When an organization decides to go “agile” for getting technology or web projects completed, it is always an interesting endeavor. I think this is when agile and waterfall are at
Reflecting on Agile…
I love this time of year for so many reasons but one of the reasons is to reflect on the previous year and think about the coming year. For the
Six tips for a productive meeting
There is nothing more frustrating than leaving a meeting where little was accomplished and hardly any action was taken. With so much to do and so little time to do
Six tips for a productive meeting
There is nothing more frustrating than leaving a meeting where little was accomplished and hardly any action was taken. With so much to do and so little time to do it, wasted time is not an option. Spending more time wondering how the meeting got so off track just adds insult to injury.
I am not a strict process person; however, I feel that process has its place in the world of work – and especially so when running meetings. I think one of the goals of every meeting should be to get as much done in as little time as possible. To get the most out of every single meeting going forward, here are a few reminders:
- Create a clear and concise agenda, including how the attendees can get in and out in a reasonable amount of time.
- If the meeting is not a regular meeting, include your agenda in the invite.
- Identify clear action items/tasks and the responsibilities for them.
- Repeat and clarify each action item before the meeting adjourns.
- Do not discuss details of work in status/summary meetings.
- Minimize chit-chat and interruptions.
By establishing these practices, you will be able to cut your meeting times in half, feeling confident that you and your colleagues will be able to get more done. And, who knows? They might just thank you for it.
Going Agile….
When an organization decides to go “agile” for getting technology or web projects completed, it is always an interesting endeavor. I think this is when agile and waterfall are at their most creative.
The internet is rife with books, articles, presentations, blogs etc. telling you how to run an agile project. However, not much information is given about walking into a waterfall environment in the middle of a project. Yet, the expectation is to be agile or somewhat agile. What do you do?
Here are three suggestions I have found helpful. There are many more that I have not mentioned but I wanted to keep things short and simple.
Introduce agile elements, especially the concept of the daily scrum, in meetings. Most non-agile organizations have a hard time wrapping their minds around the daily scrum. One option is to begin the weekly meetings asking the question you would in a daily scrum. Then, possibly introduce twice a week meetings until you make your way up to the daily scrum. At the same time, cut back on the time of the meetings until they are 15 minutes in length.
Be prepared to wear multiple hats. It is likely that you were hired as a project manager but you may be doing some development work, operating in some capacity as a product owner, scrum master and all variation thereof.
Finally, things will always go slower than you can imagine. Never underestimate an organization’s unwillingness to change. Sometimes it really is like pulling teeth with no anesthesia.
Reflecting on Agile…
I love this time of year for so many reasons but one of the reasons is to reflect on the previous year and think about the coming year. For the last couple of years, I have been steeped in learning, doing, and being (still trying to be) Agile. While straightening some papers on my desk today I came across the “Manifesto for Agile Software Development” and paused to read it. While it is specifically about developing software, it can be about so many things. It’s worth reading everyday.
“We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it.
Through this work we have come to value:
Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
Working software over comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Responding to change over following a plan
That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.”
