Scrum.org Community Podcast

In this episode of the Scrum.org Community Podcast, Dave West is joined by Darrell Fernandes to tackle questions from a recent webinar on the Agile Product Operating Model and incentives. Together, they explore how incentive models can either support or derail agility.

They dig into real-world challenges like misaligned rewards, hero culture, and scaling with private equity influence—offering practical guidance on creating transparent, flexible, and outcome-focused incentives.

Referenced webinar - APOM: Aligning Incentives with Value

How do you prove your value as a Scrum Master? What steps can you take as Scrum Master to coach your Product Owner? What are some ways to make Scrum Events more engaging? There is a lot to navigate within the Scrum Master Accountability. PST Bart Versteegen recently answered some burning listener questions about the Scrum Master Accountability. Tune in for great insights!

In this episode of the Scrum.org Community Podcast, host Dave West sits down with Tyson Bertmaring, Head of Partnership Success and Adrian Veres, Chief Scientific Officer from Dyno Therapeutics, a cutting-edge gene therapy startup. They share how Dyno applies the ideas of the Agile Product Operating Model (APOM) to complex scientific research—shifting from traditional structures to empowered, cross-functional teams aligned to clear goals.

You will hear how Dyno integrates APOM principles such as product-centric team design, continuous planning, and aligned incentives to drive innovation in a high-stakes environment. The conversation highlights how adopting a product mindset, supported by an enabling organization, creates the conditions for focus, adaptability, and breakthrough scientific results. 

Transparency is a core pillar of Scrum—but what happens when the environment punishes openness? In this episode of the Scrum.org Community Podcast, Professional Scrum Trainer David Spinks joins host Dave West to explore the complexities of transparency in unhealthy organizational cultures. David shares why pushing for full transparency too quickly can backfire, and offers a pragmatic, context-driven approach to building trust and psychological safety over time.

Listeners will walk away with strategies for adapting transparency to different environments, balancing openness with privacy, and becoming an effective change agent—especially in teams that aren’t quite ready for radical transparency.

This discussion is inspired by a recent blog by David Spinks. Read it here. 

In this "Value Delivered" episode of the Scrum.org Community Podcast, host Dave West and PST Jay Rahman, Founder of Fractal Systems discuss how agile principles helped a large investment bank turn a struggling multi-million dollar project into a success. By applying Scrum at multiple levels, the organization improved leadership alignment, enhanced collaboration, and reduced risks tremendously—ultimately accelerating delivery and achieving better outcomes. Listen in to discover how Scrum can create transparency, alignment, and value at scale.

In this Ask a PST episode of the Scrum.org Community Podcast, guest host Lindsay Velecina is joined by Professional Scrum Trainer Dominik Maximini to answer listener questions about forecasting and release planning. Dominik shares practical insights on estimation, using burn-down charts, managing dependencies with joint roadmaps, and aligning with stakeholder expectations. He explains why normalizing velocity across teams can be counterproductive and stresses the importance of a clear Definition of Done when planning releases. Tune in for actionable advice rooted in experience, pragmatism, and common sense.

In this episode of the Scrum.org Community Podcast, host Dave West and Brendan Mcsheffrey, Managing Partner at Kendall AI explore the Kendall Framework—a method for training AI using principles from lean, agile, and design thinking. They discuss how clear problem definition and context blocks like roles, capabilities, and processes dramatically improve AI accuracy. Learn how Scrum Teams can get better results from AI and make this powerful technology more accessible to everyone.

In this "Value Delivered" episode of the Scrum.org Community Podcast, Dave West speaks with Andre Bohn of ambarics and Professional Scrum Trainer Alex Hardt about how combining Professional Scrum and Kanban helped ambarics streamline ERP software support. Learn how greater transparency, limiting work in progress, and visualizing work item age enabled the team to better manage unplanned work, reduce escalations, and increase customer satisfaction.

In this episode of the Scrum.org Community Podcast, Patricia Kong talks with Professional Scrum Trainer Joanna Plaskonka about why psychological safety is critical for effective Scrum Teams. Joanna explains how it fuels openness, innovation, and accountability—while its absence leads to poor collaboration, low morale, and missed opportunities. Through real-world examples, she dispels common myths and shares how leaders can foster a culture where teams feel safe to take risks, challenge ideas, and grow. This conversation highlights that psychological safety isn’t a “nice-to-have”—it’s essential for delivering real value.

In this episode of the Scrum.org Community Podcast – Value Delivered Series, host Dave West is joined by Carmit Ophir, Senior Director at StoreDot, and Professional Scrum Trainer Michal Epstein to explore how StoreDot leveraged Professional Scrum to tackle the complex challenges of developing ultra-fast-charging batteries for electric vehicles.

Faced with low collaboration and siloed teams of chemists, engineers, and system experts, StoreDot turned to Scrum to foster transparency, cross-functional teamwork, and faster feedback loops. The results? Accelerated innovation, milestones delivered ahead of schedule, and a cultural shift driven by leadership support and a commitment to continuous improvement.

Whether you’re navigating R&D in a highly technical space or looking to drive transformation in your organization, this conversation is full of insights and practical advice.

 Key Takeaways:

• Why R&D teams can embrace agility
  
  
• The importance of leadership support in Scrum adoption
  
  
• How a culture of feedback and experimentation accelerates value delivery
  
  

 Tune in to hear how StoreDot is literally charging ahead with Scrum.