Food for Agile Thought #377: Spotify Model Critique, Building Products With AI, Gemba Walk Guide, Product or Feature?

Welcome to the 377th edition of the ‘Food for Agile Thought’ newsletter, shared with 36,609 peers. My name is Stefan Wolpers.

This week, we start with a Spotify Model critique: Jason Yip dissected what many consider an agile framework from an insider’s perspective. Also, we point to issues contributing to management’s failure to keep pace with innovation, from branded management practices vying for attention to business school complicity to confusing management with exact science, and we appreciate John Cutler’s sketch of a simple framework to become a better leader.

Then, we apply the 5C model to ‘bring some structure and product thinking to AI solutions.’ Additionally, we share practical advice on a common product management challenge: feature or product? Also, we listen to Jason Knight and Jeff Gothelf philosophizing about the necessary shift from output to outcome orientation and why organizations still struggle to do so, and we explain Spotify’s approach to validation employing the broader DIBB framework: Data, Insight, Belief, and Bet.

Finally, John Shook shares his guidelines for Gemba walks as an outside advisor, from asking why to showing respect. Moreover, RebootHQ released a bundle of free self-guided courses, and Puppet made the 10th edition of the State of DevOps Report available. Lastly, we shed light on quality metrics, defining different ones for different stakeholder groups while warning of the risks of gaming them.

PS: 🗞 Did you miss past issues? No worries, here we go: 376, 375.

RSVP now — and join 100-plus peers for an exciting workshop: 🖥 💯 🇬🇧 Hands-on Agile 49: ChatGPT.

🏆 Tip of the Week

Medium: Jason Yip started dissecting what many consider an agile framework from an insider’s perspective: "My critique of “the Spotify Model”: Part 1."

➿ Agile & Scrum

• Forbes: Steve Denning points to issues contributing to management’s failure to keep pace with innovation, from branded management practices vying for attention to business school complicity to confusing management with an exact science: "The 12 Obstacles That Inhibit Management Innovation."

• John Cutler sketches a simple framework to become a better leader: "Probably, Just, Maybe, and Perhaps."

• Lean Enterprise Institute: John Shook shares his guidelines for Gemba walks are an outside advisor, from asking why to showing respect: "How to Go to the Gemba: Go See, Ask Why, Show Respect."
  
  

🎓 🖥 🇬🇧 Professional Scrum Facilitation Skills Class — March 23, 2023

The Professional Scrum Facilitation Skills (PSFS) training by Berlin Product People is a one-day official Scrum.org class for advanced Scrum practitioners and agile coaches, including the industry-acknowledged PSFS certification. This PSFS training class is in English.

Enjoy the benefits of a live-virtual immersive class with like-minded agile peers from 09:00 – 17:30 o’clock CET.

👉 New in 2023: Refresher Classes: Attend a free refresher class as a former student upon arrangement and availability.

Learn More: 🖥 🇬🇧 Professional Scrum Facilitation Skills Class — March 23, 2023.

👉 From time to time, we can offer last-minute seats for training classes at cost to individuals who do not have access to a corporate training budget. If you like to be notified about these opportunities, please register here.

🎯 Product

• Tariq Rauf applies the 5C model—from containing the problem to capturing the value—to ‘bring some structure and product thinking to AI solutions:’ "Building Products With AI."
  
  

• Rich Mironov shares practical advice on a common product management challenge—feature or product?—identifying indicators when a feature has product potential: "Product or Feature?"

• 🎙 Jason Knight and Jeff Gothelf philosophize about the necessary shift from output to outcome orientation and why organizations still struggle to do so: "OKRs: The Gateway Drug to Agility & Good Product Management."

🛠 Concepts, Tools & Measuring

• RebootHQ released a bundle of free self-guided courses: "Communication 101: Create Safety, Build Trust, Stay Relational-the Work of Non-Violent Workplaces."

• 📈 Puppet made the 10th edition of the State of DevOps Report available: "Free State of Platform Engineering Report."

• InfoQ: Michael Kutz sheds light on quality metrics, defining different ones for different stakeholder groups while warning of the risks of gaming them: "Finding Adequate Metrics for Outer, Inner, and Process Quality in Software Development."
  
  

🎶 Encore

• Marc Abraham explains Spotify’s approach to validation employing the broader DIBB framework: Data, Insight, Belief, and Bet: "My Product Management Toolkit (56): Spotify’s ‘Bets Board’."

📅 Training Classes, Meetups & Events

Upcoming classes and events:

• 🖥 💯 🇩🇪 Jan 31-Feb 3 — Live Virtual Class: Professional Scrum Master Training (PSM I; German)
• 🖥 💯 🇬🇧 Feb 1 — Live Virtual Meetup: Hands-on Agile 49: ChatGPT (English)
• 🖥 🇬🇧 Feb 7-10 — Live Virtual Class: Professional Scrum Master Training (PSM I; English)
• 🖥 💯 🇩🇪 Feb 28-Mar 3 — Live Virtual Class: Professional Scrum Product Owner Training (PSPO I; German)
• 🖥 🇩🇪 Mar 14-15 — Live Virtual Class: Professional Scrum Master Training (PSM II; German)
• 🖥 🇩🇪 Mar 20-21 — Live Virtual Class: Professional Agile Leadership Essentials Class (PAL I; German)
• 🖥 🇬🇧 Mar 23 — Live Virtual Class: Professional Scrum Facilitation Skills Class (PSFS; English)
• 🖥 🇬🇧 Mar 28-29 — Live Virtual Class: Professional Scrum Master Training (PSM II; English)
• 🖥 💯 🇬🇧 May 11 — Live Virtual Meetup: Hands-on Agile EXTRA: Joe Justice on Elon Musk (English)

See all upcoming classes here.

📺 Youtube Channel

• Itamar Gilad: How much Product Discovery Is enough? The Confidence Meter — HoA #47.

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Best,