Food for Agile Thought #346: Pro Frameworks, Ensuring (Product) Excellence, Islands of Agility

Welcome to the 346th edition of the ‘Food for Agile Thought’ newsletter, shared with 35,394 peers. My name is Stefan Wolpers.

This week, we point to the benefits of frameworks, helping us learn, collaborate, and reduce cognitive load. Also, we explore the idea of starting an agile transformation by splitting off a part of an organization and helping that part become agile first; consequently, we take the stoic perspective on transformations.

Then, we follow Marty Cagan, who adds excellence in the form of a strong product leader to the success recipe of the individual empowered product teams tasked with solving customer problems. Moreover, we address the ‘create customer value’ obsession: Ian Miell claims that ‘many peoples’ work generates value by focussing on things that appear to have no measurable or apparently justifiable customer benefit.’ And we remind ourselves of Goodhart’s Law. (In other words: Why you do not want to become data-driven as a product mensch.)

Finally, we list typical mistakes when measuring success, from vanity metrics to worshipping data. We describe five models to better understand a team’s performance, from Google’s Team Effectiveness Model to the T7 Model of Team Effectiveness, and we share an extensive guide on how to embrace the new hybrid work reality as a facilitator. Lastly, we thank Shane Hastie and Sandy Mamoli for authoring the 2022 edition of the InfoQ Culture & Methods Trends Report.

PS: 🗞 Did you miss past issues? No worries, here we go: 345, 344.

📅 Join 175-plus peers on July 14, 2022: Outcome-Based Product Planning with Jeff Gothelf.

🏆 Tip of the Week

John Cutler advocates that ‘frameworks, models, and processes help us learn, collaborate, lighten cognitive load (when appropriate), and pay attention (when appropriate):’ "In Defense of Frameworks (and Process)."

➿ Agile & Scrum

• InfoQ: John Coleman points out the benefits of starting an agile transformation by splitting off a part of it and helping that part become agile first: ‘Start slowly. Expand carefully. Improve carefully:’ "Why You Might Need an Island of Agility."

• Chris Murman takes the stoic perspective on transformations: "How Would Stoics View Org Transformation?"
  
  

• InfoQ: Better late than never: Shane Hastie and Sandy Mamoli authored the 2022 edition of the report: "InfoQ Culture & Methods Trends Report — March 2022."

🎓 🖥 💯 🇬🇧 Professional Scrum Master Training w/ PSM I Certificate — Live Virtual Class: June 20-23, 2022

Discover Scrum’s four success principles in this guaranteed official Scrum.org Professional Scrum Master training class, leading to and including the industry-recognized PSM I certification. The training will be offered in English.

👉 New in 2022: Free refresher classes by appointment.

Enjoy the benefits of an immersive class of four sessions with like-minded agile peers in the morning hours from 09:00 – 13:00 o’clock CEST.

Learn more: 🖥 💯 🇬🇧 Professional Scrum Master Training w/ PSM I Certificate — Live Virtual Class: June 20-23, 2022.

👉 A community ticket for “Food for Agile Thought” subscribers is available for this class with a 50% discount. If you are interested, please get in touch.

🎯 Product

• Silicon Valley Product Group: Marty Cagan adds ‘excellence’ in the form of a strong product leader to the success recipe of the individual empowered product teams tasked with solving customer problems: "Ensuring Excellence."

• Ian Miell addresses the ‘create customer value’ obsession, claiming that ‘many peoples’ work generates value by focussing on things that appear to have no measurable or apparently justifiable customer benefit:’ "Business Value, Soccer Canteens, Engineer Retention, and the Bricklayer Fallacy."

• Medium: Jens-Fabian Goetzmann reminds us of Goodhart’s Law: "Why product managers should not be data driven"

🛠 Concepts, Tools & Measuring

• Roman Pichler list typical mistakes when measuring success, from vanity metrics to worshipping data: "Six Common KPI Mistakes to Avoid."

• Medium: Scott Middleton describes five models to better understand a team’s performance, from Google’s Team Effectiveness Model to the T7 Model of Team Effectiveness: "5 Models for Team Productivity."
  
  

✂️ Cutting Room Floor

• SessionLab: Deborah Rim Moiso shares an extensive guide on how to embrace the new work reality as a facilitator: "An honest* guide to planning and facilitating successful hybrid events."
  
  

📅 Training Classes, Meetups & Events

Upcoming classes and events:

• 🖥 💯 🇬🇧 Jun 20-23 — Live Virtual Class: Professional Scrum Master Training (PSM I; English)
• 🖥 💯 🇩🇪 Jun 28 - Jul 1 — Live Virtual Class: Professional Scrum Product Owner Training (PSPO I; German)
• 🖥 💯 🇬🇧 July 14 — Live Virtual Meetup: Hands-on Agile #43: Outcome-Based Product Planning w/ Jeff Gothelf (English)
• 🖥 🇩🇪 Aug 29-30 — Live Virtual Class: Professional Scrum Master Training (PSM I; German)
• 🖥 🇬🇧 Sep 6-9 — Live Virtual Class: Advanced Professional Scrum Master Training (PSM II; English)
• 🖥 🇬🇧 Sep 12-13 — Live Virtual Class: Professional Scrum Master Training (PSM I; English)
• 🖥 🇩🇪 Sep 26-27 — Live Virtual Class: Professional Agile Leadership Essentials Training (PAL-E; German)

See all upcoming classes here.

📺 Youtube Channel

• David Burkus: Hands-on Agile #40: The Best Team Ever.

Your Opinion Matters

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Best,