John Clifford

In 1998 Steve McConnell published "Software Project Survival Guide: How to Be Sure Your First Important Project Isn't Your Last." One thing that always stuck with me from that book was the "Top 10 Risks List." In today's age of iterative and incremental development, it can sometimes be easy to get a little too focused on what we need to get done this sprint. We might lose sight of the big picture, especially as it pertains to risks that may impact the ability to ship. The Top 10 Risks List is simple, with just five columns: 1️⃣ This Week - The issue's rank on the list as of right now. 2️⃣ Last Week - The issue's rank last week (or the last time you met to review the list) 3️⃣ Weeks on List - How many weeks has this risk been on the list? 4️⃣ Risk - Short description of the risk 5️⃣ Risk Resolution Progress - Notes about what's being done about the risk You don't need to have exactly 10 risks - you could have 5 or 15. The important thing is that you have the list and review it regularly with the team. This list can work especially well for Scrum of Scrums meetings, where you need to track items that may affect other teams' ability to ship.

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Join any of my upcoming #Scrum or #Kanban courses to learn Agile practices and techniques that help cross-functional teams evolve toward iterative & incremental delivery. Register here: https://lnkd.in/guePVSqg

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Is a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification worth it? -- The 5-day bootcamp offered by Roy Mathena, PMP and PSI Project Management was rigorous. -- My work requirements to attain certification were challenging. -- The test was tough. -- Every 3 years I'm required to achieve 60 hours of professional development to maintain my certification under PMI guidelines. -- It costs me money to renew it. Some think it's drudgery. Some think it's a hassle. Some think it's a racket. The PMP certification was a milestone of achievement for me. I was very proud to achieve it, and I am still proud I have it. However, I found it didn't have nearly the cache in my professional career as I had been led to believe. Every PM job posting listed it as requirement or nice to have, but very few were willing to pay for the actual benefit my studies could bring to bear. After 9 years, I don't keep the PMP certification because it has tremendously helped my career. I keep it because it asks me to be accountable to myself to continue to grow and learn. It is that growth and development that companies and clients pay for. It is that growth and development that I am most proud of. #accountability #projectmanagement #change1

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Celebrating the release of Escape Velocity: Better Metrics for Agile Teams by Doc Norton. https://lnkd.in/gF7efjS5 Pick up the ebook: https://lnkd.in/gXw46DVi PragProg is proud to be distributing this book, which was produced entirely by the author. #agile #teams #books #pragprog

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TLDR 🚀 Leading short-term software projects requires balancing speed and quality. Key strategies include using simple branching for quick merges, lightweight task tracking for visibility, focused testing on critical paths, and clear acceptance criteria to avoid ambiguity. Adapt these guidelines based on your project needs and team dynamics to deliver high-quality results efficiently. Atomic Object Doug Shipp daily.dev https://lnkd.in/dr-8CAGV

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Leaders sometimes ask me, "Why aren't my teams taking their sprint commitment seriously? They usually don't get everything done, several stories move on to the next sprint, and no one seems to mind except me." One thing I like about Scrum is when done right, the timebox of a sprint creates eustress--pressure that's beneficial as opposed to detrimental. This drives a sense of urgency by leveraging an imminent deadline. As Leonard Bernstein once said, "To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan, and not quite enough time." Sprint planning takes care of the plan, and the short sprint--most often two weeks--provides not quite enough time. A two-week deadline is much different than a waterfall 6-month or 2-year deadline. But there are two things that I've seen eliminate the eustress created by the "not quite enough time" component: 1. Treating the scope of the sprint as "we'll try to get this done" as opposed to "we will get this done." 2. Lack of stakeholder involvement in sprint review--either not showing up or not asking tough questions. Does the team *always* need to get everything done? No, but they should about 80% of the time. If they never finish what they committed to, rapid progress can stall out. If they always finish everything, they may not know what their upper limit might be.

