Better Software - September 2008 - (Page 11) Picks Content Pointer recognizing agile Candidates By JoHanna rotHman Recognizing candidates who are capable of performing well on agile teams doesn’t require keyword searches through a stack of résumés. It requires asking candidates questions that allow them to show you they understand the principles and can apply them in their daily work—even if their résumés don’t list particular terms. In this StickyMinds.com weekly column, Johanna gives some excellent tips for the interviewer and the interviewee. www.stickyminds.com/eLetterpick10-7a eNeWsLetter extra A sampling of content from our eNewsletter archives Better Software magazine and StickyMinds.com are pleased to offer readers free subscriptions to six eNewsletters delivered straight to your inbox. Whether you are looking for information about new content on StickyMinds.com, industry-related content from the newswires, handpicked content from StickyMinds.com, an interview with an expert on useful tools, first-person experiences from the agile development front, or what to expect in the next issue of Better Software magazine, our eNewsletters have something for everyone. Visit www.stickyminds.com/eLetter.asp to sign up today. iterations: the agile experience: three Common Misconceptions about agile teams by Esther Derby At a recent workshop, two managers had strong reactions to my description of self-organizing agile teams. “You can’t just turn people loose and let the team make all the decisions. They’ll mess things up,” one manager declared. “With all these ScrumMasters, agile coaches, and self-organizing teams, sounds like I’m out of a job,” another said with resignation. I frequently hear these points of view when I visit organizations that are adopting agile methods. In this article, I’ll put these concerns to rest, along with two other misconceptions about agile teams. June 11, 2008 www.stickyminds.com/eLetter10-7 book review agile retrospectives: Making Good teams Great By EstHEr dErBy and diana larsEn rEviEWEd By: JanEt d. kEnnEdy Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great brings the skills that experienced facilitators use to the realm of the technical team leader. The forward by Ken Schwaber, well known for his work with Scrum methodology, lends credibility to the topic and should be sufficient to hold the attention of most skeptical readers. The book is well organized and informative. Following the instructions, even an inexperienced team leader can have a successful retrospective. Keep reading at www.stickyminds.com/ eLetterpick10-7b. MisconcePtion: self-orGanizinG teaMs don’t need ManaGers. The fact that your company is using agile methods doesn’t mean every manager is out of a job. Selforganizing teams need managers, too. But they need different things from their managers than traditional manager-lead teams do. There’s a reason we use the term “self-organizing” rather than “self-organized.” That’s because it’s a process. Most agile teams start from more traditional, manager-lead teams and begin the journey by organizing and managing their own work. Gradually, the team takes on some of the decisions that have traditionally been management decisions. That can include managing their own team membership, shaping product decisions, and allocating bonuses amongst team members. But they don’t get there without expert coaching from their managers, and they won’t get there on day one. Agile teams need their managers to communicate the organizational context, transfer knowledge and skills, coach, and remove impediments. And I’m pretty sure most agile teams would appreciate it if their managers dealt with the budget and HR matters. MisconcePtion: tiMeBoxinG challenGe, and they’ll Jell. forces any GrouP to BecoMe a teaM. Put a GrouP of PeoPle toGether, hand theM a PoINter Magazine archive: You Can teach an old PMo agile tricks By micHEllE sligEr I wouldn’t bet on it. Teams do need a compelling task. They also need the technical skills required by the work and interpersonal skills to form a social system. They need resources such as tools and access to information. And they need coaching to form as a team. The pressure cooker method of team formation is more likely to burn people out than result in the productivity of a real team. And calling a group a team doesn’t make it so. Timeboxing is one of the structures that can help teams succeed, and teams still need attention to the interpersonal skills that enable them to work collaboratively and build trust. As a manager, you can provide resources and coaching to help people develop the skills they need. Every manager has a story to tell. Find out how one management professional tackles a fictional dilemma. The story may be made up, but the solutions are tried and true. In this installment, Michele Sliger tells the tale of the movement of a Program Management Office away from waterfall toward agile. www.stickyMinds.com/eLetterpick10-7c MisconcePtion: teaMs GroW less Productive over tiMe, so they should Be shaken uP every feW Months. Team members need time to develop the social glue that enables high performance. They understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses, develop shared knowledge, and discover how to learn together. When new people are constantly arriving and leaving, a group may never develop the shared approaches and shared knowledge that permit teams to outperform a group of individuals. Some teams—when they’ve had time to form and create a strong team culture—do become adept at adding new members. Even then, it’s best to limit the number of new members added at any given time. Changing more than 30 percent of team membership causes a reboot of the team. Constant turnover prevents a team from truly forming. As a manager, you can help by keeping teams together long enough to jell and by protecting teams from the revolving door syndrome. In the end, agile teams require the same coaching and attention as other highly productive teams. And as a manager, you are still needed. www.StickyMinds.com SEPTEMBER 2008 BETTER SOFTWARE 11 http://StickyMinds.com http://www.stickyminds.com/eLetter.asp http://www.stickyminds.com/eLetter10-7 http://StickyMinds.com http://www.stickyminds.com/eLetterpick10-7a http://www.stickyminds.com/eLetterpick10-7b http://www.StickyMinds.com/eLetterpick10-7c http://www.StickyMinds.com
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