Arguing Agile: Product Management, Business Leadership, & Org Design

This episode promises to broaden your understanding of the Product Requirements Document's (PRD) significance as you join an experienced agile coach and a seasoned product manager as they deconstruct the PRD in Agile Software Development.

Delve into real-world examples like the Amazon Six Pager to understand how these documents contribute to clarity and alignment within the team.

Explore the importance (or not) of helpful documentation and check out Brian's Miro Board in action and how it challenges the traditional PRD

0:00 Topic Intro
1:12 What Is the PRD?
1:52 Amazon Six Pager Example
5:58 Reflecting on the 6-Pager
7:40 Aha! Example
9:21 Product School Example
10:41 Clarity & Alignment
12:35 Helpful Documentation
13:52 Brian's Opinions
16:31 Worst Case Scenario
19:14 Marty Cagan 4 Risks
20:52 Brian's Miro Board
25:30 Challenging the Miro Board
27:30 Updating the PRD
29:48 Deconstructing the PRD
32:29 Conclusions

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AA123 - Product Requirements Document in Agile Development

Ayo is back to talk about his experience with the same person serving as both Scrum Master and Product Owner.

With a different take on this topic, Enterprise Agility Coach Om Patel and Product Manager Brian Orlando explore what to do if you might be in this position rather than the textbook concept of "should" or "can" one person play both roles.

0:00 Topic Intro
0:42 The Textbook Answer
2:14 Ayo's Experience
4:16 Brian's Start in Product
7:38 Om's First Product Experience
8:18 Conflict of Interest
10:38 Doing More, Coaching Up
14:24 Split Accountability
17:13 Wearing Multiple Hats
19:15 Justifying the Job (Not the Role)
21:05 Critiques of the Scrum Guide
22:41 Management Expectations
25:17 Show Me the Money
28:29 How to Ask for Help
34:07 Before-and-After
36:27 Wrap-Up

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What happens when self organization goes off the rails?

Join another riveting episode as your hosts - an agile coach and a product manager  -dive deep into the fascinating world of self-organization within agile teams!

From cancelling sprint events to dealing with conflicts, your hosts explore various subjects that impact team dynamics and project success!

Discover valuable insights on leadership's viewpoint, the product's role, feedback loops, communication, and more!

Learn how to address decreased collaboration, anchor strong personalities, and tackle power imbalances to foster a truly self-organized and adaptable team!
0:00 Topic Intro
1:35 Cancelling Sprint Events
4:14 Leadership's Viewpoint
6:24 Product's Role
7:44 Organizational Roadmap
10:56 Decreased Collaboration
13:34 Anchoring & Strong Personalities
16:20 Inequality / Power Imbalance
17:47 Not Meeting Goals
20:09 Feedback Loops
24:12 Communication & Coordination
27:30 Coordination Assistance
30:34 Not Adapting to Change
34:44 Conflict
37:52 Wrap-Up

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AA121 - Self Organization Gone Bad

The CEO of AirBnB Brian Chesky made some (probably unintentional) waves when he announced at Figma's Config 2023 that he had eliminated the role of Product Manager.

In this podcast, we watch and respond to the entire talk. We dig past the clickbait and discuss the context behind his remark.

0:00 Topic Intro
0:35 Curtis's Breakdown
1:16 Config 2023 with Brian Chesky: Intro & Ordinary World
2:00 Discussion Break 1
2:55 Config 2023 with Brian Chesky: Call to Adventure
4:18 Discussion Break 2
7:47 Config 2023 with Brian Chesky: Refusal of the Call
9:00 Discussion Break 3
11:00 Config 2023 with Brian Chesky: Meeting the Mentor
11:54 Config 2023 with Brian Chesky: Crossing the Threshold
13:19 Discussion Break 4
18:12 Discussion: A Vision for Org Transformation
21:08 Config 2023 with Brian Chesky: The Approach
21:54 Discussion Break 5
23:12 The Clickbaitey Part You Saw on LinkedIn
24:12 Discussion Break 6
27:03 Arguing On: Centralizing Decision Making
30:39 Config 2023 with Brian Chesky: The Ordeal
31:37 Discussion Break 7
33:27 Config 2023 with Brian Chesky: The Road Back
33:51 Discussion Break 8
35:17 Config 2023 with Brian Chesky: The Return
36:01 Discussion Break 9
37:03 Design Driven Strategy
38:17 Discussing: Design Driven Strategy
40:48 Growth for Growth's Sake
43:00 Shared Services Model
46:01 Where is the Value?
47:57 Arguing On: Roadmaps
51:08 The Power of Stories and Narratives
52:45 Thinking Like a Business Owner
55:24 User Journey Maps
58:02 Closing Statements
1:00:26 Summary
1:03:39 Wrap-Up

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AA120 - Did AirBnB Fire All their Product Managers?

Today we're answering more fan mail!

In this podcast, we answer Mitch's question by discussing the different software development methodologies available and what happens when management forces a methodology on a team.

We cover the pros and cons of each methodology, as well as some of the common pitfalls that can occur when a methodology is forced on a team and we might even share tips for better aligning a software development methodology with your team(s)!

