SPaMCAST 519 features our essay on a code of ethics for agile coaches. A code of ethics is a compilation of ethical principles brought together into a framework. Most professions have a code of ethics that guide their behaviors, typically guided by an association that provides credentials. I think it is time to discuss a code of ethics for agile coaches. We also have a visit from Susan Parente, with her Not A Scrumdamentalist column.  Susan discusses how to become an agilist. It is not as easy as learning any individual set of methods and techniques. One of the places to find Susan is at . I know I promised a visit from Jon M. Quigley, but I had a minor problem with the drive and did not get the column into production soon enough to make the deadline.   Interested in supporting the podcast? Here are some ideas: Tell a friend (or better yet listen to the podcast with them) about the cast. Tweet or post about the cast.  Every mention helps. Review the podcast wherever you get the cast. Pitch a column to me. You are cool enough to be listening, you deserve to be heard. Sponsor an episode (text or call me to talk about the idea - . Listen. Whether you do one or all six, being there is a big deal to me.  Thank you! Re-Read Saturday News This week we take a slight detour in our journey through by John Carreyrou (published by Alfred A. Knopf, 2018 – Buy a copy and read along!) As we have noted before, the book is at heart a cautionary tale; however, it is easy to pass the shenanigans (in private I might use stronger language) as confined to the boardroom, and therefore not something that can happen inside the boundaries of an agile team or in a department.  Ahhhh, think again. To establish the basis for this brief respite we published a review of some of the common attributes of and . It would be easy to go through both of the lists and a find points in the first six chapters and tick the attributes off almost like you were watching a slow(ish)-motion train wreck. Week 1 – –    Week 2 -- - Week 3 -- - Week 4 -- - Next SPaMCAST SPaMCAST 520 will feature our interview with Doc Norton. We talked about measurement and why velocity isn’t generally a good measure for teams.

SPaMCAST 518 features our interview with Rebecca Staton-Reinstein.  We discussed leadership, the difference between leadership and management, coaching versus mentoring and who should own your improvement program.  Rebecca and I have known each other for years and I have always enjoyed her wisdom and pragmatic advice. She really delivers the goods. Rebecca’s bio: REBECCA STATON-REINSTEIN, Ph.D. is the president of Advantage Leadership, Inc. Where she works with companies around the world that want strategic leaders and engaged employees to increase bottom- and top-line results and delight customers. Clients achieve their goals through strategic planning and leadership, management, team, and organizational development. Rebecca’s team works with clients to craft customized, successful solutions to their complex business issues in all economic sectors. Rebecca’s says, “Our mission is your success.” For over 25 years, Rebecca has contributed improved organizational value as a leader, manager, technologist, keynoter, educator, and consultant honored by organizations on four continents. She is a Ph.D. in organizational development, MBTI® Master Practitioner, a National Speakers Association Professional Member, St. Petersburg Engineering Academy Foreign Member, and Board of Directors Chairperson-Elect, Davie-Cooper City Chamber of Commerce. Contact Information: Rebecca Staton-Reinstein, Ph.D., President Advantage Leadership, Inc. 320 S Flamingo Road, Suite 291, Pembroke Pines, FL 33027 [email protected] Phone: +305-606-9312   Web:   Amazon Author Page: Join me on LinkedIn: Re-Read Saturday News We continue our journey through by John Carreyrou (published by Alfred A. Knopf, 2018).  Today based on the advice of Stephen Adams we tackle chapters three, four and five. The chapters  are titled, “Apple Envy”, “Goodbye East Paly” and “Childhood Neighbors.” The chapters we cover this week paint a picture of a toxic culture full of deceit, naiveté, and vindictiveness; this will be a blockbuster movie someday. While Theranos sounds extraordinary, it isn’t hard to find similar corporate train wrecks. Bad Blood needs to be read as a cautionary tale. Current Week:  Week 3 --  -  Week 1 – –    Week 2 -- - Conferences and More! ITMPI Webinar Virtual October 31 Register Now: https://bit.ly/2zo8MAV Webinar:  Agile, Where Agile Fears to Tread Next SPaMCAST SPaMCAST 519 will feature our essay on a code of ethics for agile coaches.  I am also considering a call to action to begin banding together to support a code of ethics.   We will also have a discussion with Jon M. Quigley.

