William T. Barry, PMP

Two days until Book Release! ScrumMaster Application and Interview Process Tip of the Day! For phone interviews, confirm who’s calling who. For video interviews, confirm the tool and practice! For either - be prepared, be kind and don’t mess around! #scrummother #scrummaster #scrum #agile #moveyourownneedle #scrummasterapplicationandinterviewprocess #scrummasterapplicationprocess #scrummasterinterviewprocess

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Two courses down, one to go. Hopefully, I can get the final one done this week. I am confident in applying SAFe while using my ScrumMaster and Product Owner knowledge and certifications in this setting. #scrummaster #productowner #scrum #agile #scaledagile #lean #less #kanban #it #software #digital

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New Episode Alert!!! In this episode Danielle Gerber, SPCT, RTE, PMP, CSM and agile transformation expert, explores her journey from traditional project management to agile coaching. She dives deep into agile frameworks like SAFe, Scrum, and Kanban and reveals the essential mindset shifts for truly successful agile transformations. Key Takeaways: ✅ Agility is about delivering value, not just “checking boxes.” ✅ Mindset and cultural transformation are critical for agile success. ✅ SAFe is a flexible toolkit, not a rigid prescription. ✅ Continuous improvement and learning from mistakes drive agile teams. Whether you’re a seasoned agile coach or just starting your journey, this episode is packed with insights to help your team thrive. Listen now, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe! Listen to the Podcast here: https://lnkd.in/eVPn-xks or on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/eHp7efJE #AgileTransformation #SAFe #AgileCoaching #TheAgileMatrix

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4 days until book release! The eBook is already available for preorder - https://lnkd.in/eNxNHtZX Today’s ScrumMaster Application and Interview Process Tip of the Day! Applying is not enough… making a human connection is vital! #scrummother #scrummaster #scrum #agile #moveyourownneedle

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#ACRSA2024 Scrum Alliance Part 2 One of the best parts about meeting other agile coaches is feeling like you're not alone in the battles you face and having elevated conversations regarding your craft and passion. My purpose for attending this year's retreat was to find new solutions to old problems...but instead I learned how to elevate the agile coaching toolkit and approaches through the topics that floated up to the top of our pitch list. Things for other agile practitioners to consider: The Art of Dot Voting Does dot voting really represent the consensus of a group? Are people gaming dot voting to avoid or guarantee preferences? Is there an emotional impact of voting when people's ideas consistently get docked for never or later...? Is there ranking, combine positive and negative voting, categorical voting or voting limitations and rules that can foster equality? Is there psychologically safety to vote honestly? The Aftermath of large Agile Transformations gone Wrong Change fatigue is real. Before we fix anything - how do we build trust? How can we make it comfortable for teams to unlearn something they just learned then learn it again but different? What baggage, bias and appreciation do we bring to conversations? How can we add value through different stances? How can we actively immerse ourselves in context? Do we focus enough on Being Agile not just Doing Agile? How can we ignite desire for change, learning and self-organisation? Value Stream Mapping ...is NOT a roadmap, a project plan or a re-organisational structure as the Value Pickles team will concur. Value Stream Mapping is what allows empirical validation of speed and efficiency. It's about systems thinking and flow. Agile but in it's simplest form Frank V had Alistair Cockburn's 'Heart of Agile' sticker on his laptop...a constant reminder that what we need to get right in any agile environment are the complex but simplest things. As Carol Dekkers puts it - "communication and humanity is the key to measurement, technology, project management and ... work." #agilecoach #agilethoughts #heartofagile #valuestreammapping #agiletransformation #dotvoting

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So I get this question from LinkedIn Expert Answers: Business Administration / Business Analysis: You're facing scope creep with a client. How can you negotiate to protect project deliverables? =====> How much more vague can this question be? Ok, let me set some preconditions. We do not know the approach or the way that the contract was written. We do not know if the goal has a time-based-deliverable constraint. We do not know when "scope creep" appeared or if it is broad or deep within an existing/proposed functionality or is it new functionality that aligns to the goal or new functionality that is off on a tangent. Oh, I have a lot more questions, and you should, too. Bottom line is that "expert" questions like this are a waste of time. If you run into issues that you cannot solve, hire an expert. I know, many of you are saying, "I am an expert." Um, then why do situations like this occur? Was there no initial planning and replanning? We welcome changing requirements even late in the lifecycle. Remember that? All the theory and thoughts in the world do not solve problems. Find a real world practitioner and put them on retainer. We may not know everything, though we do know how to use solid logic and reasoning to solve problems. And we also have the personalities that empathize with the customer, so that we provide solutions that meet their specific problems. LeanAgility.us has real world practitioners who have successful Government experience. Almost 20 years worth of Agile, Scrum, Kanban, SAFe, Waterfall, Mini-Waterfall, and Ad Hoc, Home Grown approaches. Problems require solutions. We have solutions.

