Podcasts about Kanban

Jem gets deep into Grasshopper software building custom robot CAM while Justin keeps drilling thousands of holes on his ShopSabre. They chat about wild HTX Studio YouTube automation, scary tool changer malfunctions, and the eternal struggle of buying used vs new CNC machines. Plus Justin upgrades to a bigger 3D printer and teases his AirShop inventory & quoting software. Plus koala vaccines, and 8020 extrusion workholding in the future?Watch on YoutubeDISCUSSED:✍️ Comment or Suggest a TopicKoala VaccineJem in love with GrasshopperGrasshopper Tutorial VideoHTX Studio! ꘎Justin is still drilling thousands of holesMulticam Trident CNC Tool Changer issueShopping for mills, how can you tell if a secondhand machine is any good!?Plywood tombstones no so much good ꘎Should I use 8020 extrusion for fixtures!?Robot work holding!? ꘎ExtrusionJ moves are sketchy as in Robot programmingPierson videoH2S on the way AirShop update Kanban cards done, testers signup hereEric Trine like wine---Profit First PlaylistClassic Episodes Playlist---SUPPORT THE SHOWBecome a Patreon - Get the Secret ShowReview on Apple Podcast Share with a FriendDiscuss on Show SubredditShow InfoShow WebsiteContact Jem & JustinInstagram | Tiktok | Facebook | YoutubePlease note: Show notes contains affiliate links.HOSTSJem FreemanCastlemaine, Victoria, AustraliaLike Butter | Instagram |

Ryan Sudeck is the CEO of Sage Investment Group, where he leads a team focused on addressing the affordable housing crisis through hotel-to-apartment conversions. With a background in mergers and acquisitions at Amazon, Samsung, and Redfin, Ryan has overseen more than 24 successful adaptive reuse projects nationwide. Under his leadership, Sage operates an evergreen fund with over 400 investors, creating high-quality, naturally affordable housing at scale.     Make sure to download our free guide, 7 Questions Every Passive Investor Should Ask, here.     Key Takeaways Hotels are valued differently than apartments, creating a 40%+ value lift when converted to residential use. Sage Investment Group has completed 24 hotel-to-apartment conversions across six states, with 100–200 units per property. Units are typically 300-square-foot studios with full kitchens and modern amenities. Strong diligence on entitlements, construction, and lease-up is critical for success. Patience in acquisitions—sometimes two years per deal—is key to meeting return thresholds.     Topics From M&A to Affordable Housing Ryan's career in corporate acquisitions prepared him to lead Sage. Joined as CEO to scale a mission-driven approach to solving the housing shortage. Why Hotel Conversions Work Hotels trade at higher cap rates than apartments, creating built-in arbitrage. Conversion costs average $100K per unit—about half the replacement cost of new builds. Final product: fully renovated studios with fitness centers, coworking, and community amenities. Execution Risks and Lessons Learned Entitlements: converting from commercial to residential requires local approvals. Construction: inspections, sewer scopes, and cutting open walls before purchase to avoid surprises. Lease-up: conservative rent assumptions and regional property managers ensure stabilized occupancy. Capital Stack and Returns Evergreen fund supplies 25–35% of equity alongside LPs. Senior debt from community banks or private debt funds covers 60–75%. Renovation costs run $35K–$45K per unit; recent refis have returned significant equity. Why Not Ground-Up or Value-Add? Ground-up costs 2x more per unit and faces supply delays. Value-add multifamily is overpriced with thin margins post-2021. Conversions provide stronger risk-adjusted returns.    

Get the inside scoop on HubSpot's game-changing INBOUND 2025 releases! Denamico team members, Alise Kostick, RevOps Strategist, and Sophie Schaffran, Marketing Director, break down key updates through the lens of organizational roles.They focus on how HubSpot is unifying data and transforming how teams work together. This episode is for RevOps leaders, marketers, sales professionals, and service teams who want to understand how these updates will impact their daily workflows and strategic initiatives.What You'll Learn:Operations Hub to Data Hub transformation and what it means for RevOps professionals managing complex data workflowsMarketing Studio, the new visual campaign planning tool that combines whiteboarding, project management, and performance trackingSmart CRM updates including Kanban boards, timeline views, and a map view for territory planningAI-powered CPQ in Commerce Hub and who it's for today Breeze AI evolution including Breeze Studio, Assistants and new AgentsSelf-generating CRM data that pulls unstructured data from sources like email signatures, auto-responses, and call transcriptsReleases Mentioned:HubSpot INBOUND 2025 Fall Spotlight Denamico newsletter: 3 big shifts from INBOUND Data Hub: Data Studio, Data QualityCommerce Hub CPQ (in public beta)Smart CRM: Self-Generating CRM Data, Smart Insights, Flexible CRM ViewsBreeze Studio: Customer Agent, Prospecting Agent, Data Agent, Breeze Assistant Marketing Hub: Marketing Studio, AI-Powered Email, Segments and PersonalizationIs your business ready to scale? Take the Growth Readiness Score to find out. In 5 minutes, you'll see: Benchmark data showing how you stack up to other organizations A clear view of your operational maturity Whether your business is ready to scale (and what to do next if it's not) Let's Connect Subscribe to the RevOps Champions Newsletter LinkedIn YouTube Explore the show at revopschampions.com. Ready to unite your teams with RevOps strategies that eliminate costly silos and drive growth? Let's talk!

The Birth of the Agile Delivery Manager = No More ScrumMastersIn 2025, we formally changed the title of Scrum Master to Agile Delivery Manager (ADM) in our technology division. This renaming wasn't a rebrand for the sake of optics. It reflected a deeper evolution already happening, rooted in the expanding scope of delivery leadership, the adoption of Flow Metrics and Value Stream Management, and our real-world shift from strict Scrum toward a more customized Kanban-based model.It was this year that the name finally clicked. After assigning Value Stream Architect responsibilities to our Scrum Masters and giving them ownership of delivery metrics, team-level delivery health, and collaboration across roles within their Agile team, I realized the title “Scrum Master” no longer fit their role. I even considered Agile Value Stream Manager, but it felt too narrow and platform-specific.That's when Agile Delivery Manager stood out, not only as a better label but also as a more accurate reflection of the mindset and mission.How to connect with AgileDad:- [website] https://www.agiledad.com/- [instagram] https://www.instagram.com/agile_coach/- [facebook] https://www.facebook.com/RealAgileDad/- [Linkedin] https://www.linkedin.com/in/leehenson/

Knowledge work hides in ways that physical work never could. That invisibility creates a dangerous pattern: you say yes to one more matter and before you know it, your entire team operates beyond capacity. In this episode, I use real examples from law firms using Kanban boards to demonstrate how making your work visible can fundamentally change how your team coordinates, communicates, and makes decisions about your capacity.Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.agileattorney.com/85Mentioned in this episode:Greenline.legal is Officially in BetaTo set up a demo of this software with me, talk through the workflow challenges and opportunities you have in your practice, and see how Greenline could help, click here: https://the-agile-attorney.captivate.fm/greenlinelegalGreenlineLegal Demo

Salum Abdul-Rahman: From Lunch Conversations to Company-Wide Change—The Power of Creating Communities of Practice Within Organizations Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Salum shares how he organically built an Agile community within his company by recognizing a shared need for discussion and learning. Starting as a software developer who took on Scrum Master tasks, he felt isolated in his Agile journey. Rather than waiting for formal training or external events, he sent out a simple invite on the company Slack for a lunch discussion during a work day. People showed up, and what began as informal conversations about different approaches to Scrum and Kanban evolved into monthly gatherings. Over time, this grassroots community grew to organize company-wide events and even found new leadership when Salum moved on, demonstrating the power of identifying shared needs and taking initiative to address them. Self-reflection Question: What shared learning needs exist in your organization that you could address by simply reaching out and organizing informal discussions? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

“Agile is not just for software — it's for solving problems anywhere there's complexity:"At Scan Agile 2025, Jim and Sander dive into a thought-provoking conversation with Michal Epstein about the transformative power of agility beyond traditional tech environments. Discover how agile principles can be applied in diverse fields like biotech and construction, and learn about the importance of stakeholder collaboration and value-driven approaches. Key takeaways include understanding that agile is a mindset transcending industries, the crucial role of stakeholder engagement, the benefits for non-tech teams, the importance of communication and transparency, and insights into value-based pricing.Connect with Michal: (14) Michal Epstein | LinkedInCheck out our sponsor:www.xebia.comwww.wiserbees.comwww.masteringagility.orgHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Marty and Eric provide ideas and resources for your consideration is using project management softwareWhy move past email?Email buries decisions/files in long threads.Slack (real-time chat + threads) + a project manager (kanban/tasks/timelines) make work visible, searchable, and faster.Slack is already common in higher ed for communication and collaborative learning; pairing it with a project manager levels up coordination.30-minute starter kitCreate a Slack workspace; invite your class/research team with university emails.Channels (starter set): #announcements, #general-questions, #project-alpha, #helpdesk, #random.Norms (pin these in #announcements): use threads, tag with @, add short TL;DRs, react for quick status.Project manager: Set up a board with lists/columns → Backlog → To Do → Doing → Review → Done.Task template: Goal, owner, due date, checklist, attachments, link to reading/IRB doc.Connect Slack ↔ project manager: enable the integration so task updates post to the right channel.Teaching use casesTeam projects: each team gets a Slack channel + its own board; require weekly “Done” screenshots.Office hours: scheduled Slack huddles; post a recap thread.Peer feedback: students comment on tasks; instructor summarizes in Slack.Late-work transparency: a Blocked list with reason + next step.Research use casesProtocol to practice: one task per milestone (IRB, recruitment, analysis, manuscript).R&Rs: a “Review → Revise → Resubmit” lane with checklists for each reviewer note.Data hygiene: Slack for coordination only; store data in approved drives; link rather than upload.Accessibility & equityEncourage asynchronous participation; clear headings, short paragraphs, alt text for images.Prefer threads to reduce noise; summarize meetings in a single recap post.Privacy, policy, ethics (esp. counseling/education)No PHI/PII or client details in Slack or the project manager; share links to secured storage instead.Align with FERPA and IRB guidance; pin a “What NOT to post” note.Set channel/board permissions; remove access at term/project end; export/archive if required.Adoption playbook (4 weeks)Week 0: Announce tools + 5 rules (threads, TL;DRs, owners, due dates, recap posts).Week 1: Move announcements to Slack; first sprint (one deliverable on the board).Week 2: Turn on Slack↔PM automations; introduce the Blocked ritual.Week 3–4: Gather feedback; prune channels/labels; codify norms.Asana   Asana.com Free 10 members 3 projectsMonday   Monday.comOpenProject — https://www.openproject.org/ Pros: Full suite (Gantt, Agile boards, time tracking); mature docs; robust Community Edition. Cons: Heavier to administer; some advanced features gated to Enterprise. Taiga — https://taiga.io/ Pros: Clean Scrum/Kanban workflow; easy start; open source. Cons: Best fit for agile use—fewer “classic PM” features than larger suites. Redmine — https://www.redmine.org/ Pros: Very mature; flexible trackers/wiki; huge plugin ecosystem. Cons: Dated UI; Ruby stack setup can be fiddly. Leantime — https://leantime.io/ Pros: Designed for “non-project managers” (inclusive UX); simple boards/roadmaps; self-host downloads. Cons: Smaller ecosystem than Redmine/OpenProject. WeKan — https://wekan.fi/ Pros: Trello-style Kanban; easy install options (e.g., Snap); MIT-licensed. Cons: Kanban-only; limited built-in reporting. Kanboard — https://kanboard.org/ Pros: Ultra-light, minimal Kanban; quick self-host; solid docs. Cons: Project is in “maintenance mode”; fewer advanced features. Plane (Community Edition) — https://plane.so/ Pros: Modern UI; issues/sprints/roadmaps; AGPLv3 CE. Cons: Still evolving; smaller academic user base. Nextcloud Deck — https://apps.nextcloud.com/apps/deck Pros: Kanban tightly integrated with Nextcloud Files/Calendar; mobile apps available. Cons: Requires a Nextcloud instance; not a full PM suite.Email:ThePodTalkNetwork@gmail.comWebsite: ThePodTalk.Net

Come si fa a trasformare una realtà consulenziale in una tech company orientata al prodotto? Quali sono le sfide culturali, organizzative e tecniche?In questo episodio della rubrica CTO Show, Alex Pagnoni intervista Davide Damiano, CTO di Begear, che ha vissuto in prima persona questa transizione strategica e ce la racconta nei dettagli: mindset, organizzazione, resistenze, metriche, benefici.Un confronto ricco di spunti per chi guida team tech, startup, aziende di servizi IT o realtà enterprise che stanno ripensando il proprio modello di business.Scopri come cambiare punto di vista può generare più valore, più ownership e più sostenibilità nel lungo periodo.L'articolo completo è su Tech 360: https://tech360.media/come-e-perche-passare-da-un-modello-consulenziale-a-uno-orientato-al-prodotto-cto-show-137/Capitoli:00:00 Introduzione al tema e all'ospite01:45 Perché oggi è importante parlare di prodotto04:10 Limiti del modello consulenziale07:30 I segnali che indicano la necessità di cambiare10:25 Dal progetto al prodotto: il cambio di mentalità13:20 L'importanza della visione di lungo periodo15:45 Mettere davvero l'utente finale al centro18:15 Cambi organizzativi: team cross-funzionali e processi21:00 Le resistenze culturali e come affrontarle24:20 Il ruolo della leadership tecnica nella transizione26:50 Product engineers, non solo sviluppatori29:30 Dal framework Scrum a Kanban per adattarsi meglio31:00 Velocità vs qualità: come bilanciare33:10 Nuove metriche per misurare il successo del prodotto36:00 Consigli pratici per chi vuole fare il salto38:30 Chiusura e riflessioni finaliHost e ospite:Host: Alex Pagnoni, founder di Axelerant, Tech CEO & CTO Advisor.Guest: Davide Damiano, CTO di Begear. Nato a Napoli e da anni a Milano, è un CTO con una solida esperienza nella progettazione di architetture software e nella gestione di team tech in contesti enterprise. Ha guidato progetti complessi in ambito digitale e platform engineering, con un approccio orientato alla qualità, all'innovazione e alla crescita delle persone. Appassionato di tecnologia, sport e sfide, affronta ogni obiettivo con determinazione, senza mai perdere di vista ciò che conta davvero: la famiglia.