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If you are coaching teams on agile topics in 2024, and you are still talking about how waterfall teams built software in the 80s, you probably lost your audience. The current generation of software professionals doesn’t care about waterfall. They never experienced its pain and aren’t looking for a solution to it. Listen and learn about the problems that your audience is experiencing right now. Connect the dots for them about how agile will solve their current problems. Make your content relevant to what’s going on in their world today. You might be amazed how people are more likely to take your advice and ask you to come back. #agile #coaching #product

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Is there any Flow practitioner (for scaling agile enginering org) in my network? Somebody with exp of managing Flow with SAFe? https://lnkd.in/gxx8VPss Would love to learn more on Flow. Success and failures, both. Thanks,

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If you are not getting the results you thought Scrum would get you, this might be the key to changing that. #agile #scrum #getagilestayagile

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I'm seeing hundreds of people who have become recently unemployed. I'm aware many of the people looking for work would value getting CSM or CSPO. If you're out of work use the code UNEMPLOYED-2024 for a CSM or CSPO training in the rest of the year. If price is your only consideration, then you will always find someone who charges a few dollars less. My focus is on helping people succeed with Scrum over the long term. I provide support through a shared community (3Percent Better) and group coaching calls. I'm planning on setting up a bi-weekly accountability group for the unemployed. We will meet for up to an hour a week, for people to share what they're planning to do and what has worked. My goal is to help people find satisfying work. Unfortunately, our Events tool EventEpresso doesn't allow to me share a link with the discount baked in. (We asked and they don't think the feature is a priority. Fair enough, I ask product owners in our workshops to give a clear now, I can't complain when I get one). To register and receive the special offer pricing, please:  — Go to the course registration page for the preferred dates: https://lnkd.in/eWhWwzdu  — Select “Regular" ticket (this is important as it won't work otherwise)  — Apply this code during checkout to receive the special discounted rate: UNEMPLOYED-2024 Caveats:  - If you've not worked in technology before, neither certification will be enough on its own to help you get into the technology world. - many orgs are looking for people with a blend of skills I.e. a ScrumMaster who can also work as a team member. Being multi-skilled is a win. - If you're employed please pay the regular price so I can subsidize those who need help

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Product Managers...When looking for the RIGHT ROLE....watch out for culture and toxic leadership. If you land in a role with a toxic culture, you come home stressed and overwhelmed....and may end up in the same place in 3 months. You can't show up as a rockstar if you are stressed out and overwhelmed. Even if it takes another month....spend the time to land the RIGHT JOB. When interviewing, make sure you don't see signs of:   * Micromanagement  * Glorifying Overworking * Expecting staff to be available 24/7  * Meetings that could have been an email * Unsympathetic Layoffs * Not disclosing salary ranges in job postings * Viewing Employment Gaps as red flags You've got this rockstars. #productmanagement #leadership

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When I say "Regression," what comes to mind? For many of you, this word might mean "Test All the Things." Others might conclude regression is the running or every test case and all the automation. In simple words, "regression" testing is the evaluation that your application under test has not degraded since the last time you ran these tests. The word "regression" simply means to go backward, to end up in a less healthy state than where you were before. Most Testers consider regression a huge task that must be completed before deploying to production. Did you know that even one well-crafted test can detect regression in the software? I am working on a new type of automation that utilizes a single test case to evaluate application and even framework regressions, which I would like to share with you today. I am currently working in Java, but most Unit Testing Frameworks (JUnit, for example) allow you to repeat a single automated test multiple times. Take one of your automated tests and put it in a repeating loop (I use @RepeatedTest in JUnit to do this) for 10 repetitions. The results of these 10 test executions should be exactly the same. (assuming you have a solid automation approach) Any deviation in results or big differences in execution times indicates a regression. Now run the same automated test with 100 repetitions and see if your results for 10 scaled as anticipated for 100. With these numbers in mind, you now have a regression factor (percentage) that can be helpful down the road. A solid piece of software should be able to perform this type of repetitive execution well over 1000 repetitions without much deviation. Some of you might be thinking, "I can't even get my automation to run successfully 3 or 4 times in a row." That's a different problem altogether, and I suggest you watch my video on this topic (https://lnkd.in/duJh5mv) Let me know if you tried this simple automated regression test and what you found when you ramped up the repetitions. All the best, Greg