SPaMCAST 517 is very different from my original plan -- and pretty cool if I do say so my self.  This week I spoke at ISMA 16 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. I was originally scheduled to open the session, however, the translators were two hours late. The Portuguese speaking speakers were moved earlier so that the conference could get started.  During my wait, I discovered that I could record sessions on my iPhone, therefore, the SPaMCAST 517 is a recording of my talk, titled Product Owners In Agile – The Really Hard Role! If you would like a copy of the slides please email me at [email protected] .   Note:  There is a bit of noise in the audio, shirt pockets might not be the best recording platforms.   Re-Read Saturday NewsToday we continue our journey through by John Carreyrou (published by Alfred A. Knopf, 2018).   Today we tackle chapters one and two. They are titled, “A Purposeful Life” and “Gluebot.”  I have not changed the estimate of 20 to 25 weeks, however, Stephen Adams has thrown down the gauntlet by suggesting we can do more than two chapters a week.  We shall see! Links to the re-read! Week 1 – – Week 2 -- - Conferences and More! ITMPI Webinar Virtual October 31 Register Now: https://bit.ly/2zo8MAV Webinar:  Agile, Where Agile Fears to Tread Next SPaMCASTSPaMCAST 518 will feature our interview with Rebecca Staton-Reinstein.  We talk leadership and the difference between a leader and a manager. You need both!

SPaMCAST 516 features our interview with Nishi Grover Garg.  Nishi and I started by discussing the major differences in agile and non-agile testing and ended with a discussion of agile pods. This is a wonderfully idea-rich interview. Note:  I am recording part of this episode remotely from a hotel in Brazil! Nishi’s Bio: Nishi is a Consulting Agile and Software testing trainer. With a decade of experience working in an Agile environment in different product-based companies, she has had a chance to work in all stages of software testing life cycle from a White box, Black box to Automation testing and Usability testing. Having now extended it to her full-time job, Nishi is a coach, trainer, and mentor in areas of Agile and software testing, specializing in conducting QA Induction boot-camps, ISTQB workshops, DevOps Foundation and Selenium Automation courses. She is certified by Agile Testing Alliance (ATA) as a CP-DOF, CP-SAT, CP-AAT, CP-MAT and by ISTQB as a Foundation and Advanced Test Analyst and likes to keep updating her skills periodically. She is also a passionate freelance writer and contributes to many online forums about new topics of interest in the industry like Techwell community’s AgileConnection.com, Stickyminds.com and many more. Check out her blog at www.testwithnishi.com to find her articles and catch up on her latest professional activities! Contact information: Blog: Email: Re-Read Saturday News This week we begin our read of Bad Blood (buy your copy today  and support the blog and the author).  Bad Blood is a new book for me, therefore a “read” rather than a re-read. We begin with the introductory material and a proposed plan for the read. Week 1 – – https://bit.ly/2J1pY2t  Conferences and More! ISMA 16 Sao Paulo, Brazil October 16 Register Now; https://bit.ly/2PXH8A5 Presentation: Product Owners In Agile – The Really Hard Role! ITMPI Webinar Virtual October 31 Register Now: https://bit.ly/2zo8MAV Webinar:  Agile, Where Agile Fears to Tread Next SPaMCASTSPaMCAST 517 will feature our essay on a code of ethics for agile coaches.  I am also considering a call to action to begin banding together to support a code of ethics.   We will also have a discussion with Jon M. Quigley.

SPaMCAST 515 features our essay on transformation and agile metrics. Whether you like the word transformation or not, many in the process improvement and agile communities help to facilitate change. Involvement in any non-trivial change effort requires resources, people, support and the expenditure of political capital. Metrics are tools for getting the people and resources you need. We also feature a visit from the Software Sensi.  Mr. Pries weights in on defining “what is quality”.  Kim mixes theory and practice to make a profound statement. Anchoring the cast this week is Gene Hughson.  Gene writes at the Form Follows Function blog. This week we talk about a piece titled, .  It really is art --  but really a visualization of anti-patterns at the same time. Re-Read Saturday News This week we conclude our re-read of with a few final thoughts and notes and a restatement of a checklist for a checklist that Stephen Adams contributed in the comments for Chapter 9 – they deserve more exposure.   This is an excellent book that is very useful for anyone involved in worrying about whether work is done consistently.  My punchline, “try using a checklist because they make sure our actions matter.” I hope you enjoy the book as much as I do.   Next week we will lay out the plan for our read of (buy your copy today  and support the blog and the author).  Bad Blood is a new book for me, therefore a “read” rather than a re-read. All of the entries for our re-read of the Checklist Manifesto: Week 11 - - Week 10 – – Week 9 – – – – – – – – – Conferences and More! Agile Online Summit 2018 Virtual October 8 - 12 Speaking on Agile Metrics!   ISMA 16 Sao Paulo, Brazil October 16 Register Now; Presentation: Product Owners In Agile – The Really Hard Role!   ITMPI Webinar Virtual October 31 Register Now: Webinar:  Agile, Where Agile Fears to Tread   Next SPaMCAST SPaMCAST 516 will feature our interview with Nishi Garg.  We started by discussing the major differences in agile and non-agile testing and ended with a discussion of agile pods. This is a wonderfully idea rich interview.  Nishi blogs at