¿Aburrido de Trello y de los servicios en la nube? En este episodio, te presento Tasks.md, una alternativa de código abierto para gestionar tus tareas con una metodología Kanban. Descubre por qué esta herramienta es la solución perfecta si buscas simplicidad, control sobre tus datos y una integración perfecta con tu flujo de trabajo basado en Markdown.Aprende a instalar Tasks.md fácilmente con Docker en tu propia Raspberry Pi o VPS. Exploraremos las ventajas de tener un Kanban autoalojado, las sinergias con otras herramientas como Neovim y Obsidian, y cómo esta solución te puede ayudar a ser más productivo sin las distracciones de las plataformas tradicionales. Si valoras el software de código abierto y la autosuficiencia, este episodio es para ti.Más información y enlaces en las notas del episodio

¿Aburrido de Trello y de los servicios en la nube? En este episodio, te presento Tasks.md, una alternativa de código abierto para gestionar tus tareas con una metodología Kanban. Descubre por qué esta herramienta es la solución perfecta si buscas simplicidad, control sobre tus datos y una integración perfecta con tu flujo de trabajo basado en Markdown.Aprende a instalar Tasks.md fácilmente con Docker en tu propia Raspberry Pi o VPS. Exploraremos las ventajas de tener un Kanban autoalojado, las sinergias con otras herramientas como Neovim y Obsidian, y cómo esta solución te puede ayudar a ser más productivo sin las distracciones de las plataformas tradicionales. Si valoras el software de código abierto y la autosuficiencia, este episodio es para ti.Más información y enlaces en las notas del episodio

Dave Prior transitions control of his podcast to Alex Silva, a fellow Personal Kanban practitioner. They discuss the challenges of time management and productivity, sharing personal experiences and strategies. Dave emphasizes the importance of using personal Kanban as a tool for self-reflection and optimization, rather than just task management. He describes his "productivity recovery plan" using a notebook to maintain focus when his electronic system fails. Alex highlights the benefits of community and continuous learning, noting the impact of face-to-face interactions. Both agree on the value of daily routines, such as reading and exercise, for maintaining balance and productivity. Contacting Alex LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soualexsilva/ To learn more about Personal Kanban Personal Kanban: https://www.personalkanban.com/pk/blog/ Dave's Personal Kanban Blog Posts: https://drunkenpm.blogspot.com/2014/10/summary-of-personal-kanban-posts-for.html The Agile Network's Discover What's NEXT event 8/20-21 https://theagilenetwork.com/group/ddb2c98a-5768-4763-9b3d-3ae170c384e0/profile

It is seriously sad to be dumb.  Nothing annoys me more than when I finally realise something that was so obvious and yet I didn't see what was there, right in front of my nose.  We talk a lot about value creation in relation to pricing, trying to persuade clients that what we are selling is a sensible trade off between the value they seek and the revenue that we seek.  We want the value we offer to be both perceived and acknowledged value by the buyer.  Often however, we get into a rut in our sales mindset.  We carve a neuron groove once in our brain and keep ploughing that same row.  Outside stimulation is needed.  I realised that fact when I recently did some formal online training. My previous companies had sent me to the Harvard, Stanford and Insead business schools in the past, which of course, were all amazing.  However, when I was doing my recent studies, I recalled that it has been some time since I did something formal like that. During the coursework, I realised many things we could do around value provision, which we have not been doing or not doing sufficiently well enough.  I am an avid reader, but I also found that the mantra of both “formal” and “informal” lifetime learning is a good one to follow. I found we have had a lot of assets lying around, which we have not fully utilised, hence the “I hate how dumb I am” statement.  We need an omnichannel approach. Often, we may have videos hanging around, explaining the benefits and the details of a service or a product.  Now the video has an audio track, which we can strip out of the video. This allows us to turn it into a different medium, allowing clients to access the information in that format.  So many people are now processing information through audio, thanks to the recent proliferation of podcasts and audiobooks. Buyers are busy, busy and so many are multi-tasking while listening.  Having audio alternatives may help to save them valuable time, compared to them having to sit down and watch our video. Depending on the content, the audio might also become a training tool for our own staff.  Now if that video is sitting there on YouTube for free, then once people have watched it, suddenly, a whole world of YouTube's other groovy offerings appears on your client's screen.  They are being tempted to look at our competitor's videos.  That is not a great result for us.  We want to keep the client on our website for as long as possible.  There are companies like Wistia, for example, which will host the videos for a monthly fee. These videos are no longer mashed into YouTube's offerings, but sit independently, such that the client cannot stray into competitor territory.  We want to build a moat to keep the client in our ecosystem, so that after watching the video on Wistia, they have to come back to us.  Are you able to free your clients from the YouTube loop and make sure they escape your rival's charms? The audio track can also be run through AI programmes like Descript, which will turn sound into text.  Once the text emerges, we need to edit the content, because the AI is good, but it is not perfect.  Once we have the corrected information in text, it can go into our newsletters, get it on to our website and we can send it out to clients.  When we have text in English, we can translate it into Japanese and use that for clients.  We can use this text information to supplement other information we are going to send to clients or include it in our after sales service programmes.  Do you have any opportunities to create text, which didn't exist as text before and find ways to employ this to add more value for clients?   Often we have multiple solutions for clients, which we could bundle together.  As salespeople though, we tend to be stuck in that Johnny One Note neuron groove and only sell clients one solution. An ideal bundle would be so attractive that the client would be willing to enter into a subscription format to pay something upfront for a whole year or each month or each quarter.  The point is to get them to sign up for more than an episodic transaction that always has a formal completion date.  We want repeat business and this subscription model is one way to weld the relationship between buyer and seller closer together.  Once we become part of their ongoing business plans, it reduces the buying friction. Importantly, it also increases their internal friction to turn the buying process off.  It is always easier to keep something going, than to start it in the first place.  This builds a moat around our client, denying our rivals an option to steal our business.  So, what could you bundle together to create a no-brainer, totally stupendous offer for the buyer? There might be some administration associated with using our type of product or service.  The buying entity inside the client's company is always time poor.  Perhaps we can offer a system which supplies the service or product, but in such a way that we reduce the friction involved on their side.  A famous example is the Kanban system at Toyota.  It works well for Toyota as the buyer of the auto parts, as their warehousing costs are substantially reduced. The suppliers have revolutionised their logistics ability and can time their deliveries to fit in with Toyota's production schedule.  The suppliers are selling their products but also reducing Toyota's friction.  What can we do to sell our products and services and also reduce the friction in the buyer's internal systems? When I finally got religion about maximising the assets we already have for increasing our value to clients, I was amazed at how much latent opportunity we had there all along.  I was asking myself, “why has it taken me so long to work out this simple idea?”.  I was just dumb but now I have wised up at long last.  What items are available for you to recognise the latent value you possess and package them up as assets transformed into new forma  

In this LMScast, Zachary Katz from GravityKit presents Gravity Board, a WordPress add-on for Kanban project management that integrates Trello-like features into your website. Zachary Katz founded GravityKit, a business that creates robust Gravity Forms add-ons like GravityView, which gives customers extensive options for how to display and manipulate form data on their WordPress websites. […] The post How To Manage LMS Websites Inside WordPress Like Trello With GravityBoard appeared first on LMScast.

“I dream of a world where we don't have managers — just autonomous, inspired teams.”In this insightful episode of Mastering Agility, hosts Sander and Jim sit down with Laura Heikkurinen, Lead Transformation Coach at OP Financial Group, live at the Scan Agile 2025 conference. Together, they dive into the nuances of modern leadership, the tension between management and empowerment, and how organizations can create psychologically safe environments where everyone is empowered to lead — regardless of job title.Laura shares powerful reflections from her experience leading enterprise transformation, explains why language matters when redefining leadership, and offers candid takes on navigating toxic leadership legacies, neurodivergent inclusion, and the delicate balance between pushing a change forward or letting it go.Connect with Laura: (18) Laura Heikkurinen | LinkedInCheck out our sponsor:www.xebia.comwww.wiserbees.comwww.masteringagility.orgHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this episode, we welcome Lisa Zawrotny, a productivity coach with a rich background as a caregiver, mother, and business owner. Lisa shares her journey from caregiving to coaching, emphasizing the importance of compassionate and sustainable productivity systems, especially for those managing ADHD or high-stress roles. We discuss the nuances of burnout versus overwhelm, the significance of self-awareness, and practical strategies to enhance productivity without sacrificing well-being.Key Moments:Lisa shares her journey from caregiver to productivity coach, highlighting the challenges of managing burnout and overwhelm.Burnout can manifest as constant dread, resentment, and exhaustion, while overwhelm often feels like having too much to do without knowing where to start.Knowing and accepting oneself is crucial for building effective productivity systems tailored to individual needs.Before implementing systems, decluttering and simplifying tasks is essential to create a manageable workload.Productivity should support life, not the other way around. Rest and self-care are integral to sustainable productivity.Productivity systems should be customized to fit how individuals work best, especially for those with ADHD or other unique challenges.Moving away from hustle culture and redefining success can alleviate feelings of inadequacy and burnout.Lisa discusses various tools and methods, such as the Pomodoro technique and Kanban boards, to enhance productivity.Engaging with a community and seeking support can help individuals navigate their productivity challenges.Lisa is working on new workshops and a signature program to further support individuals in their productivity journeys.To learn more about Lisa Zawrotny please visit her Linkedin ProfileTo learn more about Lisa Zawrotny please visit her website.YOUR HOST - SIMON LADER    Simon Lader is the host of The Conference Room, Co-Founder of global executive search firm Salisi Human Capital, and lead generation consultancy Flow and Scale. Since 1997, Simon has helped cybersecurity vendors to build highly effective teams, and since 2022 he has helped people create consistent revenue through consistent lead generation.        Get to know more about Simon at:      Website: https://simonlader.com/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/simonlader  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/headhuntersimonlader/      The Conference Room is available onSpotifyApple podcastsAmazon MusicIHeartRadio

What happens when one of the most respected minds in lean construction sits down to dissect project planning systems? You get this episode. In this powerful conversation, Jason is joined by mentor and thought leader Hal Macomber to explore: Why CPM lacks production theory (and what that means for your projects). The real difference between Scrum and Kanban. How Takt construction works as a socio-technical system and why that's critical. Why some teams thrive with lean systems... and others just don't. How the software industry has outpaced construction in flow-based systems and what we can learn from them. If you've ever wondered why schedules fail, why flow breaks down, or how to actually support your field teams with better planning this episode is your blueprint. You'll walk away with: ✔ A clear understanding of how Kanban brings flow front and center. ✔ Practical takeaways on how to align office + field teams. ✔ Insightful critiques of current scheduling tools and what to use instead.   If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you'll never miss an episode.  And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two

Fehlende Schrauben, überquellende Lager oder ständiges Materialchaos? Dann wird's Zeit für ein Kanban-System! In dieser Episode erfährst du, wie du in drei einfachen Schritten mit der Lean Management Methode Kanban in deiner Produktion startest. Einfach, ohne Frust und mit sofort spürbaren Verbesserungen.

