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

  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...

This article explores the characteristics, strategies, roles, frameworks, best practices, techniques, benefits, and maintenance of building a high-performing agile team. The  Characteristics of a High-Performing Agile Team  Building a high-performing agile team involves various key characteristics that contribute to its success. For instance, these teams engage in participative leadership, where all members have the opportunity to provide input and make decisions, fostering a sense of ownership and commitment among team members.  High-performing agile teams demonstrate the ability to work with urgency and focus, ensuring that they prioritize tasks effectively and deliver results efficiently. An example of this can be seen in a software development team where members collaborate closely to address urgent bug fixes or implement critical features in a timely manner, showcasing their commitment to achieving the team's goals. Moreover, these teams are characterized by their ...

  By Ron Smith SPC This article discusses the role of coaching new Release Train Engineers (RTEs) in large organizations undergoing a SAFe agile transformation, including their responsibilities, challenges they may face, the importance of metrics, utilizing Jira and Confluence, strategies for effective communication, building trust, emphasizing constant learning and kaizen, reporting and tracking progress, establishing and managing new trains, and the role of Agile coaches in supporting new RTEs. RTE's Role in SAFe Agile Transition The role of a Release Train Engineer (RTE) in a SAFe agile transition is multifaceted and essential for the successful implementation of the framework within large organizations moving from a waterfall or other project-centric approach. One key responsibility of the RTE is to facilitate Agile Release Train events , ensuring that the teams are aligned with the objectives of the Program Increment (PI) and are working collaboratively to deliver value. For ...

  By: Ron Smith SPC This article discusses the top 5 things to consider as an agile change agent when tasked with transforming a large business, including embracing agile principles, the role of scrum masters and agile coaches, managing resistance to change, providing agile training and education, and measuring progress of agile transformations. Agile Principles for Large Business Transformations Agile principles stand as the cornerstone for large business transformations , encompassing collaboration, customer value, and flexibility. These principles emphasize the need for organizations to foster a customer-centric approach, embrace iterative development, and remain adaptable in the face of change. By integrating agile principles into their transformation strategies, businesses can effectively streamline their operations, drive innovation, and respond to market demands more swiftly. For instance, a leading multinational corporation, in its pursuit of large-scale transformation, ad...