Even way back the ancient times, people, thoughtful people, leaders, thought in terms of ‘systems’… small components working as one to deliver value… they have
The Continuous Delivery Pipeline: The Pipeline that Keeps Giving
In the movie, ‘Kingdom of Heaven’, the protagonist, Balian, inherited Ebelin, a large land — from his father the lord of Ebelin who just passed
This Requires Mindset Shift: “Fund Value Stream, not Projects”
Agile teams and team of Agile Teams (Agile Release Train (ART)) sit on a Value Stream. Per SAFe: “Value Streams represent the series of steps
The Other Side of Variability: Economics
After you have read my earlier posts…I hope that by now, you are already familiar with SAFe Principle #3 … and that is, ‘Assume variability.
Back in the Old Days…
I still remember …back in the old days…when Software Prototyping was the center of attention. Remember these 4GL languages: Powerbuilder, DataFlex, Dephi? If not, then
What is the Intent?
What is the intent? That’s what I ask for — the intent — when I read at a story, a feature, an epic, a solution.
The Ultimate Competitive Advantage… and the Economics of Product Development Variability
“Change before you have to… control your own destiny or someone else will. An organization’s ability to learn, and translate that learning into action rapidly,
My Two Favorite RTE Responsibilities
My two favorite Release Train Engineer (RTE) responsibilities are: 1) facilitate PI Planning readiness and the event itself; and 2) drive relentless improvement through ‘Inspect
Fist of Five
You can do this ‘Fist of Five’ at anytime and anywhere and any occasion (even at the dining table — or before dining to vote
Your ART is Like a Bamboo Tree
Someone asked me, “How long will it take to build a high-performing ART (Agile Release Train)?“. “Around 5 years on average“, I replied. From my
Show Me The Money!
It’s football season again in the U.S.A! Very excited! On Sunday, September 9, 2018, Carolina Panthers won their first game of the season against the
Series (7 of 7): Building High-Performing ART — “Give your ART Downtime”
Give your agile Teams and team of Agile teams some downtime…space. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy! The same is true
Series (6 of 7): Building High-Performing ART — “Give Your ART a SAFe Framework”
The title is a pun! SAFe is a framework. Seriously, provide your Agile teams or team of Agile teams a framework…a structure. Agile teams need framework/structure
Series (5 of 7): Building High-Performing ART — “Give Your ART an Environment to Fail”
Babies learning how to walk will fall…get up…try again…they do this over and over until they succeed. They are failing fast…and trying again…parents encouraging them
Series (4 of 7): Building High-Performing ART — “Give Them Autonomy”
Who does not want autonomy? Autonomy paves way to self-determination and empowerment. Freedom. Remember MAP? Mastery, Autonomy and Purpose — having MAP unlocks the intrinsic motivation
Series (3 of 7): Building High-Performing ART — “Address Dread — Nip it in the Bud”
Dread…that feeling of fear or great apprehension…it paralyzes most of us… we can’t move … can’t execute… we procrastinate… it paralyzes your Agile teams and
Series (2 of 7): Building High-Performing ART — “Thou Shalt Not Compare One to Others”
This “Thou Shalt Not Compare One to Others” sounds like a commandment. it’s meant to sound like it because it is very important. It is
Series (1 of 7): Building High-Performing ART — “Be a Servant-Leader and Coach”
Agile Release Train (ART), per SAFe, “… is a long-lived team of Agile teams, which, along with other stakeholders, develops and delivers solutions incrementally, using
Organize Teams Around Features, Components…and Most Importantly, Around Releasability
In Sun Tzu’s book, “Art of War”, there is a section on “Waging War”. I quote: “As for military operations, let us consider an army
Baby Step Your Way to Successful Transformation
Babies got this ‘baby steps’ figured out: on their way to their first steps, they initially find themselves falling down… but they get up and
The Ability to Pivot as Necessary, is a Characteristic of an Effective Lean-Agile Team
The huge ship Titanic can pivot — like any other ship for that matter — but in that ill-fated night, it was necessary for it
Don’t Rush to a Decision…Keep your Options Open!
Ah! Options…we all love options…am I right? Why rush to a decision when you have the pleasure of choosing the best option at your own
I Trust My Train! It is Very Predictable!
I do not sweat my early morning commute and late afternoon commute. I take the train to and from work. I can sleep whilst in
What Keeps You Up at Night?
Seriously…what keeps you up at night? Is it related to “Pain”? Or is it related to “Pleasure”? In this day and age — wherein applied
Don’t Let Your Work Be a Queue from Hell! Go Small !!!
Have you ever found yourself in a long queue? Long checkout line at the grocery store… long queue to the bank teller… long queue to
Ignore These at your Peril: Adaptability and Decentralized Decision-Making
Adaptability: In the Car Shop industry, work flows to them — from customers walking in with their car problems, everyday, 7 days a week —
Thin,Vertical Slices — the Key to Success!
Happy Mother’s Day to my wife and to all moms! It’s a Sunday afternoon, 3PM EST, May 13, 2018, Mother’s Day — hot 92F, sunny
Adapt to Any Situation…
April 29, Sunday afternoon. It was a very nice weather — sunny, blue skies, breezy and a balmy 67F; my family and I were at
To Pivot or to Persevere…that is the Question
“Pivot is a change in strategy without a change in vision” — unknown. On April 17, 2018, we made a key decision: change the
Failed and Half-Baked Transformation Lacks this, a…
If you want small changes in your life, work on your attitude. But if you want big and primary changes, work on your paradigm