“You can build software with Excel. You can finish an Ironman on a cheap bike. But will it be enjoyable? That's another question.”In this inspiring and energetic episode, Sander and Jim sit down with Dana—Scrum Master, team lead, and passionate triathlete—just ahead of her session at the Online Scrum Master Summit. Together, they unpack:Dana's journey into agile and what drew her to the Scrum Master Summit.How her dual passions—agile coaching and triathlon—intersect in powerful and unexpected ways.The surprising overlap between triathlon training and software delivery: focus, iteration, adaptation, and complexity.The value and limitations of tools—whether it's JIRA or a $6,000 triathlon bike—and why mindset still trumps everything.The importance of coaching: in sports and in software. Do you really need to know how to code to be an effective coach?Connect with Dana: (31) Dana Mykytiuk | LinkedInCheck out our sponsor:www.xebia.comwww.wiserbees.comwww.masteringagility.orgHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Join Brian and Mike Cohn as they unpack the five essential pillars that take Agile from “just the motions” to meaningful, measurable impact. Plus, get a behind-the-scenes look at their revamped course built for real team transformation. Overview In this episode of the Agile Mentors Podcast, Brian is joined by longtime collaborator and Agile thought leader Mike Cohn for a deep dive into what really makes Agile stick. They explore the five foundational pillars—mindset, practices, roles, teamwork, and support beyond the team—and share stories of what happens when teams get them wrong (like obsessing over story point math or demoing a copyright update in a sprint review). Along the way, they introduce the newly available Working on a Scrum Team public course and explain why it’s designed for entire teams, not just isolated roles. Whether you're new to Agile or knee-deep in transformation, this episode will help you rethink how to build an Agile approach that actually works. References and resources mentioned in the show: Mike Cohn #80: From Struggling to Success: Reviving Agile Teams with Mike Cohn Scrum Team Roles and Responsibilities Working on a Scrum Team Course Mountain Goat Software Certified Scrum and Agile Training Schedule Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input. Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one. Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is SVP of coaching and training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work. Mike Cohn, CEO of Mountain Goat Software, is a passionate advocate for agile methodologies. Co-founder of Agile Alliance and Scrum Alliance, he thrives on helping companies succeed with Agile and witnessing its transformative impact on individuals' careers. Mike resides in Northern Idaho with his family, two Havanese dogs, and an impressive hot sauce collection. Auto-generated Transcript: Brian Milner (00:00) Welcome in, Agile Mentors. We're back for another episode of the Agile Mentors podcast. Thanks for joining us. I'm with you, as always, Brian Milner. And today, I have the one and only Mike Cohn back with us. Welcome in, Mike. Mike (00:12) Thanks, Brian. Good to be here. Brian Milner (00:14) Always happy to have Mike on the show and really appreciate Mike making time to come on. Wanted to have Mike on because there's some things Mike's been talking about recently that are really interesting and people have been asking a little bit about this and I thought maybe it'd be just a good opportunity to talk through some of the stuff that Mike's been writing about. I know you spent, Mike, a lot of time helping teams to not just do Agile but to really get solid results from it. to see impact from it. And I know the topic you've been talking about recently is sort of these five pillars of supporting real agile improvements, the mindset, practices, roles, teamwork, and support beyond the team. So I thought maybe we could just dig in and drive through those and maybe learn a little bit about those as we go. Obviously also to talk a little bit about the exciting new course that's being launched here, the working on a Scrum team course, because I know that was originally just for private classes, right? And now it's being open to the public. Mike (01:23) Yeah, we've done working on a Scrum team as a private class for probably 20 plus years. It's been kind of our main offering to private clients. But we're hearing from a lot of people that they have one team and they can't really get a private class approved with the budget and such. So what we're doing is going ahead and making that course available as a public course. So two people from your company, five people from another company all in the same class the way we've done our certified courses for decades. And so we're going to start offering this as a public course. And the exciting thing there is that it's really meant to be a team-based class, where things like Scrum Master training, great class, but it's really meant for the Scrum Master, right? And working on a Scrum team is really designed, and you and I helped you and I design this course together, but it's designed to be something that is a whole team training, right? So good for anybody on a team. Brian Milner (02:16) Yeah, yeah, it's been really great teaching those in the private classes and I'm excited to think about the public being able to come in and take that now. Let's talk a little bit about these pillars and, I think people are gonna be really intrigued by the concept here. The first one is mindset, I think, and just wanna start there and say, what does it actually mean to... think Agile and what is the found, why is that kind of the foundation for successful transformations? Mike (02:43) Remember the kind of the early days of agile and there was a lot of conversation about could you be agile without understanding the principles, right? If you just did the practices, were you agile? Other people were saying, no, you have to start with the principles, right? And so do you start with principles? Do you start with practices? And I remember these early debates and they often devolved into a discussion of the karate kid movie, right? Remember that one, right? And, you know, can you just wax on? Brian Milner (03:12) Ha Mike (03:12) for long enough, just do the practices. And then all of a sudden, your karate instructor or your agile coach is, OK, you're agile. And it's like, wait, all I know how to do is wax a car, right? And so there were these discussions about practices versus principles. And I was kind of always on the side where you better understand the principles to do this. Just knowing the practices, waxing on all day, is kind of just going through the motions. And so you have to understand the principles. And the idea that I wanted was that if a team truly understood all of the principles underneath Agile, I don't just mean just the manifesto, but all the principles that are there from Lean, from Kanban, from everything, that if you really understood those, you'd kind of invent the practices, right? You do those and you go eventually to go, hey, we should probably meet every day. Or hey, if we tested first, that might be a really good thing. Brian Milner (03:57) Yeah. Mike (04:05) So you'd invent the practices if you really had that type of agile mindset. And so for me, when we're working with organizations to get them truly agile, and I don't mean like more agile than less agile, but agile in a way that's going to stick, you got to change mindsets, right? You've got to do more than just the wax on. So people have to get the mindset. Brian Milner (04:27) Yeah, I love that. I know that I've experienced some things in the course of working with people that's it's sort of like you, if you're not on the same page with the principles, then you start to talk through the practices and you run up against a problem. And really what you find out the core of it was, well, we weren't aligned on really the principle behind this. So why would I want the practices then, right? ⁓ Mike (04:49) Yeah. Well, that's where you also end up then with a lot of team debates about things, right? Because you're arguing about the practice. if you'll say you and I are arguing about the benefit of some practice, if we agree on the principle, we might just have different views on it. But deep down, we'll probably agree on some practice, or we might find an alternative one. But if you don't agree on the principles, you end up with a lot more of these kind of annoying. mean, team debates are great. I mean, I love. Brian Milner (04:54) Yeah. Mike (05:12) you know, having a team debate, arguing stuff like that, but not about pointless things, right? And not without some sort of foundation. They just kind of get in the way. It's just frustrating for everybody. Brian Milner (05:21) Yeah. Well, I'm kind of curious, what kind of signs or signals do you think teams should look out for to kind of clue in and let them know that what might actually be going on here is more of a mindset issue? Mike (05:36) think sometimes it's when you hear the appeal to authority, right? Somebody says, you know, well, we got to do it this way because the scrum guide says, right? Or the one that annoys me is we have to do it this way because Mike Cohn says, ⁓ you know, that was like, no, I, somewhere else also said, think, right? Don't just, you know, don't just, you know, blindly do story points or something. Cause I say they're a good thing. I want you to think too. Brian Milner (05:50) You You Mike (06:01) And so I think that kind of appeal to authority when teams are debating things. It's where we also see teams who think they're agile because they do a set of practices. We use a particular agile tool, so we must be agile. We do daily meetings. We must be agile. And those are not the things that make you agile. Those are artifacts of being agile. If you're agile, you're going to meet a lot. You're not going meet a lot, but you're going to talk a lot. Um, and so those are the artifacts of behaving in an agile way. And so I want to understand why we're doing those things. So I look for those kind of appeals to authority. Um, you know, emphasis on that type of stuff in an argument talking about how this is the right way saying there's only one right way to do something. Brian Milner (06:49) Yeah, yeah, that's great. How does working on the Scrum team deal with this? How does that address it? Mike (06:55) Well, one of the things we do, it was actually one of my favorite exercises. We do this exercise at the start of the class where we ask people to kind of map out how the organization talks about certain adsel principles and then how does the organization behave. And so for example, if a company says, people are our greatest asset, and then they treat people like dirt, we've got this kind of problem between what we say and what we do. And so I like to kind of map this out. And so we do this with the principles in the Agile Manifesto. And once we map those out and we start to see things that we say we value, but we don't behave that way, really helps us understand if we've really embraced that mindset. Or are we just doing things because an Agile coach told us to, or a boss told us to, or we did it that way in our prior company. Those are all bad reasons to do something. Brian Milner (07:48) Y eah. So this is great. So I agree. The mindset's really foundational. And there is this symbiotic relationship between mindset and practices, which came first and which comes first, as we talked about. I know a lot of teams get stuck doing Agile, though, in really only name only. So when we talk about practices, what makes the difference between going through the motions? Mike (08:00) Mm-hmm. Brian Milner (08:11) and actually doing things that work. Mike (08:13) Well, practices is kind of our second pillar, right? You have to have the mindset, right? But you also have to have the practices that come from having that mindset. so, again, I try to think of that team on a desert island, right? And they're isolated from the world. They've never talked to anybody, but they have an agile mindset. What practices are they going to invent, right? And I think those are kind of the core practices. We see a lot of problems with as an example, teams that misunderstand sprint planning. And I know when I first started teaching about sprint planning, I'd have a slide up there to have a picture of a sprint backlog. And the sprint backlog listed tasks like code this, design this, test this. And then there were estimates next to code this. It's going to take four hours testing. It's going to take three. And so we were able see all these numbers and think the point of a sprint planning was these numbers. And Even in the early days of this, I was always saying, no, it's not about those numbers. It's about deciding what product backlog items you can pick. if taking a, I don't even want to call it an estimate, but taking a wild guess about, it probably can take four hours to code. If that helps you decide how many backlog items you can commit to, great, put those numbers up there. But it was never about the numbers. And it's one of the most common problems that I see with teams in sprint planning is they get obsessed with How many hours did we bring in? How many points did we bring in? And I remember one team I worked with where we did sprint planning. Having those estimates were helpful for them on their sprint back. They were helping. And we finished the meeting. And we're using Google Sheets in a meeting to do this. We've got a row with the estimates in there. And as we start to wind down the meeting, I deleted that column that they'd spent so much time talking about. They're all kind of pissed off at me. Why'd you delete that? We spent all this time talking about it. I said, because we got the benefit, right? You got the benefit of those numbers. The benefit isn't a week from now remembering that you said five hours, because it's going to take what it takes. The benefit was the discussion that it led to of can we take more or are we already full? So I see teams get obsessed with that. This is one example, but that's one of the problems with sprint planning as a practice. Brian Milner (10:25) Yeah. Yeah. I think you're absolutely right. And that's one of the things I know I've talked about with people going through the course is sort of understanding the purpose behind the things. Just going back to, know, harkening back to what you said about, don't just do it because someone told you, you know, understand why the purpose behind it. And, know, otherwise we, I'm sure we've all had that experience before where someone just tells you to do something and says, you know, why? Cause I told you so, you know, that, that doesn't, that's not very convincing. Mike (10:52) Thanks, Mom. Brian Milner (10:53) Right, right, thanks mom. Yeah, not very convincing, but it's much more convincing when they can tell you, well, no, you do this because this is what we're trying to do. And I think you're right, that makes all the difference there. ⁓ Mike (11:05) It just, don't know anybody that responds well to being told what to do, right? My instant reaction is no, right? mean, you it could be, you know, a really, you it could be a really good thing. Eat more vegetables, you spend more time outside. No, right? Don't tell me what to do. So. Brian Milner (11:09) Right. Right. Yeah. It's almost like our default response is no until you convince me. Are there other common practices? We talked about sprint planning. Are there other kind of practices you see teams struggle with? Mike (11:28) Yeah, yeah, for a lot of people. think a huge one is product backlog refinement. I don't know what a better word would be than refinement. refinement is about making the backlog better. It's not about making it perfect. And I see teams that get stuck on backlog refinement and feel like they have to resolve every open issue, that everything has to be tiny and answered and buttoned up before we can start a sprint. And that's not the case. For me, the goal in refinement is to make sure things are small enough and sufficiently well understood. I don't want to bring in a backlog that's bigger than my velocity. If our velocity is 25, I don't want bring in a 50-point story. how about the problems of a 50-point story anyway? But I don't want to bring in some massive epic like that into a sprint. And so refinement is about making it small, making sure it's sufficiently well understood. Sufficiently well understood, not perfectly. And so Brian Milner (12:18) Yeah. Mike (12:28) The problem is these teams, and I know you've seen this, but teams who get in there, want to resolve every open issue. It's like, no, we can resolve that during the sprint. If we think about the goal and planning to make sure we know what to bring into the sprint, not too much, not too little, we're fine just enough that you're at that point. Is the button blue or red? Who cares? If it's a log in story, we're going to lock people out after some number of failed attempts. Who cares how many? Figure that out during the sprint. If it's five or three or eight, who cares? Figure that out later. So I think refinements won. Another big one would be reviews, ⁓ where sometimes teams demo too much in a sprint review. And they feel like they have to justify their existence, show everything you did during the sprint. And the most egregious example of that was this was a handful of years ago. But I literally remember a team showing Brian Milner (12:58) Yeah. Yeah. Mike (13:18) how they had updated the copyright notice on the footer of the web page, know, copyright, you know, whatever year our company, right? And it's like, my God, you didn't need to show that to stakeholders, right? We all either know there's a copyright notice on the bottom of the web page or we've seen one before. I don't need you to bring it up and scroll down to it. Now only took 15 seconds of the meeting, but that was 15 seconds of people's lives. They were never going to get back. you know, show stuff that you need feedback on, right? If you'd... Brian Milner (13:41) Right. Mike (13:45) You fixed a bug and you fixed it only way it could be fixed. Mention it perhaps, but you don't need to show it, right? Brian Milner (13:51) Yeah, yeah, know teams I've been on often it's just it's suffice it to have a list sometimes and just say here's a list of things if you want to know more about these come talk to us but we're move on to the stuff you care about. Mike (14:02) Yeah, I always have like a will show, will not show list. you know, I often, if I'm writing the meetup present, that'll put that up on Zoom or, you know, show it on a screen if we're in person. And often somebody wants to see something that's on the will not show list. Or they just want me to describe what bug was that again? What was that? You know, and I'll explain it really quickly. But if nobody wants to see it, don't bother showing it. So. Brian Milner (14:26) Yeah, I know we talk about these scrum practices quite a bit in the working on the scrum team class, but if someone signed up to take this class, what can they expect to hear or what can they expect to learn about these practices in the course? Mike (14:39) Well, I think one of the things that you and I did together in creating the newest version of the course was to look at what do you actually need to practice doing, and it's feasible to practice doing in a classroom setting, versus what should you just kind of talk through. And not everything needs to be practiced to get the hang of it, right? Everybody in the world has taken something big and split it up into smaller things before, right? I need to make. spaghetti dinner tonight. What do need to buy? Right? OK. Well, that's that's that's test decomposition by noodles, by sauce, by tomatoes. Let's make it from scratch. Right. By some garlic. Right. So everybody in the world has done decomposition. We've broken a big thing into small things. And I remember, you know, iterating over I'm still on sprint planning, I guess. But I remember iterating over exercises in sprint planning and in courses over the decades by now. And I would have one where you're planning a party for your kid, break it down into tasks. It's like, nobody learns anything from this. And so that's one where I'd rather say, OK, this problem occurs in sprint planning. How could you solve it? Other things like, let's say, splitting user stories or splitting job stories, that's a skill worth practicing together, getting feedback on. And so those type of things we try to practice in the course. other things we just talk about. mean, I'm curious on your thoughts on that. What do you think about some things being worth practicing, some things worth being better talked about? Brian Milner (16:01) Yeah, I agree. I agree fully. it's, it's, you know, there's some things, it's kind of like what you said before, there's some things that's not worth spending the time on, and it's better to just have a discussion and move on. Mike (16:13) Yeah. Yeah. I guess that's one of the things we always talked about. We always talked about return on investment of the exercise. What's the return on the exercise? And if you're going to have a one hour exercise, cool. One hour exercise. But it better have a pretty healthy return because that's a lot of time in class. And so what's the return on exercise? Is this worth a practice? Is it worth just a discussion? And if we can discuss two hard problems and give people advice on two common problems, they're probably going to face. Brian Milner (16:21) Yeah. Mike (16:41) Might be better than spending 20 minutes practicing something that they've probably done before. Brian Milner (16:45) Yeah, I completely agree. Let's move to the third pillar then, because I know this is a big one, just thinking and talking about the roles. And just as far as communication issues are concerned, even outside of Scrum, I know that's part of the big problem with teams and organizations just not being clearly defined about who does what and who's responsible for each thing. So those misunderstandings are really common failure points. ⁓ Mike (17:09) Mm-hmm. Brian Milner (17:10) How do you see teams getting that wrong and how's that derailing a Scrum team? Mike (17:15) Well, think we see it all the time on Scrum teams between Scrum Master and Product Owner and even the development team, right? Who does