Thriving In An Agile World

Joe CombsPrincipal Consultant, Systems Evolution Inc.

The Challenge

Average schedule overrun on IT projects of almost 70%

Average cost overrun of 27% and higher in many cases

Harvard Business Review

Why Your IT Project May Be Riskier Than You Think

September 2011

The Challenge

While agile projects are succeeding where waterfall projects fail, more than 50% of projects can still be classified as failing or challenged

The Standish Group

The Chaos Report - 2012

CHAOS Manifesto - 2013

Go To Lunch

Favor Individuals and Interactions over processes and tools…

- The Agile Manifesto

Software Developers who ate lunch in large groups wrote 10% more code than those who ate solo

- Ben Waber, CEO of Humanyze

Work Sustain-ably

Yes, this means take charge of your work-life balance but its so much more than that...

Are you diligently watching team commitments, size of stories, etc?

Do you have the right tool set?

Is the team making wise choices or are you leaving tech debt in your wake?

Be the Keeper of the Flame

Seek a deeper understanding of the “Why” behind every practice, every ceremony

Develop a habit of calling out the team when we deviate

Know the Boundaries

Agile projects often exist in a bubble within the organization

Are there teams upstream or downstream from you who aren't agile?

Who are the team's champions? Who are the skeptics?

Become a Life-Long Learner

You'll be the same person 5 years from now you are today but for the people you've met and the books you've read

- Charlie “Tremendous” Jones, motivational speaker

Certifications (when they make sense)

Create a spirit of learning amongst the entire team

Own It

The “I've got this covered” person is exceedingly rare in this world

Adopt a “buck stops here mentality” and foster this same spirit in the team.

Wrapping Up

Go to Lunch

Work Sustain-ably

Be the Keeper of the Flame

Know the Boundaries

Become a Life-Long Learner

Own It

THANK YOU!!

LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/jcombs

Twitter - @jgcombs

Blog – jgcombs.wordpress.com

SlideShare - http://www.slideshare.net/JoeCombs1/dayofagile2015-50873259

References

The Agile Manifesto – agilemanifesto.org

How a Bigger Lunch Table at Work Can Boost Productivity

http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2015/05/20/405226172/how-a-bigger-lunch-table-at-work-can-boost-productivity

Start With Why – Simon Sinek