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Join me at an online PSM-A class! Dig deep into the principles behind Scrum and learn to provide answers aside from "it is said so in the Scrum guide" to help your organization succeed. https://lnkd.in/e_j9hYzQ

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It looks like it's time for my annual (semi-annual, at this point) post about how a Scrum master and a product owner cannot be the same person. Yet again, this is inspired by multiple inquiries from recruiters, trying to entice me to take a job with a stingy employer who wants to pay one person to work two roles. You don't adopt any Agile way of working just to be Agile. No one gives a crap about a mindset. A mindset makes no money. Especially these days as people like Scrum masters and Agile coaches are getting axed, any Agile adoption must serve an outcome: return on investment, lower time-to-market, and ideally both. Scrum itself has proven for a long time now it can affect those outcomes, if in fact it's the right framework for your effort. If you don't know what you're doing (spoiler alert: if you think the SM and the PO can be the same person, you, in fact, do not know what you're doing), start with the Scrum Guide, available at scrumguides.org. The Scrum master is a coach who helps teams (and the product owners, too) grow in this Agile way of working. The SM knows what outcomes the teams must produce, and they actively guide the teams to produce those outcomes for delighted customers while also helping teams become more effective. The product owner is a liaison to the customer, and sometimes the customer themselves. The PO is *not a business analyst*. The PO understands what the customer is going to need and when. The PO works with the team to build an achievable product backlog and roadmap, and tells them what would be ideal to go into the sprint backlog. Unless this mythical "SMPO" has two heads, two brains, and two hats, it should be clear why the SM and the PO can't be the same person. They serve different masters. The SM serves the team, and the PO serves the customer. You'll create an SM who starts to tell the team what to work on. You'll have a PO who thinks they can run standups and also tell the team what to work on. Eventually, you'll have a demotivated team that's ready to resign en masse. I mean, if you want to watch your competitors blast ahead of you while you count the comparable change you saved by making one person work two roles, go right ahead. #agile #scrum #scrummaster #productowner #digitaltransformation #productmanagment #productdevelopment #projectmanagement #scrumguide

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Join Donncha Carroll and Jeffrey Williamson on August 8th to learn strategies for designing, launching, and effectively operating a talent management platform. Learn how to provide workforce intelligence, accelerate development, increase engagement and performance, and dynamically align business strategy with the workforce. The event is open to the public — register using the link below!

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3 Days until book release! ScrumMaster Application and Interview Process Tip of the Day Know your Why! All the whys… :) #scrummother #scrummaster #scrum #agile #moveyourownneedle #scrummasterapplicationandinterviewprocess #scrummasterapplicationprocess #scrummasterinterviewprocess

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And another one!! I just finished "Agile Product Owner Role: Techniques" by Angela Wick! Let’s go!!! Highly recommend for anyone looking to get into product management and product ownership. Let me know if you have any questions. Check it out: https://lnkd.in/eVtFXMTV #agilemethodologies. #product #productmanagement #agile #agileproduct #agileproductowner #productowner #motivation #productdevelopment #agilemethodologies #productlaunch #leadership

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UPDATE: The book launch is now full! 📢 Call for BOOK LAUNCH Participants! 📢 The long-awaited release of ⭐ "ScrumMaster Application and Interview Process: The Who, What, Where, When, Why and How to Apply and Interview for a New ScrumMaster Role" ⭐ is right around the corner, aiming for 📅 Friday, November 22nd📅 ! 📚 I'm seeking 10 people to participate in the book launch! 📚 👯 WHO 👯 : Anyone applying for or interviewing for ScrumMaster roles, practicing ScrumMasters, or those that interview or hire ScrumMasters. ❓ THE ASK ❓ : Read the manuscript and post an honest review on Amazon when it goes live - the Yays and the Nays. 🎁 WHAT YOU RECEIVE 🎁 : A free copy of the manuscript plus a 1 hour 1:1 Coaching session with me! 📝 All interested parties - please complete this Google Form - with your name, email and phone number to join the launch! 📝 https://lnkd.in/dG4stJQ7

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This book from Gary K. Evans is way more than just about Scrum... It has a tremendous amount of personal tips and tricks around helping teams be effective across the myriad disciplines that are needed. There are several ways to get value from this book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

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In this video, PSTs Robert Pieper, Jason Malmstadt, and Greg Crown discuss the importance of quality standards and how Scrum can help ensure high-quality results. Greg Crown Jason Malmstadt #MistakeProofing #Scrum

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In this video, PSTs Greg Crown, Robb Pieper, and Jason Malmstadt break down the three Scrum artifacts: the Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, and Increment. They provide clear explanations and practical tips to ensure you're using these artifacts effectively to deliver valuable Product Increments every Sprint. #Scrum #ProductBacklog #SprintBacklog

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I did significant work on my Software Practices Timeline based on discussions and feedback during #DevOpsDays Birmingham. I would appreciate "beta testers" willing to use the tool to audit their software organization's practices, and see if this tool helps you identify "What year our org is in", and what to try next to improve your Throughput, Business Value, and Code Quality. (Should take about 5 minutes, if you have the right people gathered).

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RGi President Brian Loggins spoke with the WashingtonExec. this week about how we provide an #ImmediateImpact for our government clients, and stand out among other GovCons. “What makes us different is the quality of our work, the quality of our people. I know a lot of companies can say that, but the difference with us is we’re very deliberate and focused on hiring the best, most innovative-type people, and then only going after the really innovative, complex kinds of work." Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/gUBWHsAE #GEOINT #NationalSecurity

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