what? I was responding to some comments on LinkedIn this morning on some post I'd made last week and somebody had some comments. And it had to do with whether the Scrum Master or Product Owner does something. And it was interesting because in the comments on that post, I... I don't remember which one it was, but I shared a certain perspective. I feel pretty strongly that I have it right. I mean, I this is how we do it. But there were other people saying the opposite, right? And so, you know, these are people that are probably fairly experienced with Scrum, if they're following me on LinkedIn and feel comfortable commenting on a post, probably feel comfortable with it. And so there's a lot of confusion about what role does what thing. And I don't think this is something where the Scrum guy is going to have the answers for you. I think it's, I mean, you can look at the Scrum guy, oh, this. Here's my starting point answer, but we always want to play to people's strengths, right? And if you've got a scrum master who's got a lot of skill in one area, maybe they shift a little work from the PO to themselves, right? With the PO's permission, right? And the opposite, right? Between maybe PO and team. So it's fine to have default starting positions on who does what, but you always want to play to people's strengths. So I think PO scrum master, I think we see it with project managers and scrum masters, roll confusion on those type of roles as well. Brian Milner (18:38) Yeah, completely agree. A lot of those roles that are not named Scrum team roles and how they interact with the team, that's often a source of confusion as well. What are maybe some signs or symptoms that teams might be having confusion or problems in this area that maybe they don't even recognize or realize they're having an issue with roles? Mike (18:59) Any sort of conflicts, right? You know, you and I arguing over which one of us should do something. The other one would be kind of the opposite, which would be like a dropped ball. I was watching some YouTube video. I love baseball. I was watching some YouTube video the other day of like missed catches or something like that. And some team hit a baseball way up in the air and it was landing near three players, right? Three players are all looking at it. Brian Milner (19:12) You Mike (19:23) One guy waves the other two off, he's going to catch the ball and he must have been blinded by the sun because he's like six feet from the ball when it lands on the ground, right? And, you know, if we have a responsibility to catch the ball, run this meeting, right, right the backlog, the kids dropped, right? And so I think either arguing over who does something, two of us trying to do the same thing or neither of us doing it. I don't mean trying to get out of the work, right? All three players have been happy to catch the ball, but I think you've got it. You think I've got it, right? Those type of things are pretty good signs. think getting clarity around these roles can really optimize how a team works. And I think a really key thing here is that it changes over time. So I'll go back to my example of maybe the Scrubmaster has some skills that can help the product owner early on. Because maybe the product owner is new to the company. The product owner doesn't know the product as well. So they might rely on the Scrubmaster for guidance on things. Well, a year from now, we might shift responsibilities a little bit because now the PO is the expert on all things related to the product. So it's not like we want to establish clarity on roles one time and leave it forever. It's going to change. We get a new tester on the team, things might change. Product owner moves. It's going to change again. So we need to realize these responsibilities are dynamic. Brian Milner (20:39) Yeah, that's a great point. Your point about baseball just made me think about how, when you watch any youth sport in the world, when you go watch your kids play a sport, what's the one thing you always hear people scream from the sideline? Talk to each other. Call the ball. Well, that too. That too. Ump your blind. Those kinds of things. Well, let's talk a little bit about Mike (20:52) I thought you were going say, put my kid in. Brian Milner (21:00) I know this course addresses the roles and how would you say this course really helps address that issue of role confusion? Mike (21:07) think a big part of it is that we designed it to be for everybody on the team, right? Suppose you send a scrum master to a class, and it's a great class. Scrum master is going to back to the certain set of impressions about their role. Product owner goes to an equally good class about the product. They might have different impressions. Even if they took the course from the same instructor, they're hearing it a little differently. They're hearing it through their filters, right? And so when they're in a course together, there's more opportunities to clarify their understanding about those things, especially in the classes designed as we did with this one to bring out some of those differences. So I think the course helps with that. we've also designed it to mention the rules we haven't talked about, like managers and things like that. Brian Milner (21:53) Yeah, yeah, I think those are so important. And there's a lot of great discussions that come out when we have those topics. ⁓ Let's talk about the fourth pillar then, teamwork, because this, I think, builds really well on what we just talked about. And the idea that there's actually, Scrum is a team sport. ⁓ So beyond just normal human personality conflict type issues, what do you see that gets in the way of teams actually Mike (21:58) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Brian Milner (22:18) working as a team. Mike (22:19) think ego is probably one, right? I can do everything better, just leave me alone. There's an old book that says basically, beware of a lone developer in a room, right? You know, it was referring to the developer who wants to close their door and say, I'll it done in a month, trust me, right? And one of the companies I worked with, and this one's going back like 15 years ago, but it was a really good story. Brian Milner (22:36) Yeah. Mike (22:43) is they would literally grab one unit of work. Each person on the team would grab a unit of work and take anywhere from three to 12 months to do the thing. So they were big things, but the person would do everything on it. They'd coded, tested everything. And the organization was putting out very little because of this. When they moved to Scrum in the first year, by their estimate, they said they delivered 540 % more work. over five times the amount of new features delivered. And that was through the collaboration, through the short iterations, those type of things. But it was about getting people to collaborate more. So I think there's huge opportunities to do that. One of the problems I see is when we don't overlap work. If we think about that organization I just described, you grab your thing, you're done in six months. I grab mine, I'm done in seven months. If we'd work together on those things, what's not make us any faster? No faster. But you and I could have worked on your one thing and been done in three months. OK, we're delivering value in three months, right? And so one of the things I look for a lot is how much teams are overlapping work, right? And if we're not overlapping work, there's huge opportunities to improve at that. I'll a little example of this. One of my favorite restaurants is, I don't know, barely call it a restaurant. It's a fast food deli. It's called Jimmy John's. Have you been to Jimmy John's, Yeah. Yeah, there's one near my house where I can go there and the wine will be out the door. Right. And you know, normally you see a wine out the door and it's like, crap, I'm going somewhere else. Right. These guys are so fast. They're so fast. When I get to the front, I place my order. I play this little game of can I fill up my cup? You know, I get an iced tea and they give me an empty cup and can I go fill up ice and put the tea in before they hand me my sandwich? And it's about 50-50. Right. It doesn't take long to fill up your iced tea. But the way they do that is the overlap work. As soon as I order my Italian club sandwich, somebody's already got the bread open, somebody's got a slab of meat they're ready to drop on there, somebody else has their hands over the vegetables and they're dropping the vegetables on there, and then a fourth person wraps it up. And so like four or five people touch my sandwich. Hopefully their hands are clean, but four or five people touch my sandwich as opposed to like most delis where I go and it's like you watch one person plod along making the sandwich, right? Overlap work is huge. Brian Milner (25:07) Yeah. Yeah, this episode sponsored by, no, just kidding. Use code Mike Cohn when you go to, no, just kidding. Yeah, I agree. And yeah, yeah, I'm familiar with Jimmy John's. Probably too familiar. ⁓ Yes, yeah, no, that's, I think that's part of their shtick is that they're, you know, they're known for being fast. So yeah. Mike (25:10) You Is yours just as fast? Yeah. Yeah. They call it Freaky Fast. They actually have a competition. I've seen YouTube videos of this where they get like the best teams at various restaurants race, right? And so they have like the Jimmy John sandwich making Olympics or something, but it's a skill. Brian Milner (25:36) wow, wow, yeah. You should pair that up with the hot dog eating challenge in some way and see if we could have a team sport going there. ⁓ Mike (25:48) Well, that's a good point because think about the hot dog eating. That's one guy, right? That's Joey Chesnett shoving hot dogs down. The Jimmy Johns is a team. They get the best crew at a restaurant and it's a team, right? How fast can the team go? Not how fast can one guy make a sandwich, right? Brian Milner (25:51) Yeah. Yeah, yeah. That's awesome. So what are some tips? What are some ways that you can really unite a team, especially those new teams? Because that's the fascination point for me is, how do you take this group of humans that really don't know each other and haven't worked together in the past and unite them together and have them gel as a team? How do you do that? Mike (26:21) I'll give you a couple. One, I think having really crisp sprint goals helps. So we all know exactly what we're trying to get done in the sprint. We don't lose sight of that because sometimes in the middle of a sprint, you lose sight of it. And you get myopic and you just focus on a list of tasks. And I'm going to say that it's probably similar to the team doing sprint planning and just getting them assessed with the numbers. It's not about the numbers. It's not about the tasks. It's about the backlog items that lead to some goal. So crisp sprint goals help. That's a hard phrase. Crisp Sprinkles helps. The other one I'd say is having a shared vision about where you're headed over a little bit longer term. Probably the biggest change to the Scrum Guide ever that I've liked is the inclusion of a product goal. And that was something I'd been talking about forever. mean, literally since I started doing Scrum was that sprinkles are great, but they're pretty short, right? You want to have something bigger. Brian Milner (26:52) It is. Mike (27:14) And so I like having product goals that are a few months out there. And one of the things I like doing for product goals is have teams do something like write a press release that describes their goal or create a vision in some way, write a review that you want to see come out on the App Store, Play Store, and a magazine. And one of my clients made software and they were reviewed by a major magazine and they were given an editor's choice runner up award. And they actually estimated that being runners up for that was probably worth about $10 million. First place, first time was worth about $10 million a year to them. And so they decided to get serious about this and they wrote a review. Their scrum master, she was actually combo scrum master product owner, Erin. She had the team write a review and she said, let's go earn this review. And I literally remember the email I got from her three months later. It was because it was Halloween night. I just like, you know, brought in the candy from outdoors. We're done trick or treating. And I checked my email. I a three word email from her from Erin. said we did it. And the magazine had let her know, hey, we're reviewing you. be out on, you know, like Tuesday's edition. And the review had quotes in there that were from their vision review, right? The things that they had wanted to achieve. Brian Milner (28:22) Ha ha. Mike (28:35) And that team had just really jelled around that and just became so much more productive and collaborated so much better because of that shared vision. Brian Milner (28:43) Yeah, that's amazing. getting back to the course then, I know in the course we're trying to kind of some of those collaboration muscles. What are some of the ways that the course helps to build that? Mike (28:56) think one of the key things that we're doing, and I'm excited about this, is that we're, you know, we of course use Zoom breakout rooms, right? You you go talk about this, we'll see you in eight minutes or something like that. And for this course, we're doing something where a group of three or more, when they register, can have a private breakout room. And this to me is exciting because people get the benefit of having a private breakout room. They can have sensitive discussions if they want. They can talk very specifically about. you know, what do we do about our jerk product owner? mean, whatever it is, right? You know, they can talk about their specific issues, yet have the context of a broader class. Because I think in one of the benefits of any public class is hearing how other teams are doing things. And sometimes that's because you get a good advice, you know, how did you solve that problem? We have that problem. Other times, it's just feeling that you're not alone in the world. they've got that problem too, right? And they don't have any solution for me, but I know I'm not alone in the world with this. And so I like these private breakout rooms for three or more. I think it's a novel thing we're doing with this class. And it's with the intent of combining the best of both worlds of private and public training for this. I'd the other thing is probably consistency, having everybody on the team hear the same message, having those discussions with an experienced instructor like you or me in the room to provide guidance when they have questions. know, go back to the role clarity, right? You know, they can talk about it and they're there. Then they're back in the main room with you or me and we can kind of answer questions. So I think that consistency will be huge as well. Brian Milner (30:25) Yeah, yeah, I love that idea of the private private breakout rooms that that's that's gonna be huge for a lot of people I know. ⁓ Mike (30:31) I'm excited to try it with this. This will be the first classes we do that for. I'm excited about it. Brian Milner (30:36) Yeah, yeah. Well, let's bring it home then and talk about the fifth pillar because the fifth pillar is really interesting as well. It talks about support beyond the team and teams can only do so much. Every team struggles when they're not supported well. And there's lots of studies that show leadership support is one of the biggest hurdles or obstacles to the adoption. Mike (30:46) Mm-hmm. Brian Milner (30:59) What does that support look like from outside the team and how can a team influence that? Mike (31:06) Yeah, if you're trying to be agile and your HR group has quarterly reviews of personnel that are all based on individual performance and has nothing to do about teamwork in there, it's going to be hard to focus on collaboration. So we have to kind of fix these issues. I think what we have to do here is to have team members educate those outside the organization. And we have information that we share about, you here's how to talk to a boss that's maybe mandating deadlines, things like that. And so we try to coach people through having some of those challenging conversations. And one of things I want teams to do is kind of become an example of what good agile looks like. And if you have a team that's excelling with agile and they're doing it from a kind of principles first, that mindset first approach. You're going to see other groups look at that and let's say the marketing group. They're going to look at that go, hey, that's an interesting way to work. I wonder how we could do that, right? And it's going look different for a marketing group than a tech team. the mindset is going to be the same. Principles will still be the same. And so when we get teams to do really well with this, other parts of the organization start to get interested. And then they stop being as much in our way. Brian Milner (32:20) Yeah. I know one of the most important aspects here and that we talk about is, is that you don't need to, to wait, right? If you're the team level, you don't have to just sit around and wait for the organization to make changes. you, you have opportunities to make changes as well. So how does that happen? How's the team change, you know, bring about those changes that, improve the agile process, the results. Mike (32:42) I think that's by being the example so that people see it. I think it's by having those conversations. You know, one of the things that we'll get is, you know, it's so common is the product owner that wants to change their mind all the time. I was reading something, I guess this is in our Agile mentors community, I think is where it was, but it was about the, you know, the product owner who said his favorite thing about Agile is that he can reprioritize every week. ⁓ And it's like, you can, you know. Brian Milner (33:05) Hmm. Yeah Mike (33:10) I'm not sure it's good. And I think about that, a team gets momentum, right? And you're working on a certain feature. Next sprint, it would be nice to work in that same area of this system, right? Your head's there. Just kind of keep going a little bit. And I've often described this as like, let's say you're working on three backlog items that are in a certain area of this system. Let's make it concrete. Let's say it's the spell checker in Microsoft Office, right? And you do three backlog items related to the spell checker this sprint. Next sprint, maybe your top priority is not more spell checker stuff, but maybe items, I don't know, 25, 26, and 27 on the backlog are still in the spell checker. You know what? It might be better to do those. There are probably two or three sprints away. Let's bring them into this sprint. Just get them done while my head's into spell checking. And so getting product owners or stakeholders to stop doing that, one of the ways that I like to talk about doing that is using an example of ordering a meal at a restaurant. I can order, let's say, the chicken entree. And then as the waiter is taking the orders around the table, I change from chicken, no, bring me the fish. Not a big deal. The waiter is going to cross off chicken and write down fish. If the waiter goes away, brings me back my salad, and I change my mind then, I say, hey, bring me the fish. Might not be a big deal. It's going to be a big deal if I've already taken three bites of the chicken. right? Or if he brings me the chicken. So yeah, we can change our mind, but there's a cost, right? And we want to educate stakeholders about that cost. They don't overdo it. Brian Milner (34:31) Yeah. Yeah. Well, speaking of the leaders and the organization, managers, leaders, do you think this course is appropriate for managers and leaders to attend as well? you feel like they might need to in order to really have this be an impact? Mike (34:55) Yeah, that's a good question. Is it appropriate? Yeah, I think it's appropriate. When we do this privately, we've had plenty of leaders and managers attend. I think it's great. I don't think that's required because they're not on the Scrum team. You said the name of the course is working on a Scrum team. And so they're not on the Scrum team. They benefit by knowing more how their Scrum team works. But I think what we found is that having just a key subset of people who hear the same message work through the training together, and then go back to the organization. That's enough to bring the passion, conviction, and skills that we want. So we don't truly need leaders. They're great. I would never talk a leader out of going, but I wouldn't. If I were a team and I could take the class this month or with my leader next month, I would just get the class done, right? And educate the leader afterwards. Brian Milner (35:41) Yeah. Yeah, yeah, I think that's a good plan. All right, well then we've made our way through the five pillars and for people who have come this far with us and are at this point, if they're listening and they're recognizing some of these problems we've been talking about, what would you recommend to them as next steps here? Mike (35:49) if Well, take a look at our website. If you go to mountaingoatsoftware.com. And then I think there's a courses link on the top. You can go up there and find the link to this course. It's an exciting one that we're doing. I've literally been teaching this, I think the first time I taught a class called Working on a Scrum Team was 2003 or 2004. it's a time tested course. You and I kind of redesigned it a couple of months ago to make it appropriate for public. or little better just in general and more appropriate for public. But it's a time-tested course that's now designed to be available for public settings instead of, you know, have to have 25 people or something. Brian Milner (36:36) Yeah, yeah, that's really exciting. I can't wait to see kind of how people are in, you know, react and interact in the course to some of these concepts and ideas. And we'll, we'll of course link to all these things that we've talked about in our show notes and make it easy for everyone to find the course listing and, and, you know, where the dates and everything that we're going to offer them. So make sure to check that out. Mike, thanks so much for coming on. This has been really enlightening and I appreciate you making time for it. Mike (37:01) Of course, thanks for having me, Brian. Always a pleasure.

