Company. This white paper studies the value of diversity on Agile teams. It includes diversity based on the five-factor personality model and based on a work values model that includes Agile-focused values.

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