This week on the Definitely, Maybe Agile podcast, Peter Maddison and Dave Sharrock explore important topics relating to QA in teams. These include some of the major issues that arise when you don't test.

Join us on this week's takeaway:
— Don't separate the QA team
— Testing capability must be integrated 
— Identify the problem first, so you can focus on the right areas.

We love to hear feedback! If you have questions, would like to propose a topic, or even join us for a conversation, contact us here: [email protected]

 In this week's episode, Dave and Peter explore what the right amount of planning means. We discuss the meaning behind "Responding to change over following a plan".

Do I have enough information to make a decision? Do I have enough information to decide what direction I’m going to go in? Sometimes we end up stuck on one way of doing things, but if you do planning right, it can help guide you.

Join us on this week takeaway:
·        Having a plan helps you to reduce risk
·        Make sure your plan is appropriate to the problem you are trying to solve.
·        Only plan for the information you have

We love to hear feedback! If you have questions, would like to propose a topic, or even join us for a conversation, contact us here: [email protected] 

Agile expounds on the need for decentralization, self-organizing teams, autonomous teams, but is there such a thing as too much decentralization? If there is, why? And what's the alternative?

This week takeaway: 

• Balancing de-centralized autonomy and centralized governance
• The impacts on the speed of decision-making
• Architecture, security, and more!

 We love to hear feedback! If you have questions, would like to propose a topic, or even join us for a conversation, contact us here: [email protected] 

What happens to the aspects of the functional manager when you shift to a team centric delivery model? There are many functions the manager fills in terms of resource, line and skill management, so where do those go?

 Join Peter and Dave on this week takeaway: 

• Consider the impact on your managers
• Discuss what their new responsibilities might be
• Understand the number one reason things go sideways

  We love to hear feedback! If you have questions, would like to propose a topic, or even join us for a conversation, contact us here: [email protected] 

 What delivery roles are needed? How many do you need? In this week's episode, Dave and Peter go over everything there is to know about sources that work in agile delivery. 

  This week takeaway: 

• Resource the work. Don't understaff the outcome you are trying to achieve.
• Skills development.  Create a talent journey. 
• Properly define the roles and the accountabilities they will have.

  We love to hear feedback! If you have questions, would like to propose a topic, or even join us for a conversation, contact us here: [email protected] 

 How does your team come together to create their strategy?

It's a loaded term, prone to misinterpretation, but there's no time like today to start strategically planning. Far too often though, these sessions are poorly planned and the results leave us wanting.

Join us for this week's episode, “Strategy Sessions,” where Dave and Peter explore the secrets of making strategy sessions successful. We'll discuss tips that will help you get more out of your strategic planning.

 This week takeaway: 
·        Make decisions in the room.
·        Target a short time horizon.
·        Start with outcomes.
·        Prepare ahead of time 

 We love to hear feedback! If you have questions, would like to propose a topic, or even join us for a conversation, contact us here: [email protected] 

In this week's episode, Dave and Peter discuss Portfolio Level Management.  Key decisions are made at every level of your organization, aligning these and managing the larger scale initiatives can be a challenge. 

This week takeaway:

• Fractal nature of work at different levels
• Make work visible
• Follow the decision-making

References in this episode:
Klaus Leopold Practical Kanban — https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36592352-practical-kanban

Flight Levels — https://www.leanability.com/en/blog-en/2017/04/flight-levels-the-organizational-improvement-levels/


We love to hear feedback! If you have questions, would like to propose a topic, or even join us for a conversation, contact us here: [email protected] 

In this week's episode, Dave and Peter explore why you should stop doing too much at the same time. We discuss the culture where we always have to say yes when work is coming through - even though that often means doing a task half-assed or trying desperately juggling everything with no time for anything else in our lives.

 Join us on this week takeaway: 

•  Too much WIP 
• Asking the strategy question
• Not letting go of unfinished work

References in this episode: 

David Rock's SCARF model-  https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/SCARF.htm

Michael Bungay Stanier - The Coaching Habit -  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29342515-the-coaching-habit

We love to hear feedback! If you have questions, would like to propose a topic, or even join us for a conversation, contact us here: [email protected] 

In this week's episode we explore change fatigue in more depth as well as discuss how everyone responds differently to changes. 

Join Peter and Dave on this week takeaway: 

• Invite over inflict// Human element of the change, the beneficiaries in the change 
• The continuous change over big changes
• Not everybody responds to a given change in the same way

 References in this episode:
Gary Hamel -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYaYwCA-FaM

We love to hear feedback! If you have questions, would like to propose a topic, or even join us for a conversation, contact us here: [email protected] 

In this episode of the Definitely Maybe Agile podcast, Dave and Peter give listeners an overview on where to start when you've been given a short timeframe to show value. 

This week takeaway: 

• Start small, don't boil the ocean
• Pick something that is a pain point
• Don't just document it, do it. Design an experiment and get started

 We love to hear feedback! If you have questions, would like to propose a topic, or even join us for a conversation, contact us here: [email protected]