Jakich narzędzi, metod i miar powinniśmy stosować do zarządzania opcjami, czyli tym wszystkim, co mamy w backlogu? Przy okazji premiery książki "Upstream Kanban - tools for Demand Managers", zaprosiłem do podcastu Anię Radzikowską - autorkę kolejnej książki z serii Better with Kanban. Warto posłuchać, bo jest kilka ciekawych porad, a może skusicie się na całą lekturę.

A strong project kickoff strategy can make or break your software project. In this episode of Building Better Developers with AI, Rob Broadhead and Michael Meloche revisit and expand upon their earlier episode, Mastering the Project Kickoff – Setting the Stage for Success. This time, they use AI not to redefine strategy, but to reflect on what worked, what's changed, and what new insights can improve how teams approach kickoffs today. The result is a deeper, more refined look at launching software projects with intention and clarity—before writing a single line of code. Why Your Project Kickoff Strategy Still Matters “Two weeks in, and no one agrees on the goal.” It's a story most developers know too well. The reason? A weak or nonexistent project kickoff strategy. Rob and Michael break down how early misalignment on goals, responsibilities, or MVPs can derail projects quickly. To avoid this, teams need a consistent, structured approach that starts before the first line of code is written. How AI Improves Your Project Kickoff Strategy AI can't replace a good team conversation, but it can support a better project kickoff strategy by helping structure discussions, define deliverables, and highlight gaps in planning. Some examples AI tools can generate: Stakeholder role outlines Risk assessment prompts Project objective statements Kickoff meeting checklists With good prompting, AI becomes a partner in better planning. Core Elements of a Strong Project Kickoff Strategy A repeatable project kickoff strategy should include the following: 1. Purpose and Objectives What are we building, and why? Define the business problem and expected outcome clearly. 2. Team Roles and Ownership List all stakeholders, assign responsibilities, and clarify decision-makers. Misunderstood roles create avoidable blockers. 3. Process and Delivery Plan Establish your delivery method (Agile, Scrum, Kanban) and how progress will be tracked, tested, and shared. 4. MVP and Scope Control Rob and Michael emphasize: everything must map to the MVP. If it doesn't, reconsider the feature. 5. Documentation and Visibility Centralize everything. Use Notion, Confluence, or shared drives, and record meetings for searchability and auditability. Warning Signs of a Poor Kickoff Strategy Michael and Rob call out red flags that reveal when your project kickoff strategy is weak or broken: No written MVP or goals Absent stakeholders during planning Overlapping roles with unclear boundaries “We'll figure it out later” mindset No documentation or decision logs Ignoring these signs leads to confusion, rework, and a breakdown in team trust. Anchor Your Kickoff Strategy with an MVP “If your feature doesn't pass a test, it's not part of your MVP.” Michael shares a practical tip: create user stories first, then turn them into pass/fail tests. This ensures that your project kickoff strategy stays laser-focused on outcomes—not distractions like UI polish or edge-case bells and whistles. Challenge: Audit Your Project Kickoff Strategy Before your next launch, hold a quick strategy review. Ask: Do we have a clearly defined MVP? Are team roles written and confirmed? Are meeting notes and decisions documented? Does every feature connect to project goals? If not, revise your strategy now—before you waste time. Stay Connected: Join the Developreneur Community We invite you to join our community and share your coding journey with us. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting, there's always room to learn and grow together. Contact us at info@develpreneur.com with your questions, feedback, or suggestions for future episodes. Together, let's continue exploring the exciting world of software development. Additional Resources Working The Project – Consulting Success CYA Documentation: Getting Started With Consulting Winning Your First Project: A Developer's Guide to Starting Your Side Hustle A Project Management and Pricing Guide for Success Building Better Developers With AI Podcast Videos – With Bonus Content

Legal teams face a unique challenge that factory floors and software developers rarely encounter: managing dozens of active matters simultaneously while dealing with constant interruptions from clients, opposing counsel, and courts. You're juggling multiple cases, each with its own timeline, dependencies, and unpredictable external factors that can derail your best-laid plans.In this episode, I dive into why the Kanban method is the best-fit system for that reality, and how it helps legal teams reduce overwhelm, spot bottlenecks, and manage work more intentionally. If your team is stuck in reactive mode, tune in to hear how Kanban gives you a practical path forward. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.agileattorney.com/77

Back in the early 2000s, software teams started embracing a new way of working that turned conventional project management on its head. Instead of trying to define everything up front and push massive projects toward a distant deadline, they asked a different question: what's the most valuable work we can deliver in the next two weeks? That question gave rise to Scrum—a system built on fixed time, cross-functional teams, and fast feedback. And while it started in software, the lessons apply just as powerfully to legal work. Tune in to hear how you can apply these principles to your practice—especially around prioritization, workflow design, and respecting your finite capacity—so that you're working smarter, not just harder.Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.agileattorney.com/76

In this episode, Amir chats with Jason Fellin, Head of Growth Engineering at OnX Maps, to unpack what makes growth engineering unique. Jason shares how his team focuses on speed, experimentation, and measurable business impact rather than long-term architecture. From hiring strategies to cross-functional collaboration with marketing, this conversation offers a tactical look at building and leading a growth engineering org.

A Japanese automobile factory floor in the 1950s might seem worlds away from your law office, but the visual management systems that transformed Toyota's manufacturing process hold powerful lessons for modern legal practice. The same principles that helped Toyota become a global automotive giant can help you create smoother workflows, reduce overwhelm, and deliver more predictable outcomes for your clients.In this episode, I explore the origins of the Kanban method and why visual systems are so effective for managing work. I trace the journey from physical cards on factory floors to the digital Kanban boards that software developers adopted in the late 1990s, and explain why these same tools are perfectly suited for legal work. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.agileattorney.com/75

In this episode of Building Better Developers, hosts Rob Broadhead and Michael Meloche explore how to improve team collaboration in software development through the lens of AI-driven insights. Whether you're a solo developer, part of a tight-knit team, or scaling across departments, collaboration remains the backbone of efficiency and success. What Does Collaboration Mean in Development? AI kicked off the discussion with a powerful insight: define “efficiency” in context. But more importantly, it highlighted that collaboration fuels efficiency, not just working faster, but working better. Effective collaboration avoids: Redundant work Misunderstood requirements Tech debt and burnout Rob emphasized that a productive team isn't rushing through tasks but solving the correct problems—together—on the first try. Collaboration Strategies for Solo Developers Even solo developers need structured collaboration between their tools, their future selves, and their automation stack. Top collaboration tips for independent devs: Use opinionated frameworks like Next.js or Rails to minimize decision fatigue. Automate repetitive tasks early to save time in the long run. Commit code regularly with meaningful messages. Document workflows using Notion, Obsidian, or Jira—even if you're the only one using them. Containerize development environments for repeatability and rapid setup. “Solo doesn't mean siloed. Collaborate with your tools, your past decisions, and future goals.” Enhancing Collaboration in Small Development Teams For teams of 2–10 developers, Rob and Michael discussed how tight feedback loops and structured communication are essential to avoid chaos. Recommended practices for small team collaboration: Short, focused daily standups Shared development environments Lightweight Agile or Kanban boards Early investment in CI/CD pipelines Use of pair programming or mob programming for knowledge sharing Michael emphasized Agile's power in synchronizing team efforts, avoiding duplicated work, and solving problems more efficiently as a unit. “Agile helps teams collaborate—not just communicate. It keeps everyone moving in the same direction.” Solving Common Bottlenecks Together AI highlighted four universal collaboration pain points and solutions: Slow Code Reviews - Use SLAs and rotate reviewers Unclear Requirements - Kick off with 15-minute clarification huddles Testing Paralysis - Focus on integration tests and avoid overtesting Context Switching - Block dedicated focus hours Michael zeroed in on testing paralysis, especially in early-stage projects, where developers are too busy scaffolding to write tests. Without collaboration on testing plans, critical issues may be overlooked until it is too late. Rob addressed context switching, warning against excessive meetings that fragment developer flow. Leads should shield devs from distraction by delivering distilled, actionable feedback. Final Thoughts on Collaborative Development As teams grow, minor issues scale fast, and so do inefficiencies. Tools, meetings, workflows, and expectations must all scale intentionally. Rob reminded leaders to summarize and distill information before passing it to their teams and to make clever use of tools like AI, recordings, and summaries to keep everyone aligned without wasting time. “If you're building better developers, you're also building better collaborators.” Take Action: Build Collaboration Into Your Workflow Reassess your standups and review cycles Empower solo devs with documentation and CI/CD Streamline onboarding with containers Test early, test together Protect team focus time Stay Connected: Join the Developreneur Community We invite you to join our community and share your coding journey with us. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting, there's always room to learn and grow together. Contact us at info@develpreneur.com with your questions, feedback, or suggestions for future episodes. Together, let's continue exploring the exciting world of software development. Additional Resources Embrace Feedback for Better Teams Using Offshore Teams and Resources – Interview With Tanika De Souza Moving To Mobile Teams and Building Them – Sebastian Schieke Building Better Developers With AI Podcast Videos – With Bonus Content

In this episode of Building Better Developers with AI, Rob Broadhead and Michael Meloche tackle a challenge that many modern developers face: navigating multiple software methodologies. With insights shaped by both real-world experience and AI-generated suggestions, the discussion reveals how developers can stay effective when juggling Agile, Waterfall, DevOps, and hybrid workflows. Understanding Common Software Methodologies The episode begins with an overview of today's most widely used software methodologies: Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, Kanban, DevOps, and SAFe. Rob and Michael highlight that developers often switch between these within the same organization or even across concurrent projects, depending on client requirements, legacy constraints, or team structure. The result? A dynamic but complex work environment that demands both technical and mental agility. The Challenge of Switching Software Methodologies The core challenge is staying productive while adapting to different software methodologies across teams and projects. Developers face more than just a change in process—they often deal with different toolsets, coding standards, sprint cadences, and collaboration models. This constant context switching can drain mental resources. “It's like being bilingual,” Michael explains. “If you're not fluent in a method, switching is exhausting.” Even development tools play a role. Some developers separate projects by using different IDEs to help them mentally shift gears between methodologies. Clarifying ‘Done' in Software Methodologies Rob and Michael explore a common point of contention: the definition of “done.” In Agile, it often means feature-ready for review or feedback. In Waterfall, it usually means final and locked. “You'll start a war in a meeting just asking what ‘done' means,” Rob quips. Michael uses a cooking analogy to explain the importance of clear expectations: requirements are the recipe, code is the ingredients, and the finished product must match what was promised. Without agreement on what “done” means for each software methodology, delivery and testing become chaotic. Adapting to Different Software Methodologies To truly thrive, developers must move from a methodology purist to an adaptive mindset, focusing on the value being delivered rather than the rigidity of a particular framework. “Don't serve the methodology. Serve the customer,” Rob emphasizes. Michael reminds us to avoid getting lost in small details, like UI color tweaks, when more critical features remain incomplete. Staying aligned with the end goal ensures that effort translates into real progress, regardless of methodology. Documenting Within Software Methodologies In teams that use multiple software methodologies, documentation often becomes fragmented or overly complex. Rob and Michael both stress that great developers learn to write “just enough” documentation—and keep it in one place. Michael offers a best practice: let the codebase be the source of truth. Embedding JavaDocs, comments, or changelogs within the code ensures that updates stay consistent with the actual implementation. It reduces dependency on separate, often outdated documentation tools. “If your code and documentation don't match, one of them is lying,” Michael warns. Key Takeaways on Software Methodologies Understand core methodologies — Agile, Waterfall, DevOps, and hybrids Support healthy context switching — Use tools and routines that help you adapt Align on ‘done' — Define it clearly with your team Focus on outcomes — Avoid getting stuck in rigid process rules Document just enough — And keep it close to your code Be Adaptable, Stay Focused To succeed across software methodologies, developers must be flexible, clear, and focused on delivering value. Rather than being loyal to a single framework, the best developers understand the principles behind them all. They communicate effectively, manage context switches efficiently, and utilize smart documentation to keep projects aligned. When you serve the goal—not just the process—you become a truly adaptive developer. Stay Connected: Join the Developreneur Community We invite you to join our community and share your coding journey with us. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting, there's always room to learn and grow together. Contact us at info@develpreneur.com with your questions, feedback, or suggestions for future episodes. Together, let's continue exploring the exciting world of software development. Additional Resources Learn From CoWorkers: Interview with Douglas Squirrel Rock Bottom Can Be a Starting Line Invest In Your Team – They Will Want To Stay Building Better Developers With AI – With Bonus Content

In law firms across the country, I'm seeing a concerning pattern emerge when one attorney adopts Kanban and Agile methods while their partner - often from an older generation of lawyers - resists these systematic approaches. This clash of perspectives frequently pushes teams back into overload and burnout.This week, I explore how this capacity tension manifests in law firms, particularly during succession planning. I share specific strategies for implementing personal Kanban systems to manage competing demands and discuss the critical difference between basic Kanban board interfaces and true Kanban methodology tools designed to support sustainable legal practice management.Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.agileattorney.com/74

Are you struggling to stay on top of your podcast guest appearances? Without a system, opportunities fall through the cracks, deadlines get missed, and follow-ups become overwhelming. In this episode, Candy Messer shares a simple but powerful way to track every step of the guesting process, from applications and scheduling to interviews and promotions. Get ready to streamline your workflow, stay organized, and make podcast hosts want to invite you back!MORE FROM THIS EPISODE: HTTPS://PODMATCH.COM/EP/335Chapters00:00 Introduction to Podcast Guest Management01:26 Project Management Systems for Podcasting06:00 Using Spreadsheets for Tracking Podcast Appearances08:47 Creating a Marketing Calendar for Promotions11:39 Conclusion and Key TakeawaysTakeawaysWithout a system, managing podcast appearances can feel overwhelming.A project management system helps track progress effectively.Using a checklist style is ideal for those who love organization.The Kanban board style is great for visual learners.Google Sheets can be a simple alternative for tracking.Color coding tasks can provide a quick visual reference.A marketing calendar is essential for planning promotions.Plan your promotions around your content schedule.Tagging hosts in promotions helps increase visibility.Finding the right system is key to managing podcast appearances.MORE FROM THIS EPISODE: HTTPS://PODMATCH.COM/EP/335

A concerning trend I've noticed both in my own practice and among my clients is that the rise of AI technology is making it harder to accurately assess our true capacity. Between constant marketing messages and the promise of enhanced productivity through AI tools, many of us are failing to gauge our own capacity and falling into the trap of overcommitting.The legal tech landscape is evolving rapidly, and technology companies are using sophisticated attention-hacking techniques to convince us their products are essential. Without clear goals and strategies in place, we become more susceptible to these marketing messages and risk adopting tools that don't actually serve our practice needs.In this episode, I explore how to maintain an honest assessment of capacity while embracing new technology and the problem with chasing every new technological promise. I share my personal experience with AI tools leading to overcommitment, and discuss the importance of using systems like Kanban boards to track capacity objectively.Get full show notes, transcript and more information here: https://www.agileattorney.com/73

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.

