An Assessment of Modern Agile Assessment Tools
Lately, I've been hearing a lot of buzz about agile assessment tools. Whether it is comparative agility or the AgilityHealth assessment, it seems that people want to be able to…
Looking to improve your team’s performance with Agile? Learn about the Agile Methodology from the author of Agile Project Management.
The 25 Best Agile Graphics from Vitality Chicago
Since founding Vitality Chicago in 2015, we've published nearly 200 blog posts. Most of them have included a great graphic or image that is meant to convey some truth about…
How to User Story
User stories are extremely popular with agile teams and have become nearly synonymous with agile ways of working and Scrum, even though they are not part of the Scrum Framework.…
Save Time and Frustration – Stop Estimating Backlog Items in Hours
In a recent client conversation, the topic of estimating backlog items in hours came up. It seems that I stepped on a hornet's nest when I suggested that the client…
Kanban Part 3 – WIP Limits, Blocked Items and Lanes of Service
In our previous posts, we looked at What is Kanban and Why is it Used and Getting Started with Kanban. In Part 3, we are going to drill in on…
Kanban Part 2 – How to Get Started With Kanban
This post is the second in a series on Kanban, a lightweight agile approach for organizing work. In our previous post we answered the question, what is Kanban and why…
Kanban Part 1 – What is Kanban and Why is it Used?
This post is first in a series about Kanban and how to get the most benefit from it. We will start with what Kanban is and explore why people use…
Beyond SAFe – Trends in Agile Scaling Approaches 2020
There has been considerable buzz in the agile community about scaling approaches for a while now. I first noticed it at the 2014 Agile Alliance conference where the Scaled Agile…
Is this the End of the Line for Physical Task Boards?
As the COVID-19 pandemic grows worldwide and in particular in the US, I can't help but wonder if our ability to meet face to face will become a thing of…
Avoid À la Carte Agile Approaches
Some people like to pick and choose practices from different agile approaches and mix them together with Waterfall. Unless you are experienced and understand the why behind the practice, this…
A Checklist for Using the Spotify Model
Previously I posted about some of the great information that has come out of Spotify's agile journey including the top 10 Spotify Graphics from Henrik Kniberg. I also wrote about…
It’s “Almost Done”
When I hear that something is "almost done", I get worried. You see, almost done is not done. It is started or underway. It may even be not started but…
Story Points – Love Them or Leave Them?
I was teaching an introductory agile training course last week and noticed that many of the students got confused about story points. Taking a step back, I can appreciate their…
What is Hybrid Agile?
Hybrid Agile is a common expression but what does it really mean? Learn the various form of hybrid and blended agile and why organizations are adopting them.
Fake Agile is a Real Thing
Fake Agile is actually a real thing, and that comes from the US government. Granted, the US government may be one of the last places you'd look to determine if…
9 Pitfalls of Using Agile Tools
Most teams who use Agile or Scrum today use some type of online agile tool or Agile Lifecycle Management Tool (ALM Tool). While I do believe there are some benefits…
Agile Practice Guide
PMI Produced a Guide to the Agile Methodology? Some of you may be surprised as I was to learn about PMI's 2017 collaboration with the Agile Alliance. The result was an…
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[UPDATE BASED ON 2020 SCRUM GUIDE] Downloadable Agile Principles & Scrum Tip Sheet
Back in June 2017, we released the first version of our Agile and Scrum Tip Sheet as a free download. Since then, we've updated it a few times and have…
How do you Measure the Effectiveness of Agile Approaches?
Using the correct measurements is the key to success with agile approaches. If we don't know what we are trying to measure, how can we be successful? Don't Measure the…
Your How-To Guide For Success with an Agile Methodology
Looking for resources to help you succeed with Scrum or another Agile Methodology? You’ve come to the right place. Bookmark this guide and leverage it for all questions you have…
We Are Using Agile – Why Are Things Getting Worse?
Could Things Get Worse by Adopting an Agile Methodology? Most IT organizations today have adopted the Scrum Framework or another agile methodology. Some use Agile across the board and some…
How to Succeed with Hybrid and Blended Agile Approaches
Blending agile and waterfall/predictive approaches to gain some form of hybrid agile is misguided and may lead to worse results than using either alone.
10 Questions an Agile PMO Should Ask Agile Teams
To be an Agile PMO means that you need to understand agile and Scrum and speak to the language of the teams. Many PMOs insist on getting reports and updates…
How to Remove Fear and Blame from Your Project Reviews
Lately, I've been thinking and writing about project reviews and agile retrospectives. I explored why I think traditional lessons learned exercises are a waste, and several posts on how to…