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The Truth About Certified ScrumMaster (CSM): A Starting Point, Not a Destination There's been some critique lately about the Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) certification. The argument goes that after just two days of learning, one can't possibly achieve expert proficiency. And you know what? They're absolutely right - but that misses the point entirely. Let's clear something up: "ScrumMaster" in this context isn't about mastery. It's a role name, much like Toastmaster or Webmaster (remember those?). The CSM certification isn't meant to create Scrum experts overnight. Instead, it provides the fundamental understanding of what Scrum is and how it works. Think of it like getting a white or yellow belt when you first start martial arts. It's an achievement, absolutely! But does it mean you can lead a dojo? Of course not. What it does mean is that you've taken your first step on the path to mastery. You can't master anything in just two days - be it a martial art, a musical instrument, or Scrum. But you can start on the right foot. The CSM certification is that first step. It's a doorway that opens up the path to true proficiency. So let's shift our perspective. The CSM isn't the end goal - it's the beginning. It's a solid foundation upon which to build real-world experience and deeper knowledge. Remember, every master was once a beginner. The CSM is just the start of your Scrum journey. Where you go from there is up to you. #Scrum #AgileMethodology #CSM #ContinuousLearning #ProfessionalDevelopment P.S. Same applies for other certs like PSM or even the PMP (there is some experience required for that, but, still , it does not mean you have mastered project management because you got a PMP)

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🚀Should Scrum Masters Have Tenure Caps?🚀 The idea of tenure caps for Scrum Masters—rotating them off a team after a set period—keeps coming up in conversations. On one hand, it creates a natural funnel, pressing the system to develop new leaders. It also brings fresh perspectives to teams and helps Scrum Masters refine their skills in new environments. On the other, it risks disrupting trust and continuity, especially in high-performing teams. What’s your take? 🔸 Do tenure caps encourage growth, or do they cause unnecessary disruption? 🔸 How can organizations balance the need for continuity with fresh ideas? 🔸 If tenure caps make sense, what’s an optimal duration? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences!

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I'm excited to share the latest episode of "Quality Conversations" where I had the pleasure of speaking with Stephen Platten, Principal Consultant at Inspired Testing. I love healthy competition, and it's always great to learn about other QA shops. 🎙️ In this episode, we discuss: 1. Stephen’s journey into Stoicism and its impact on QA 2. The concept of self-sufficient QA 3. Stephen’s philosophy that life cycles matter more than context Whether you're a QA professional, aspiring to join the field, or in a leadership role, this conversation is filled with valuable insights and actionable takeaways. I especially enjoyed our deep dive into Stoicism and its relevance to QA. Tune in now to gain new perspectives and enhance your QA practices! 🎧 Watch the episode here: https://lnkd.in/eNiMtA8d Your feedback and thoughts are welcome, so feel free to comment and share your views! #QualityConversations #QA #Stoicism #Leadership #InspiredConsulting #LoopQA #Podcast Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more insightful episodes.

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Happy to see an updated Evidenced-Based Management (EBM) guide from Scrum.org. The new edition maintains the foundational EBM concepts while refining the explanations for better understanding and application. Notable updates include a revised subtitle, "Improving value delivery under conditions of uncertainty," which more accurately reflects EBM's purpose. The guide introduces mission and vision framing for strategic goals and acknowledges the potential for multiple strategic goals within larger organizations. Inputs and impacts are categorized as types of measures, while descriptions of the Key Value Areas (KVAs) have been clarified and aligned with different measure types. Enhanced explanations for the "Experiment Loop" and an example measure of employee engagement have been added to illustrate how these concepts help improve value delivery. The revisions emphasize the guide's empirical foundation, enhanced through community feedback. Download the 2024 EBM Guide here: https://lnkd.in/gYd2wBn4.

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I am D-O-N-E with toxic leadership. Here is the crazy thing...when you don't treat people well, they will not bring their A-Game. For product managers and tech leaders...I challenge you...be the leader you wish you had. Treat people with respect. It is only then that they will create breakthrough innovations. You've got this rockstars. #productmanagement

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Agile Manifesto signatory, Jon Kern, doesn't mince words in this piece. No more "re-imagining" agile into something it's not nor ever has been, but rather looking for people who demonstrate the values and principles without slavish adherence to a big-ass framework with pretty diagrams. '𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵. "𝘐𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦," 𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘨. "𝘈𝘴 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦'𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴." ' Amen to that - I've been saying as much for a while. Kern mentions he distanced himself from the agile community as it drifted into certification-mania and is now returning to the fold to encourage a renewal of the original spirit of agile by going back to first principles. #systemsthinking #leadership https://lnkd.in/gfvYFvCz

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