The Software Process and Measurement Cast Crew is on vacation. Until then, we are revisiting some fabulous panel discussions we have had during the last 19 years. We will be back on June 21st.   Poor work intake equals out-of-control.  Being out of control leads to stress and poor quality.  Mastering Work Intake is the path to bringing order out of chaos. Buy a copy today!  JRoss Publishing or Amazon. JRoss Publishing: Amazon:   Original Show Notes:  In March 2020, as our world was shrinking and words like 'lockdown' and 'zoom-bombing' were becoming a reality, we recorded and aired . Paul Laberge, Susan Parente, Jo Ann Sweeney, John Voris, and I talked about how we could create or preserve interactions leading to serendipity. Remote working was new for many people. This week we discuss what went well and what have we learned from nearly a year of working remotely. As the editor of the SPaMCAST it is my great pleasure to reconvene a group of people that have such great insight into people. The discussion is full of great ideas to improve remote and hybrid working environments, but most of all it is full of ideas to help respect people in tough times or not.   Panelist Bios Jo Ann Sweeney FCIM FIIC MCIPR is an engagement and communication consultant. Typically, she acts as change management lead on complex programmes, facilitating development of effective engagement, training, and communication strategies and then assisting as the strategies are implemented. Clients value her deep understanding of audiences. Jo Ann is known for clarifying the complex and for persuading key stakeholders to get involved and actively support change. You are welcome to download a complimentary copy of Jo Ann's guide How to Explain Change in 8 Easy Steps at Contact Jo Ann at jo.ann@sweeneycomms.com John Voris is the current leader of AgilePhilly, the local user group in the Philadelphia area for Scrum, Kanban, and Lean Software. ()  His day job is working on financial applications for Crown Cork & Seal, an essential company with over 100 years of manufacturing food and beverage cans.  Prior to Crown, John was an independent software consultant for 30+ years helping both small companies and Fortune 100 large companies with both applications and operating systems. Reach out on LinkedIn: With more than 30 years in the information technology industry, Paul Laberge – CGI Director Consulting-Expert, has a wide range of experience providing IT project management. He enjoys coaching leaders in deploying business technology solutions. His experience in organizational change management spans many different lifecycles including transitions to Agile frameworks (RUP, XP, Scrum, SAFe, Nexxus, LeSS) and incorporating Lean (Kanban) methodologies. Reach out on LinkedIn: Susan Parente is a Principal Consultant at S3 Technologies, LLC and a University Professor at multiple Universities. Mrs. Parente is an author, mentor and professor focused on risk management, traditional and Agile project management. Her experience is augmented by her Masters in Engineering Management with a focus in Marketing of Technology from George Washington University, DC, along with a number of professional certifications. Ms. Parente has 23+ years' experience leading software and business development projects in the private and public sectors, including a decade of experience implementing IT projects for the DoD. Contact Susan at parente.s3@gmail.com  

What does soccer, soda, and software have in common? According to Jim York—everything. In this episode, he and Brian Milner break down what great teamwork really means, why shared goals matter more than job titles, and how understanding your team’s unique contribution can unlock better flow and results. Overview In this episode of the Agile Mentors Podcast, Brian Milner sits down with veteran Agile coach and trainer Jim York for a deep dive into what makes real teamwork tick. They unpack what separates a group of coworkers from a high-functioning team, explore the role of shared goals in driving motivation, and walk through value stream thinking using vivid analogies from sports and soda cans alike. Whether you're part of a Scrum team or leading cross-functional initiatives, this episode will help you think differently about collaboration, flow, and how teams can work better together. References and resources mentioned in the show: Jim York Jim's Blog Jim's Video Library Lean Thinking: Banish Waste and Create Wealth in Your Corporation by James Womack & Daniel Jones Liftoff Vision: Launching Agile Teams and Projects by Diana Larsen & Ainsley Nies GoatBot Join the Agile Mentors Community Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input. Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one. Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is SVP of coaching and training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work. Jim York is a business owner helping teams discover how to delight their customers. He uses systems thinking, agile and lean to co-create resilient, learning teams. As a coach, he works with his clients to help them grow in directions that matter to them to achieve their goals. Jim is a Certified Agile Coach®️, holding both the Certified Enterprise Coach and Certified Team Coach credentials; Certified Scrum Trainer®️; Agile Fluency®️ facilitator; LeSS Practitioner. In 2007, Jim co-foundered FoxHedge Ltd with his wife, Melissa York. Auto-generated Transcript: Brian Milner (00:00) Welcome in Agile Mentors. We're back here for another episode of the Agile Mentors Podcast. I'm with you as always, Brian Milner. And today I have the very distinguished gentleman, Mr. Jim York with us. Welcome in, Jim. Jim York (00:12) Well, thank you, Brian. Glad to be here. Brian Milner (00:15) Very excited to have Jim with us. We were just chatting before and Jim and I met years ago at a conference. We got introduced by a mutual friend, Mr. Kurt Peterson, who has been on the show. He came on a little bit earlier to talk about Kanban. And just for those people who aren't familiar with Jim, Jim is a co-founder of a company called Fox Hedge. And he has been an Agile coach, a Scrum trainer for quite a while now and I give him the title Luminary, kind of scrum luminary, thought leader, been around doing this for a while. I hope that doesn't sound insulting in any way, Jim, to call you that. Jim York (00:55) Nope, nope, just trying to shine my light and help others shine theirs. So that's what a coach does. So. Brian Milner (01:00) Awesome, Cool, well, we wanted to have Jim on because we had this topic that it's kind of a broad topic, but it's, I think, actually crucial to today's world. And that's just the broad topic of teamwork itself. So I'll start this way, Jim. I want to get your opinion. In today's world, with the changing kind of landscape with AI and everything else that we see that's kind of influencing how we work, has teamwork had its day? Is it time now for something new or is teamwork still the best way to build things? Jim York (01:34) Yeah, well, teams are universal. I think once you get more than one single individual and you get some task that requires more than what one person can do, it's inevitable. We've to work together. And so I don't see that going away. It might change a bit. But in many ways, think the things that we face today are, in many ways, things that we faced before. They might be showing up in a different way, but I think there's some universality. universality to teamwork. Brian Milner (02:03) Yeah, I agree. And so what do we mean by teamwork? Why don't we define that a little bit for everyone? Jim York (02:09) Yeah, I guess we have to step back and start looking at what's a team. If we talk about teamwork, there's this whole expression, teamwork makes the teamwork. So what's a team? And the classic definition of a team is it's a group of individuals working on a shared goal. And so it's kind of like built into the definition, we're working on a shared goal. So teamwork is that combined action. Brian Milner (02:13) Yeah. Yeah. Jim York (02:32) And so that's kind of the general concept. It's, you know, some of the parts, you know, is greater than the whole. And so it's taking that mix of experiences, knowledge, skills, and bringing them together and having that dynamic, that energy, and kind of focusing it in the same direction. You know, that's really what teamwork is about. Brian Milner (02:55) Yeah, it's good to clarify it, because I think the word team gets quite widely used in today's world. you'll hear people describe that, hey, that's my sales team. When you look at it and how they actually work together, there's not really a lot of teaming actually happening. It's just a group of individuals who have the same job and that. that format. I do think you're right. It's important to understand the difference between that kind of a team and what we're talking about here as a team. Jim York (03:25) Yeah, there are different kinds of teams and people in a sales team, even if they're not working with each other, the fact that they have a shared goal does create some sense of team. And there's different teamwork where everybody's providing kind of their unique thing. And then you have, I think like a team in a rowing, when you have like four people in a rowboat. they might have somebody who's steering the boat, you know, but they have the four people holding onto the oars and, you know, they're working at a similar cadence. You can say to a certain degree they're individuals. I don't know if they're fungible. I don't think they're necessarily fungible, but they're working together to accomplish that shared goal. know, the people in rowing, that's different from people on like a soccer team. You know, on a soccer team, you're... You got the whole pitch, you know, you're all over the place and the ball's moving around and there's this kind of coming together and going apart of various team members interacting at different places and at different times throughout the game. You're kind of acting dynamically to where the ball is and where the opponents are and where they are on the field. And so there's this creativity that occurs there that's kind of a different kind of creativity than you might see in a rowing type of competition. Brian Milner (04:18) Yeah. Jim York (04:42) But yeah, I think there are different kinds of teams, but I think that universal theme of being a group of individuals that are having that shared goal, I think that's the thing that's in common. It's not the nature of the work that some people might call agile versus predictive or planned work. mean, the concept of a team is more universal thing. Brian Milner (04:43) Yeah. Yeah. I like the example of kind of the crew, right? Of rowing and stuff. I think that's a good picture because you're right. I mean, it's very subtle, but there's a lot of combined movement. And if one person is off a little bit, it really affects how others are working. I've used the example sometimes in my classes as a contrast to think about like a golf team. You know, like the idea that you have the group of people who, again, I say this in classes. So anyone listening to this who's a golf expert, it really loves golf. Please, email in and tell me if I'm wrong about this. But this is what I say in my classes. You know, if you're on a golf team, it's a group of individuals who are each shooting their own 18 holes. But then at the end of the round, you just total up the score. And if you have the lowest lower score than another team, then you win, right? But it's, When I'm shooting my 18 holes, I'm not necessarily aware of what everyone else on my team has done or what they're doing at the same time. We don't play off each other, right? I don't take the first shot and then they take the second shot. It's all on me to do my best. And then hopefully everyone else has done their best and we just kind of see how it works out at the very last second. Yeah. Jim York (06:17) Yeah, so teams are different. know, teams are definitely different. And I think it's that idea of the shared goal that is the thing that kind of the glue that holds the team together and that shared goal that can be at various levels. I mean, it can be at this grand big picture level. You know, sometimes what's referred to as a product vision, it can be at a more discrete team level. Sometimes that's referred to as, you know, our our unique contribution to the product division. So that would be like our team mission. And then there's maybe, you know, a specific task. And so, you know, we might be working on a specific, very small, discrete task. And, you know, there's a potentially a group of people working on that thing. And, and, and those people have that shared goal of moving that task, you know, through a process to a completion state. And so there's, there's some variability here in the different kind of levels and Hopefully, there's some alignment between those different levels when you're talking about a team. Brian Milner (07:14) All right, so there's some different kinds of teams and it kind of is wide ranging in how we would describe it. There's different configurations, but we have a single purpose. We're working together towards a single purpose. That's kind of our unifying factor there. So then what makes teams work? What's the glue other than our purpose? How do we actually... Combine efforts, how do we play off each other's strengths? How does that happen? Jim York (07:47) Yeah, well, it depends, right? I mean, that's the classic consultant's answer. It depends. How do we play off of each other? If you're in an environment where you've got a known solution to a known problem and you're just executing steps in a plan, those dynamics are pretty well understood. People in that process can be trained to do different types of activities. They can gain experience in that. Brian Milner (07:50) Yeah. Jim York (08:08) That's a fairly predictable kind of process, but then there are others where it's emergent. And so we have to kind of figure it out on the fly as we go. And even those environments where it seems that we've got a pre-existing solution, there is a very clear variable there, and that's people. People show up different every day. I might have had a poor night's sleep, and people might think, well, Jim's normally fairly easy to work with, but wow, today he's... got a short temper or whatever it might be. And so we have to of figure out on the fly how we adapt to those variables. anything that has to do with people, you're going to have some variability. think stepping back, Brian, I think one of the things that is important to kind of understand or get a sense of what part of the system that we want to understand when we're talking about a team and they are dynamics, they actually are fitting within some sort of product ecosystem. And so where are the boundaries of what we mean by our shared purpose, our shared vision within that ecosystem? There's a classic book called Lean Thinking by James and Womack. And there's a really interesting example, simple diagram in the book of a value stream. And it's a value stream of a cola can. And it's kind of fascinating. You kind of see this very simple value stream in there and it starts with aluminum being, well, not the aluminum, but the bauxite actually being mined. And it goes through a reduction mill and then to a smelter. And then it goes through some hot rolling and cold rolling process. And so finally you get basically rolls of sheet aluminum that go to a can maker and the can maker is cutting the cans that are then formed into the cola can. You know, and that can maker is actually the middle of the value stream because all the things I've described so far are upstream. Downstream of the can maker, once they've made the cans, the cans go to a can warehouse somewhere and they sit there until a bottler says, hey, we need some cans because somebody's ordered some cola. And so, you know, the cans make their journey to the bottler and they get filled and then they get... Brian Milner (10:01) Hmm. Jim York (10:17) go to a bottling warehouse and of course there's transportation, there's trucks carrying these empty cans from the can maker to the bottler and then the filled cans from the bottler to the bottler warehouse and then ultimately they go to some wholesale operation and then to a retail store and then you and I perhaps will go into the store and buy a six pack of cola and we go home and we drink the cola. And so you see this very simple kind of journey, this little value stream. from the perspective of the can maker. And so, first time I encountered that value stream, I'm sitting there looking at the can maker and I'm asking myself the classic question that I ask my clients. One of the first questions I ask is, who's your customer? And so for the can maker, it can be very easy to look at that and go, well, it's the bottler because the bottler is the one who places the orders for the cans. So clearly the customer for the can maker is the bottler. Of course from a lean perspective we look further down the stream We were looking at the end of the stream to see you know, what's what's it all for? What's it all for? And if you look at the diagram you get to you know finally to the end of the stream and there's the home where the person's potentially sitting on their couch and enjoying you know that that cola and so you know if you think about all the different steps along the value stream from the mining to the to the smelting to the bottler and Brian Milner (11:17) Ha Yeah. Jim York (11:38) the can maker themselves, the retail store that's selling the cola. The thing that you would ask them that would be the glue that would hold them together for this would be what Diana Larsson and Ainsley Nees call in their lift off book, the product vision. And so the product vision is really kind of what's it all for? And the cool thing about a product vision is it's very concise, it's very succinct and everybody can hold it in their heads very easily because of that. It's typically one sentence. And so I'm going to speculate this because I'm not a, I'm not part of this value stream where Cola makes its journey to people in their homes. But I'm guessing the product vision for all of these various people along the value stream boils down to something along the lines of our customers enjoy a convenient, refreshing beverage. And so the cool thing about that simple statement is that Brian Milner (12:23) Mm-hmm. Jim York (12:28) If you were to go to the mine and ask a miner and say, some of this bauxite that you're mining, in the context of this soda, what's it all for? Now, they're probably mining bauxite for a variety of different customers and a variety of different products. But in the context of this particular value stream, they could look down to the end of the stream and say, it's all about that person sitting on their couch at the end of a long day who simply wants to have a convenient, refreshing beverage. And so that's what you know, this particular product vision is. And so that kind of calls into view a couple of things. One is context is important. So when we're talking about the product, we have to be very specific about what it is that we mean, who is that customer at the end of the stream, and what is the experience that we want them to have. And so this product vision is, as I said, very simple. our customers experience a convenient, refreshing beverage. Now, that makes it simple in terms of this particular value stream, but it also makes us aware that it's very complex for the miners because they've got to deal with competing interests from a whole lot of different customers. And so if they've got limited capacity, they may be trying to figure out, which customer do we satisfy? And so the usefulness of the product vision is being able to go to that mining company and say, do you find value in, do you want to support this activity of creating this experience for this customer with convenient refreshing beverage? And if they buy into that, if they agree with that, that's your leverage, that's your argument. why you should deliver against this value stream versus some other value stream. Now, you don't always win that argument, which is really what life is about, is we're always dealing with trade-offs and we're dealing with different options or opportunities. And so I think that's one aspect of this. But when we talk about the team in the context of a product vision, The team is huge. The team is absolutely huge because it's not just a can maker and the can maker team. It's also the bottler and the bottler team. It's maybe the truckers union that's providing transportation between these different things. the retail store. It's the retail warehouse. All of them potentially have their own concept of team. And in order to create value, it's not just what you do and provide to your next partner on the value stream. You have to really pay attention to the entire value stream because ultimately anything that doesn't come together in the right way at the right in the right place right time It puts it all at risk It puts it all at risk. So I think it's important that we kind of understand the product vision this highest level glue that holds us together and then at a more discrete level look at your team, for example the can maker and What is their unique contribution? In Liftoff, Diana Larsson and Ainsley Niece call this the team mission. And so what is the team's unique contribution to the product vision? And so for the can maker, it's also fairly simple. It's like, we make the cans. And they could flavor that a bit with, they use the latest technology and they use environment. sensitive manufacturing processes, know, they source things using sustainable, you know, approaches and the like. at the team mission level, we're getting a little bit more discreet in terms of what it is that that team is contributing to the greater whole. So think part of this is just kind of stepping back and thinking about what it means to be a team. Brian Milner (16:12) Hmm. Jim York (16:24) You know, are we talking about we're a team that's the collection of all of these things? At times that might be a useful way of thinking about it. At other times we need to kind put our heads down and focus on what our unique contribution is and make sure that we're doing the appropriate job there. Brian Milner (16:24) Hmm. Yeah, this is fascinating because so what I'm hearing is that really we have to expand our thinking a little bit about teams because teaming teams are, know, in one sense, the small group that you're working with on a on a regular basis, but it's there's a larger team concept as well of the entire value stream from end to end. All the people who are contributing, they all are are working towards that ultimate goal of, in your example, someone having a refreshing beverage at the end of their long, day at work? And how often do we actually realize that or look at that? Are the miners really even aware of the fact that they're contributing to that sort of a larger team goal? I think that's a great question. Jim York (17:21) Yeah, that's an excellent point. And what are the implications of either that awareness or lack of awareness? And I think this kind of comes to play when we think about what motivates teams. If all I know is that I'm mining bauxite, that might work for some folks. That's enough motivation. Sometimes people say my paycheck is enough motivation. Brian Milner (17:44) Ha ha. Jim York (17:45) But if you really understand what it's all about, that maybe ties into a bit of self-worth, that I'm a contributing member of society. It could also help you make the right decisions and perform the right actions if you know ultimately what this is gonna lead to. And sometimes that's a calculation that's done in terms of the quality. of the work that you're doing or the output that you're creating. For certain applications, the quality might have certain characteristics where the quality has turned up very, very high in some areas or maybe it's lower in other areas because it's good enough. And if you overbuild quality, you might be introducing some waste because it's not. It's not necessary for the job at hand. In other places, if you deliver below quality, you introduce some risk that the product is not going to be, or the ultimate customer experience is not going to be what it is. I don't know about you, but I've occasionally gotten one of these plastic soda bottles where they've made the plastic so thin for the soda bottle that the liquid is actually needed inside the bottle to maintain the structural integrity of the bottle. Brian Milner (18:54) Yeah. Jim York (18:54) And if I were that customer sitting on the couch at the end of a long hot day, let's imagine it's a white cloth couch and I'm drinking orange soda and I reach over to pick up the soda and my hand, you know, grasping around the soda bottle, all of sudden the soda bottle just collapses in my hand and orange soda goes all over me and the couch and everything else. mean, that's, you know, there's some quality characteristics, some specifications around that. Brian Milner (19:02) Ha ha ha. Jim York (19:18) container that that plastic container that has to integrate well into the rest of the process. It has to work with the bottler and it has to work with the consumer when they're actually using it. So it's understanding the whole can certainly help teams feel a sense of purpose and also can guide that decision making in those actions around it. Brian Milner (19:30) Yeah. Yeah, I think that's an important thing to keep in mind and remember because, you you mentioned, you know, some people would say paycheck is a motivator. And I, you know, I, I kind of subscribe to the Dan Pink kind of motivation philosophy that, know, that, can only do it so far that it is a motivator, but it is a motivator only to a certain point. Beyond that point, we need more. We need more to motivate what we're going to do. Cause you know, there's a million things out there that can give me a paycheck. I could work in a lot of different places, but I've chosen to do what I do for a reason. There's something that fulfills me from doing that, or I prefer it in some way to what my other options might be. I know I've heard people say this in classes before, the idea of how do you have a vision for somebody who builds clothes hangers? We have this talk about vision, this grand design. Big purpose. Well, how do you do that for someone who has clothes hangers? You know, like I get that, you know, there's not everything, every product in the world has, you know, a save the world kind of vision, right? But I think you can, in your example of kind of the mining thing, I think is a good example of this because you can connect it to that ultimate value. And when you connect to that ultimate value, it doesn't that motivate people more to think, hey, I'm helping someone who's had a hard day. I know what that's like. Have a hard day, sit down on your couch and you just want to relax a little bit. Yeah, I want to help that person. Like that, is something that that'll gets me out of bed, you know? Jim York (21:06) Mm-hmm. Yeah, and I think that does require you to think beyond what we often think of as being the team. Because to make it all come together and result in that ultimate product vision, that, you know, the person having the convenient refreshing beverage, in my example, you know, all of those different parts have to come together. And any one of them, if it doesn't happen, you know, that we don't have that value that's realized at the end of the value stream. And so having that connection to what it's really ultimately about is critically important. And understanding where you fit into that and what your value add work is, I think is critically important. And so we talked about like at high level product vision, we talked about this unique contribution of your team like the can maker, and so our team mission, we make the cans. And then we get to the practicalities of the task that's in flight, the work that we're doing right now. And I think that's a critical piece of this puzzle. What is it that's the thing that's being acted upon right now? The work in process or the work in flight. And depending on what the nature of that is, I think that drives a lot of... decisions and one of them is around, you know, who do we need? So who are the actual people, you know, that have the right skills, knowledge, experience in order to do that work? And also it informs our process and so, know, again, that process could be something where it's a known process and we're just, you know, turning the crank or it might be something where we're having to figure it out on the fly. Regardless of the nature of the work, there's going to be a workflow. When we're trying to get something done, the work is going to be flowing through some sort of process. And it's that flow that really intrigues me. we want to look at the flow, especially if speed matters. And why would speed matter? Sometimes speed matters because customers want what we are building yesterday. So they want it as soon as possible. So time to value is often what's considered there. If we're something new that hasn't existed before, sometimes we're also building quickly so we can get it in front of someone to get their reaction to see whether it's fit for purpose. So we might think of that as being time to feedback. But the flow itself is there's the workflow. And so work, the nature of it is a piece of work is something that maybe an individual can go work on. Other times there's a piece of work that requires more than one person to work on. So there's an element of collaboration with that. Even when it's an individual that can work on a piece of work, usually they've received something from somebody that allows them to start that piece of work. And when they're done with that piece of work, they're passing what they've done along to somebody else and that other person is picking up. So even if... there's an ability to work on a discrete task by yourself, there's still an interaction often on the front end of that and the back end of that. So work is still flowing and we have to figure out how to collaborate in such a way that the work that is not being held up in some queue somewhere where we're getting some bottlenecks and that they're constraints. so figuring out how do you enable the work to flow and how do you enable the people to flow? Years ago, I had an opportunity to coach soccer and on my team, I taught them, in addition to like skills, I taught them three concepts. And so the first one was, everybody on the team should know where the ball is. And so it seems pretty obvious, you should know where the ball is. But if you look at this from a team building software perspective, does everybody know where the ball is? You know, what is the work that's in flight and what's the current state of that? I mean, we use information radiators to try to help people understand where the ball is, but often I don't think we use them as effectively as we might. So I'm always challenging teams to figure out, you know, how do you use your communication systems, your information radiators to enable everyone in your ecosystem to understand, you know, what's the work in flight and what is its current state? And why do you need to know that? Brian Milner (24:55) Hmm. Yeah. Jim York (25:24) Well, if you know where the ball is, you can get a sense of what are the things that are in the way of that ball moving forward. So my second rule for the team was know where your obstacles are. And so in a soccer game, you're seeing your opponents. And so you might have a great plan on how you're going to advance the ball from where it is currently down the field towards the goal. But little problem with that. You've got people on the other team trying to keep you from getting there. So you're having to react real time in the moment to those obstacles. And so in addition to everybody on the team knowing where the ball is, everyone on the team needs to know where the obstacles are. And so when you have that information, and again, for a team building software, this is the kind of thing that should be readily available in some sort of information radiator, real time ability to see where the ball is and to see what's in the way. Why is that important? Well, if you know where the ball is and you know where the obstacles are, you can position yourself as a team member to be what I called the help. And so by the help, that's the one or two people on your soccer team that if you're the one with the ball, you know you can pass to them easily. You know, that they are constantly moving around and positioning themselves to be in the place where it's possible for you to get the ball to them. So who are those two people? Well, it changes depending on where the ball is. And so what the team has to do is kind of get a mental mob. Brian Milner (26:41) Ha ha. Jim York (26:47) in their heads of the actual position of people on the field and get a sense of if the ball's here and the obstacles are here, then I should put myself here. Now, it isn't for all the team members to position themselves to be the help because that would be crazy. Just as we see on Agile teams, when somebody picks up a task, the whole team typically doesn't swarm on that task. It would be too many people on the task. Brian Milner (27:06) haha Jim York (27:16) So who shows up to work the task? The right number of people with the right skills and knowledge. So how do they know to come? It's because the work is made visible. And so they come because they see that they're needed. How fast do they come? Ideally, they're there instantly. Now, why might they not be there instantly? Because they might be working on some other tasks. And so if this were to happen in soccer game, you would see the other opponent, you know, they would be... basically scoring goals against you right and left because when you try to pass the ball, you wouldn't have somebody there to receive the ball. So knowing where your help is, if you've got the ball and passing it to that person helps you continue the flow down towards the goal. So if you're not the person who has the ball and you're not one of those two people that are the help currently, What you're doing as another team member is you are. orienting yourself on the field so that you will be the help when it's needed. And so there's this constant movement of people down the field. And where this really brings it home, I'll use this example, and I'm coaching agile teams, is they'll talk about how all their work and stuff, and I'll use the example of the soccer game and the one ball, and they say, now let's imagine you put two balls in flight. Brian Milner (28:16) Hmm, that makes sense, yeah. Jim York (28:36) Can you optimally move those balls down the field towards your opponent's goal? And typically, there is a limit, right? How many balls can you put on the field? Two, three, 15? It's like, yeah, it really drives home the point of limiting the work in process. the teamwork is made more effective and efficient if we have some sense of where the work is, what is the nature of it so that people can come and go, I call this people flow. so we're looking at things like the, well, out of... Brian Milner (29:05) Yeah. Jim York (29:09) out of the concept of open space, the law of mobility. It's like within our organizations, within our teams, can we have people flow to where the work is needed and also have people flow away from the work when they're not needed? And so enabling that autonomy of the individual to be able to go where they need to go in order to optimize the flow is a... Brian Milner (29:13) Yeah, yeah. Jim York (29:34) is a key organizational design problem. Brian Milner (29:37) Yeah, yeah, this is fascinating stuff. mean, I love the analogy with the soccer teams and that I mean, I, that makes sense to me. I love kind of where you're going with this. If people are hearing this and thinking, well, I like to hear more about this stuff. We're going to put links in our show notes back to Jim's site on this because he's got a lot of blog posts. They're kind of around the same theme on this. And we'll link to those specific blog posts for you so that you can find them. But Jim, I want to be respectful of your time and our listeners' time. So thank you so much for taking your time out to share this with us. Jim York (30:08) Well, I've been very pleased to join you, Brian. Thank you for the opportunity. Brian Milner (30:13) Absolutely.

