Agile for Everybody

Introduction (5 minutes)

A brief history of the Agile and Lean movements (20 mins)

• Presentation: Tracing the history of the deeply interconnected Agile and Lean movements from manufacturing in the 30s through software development in the 90s
• Presentation and discussion: Similar ideas, different names
• Introducing the deeply aligned and largely overlapping values and principles of the Agile and Lean movements, as well as adjacent movements like Design Thinking
• Discussion: Participants reflect on the differences and similarities between Agile, Lean, and Design Thinking in the context of their own organizations

The first guiding principle of Agile for everybody: “Agile means that we start with our customers” (20 mins)

• Presentation and discussion: The most important (and at times underappreciated) part of Agile is customer centricity. We will discuss how “working software over comprehensive documentation” is a call to focus on customer value, and share examples of what “working software” might mean for our particular teams and organizations.
• Presentation and discussion: Working in Sprints: We will examine the most common Agile practice of working in “Sprints” (and its Lean cousin, Build-Measure-Learn loops) to explore how Agile can increase a team’s velocity from the customer’s point of view.
• Activity: Specializing our first guiding principle
• Participants will look to reframe “Agile means that we start with our customers” in a way that aligns with the specifics of their team and organization, providing a “north star” that can help guide the specific Agile practices they choose to implement.
• Break (10 minutes)

The second guiding principle of Agile for everybody: “Agile means that we collaborate early and often” (20 mins)

• Presentation and discussion: Collaboration is a key part of the Agile movement — but it cannot be a function of frameworks and org charts alone. We will discuss what it means to instill collaboration as a cultural value, and what steps individuals can take to put collaboration across teams and functions into practice.
• Presentation and discussion: The Daily Stand-up: We will discuss one of the most common Agile rituals, the daily stand-up meeting. What makes a good stand-up? How do stand-ups encourage (or stifle) collaboration?
• Activity: Specializing our second guiding principle
• Participants will look to reframe “Agile means that we collaborate early and often” in a way that aligns with the specifics of their team and organization, providing a “north star” that can help guide the specific Agile practices they choose to implement.

The third guiding principle of Agile for everybody: “Agile means that we plan for uncertainty” (20 mins)

• Presentation and discussion: Adaptability is part of both Agile and Lean. But at their hearts, these movements don’t just acknowledge uncertainty — they give you a way to plan for uncertainty. We will discuss what it means to make adjusting course a part of your predictable rhythm.
• Presentation and discussion: The Retrospective: We will discuss how the practice of retrospecting provides an opportunity for team members to take ownership of the way they work, and adjust course in a way that is not seen as disruptive or threatening.
• Activity: Specializing our third guiding principle
• Participants will look to reframe “Agile means that we plan for uncertainty” in a way that aligns with the specifics of their team and organization, providing a “north star” that can help guide the specific Agile practices they choose to implement.

Committing to a first step and an opportunity to adjust (10 mins)

• Activity: Participants will commit to a first step they can take to bring the principles that they’ve synthesized and practices that we’ve explored into their organizations — and to a plan for adjusting course.

Q&A and conclusion (15 minutes)