Are you using any metaphor in your Retrospective meetings?
Using Metaphors in our conversations can help us to understand an object, conversation or action from a different perspective. They can also serve as a powerful tool leading us to think in new or a different way.
This post describes a Plane Refutro Model, a model to talk about possible improvements and future uncertainty in particular.
In the Agile world, ScrumMaster and Agile Coaches are often referred to as a gardener that helps a seed grow to provide shade and/or a fruitful tree. You need to prepare the ground, remove weed and give enough nutrition for good growth. At workplace, this resembles creating a safe environment for a person to do the work.
After getting inspiration from High-Performance Tree metaphor, I thought about why not create a retrospective model from it. You can use this retrospective model for Sprint or any other project closure as well.
Reading time (8-10 mins)
In this post, I have shared my thoughts about getting value from different frameworks while keeping the focus on achieving organizational goals.
Question: What is more important for you and your organization?
a) Being Agile (Leadership Agility, Organisational Agility)
b) Achieve Organizational goals (More sales, Happy customers and Teams)
Please go ahead and share your thoughts in the comment section, meanwhile, I can share what are my thoughts.
When working in an agile team, what’s the first thought that comes to mind when you hear “Team Velocity“, or “Sprint Burndown“? and yes, both are related to Estimation.
I’ve experienced that some agile teams found estimation useful while others considered it less beneficial to the team and process. However, for the management, perhaps it is important to know how the team is progressing on the Product/Sprint Backlog and achieving Sprint Goal. Thus “Team Velocity” and “Sprint Burndown” are there for planning purposes in terms of next Sprint velocity, release planning, resource planning, budgeting, and XYZ.
It is always exciting to bring back childhood memories. Often, I watch cartoons that I used to watch during my childhood. One of my favorite ones was Captain Planet. and I have been a committed planeteer as well.
Since I am working with Agile software development, I wrote a song for our lovely Scrum Masters our there, after getting inspiration from Captain Planet lyrics.
So here it is…
Coach!
Facilitator!
Teacher!
Mentor!
Servant-leader!
So here are some thoughts about my Agile journey and its impact on me (as part of my CSP application)
Some high-level thoughts.
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” —African Proverb.
The five Scrum values (Commitment, Focus, Openness, Respect, and Courage) were mentioned in Book Agile Software Development with Scrum (by Ken Schwaber, Mike Beedle) but the values were not part of official Scrum guide. These were added upon a suggestion by Iain McKenna (Oct 23, 2014) on Scrum guide User Voice. Users have commented and voted it to be part of the Scrum guide 2016.
There are NO other changes in Scrum guide and by adding “The Scrum values” I think it
makes the Scrum guide more clear. On three Scrum pillars (Transparency, Inspection, and Adaptation) these values create a focused and fun to work environment. An environment where teams embrace changes, care and respect each other. More interaction and communication is appreciated.
Scrum is considered as a framework for developing and sustaining complex products. The Scrum values act as a heart, pumping fresh blood to the rest of framework and respective processes and methods defined by the team. The team members can use these values as a guiding star to make a decision that benefits individual, team and project toward achieving the common goal. These values, I think are important for a successful implementation of Scrum and make more sense.
Coaching a Potential 