In this Concepts Edition episode Uriel and Devin discuss:- Focusing on upside instead of downside sensitivity- The failure mode of Kanban stockout- Fusion360 Airtable API- Prioritizing system efficiency over personal workload- CMM increasing throughputPlease join our patreon! https://patreon.com/IncrementalCI And follow us on Instagram and share your improvements and tag us. www.instagram.com/incrementalci In this podcast we discuss concepts from Lean Manufacturing, the Toyota Production System, and general business management to improve our businesses. Thanks for listening! Please drop us a note with any and all feedback! If you have parts you need machined, reach out to Devin@lichenprecision.com and follow on Instagram www.instagram.com/lichen_mfg If you need CNCed Buckles, check out www.austeremfg.com and follow at on Instagram www.instagram.com/austere_manufacturingTo reach out to the podcast directly please email fixsomethingtoday@gmail.com

Lee Stuart is back again, but this time he's in the co-host seat. It's been a long time coming, but we're stoked to be talkin' shirt with Mr. President himself, Ross Hunter of ROQ. This monster of an episode will surely put you at ease regarding the state of the industry, grow your brain a few sizes, and pump you up with so much motivation that you could run through a brick wall. You'll see. Topics of discussion include: Lee's new space and DTF venture, AI customer service, travel pains, new equipment and automations from ROQ, print on demand, shop collaborations, some speculation on a combo DTF Printer-Press and carrier sheet waste reduction, the state of the industry around the world, pushing promo products, online stores, realistic purchases, utilizing lean methodology, SOPs and Kanban systems, ROQ's partnership with Grimco, and the stark contrast between Dilly and Lee's Youtube algorithms.

Richard Brenner: Skipping the Vision, How Not to Introduce Kanban Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Richard shares an important learning experience from introducing Kanban to teams using a top-down approach. Without clearly articulating why the change was needed, team members questioned what they were doing wrong that necessitated change. Richard found himself unable to connect the organizational vision to the methodology shift, leading to resistance. He emphasizes the importance of first understanding the problem before applying Scrum or Kanban, defining what success looks like, and involving people early in the change process. Richard also recommends thorough contracting with client organizations to assess their current state and understand who is trying to change what, and why. In this episode, we refer to Kotter's book Leading Change. Self-reflection Question: How might your change initiatives be improved by spending more time defining the "why" before introducing new methodologies? [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