SPaMCAST 514 features our interview with John Clapham. John and I talked DevOps, people, agile, and how all those pieces fit together coherently or not. John even quoted Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. This is a big, fun, informative interview! John Clapham is an experienced coach, trainer, and consultant, specializing in DevOps and Agile.  He helps teams to build great products, creating environments and systems which are effective, productive and enjoyable to work in. Often this means introducing Scrum, or developing a deeper understanding of the method and it's principles.  John draws on broad experience as an engineer and lead, he has built web and enterprise applications in government, publishing, telecommunications, commerce, defense, and public sector arenas. Twitter:   Web:   Re-Read Saturday News This week we tackle Chapter 9 of .  The Save is the final chapter in the book.  Next week we will discuss our final thoughts and decide on the next book.  In chapter 9 Atul Gawande talks about his experiences with the surgical checklist he helped to create.  The last chapter is a combination of emotion and evidence. Remember to buy a copy of and READ along! Current Installment: Week 10 - - Previous Installments: Week 9 - - - - - - - - -   Conferences and More! Agile Online Summit 2018 Virtual October 8 – 12 Speaking on Agile Metrics! ISMA 16 Sao Paulo, Brazil October 16 Register Now;  Presentation: Product Owners In Agile – The Really Hard Role ITMPI Webinar Virtual October 31 Register Now:  Webinar:  Agile, Where Agile Fears to Tread   Next SPaMCAST SPaMCAST 515 will feature an essay on transformation and agile metrics. Whether you like the word transformation or not, many in the process improvement and agile communities help to facilitate change. Involvement in any non-trivial change effort requires resources, people, support and the expenditure of political capital. We will also hear from Kim Pries and Gene Hughson.

SPaMCAST 513 features a second essay on reciprocity.  One of the hardest lessons I have had to learn is that some people on a team are passengers and others play different, more involved, roles. Being a passenger long-term on a team or in an organization is a form of rent-seeking and is not valued highly by others. We also have columns from Susan Parente (I Am Not a Scrumdamentalist) and Jeremy Berriault ().  Susan provides a spirited discussion of self-directed teams in agile.  It is a myth that agile teams just get to do what they want. One of the places to find Susan is at . Rounding out the cast is this month’s installment of the QA Corner.   Jeremy discusses one of the thorniest facts of life for a tester -- hard deadlines. Re-Read Saturday News This week we tackle Chapter 8, titled The Hero In The Age of Checklists.  Heroes are a big deal; pick up any newspaper and you will see how much the cult of the hero is celebrated.  Checklists and methods are viewed by many as diminishing the role of the hero which sows the seeds of resistance to change.  What role does the hero play in a disciplined process? If the hero is core to how we view ourselves and our society, do tools like checklists run the risk of being met with hostility?  Chapter 8 dives directly into the deep end to address these topics. We have two or three more weeks left in this re-read, which means it’s time for the poll.  Vote and be heard! Write-in candidates are welcome. [polldaddy poll=10114386] Remember to buy a copy of and READ along! Current Installment: Week 9 - - Previous Installments: - - - - - - -   Conferences and More! Agile Coach Camp 2018 Ann Arbor, Michigan. September 28 - 30 Participating Agile Online Summit 2018 Virtual October 8 - 12 Speaking on Agile Metrics! ISMA 16 Sao Paulo, Brazil October 16 Register Now; Presentation: Product Owners In Agile – The Really Hard Role ITMPI Webinar Virtual October 31 Register Now: Webinar:  Agile, Where Agile Fears to Tread Next SPaMCAST SPaMCAST 514 will feature our interview with John Clapham. John and I talked DevOps, people, agile, and how all those pieces fit together coherently or not. This a big, fun, informative interview!

