Ron Smith SPC - Waking Up Agile: A Guide to Living Agile Every Day

Expectations for a new RTE (SAFe Release Train Engineer): A brief overview of the role of a SAFe Release Train Engineer (RTE), including their responsibilities, leadership skills required, challenges they may face, and tips for success. Congratulations! You are now an RTE. The Role of a SAFe Release Train Engineer (RTE) Congratulations on your appointment as a SAFe Release Train Engineer (RTE)! The RTE plays a critical role in Agile Release Trains , ensuring the successful delivery of value and fostering collaboration among teams. In the dynamic environment of Agile methodologies, the RTE serves as a servant leader and ART coach, guiding teams towards continuous improvement and value delivery. This leadership position requires a deep understanding of Agile principles , as well as the ability to navigate complex team dynamics and dependencies. For instance, consider the likely scenario where an RTE is tasked with coordinating multiple Agile teams to deliver a software product. The RTE...

Understanding the Psychology of Resistance to Change: Explore the psychological factors behind resistance to change, including cognitive biases, emotional reactions, and the impact of routine seeking. Discover strategies and approaches for overcoming resistance, the role of leadership in managing resistance, successful change management case studies, and the challenges and solutions related to employee resistance. Additionally, delve into the historical evolution of resistance in psychotherapy, the concept of personal resistance to change, measurement tools for assessing resistance, and key insights on resistance psychology. Photo by  krakenimages   on   Unsplash   | Commercial use allowed Understanding the "Why" of Resisting Change Resistance to change in psychology is a complex phenomenon that individuals often experience when faced with alterations in their environment or circumstances [1]. This resistance can stem from various factors, including fear of the u...

  By Ron Smith SPC Agile project management is all about flexibility, efficiency, and delivering value to customers. But how do you measure success in such a dynamic environment? Understanding the right metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) is essential for any Scrum Master, Product Owner, or team member venturing into the Agile world. In this post, we will explore the most relevant Agile metrics that help in tracking the progress and success of Agile projects. Photo by Alistair MacRobert on Unsplash 1. Velocity: The Pace of Progress Velocity is a fundamental metric in Agile. It measures the amount of work a team completes during a sprint. This is typically calculated in story points or hours. Understanding velocity helps in future sprint planning, as it gives a realistic view of the team’s capacity. However, it’s important not to fall into the trap of comparing velocities across teams, as each team's working dynamics and story point assessment can vary greatly. V...

By Ron Smith SPC This article provides insights and guidance for new Scrum Masters entering a scaled scrum or SAFe environment, covering topics such as role and responsibilities, transitioning to the role, training and certification, understanding the SAFe framework, agile project management, facilitation and team collaboration, challenges and expectations, and navigating scrum events. The New Scrum Master: Navigating the Scaled Scrum or SAFe Environment Congratulations on your new role as a Scrum Master! Stepping into this position marks an exciting and challenging transition, especially in a scaled scrum or SAFe environment. As you embark on this journey, it's crucial to have a clear understanding of the primary responsibilities of a Scrum Master in this context. In a scaled scrum or SAFe environment, a Scrum Master is tasked with coaching, facilitating, and leading the team (or teams). For both mature and new teams (see THIS article on navigating the particular challen...