0:00 A Real Intro
0:12 Topic Intro
1:20 Waterfall
5:30 The Insidious Nature of Waterfall
7:41 Dual Track Agile
10:45 Mandated Waterfall
13:19 Common Waterfall Drivers
16:49 Slide to Mediocrity
21:06 Mandated Scrum
25:39 Brian's First Scrum Experience
27:58 Questionable Scrum Practices
31:18 Waterfall to Agile
33:28 Customizing Scrum
35:23 Kanban
37:46 Leadership Kanban
44:31 Lean
46:35 XP
53:58 Wrap-Up

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AA119 - Software Development Methodologies

With all the layoffs facing agile professionals, Scrum Masters might be looking at open Project Manager positions.

If you're a Scrum Master, moving to Project Management - this podcast will walk you through some of what you might expect.

0:00 Topic Intro
1:00 What's a Project Manager
3:22 Position Decline
7:56 The Contracting Market
9:37 Scrum Master Development
13:24 Consultant Agile Coaches
14:34 Skills to Learn
17:25 Doing Things from Scratch
21:35 Managing Risks
26:40 Scaling
28:38 Scrum Master Benefits
32:16 More Scrum Master Benefits
34:23 Dealing with Customers
37:20 Should You Move?
39:42 Wrap-Up

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AA118 - Scrum Master to Project Manager Career Transition

Should we all just be promising and committing to dates when asked?

Today, we're reacting to an article that seemed to express the opposite opinion of our our Roadmaps episode. On further inspection, we find that it's not exactly what it seemed to be at first glance.

Our Roadmaps Episode: AA113 - Debating Outcome-Based vs Output-Based Roadmaps

A step back into time about the XBox One Launch:
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/11/spencer-microsoft-almost-abandoned-xbox-brand-after-the-xbox-one-launch/

...and another...
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2015/09/09/microsofts-former-xbox-head-xbox-one-launch-problems-were-predictable-and-preventable/?sh=322bcd9d49de

...and another...
https://www.businessinsider.com/how-microsoft-bungled-the-xbox-one-launch-2015-8

0:00 Topic Intro
0:45 Reading the Article
2:24 Moving Along...
5:21 Slinging Dates
8:10 Deadlines & Shell Games
11:00 Valid Date Discussions (or Are They?)
13:09 Being Late is No Big Deal (Unless It Is)
16:07 Accountability Issues
17:55 Cut the Scope, Make the Schedule
20:25 A Basic Untruth
21:45 Questions, Not Statements
25:19 Summarizing the Article
27:31 The Blame Game
29:01 Suggestions for Estimation
30:59 Wrap-Up

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AA117 - You Should Do Time-Based Estimates (Article Review)

Have you ever been referred to as an Agile Purist?

We have - and today, we're talking about this derogatory label! Who might you hear this from? Why might they say it? What can (and should) you do when you hear it?

0:00 Topic Intro
0:43 Why You Hear It
2:24 Executives
4:39 Pragmatic Management
6:25 Brian's Pushback
7:21 Project Managers
8:49 Product Managers
10:09 Engaging with the Statement
12:01 The Empathetic First-Step
13:26 Examples: What is Agile
15:51 Consultants and/or Vendors
21:06 Siloed Team Members
24:37 Quality Assurance & Testing
27:15 Training and Adapting
30:27 Summary & Wrap-Up

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AA116 - Breaking Labels: The "Agile Purist" Stereotype

Both Product Manager Brian Orlando and Product Manager Tricia Barnes have been recommending to our favorite Special Mystery Guest that she consider transition her career towards Product Management.

On this episode, we talk about the benefits, advantages, and concerns of a Scrum Master moving into a Product role.

Bonus points if this has been your career journey - we'd like to hear from you in the comments!

0:00 Topic Intro
0:12 Less Stress
4:32 Growth for Scrum Masters
12:33 Leadership Skills
15:44 Accountability & Decision Making
20:41 Accountability & Communication
26:09 Compensation
30:47 Agile Experts
33:46 Equity, Permanent Roles, & Consulting
35:10 Business Analyst
37:07 Ad-Hoc Salary Searches
39:07 Communication, Empathy, & Advocacy
42:23 Career Advancement
46:35 Accepting Responsibility
47:55 Summary
48:46 Wrap-Up

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AA115 - Going from Scrum Master to Product Manager (and why you should)

Both the agile manifesto and the scrum guide have references to working at a sustainable pace. On this episode, we're talking through what that means, what it certainly doesn't mean, and what things you need to help you work at a sustainable pace.

0:00 Topic & Guest Intros
1:04 What the Book Says
1:53 What is Sustainable?
2:46 Brian's Story
4:46 Time to Decompress
5:55 Lisa's Story
8:26 Systems Effect on Sustainability
10:36 Stormy's Story
14:05 Quality of Work
15:17 Stormy's Software Example
17:45 Sustainably Unsustainable
20:58 Measuring or Avoiding Burn-out
23:50 Pricing
27:07 A Self Inflicted Problem
29:19 Org Size
32:04 What is Needed to Sustain Pace?
36:10 Sharing and Aligning on Values
38:41 Guiding Culture
40:12 A Changing Pace
43:46 Summary
44:42 Wrap-up

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