SPaMCAST 512 marks the return of Jeff Dalton.  Jeff and I talked about the CMMI Version 2.0 and the Agile Performance Holarchy.  The CMMI is often maligned as promoting anti-agile behaviors. Jeff makes the case that Version 2.0 promotes agile.  We dive into the Agile Performance Holarchy during the second half of the interview. The Agile Performance Holarchy provides technology leaders with a model to guide agile adoption.   Jeff Dalton is Chief Evangelist at , a Research and Development organization that studies agile leadership. He is a technology executive with over 30 years of experience as a CTO, CIO, VP of Product Development, and for that past fifteen years has been CEO of Broadsword and AgileCxO. He is an executive agile coach, agile assessor, and instructor, a regular conference speaker, and author of both "The Agile Performance Holarchy: An Operating System for Agile Leaders" and "The Guide to Scrum and CMMI: Improving Agile Performance with CMMI." In his spare time, Jeff is an instrument-rated pilot and plays bass in a jazz band. He has degrees in music and computer science.   Contact Jeff at: Agilecxo.org Twitter:  @cmmiappraiser Twitter:  @agilecxo Re-Read Saturday News In week 8 of re-read of by Atul Gawande (use the link and buy a copy so you can read along) we read about building a usable checklist. In this chapter, Dr. Gawande puts all of the lessons learned in chapter 6 into action and tests the result. We have three or four more weeks left in this re-read, which means it is time to start soliciting ideas for the next book. To date, Sandeep Koorse has suggested Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit and Steven Adams has suggested Bad Blood – Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup.  What are your suggestions? I will run the poll in two weeks! Remember to buy a copy of and READ along! Current Installment: Previous Installments: - - - - - - - Next SPaMCAST SPaMCAST 513 will feature one more entry on reciprocity.  One of the hardest lessons I have had to learn is that some people on a team are passengers and others play different, more involved roles. Being a passenger long-term on a team or in an organization is a form of rent-seeking and is not valued highly by others. We will also have columns from Susan Parente (I Am Not a Scrumdamentalist) and Jeremy Berriault (QA Corner).

SPaMCAST 511 features our essay on reciprocity.  Reciprocal agreements are part of working and playing well with others that we begin learning on the playground and then bring to the office with us. There are many types of reciprocal agreements in a typical agile project. Entries in the Reciprocity theme: - - - Our second column features Kim Pries, the Software Sensei.  Kim discusses the use and impact of domain-specific languages.  The Software Sensei provides sage advice! The final column this week introduces the Software Process and Measurement Cast listeners to Sandeep Koorse. Sandeep delivers advice on an innovative approach to ensure retrospectives deliver value.  Reach out to Sandeep at Re-Read Saturday News We have four or five more weeks left in this re-read, which means it is time to start soliciting ideas for the next book. Sandeep Koorse has suggested Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit  (actually he referenced the book twice in his appearance on the SPaMCAST 511 which will be coming out tomorrow). What are your suggestions? In week 7 of re-read of by Atul Gawande (use the link and buy a copy so you can read along) we read about Atul’s visit to the Checklist Factory. In this chapter, Dr. Gawande provides the reader with many of the basics needed to create valuable checklists. Current Installment: - Previous Installments: - - - - - -   Next SPaMCAST SPaMCAST 512 marks the return of Jeff Dalton.  Jeff and I talked about the Agile Performance Holarchy.  The Agile Performance Holarchy provides technology leaders with the guidance they need to model, evaluate, and improve agile performance.

We are doing something special in SPaMCAST 510.  Over the past couple of years, we have talked to Steve Tendon and Wolfram Müller about their book, Hyper-Productive Knowledge Work Performance, The TameFlow Approach and Its Application to Scrum and Kanban. Today as part of our conversation Steve and Wolfram shine a light on some of the finer points in the book! They also share how they became collaborators on the book.  Remember to buy a copy and support the authors and the podcast .     Wolfram’s Bio Founder & Principal Consultant at Speed4Projects.net and VISTEM, Wolfram brings 25 years‘ experience as a Consulting Executive, IT Project Portfolio and Project Manager, Process Engineer, and Software Engineer. As head of the PMO at 1&1 Internet AG, he led 40 project managers in the delivery of 500 projects, innovating industry-leading methods, to drive unprecedented improvements in speed and reliability across the portfolio. He has published over 20 articles and books on ‘Critical Chain’, ‘Agile’, and ‘Lean’ and is a well-known speaker in Europe on how to achieve hyper-productive IT project portfolios based on the Theory of Constraints. LinkedIn: Web: (in German)   Steve’s Bio Steve is a senior executive management consultant, adviser, speaker and author. his research and consulting work focuses on the use of emerging technologies, and in particular Blockchain technologies, to improve business performance.   In 2016 he acted as a Strategic Adviser for the Ministry of Economy, Investment and Small Business (MEIB) of the Maltese Government to increase the country’s global competitiveness. Steve developed the vision of “Malta, the Blockchain Island” and authored Malta’s “National Blockchain Strategy,” which was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on April 2017. Steve is the creator of the TameFlow Approach. Web: Twitter: @tendon Re-Read Saturday News In week 6 of re-read of by Atul Gawande (use the link and buy a copy so you can read along) we read about Atul’s first try using a checklist to solve a big problem.  The Chapter is titled The First Try. Let’s just say it is a learning opportunity.   Current Installment: -   Previous Installments: - - - - - Next SPaMCAST SPaMCAST 511 we will feature an essay on reciprocity.  Reciprocity is a powerful tool, not just for coaches and agilists, but also for just about everyone that interacts with people. We will also have a column from Kim Pries, The Software Sensei.