BONUS: X-Matrix and Obeya: How to Make Strategy Visible and Actionable for Everyone with Jim Benson and Karl Scotland In this BONUS episode, we explore the groundbreaking work of two renowned agilists - Karl Scotland and Jim Benson. Together, they've developed innovative approaches to making strategy accessible and actionable across organizations. We delve into how their combined expertise in X-Matrix strategy deployment and Obeya visualization creates powerful frameworks for aligning teams and keeping strategic conversations alive throughout execution. The Genesis of Strategic Visualization "It's not about whether agile works or not. It's about whether your business is being successful." Karl Scotland shares how his journey from tactical agile practices to strategic thinking began with a deceptively simple question: "How will we know if this agile thing is working?" This fundamental inquiry exposed a common gap in organizations - the disconnect between implementation methodologies and measurable business outcomes. Karl explains how this led him to develop the X-Matrix, a powerful visualization tool that connects true north, aspirations, strategies, tactics, and evidence on a single page, creating coherence across organizational efforts. Jim Benson reflects on his complementary path, observing how organizations often focus intensely on transformations without creating clear alignment between corporate needs, team activities, and customer value. This absence of a "full story" connecting strategic intent to daily work leaves teams uncertain if they're actually doing the right things. Jim highlights how their combined approach addresses this critical gap through collaborative strategy development and visual management. Seeing Strategy, Tactics, and Work in One Place "Strategy has often been things that C-level people do when they go on a retreat to Cancun...and everybody's like 'why?' and they're like 'Cancun'...the story of how that came about isn't there." Karl and Jim introduce their innovative approaches to making strategy visible and actionable. The X-Matrix provides a powerful framework for capturing the five key elements of strategy (True North, Aspirations, Strategies, Tactics, and Evidence) on a single sheet, showing how these elements correlate. This creates a comprehensive strategic story that answers what an organization is doing, why they're doing it, how they'll know it's working, and what success ultimately looks like. This strategic framework then comes to life in the Obeya room, which Jim describes as a physical or virtual space containing a family of visualizations. These include value stream maps, A3s, time series data, personal Kanbans, collaborative problem-solving tools, and KPIs - all designed to support the execution of the strategy articulated in the X-Matrix. By bringing these elements together, teams can maintain a living strategic conversation, allowing for continuous learning and adaptation based on real evidence. In this section, we also refer to:  Esko Kilpi's Interactive Value Creation blog, where he explores different aspects of value creation, including how conversations are the core interaction pattern. The Catch-ball process from Lean The Backbriefing, From Stephen Bungay's book The Art of Action   Maintaining Living Strategic Conversations "You don't create an annual strategy, but you create a living strategic conversation within the organization." The power of connecting X-Matrix and Obeya approaches lies in their ability to catalyze and sustain meaningful strategic conversations. Karl describes the X-Matrix as an "architecture for your Obeya" and emphasizes the importance of continuous strategy development rather than static planning. He introduces concepts like "catch-ball" from Lean and "backbriefing" from military commander Stephen Bungay, which create feedback loops to ensure shared understanding and effective execution. Jim highlights how this approach transforms strategy from an annual event into an ongoing dialogue where everyone can see how their work connects to larger goals. He emphasizes the importance of choosing language carefully, noting his appreciation for Karl's use of "evidence" rather than "metrics" - a subtle but significant distinction that encourages learning and psychological safety rather than mere measurement. This creates environments where people feel safe to discuss what's actually happening rather than hiding problems. The Changing Landscape of Agile and Strategy "I want people to own the process themselves, which is the agreements of how they will interact, and then they deploy tools like their Obeya to facilitate that process and those interactions." When discussing the recent PMI and Agile Alliance merger, both speakers offer thoughtful perspectives on the evolution of agile methodologies. Jim describes this as part of an ongoing commodification of agile practices, suggesting that we're entering a post-framework era where teams can draw from multiple approaches to craft ways of working that suit their specific context rather than adhering to rigid methodologies. Karl reflects on how the early agile community started with like-minded people coming together to share ideas and be "heretics," but eventually evolved into larger, more commercially-driven conferences and organizations. He sees the future in smaller, more focused communities of practice developing around specific interests or approaches - like the collaboration he and Jim have renewed with their course and strategic visualization work. Creating Professional Engagement Through Visualization "The word 'evidence' is a painfully poignant word... Evidence is something that grows over time based on investigation." A fascinating insight from this conversation is Jim's observation about the transformative power of visualization and language in creating psychological safety. He notes that when organizations approach their Kanban or Obeya with a learning mindset - seeking evidence rather than just tracking metrics - the entire conversation changes. Problems become opportunities for learning rather than failures to hide. Karl's careful choice of terminology in his TASTE model (True North, Aspirations, Strategies, Tactics, Evidence) reflects this intention, deliberately moving away from terms like "annual targets" or "process metrics" to encourage more holistic thinking. This approach helps create environments where strategic conversations can flourish across organizational boundaries, keeping everyone aligned on both direction and progress. About Karl Scotland and Jim Benson Karl Scotland is known for his groundbreaking work with the X-Matrix, integrating Agile principles with strategic planning. His innovative approach focuses on aligning True North, aspirations, strategies, tactics, and evidence into a single, collaborative visualization. Karl has extensive experience helping organizations develop continuous strategy development practices that connect strategic intent with execution. You can link with Karl Scotland on LinkedIn. Jim Benson is the visionary author of Personal Kanban and The Collaboration Equation. Jim's expertise lies in collaborative management, visualizing work, and fostering humane, team-driven environments. Through his work at Modus Institute, Jim helps organizations create systems that support continuous improvement and meaningful workplace conversations. You can link with Jim Benson on LinkedIn.

Theodore Morley wonders why tech workers so frequently point our wanderlust toward hands-on trades, Eduardo Bouças explains why he's lost confidence in Vercel's handling of Next.js, "xan" is a command line tool that can be used to process CSV files directly from the shell, Pawel Brodzinski takes us back to Kanban's roots & Sergey Tselovalnikov weighs in on vibe coding.

David Allen recently spoke with Luca Gambetti, whose company E-quality Italia is the certified partner for GTD in Italy. Their discussion centered around traditional and modern approaches to project management. Before becoming a GTD Master Trainer, Luca worked extensively as a project manager. He has a background in Agile, Scrum, Lean, Kanban and others. His key piece of advice about projects? Keep track of your achievements, and take time to savor them. Luca confidently says that with GTD, it is possible to live a more relaxed, focused life. You can listen to this entire conversation from March 2018 at GTD Connect®. Sign up for the GTD Newsletter -- This audio is one of many available at GTD Connect, a learning space and community hub for all things GTD. Join GTD practitioners from around the world in learning, sharing, and developing the skills for stress-free productivity. Sign up for a free guest pass Learn about membership options Knowing how to get the right things done is a key to success. It's easy to get distracted and overwhelmed. Stay focused and increase productivity with GTD Connect—a subscription-based online learning center from the David Allen Company. GTD Connect gives you access to a wealth of multimedia content designed to help you stay on track and deepen your awareness of principles you can also learn in GTD courses, coaching, and by reading the Getting Things Done book. You'll also get the support and encouragement of a thriving global community of people you won't find anywhere else. If you already know you'd like to join, click here to choose from monthly or annual options. If you'd like to try GTD Connect free for 14 days, read on for what's included and how to get your free trial. During your 14-day free trial, you will have access to: Recorded webinars with David Allen & the certified coaches and trainers on a wide range of productivity topics GTD Getting Started & Refresher Series to reinforce the fundamentals you may have learned in a GTD course, coaching, or book Extensive audio, video, and document library Slice of GTD Life series to see how others are making GTD stick David Allen's exclusive interviews with people in his network all over the world Lively members-only discussion forums sharing ideas, tips, and tricks Note: GTD Connect is designed to reinforce your learning, and we also recommend that you take a course, get individual coaching, or read the Getting Things Done book. Ready to start your free trial?

Marina Lazovic: How Limiting Work-in-Progress Saved a Struggling Agile Team Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Marina shares the story of a small team of three developers who were struggling with multiple challenges. The team was primarily working on front-end fixes but faced persistent environment issues that kept breaking their work. Under pressure from a Product Owner pushing for delivery, the team fell into the trap of working on too many things simultaneously, resulting in items staying perpetually "in progress" and never reaching "done." As the situation deteriorated, the PO began micromanaging the team in attempts to unblock work. Marina explains how she helped the team understand the value of limiting work-in-progress (WIP), even when initially both developers and the PO were resistant to the idea. Through experimentation over several sprints, they discovered that limiting WIP actually increased their completion rate rather than reducing it. Self-reflection Question: What work-in-progress limits might benefit your current team, and how could you experiment with implementing them in a way that addresses stakeholder concerns? Featured Book of the Week: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team Marina recommends "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team" as an essential read for Scrum Masters. She describes it as a book filled with valuable lessons and examples that she could easily identify in her workplace. Marina finds particular value in sharing the concepts with her teams and using the book as a framework to discuss dysfunction patterns they might be experiencing. The practical examples provided in the book serve as excellent conversation starters to help teams recognize and address their own challenges. About Marina Lazovic Marina is a Scrum Master and Kanban Trainer from Belgrade, Serbia, with nearly a decade in the IT industry. Though not from a technical background, she is passionate about helping development teams and organizations optimize processes and build great products using Agile. She thrives on driving efficiency and fostering collaboration. You can link with Marina Lazovic on LinkedIn.

#547 Nick Church is a UK-based wedding photographer who transitioned from a full-time career in the software industry to photography within 24 months. The central theme revolves around Nick's journey from picking up a camera for the first time in 2014 to becoming a professional photographer. Key learning objectives include understanding the steps involved in transitioning to a photography career, leveraging multiple photography niches for financial stability, and effective marketing strategies for acquiring clients. KEY TOPICS COVEREDTransition from Software Industry to Photography - Nick shares how his background in physics and art facilitated his understanding of photography fundamentals. He emphasizes the importance of a deep dive into learning photography and the role of creativity and passion in pursuing this new career.Marketing and Business Strategy - Nick highlights his strategy of utilizing Facebook advertising as a primary marketing tool for attracting clients and replacing his previous income. His approach involves targeted ads to engage potential clients within a specific demographic, maximizing return on investment.Workflow and Organization Techniques - Nick discusses using workflow management systems to organize client interactions and projects effectively. He introduces the concept of Kanban for prioritizing tasks, ensuring efficient use of time and resources.IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS & CONCEPTSKanban: A task management system that helps prioritize and streamline workflow for increased productivity and efficiency in business operations.DISCUSSION & REFLECTION QUESTIONSHow does Nick's approach to learning photography through doing rather than reading formal books resonate with different learning styles?In what ways can Nick's marketing strategies be adapted to other forms of photography beyond weddings?Reflect on the challenges associated with transitioning to a full-time photography career and how proper planning can mitigate these challenges.RESOURCES:Visit Nick Church's Website - https://www.nickchurchphotography.co.uk/Follow Nick Church on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nickchurchphotography/Learn What Camera Settings to Use in our free guide!https://perfectcamerasettings.com/ Sign up for your free CloudSpot Account today at www.DeliverPhotos.comConnect with Raymond! Join the free Beginner Photography Podcast Community at https://beginnerphotopod.com/group Get your Photo Questions Answered on the show - https://beginnerphotopod.com/qa Grab your free camera setting cheatsheet - https://perfectcamerasettings.com/ Thanks for listening & keep shooting!

Head into the world of data management with hosts Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard as they explore essential apps to help you organize and action your data more effectively. From storing manuals to creating databases and automating with shortcuts, this episode provides practical solutions for both personal and professional data needs. DEVONThink - A powerful app for storing and searching documents like manuals, with annotation features and the ability to create links to specific sections of documents Tap Forms - The spiritual successor to Bento, allowing users to create custom forms and databases with various field types and options for viewing and organizing data Airtable - A versatile database service that integrates with automation tools and offers various views (grid, Kanban, calendar) to organize and visualize data Notion - Described as a great "dumping spot" for storing all kinds of information, offering a different approach to data management than Airtable Apple News New iPad Air with M3 Chip - Apple announced the new iPad Air with M3 chip supporting Apple Intelligence, available in 11-inch ($599) and 13-inch ($799) models New Magic Keyboard - Features a 14-key function row and larger trackpad, priced at $269 for 11-inch and $319 for 13-inch models Updated Base iPad - Now includes double the storage capacity and features the A16 chip Feedback CarPlay Directions - Addressed a viewer question about stopping CarPlay from automatically suggesting directions home, with tips on using alternative map apps Procreate App - Acknowledged viewer feedback about Procreate being an excellent graphics app for iPad that deserved mention in a previous episode Shortcuts Corner Smart Bulb Automation - Solved a problem where smart bulbs were turning on too dim when returning home, showing how to properly set up HomeKit automations with specific brightness levels Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard Contact iOS Today at iOSToday@twit.tv. Download or subscribe to iOS Today at https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.

Head into the world of data management with hosts Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard as they explore essential apps to help you organize and action your data more effectively. From storing manuals to creating databases and automating with shortcuts, this episode provides practical solutions for both personal and professional data needs. DEVONThink - A powerful app for storing and searching documents like manuals, with annotation features and the ability to create links to specific sections of documents Tap Forms - The spiritual successor to Bento, allowing users to create custom forms and databases with various field types and options for viewing and organizing data Airtable - A versatile database service that integrates with automation tools and offers various views (grid, Kanban, calendar) to organize and visualize data Notion - Described as a great "dumping spot" for storing all kinds of information, offering a different approach to data management than Airtable Apple News New iPad Air with M3 Chip - Apple announced the new iPad Air with M3 chip supporting Apple Intelligence, available in 11-inch ($599) and 13-inch ($799) models New Magic Keyboard - Features a 14-key function row and larger trackpad, priced at $269 for 11-inch and $319 for 13-inch models Updated Base iPad - Now includes double the storage capacity and features the A16 chip Feedback CarPlay Directions - Addressed a viewer question about stopping CarPlay from automatically suggesting directions home, with tips on using alternative map apps Procreate App - Acknowledged viewer feedback about Procreate being an excellent graphics app for iPad that deserved mention in a previous episode Shortcuts Corner Smart Bulb Automation - Solved a problem where smart bulbs were turning on too dim when returning home, showing how to properly set up HomeKit automations with specific brightness levels Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard Contact iOS Today at iOSToday@twit.tv. Download or subscribe to iOS Today at https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.

Head into the world of data management with hosts Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard as they explore essential apps to help you organize and action your data more effectively. From storing manuals to creating databases and automating with shortcuts, this episode provides practical solutions for both personal and professional data needs. DEVONThink - A powerful app for storing and searching documents like manuals, with annotation features and the ability to create links to specific sections of documents Tap Forms - The spiritual successor to Bento, allowing users to create custom forms and databases with various field types and options for viewing and organizing data Airtable - A versatile database service that integrates with automation tools and offers various views (grid, Kanban, calendar) to organize and visualize data Notion - Described as a great "dumping spot" for storing all kinds of information, offering a different approach to data management than Airtable Apple News New iPad Air with M3 Chip - Apple announced the new iPad Air with M3 chip supporting Apple Intelligence, available in 11-inch ($599) and 13-inch ($799) models New Magic Keyboard - Features a 14-key function row and larger trackpad, priced at $269 for 11-inch and $319 for 13-inch models Updated Base iPad - Now includes double the storage capacity and features the A16 chip Feedback CarPlay Directions - Addressed a viewer question about stopping CarPlay from automatically suggesting directions home, with tips on using alternative map apps Procreate App - Acknowledged viewer feedback about Procreate being an excellent graphics app for iPad that deserved mention in a previous episode Shortcuts Corner Smart Bulb Automation - Solved a problem where smart bulbs were turning on too dim when returning home, showing how to properly set up HomeKit automations with specific brightness levels Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard Contact iOS Today at iOSToday@twit.tv. Download or subscribe to iOS Today at https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.

Head into the world of data management with hosts Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard as they explore essential apps to help you organize and action your data more effectively. From storing manuals to creating databases and automating with shortcuts, this episode provides practical solutions for both personal and professional data needs. DEVONThink - A powerful app for storing and searching documents like manuals, with annotation features and the ability to create links to specific sections of documents Tap Forms - The spiritual successor to Bento, allowing users to create custom forms and databases with various field types and options for viewing and organizing data Airtable - A versatile database service that integrates with automation tools and offers various views (grid, Kanban, calendar) to organize and visualize data Notion - Described as a great "dumping spot" for storing all kinds of information, offering a different approach to data management than Airtable Apple News New iPad Air with M3 Chip - Apple announced the new iPad Air with M3 chip supporting Apple Intelligence, available in 11-inch ($599) and 13-inch ($799) models New Magic Keyboard - Features a 14-key function row and larger trackpad, priced at $269 for 11-inch and $319 for 13-inch models Updated Base iPad - Now includes double the storage capacity and features the A16 chip Feedback CarPlay Directions - Addressed a viewer question about stopping CarPlay from automatically suggesting directions home, with tips on using alternative map apps Procreate App - Acknowledged viewer feedback about Procreate being an excellent graphics app for iPad that deserved mention in a previous episode Shortcuts Corner Smart Bulb Automation - Solved a problem where smart bulbs were turning on too dim when returning home, showing how to properly set up HomeKit automations with specific brightness levels Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard Contact iOS Today at iOSToday@twit.tv. Download or subscribe to iOS Today at https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.

This week's guest is Uriel Eisen. Ron and Uriel discussed the importance of kanban, why increasing your inventory isn't always a bad thing, Uriel's background and projects, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you'll learn:  The quote Uriel likes (2:33) His background (5:14) What "tripling production" means (9:03) How he increased their inventory (14:01) How it's measured (19:13) Uriel's advice on how to get started (22:14) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 Austere Manufacturing Austere Manufacturing on Instagram Arda on Instagram Arda Uriel on LinkedIn Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? Why is kanban so powerful?