Kelly Roberts

We love hearing this! Our courses are designed to provide both a solid foundation and a valuable refresher for Scrum professionals, ensuring everyone gains actionable insights. Interested in levelling up your Product Owner skills? Explore our courses here ➡️ https://buff.ly/3YMu9Ys

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A bit of light xmas reading. Fascinating read so far: if you're working with big complex problems and multiple teams who are transforming into an Agile delivery, this book might help! Thanks John Cumming for the recommendation. I wonder if I'll finish it during the holidays?!

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Another great Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast week of episodes from Vasco Duarte, with Mike Lyons. Great observations on delivering #value, the #agile #mindset #devops and much more between two people who are truly committed to #lifelonglearning and #activelistening https://lnkd.in/eYmUVUQu

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The tier list from Agile Metrics Mashup is really starting to shape up. Huge thanks to all of the previous and upcoming guests for sharing your knowledge and experience with listeners and we'll soon have a Series 1 final version to share! Are there any here that you disagree with? Is there anything else you'd add? If you've got an opinion on your favourite or least favourite metric to share with the community I'd love to chat and get your metrics added to the list! #agile #scrum #kanban #agilemetricsmashup

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Achieve Clarity and Accountability with RACI: A Guide for Business Leaders Are you tired of missed deadlines and overlapping tasks in your projects? 🕒 At Outcomes Business Group UK, we understand the frustration that comes with confusion about roles and responsibilities. Imagine a framework that defines who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed for every task and project. The RACI model brings structure and clarity to your team's roles and responsibilities. It’s a powerful tool that can transform your business operations. Without RACI, you might experience: ❌ Confusion and Overlap: Employees unclear about duties, leading to duplicated efforts or missed tasks. ❌ Lack of Accountability: Tasks fall through the cracks because no one is clearly accountable. ❌ Inefficient Decision-Making: Delayed decisions due to unclear authority. ❌ Poor Communication: Inadequate information flow leading to misunderstandings. ❌ Increased Conflict: Frequent disputes about responsibilities. ❌ Low Morale: Frustration and demotivation among employees. ❌ Ineffective Use of Resources: Resources wasted due to lack of direction. ❌ Missed Opportunities: Slow response times causing lost opportunities. ❌ Stalled Projects: Projects frequently delayed or stalled. But when RACI is well implemented, you'll see these benefits: Clarity: Defined roles reduce confusion. Accountability: Ensures tasks are completed. Efficiency: Streamlines decision-making and resource use. Better Communication: Improves information flow within the team. Conflict Reduction: Minimises disputes over roles. Higher Morale: Increases employee satisfaction and motivation. Resource Optimisation: Effective use of time and resources. Opportunity Capture: Quicker responses to opportunities. Project Success: Ensures timely and successful project completion. How to Implement RACI: Identify key tasks and deliverables in your projects. Assign roles using the RACI framework: Responsible: Who will do the work? Accountable: Who is ultimately answerable? Consulted: Who needs to provide input? Informed: Who needs to be kept updated? Communicate the RACI matrix to your team and review it regularly to ensure it stays relevant. At Outcomes Business Group UK, we recently helped a client reduce project delays by 30% using RACI. Our tailored coaching ensures that your RACI implementation aligns perfectly with your business needs. Let’s set up a consultation to get you started. Ready to implement RACI and elevate your business? Share your experiences with the RACI model in the comments! 👇 #BusinessSuccess #ProjectManagement #RACIModel #TeamEfficiency #Leadership

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Decided to brush up on some fundamental concepts and bagged a couple of new certificates in the process. There are great options for anyone early in their journey or looking to pressure test the basics and best of all available completely for free! #agile #scrum #scrummaster #lifelonglearning

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Join hosts Brad Nelson and Drew Podwal on The Agile For Agilists Podcast as they are joined by James Grenning, one of the original authors of the Agile Manifesto and one of the first Agile coaches. In this compelling episode, James delves deep into a critical yet often overlooked aspect of Agile: technical excellence. James discusses the essential role of technical practices in Agile, emphasizing how neglecting this component can undermine the effectiveness of Agile altogether. Drawing from his extensive experience, James explores the principles of eXtreme Programming (XP) and Test-Driven Development (TDD), sharing invaluable insights and practical advice. Tune in to learn how even the most inexperienced developers can produce high quality software in less time with the right approach uncovered years ago by the likes of Kent Beck, Ward Cunningham, Ron Jeffries, and Martin Fowler. Leveraging a test-driven approach and working in small increments can elevate even the worst developers and save the world from debug-later programming. Don’t miss this enlightening conversation with James Grenning where he shares his account of things like the first eXtreme Programming immersion and the first Scrum class, while demystifying the magic of Agile Software Development. 🎧 Listen Here: https://lnkd.in/g5ymPDRB 🔗 And checkout what James' official site here: https://wingman-sw.com/ #agile #podcast #agileforagilists #xp #tdd

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Interesting article to reflect on. The true challenge with agile roles isn’t just about role definitions or leaders' understanding of agile; it’s about the ecosystem’s that not only focus on “training” and “coaching” as the core of agility. While important, true agility demands more—robust engineering, hands-on experiences, exceptional product management, and a comprehensive approach. Business agility is a complex, wicked problem that requires nuanced solutions, not linear, cookie-cutter methods. It’s time to go beyond the basics and address the deeper needs of agile transformation. #agile #beyond #rethink #reflect #shifting

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🎉 Kick off 2025 with Agile Yorkshire's exhilarating January Meetup! 🎉 We’re thrilled to invite you to join us on Wednesday, 8th January, 2025, from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM at the fabulous Platform, New Station Street, Leeds LS1 4JB. Get ready for an inspiring evening filled with learning and networking! Whether you're a seasoned agile guru or simply curious to learn more, this event is your perfect chance to discover fresh ideas and connect with fellow agile enthusiasts. 🚀 What’s on the agenda? ✨ "What Happens in There..." by Tom Hoyland: Immerse yourself in team dynamics as Tom unpacks how human connections fuel success. He’ll share practical tools that will help you boost focus, creativity, and innovation in your teams. ✨ "Didn't You Read the Email?" by Bina Champaneria: Get ready to unlock the mysteries of effective communication! Bina will dive into overcoming language barriers, understanding various communication styles, and explore how AI is transforming the way we share and comprehend messages. Why should you attend? 💡 Learn:Acquire hands-on insights to elevate your agile practices. 🤝 Connect: Network with like-minded professionals who share your passion for agility. 🌱 Grow: Embrace the new year with fresh knowledge and motivation. Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to set the tone for an agile and successful 2025! 🎯 Secure your spot today by registering on Eventbrite. 👇 link in the comments We can’t wait to see you there! 🎈 Let’s make this the best year yet! 🎈 #AgileYorkshire #Meetup #Agile #Networking #Learning #Inspiration #TeamDynamics #EffectiveCommunication #Innovation #Focus #Creativity #AIinCommunication #ProfessionalGrowth #Community #Leeds #Yorkshire #2025Goals #AgilePractices #CareerDevelopment #Connect #GrowthMindset #Support #SkillsDevelopment #Leadership #ContinuousImprovement #AgileCommunity #TechEvent #Collaboration #FutureOfWork #Mindset #BusinessNetworking #PersonalDevelopment Oh and YES of course I generated the picture in AI!!! - I would never write the date like that!

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Why did I take the Certified ScrumMaster course? The answer will surprise you… Can my opening sentence get any more clickbait than that? Welcome to Agile Career Monday. We’re currently on a multi-part journey to look at how I became the Certified Scrum Trainer and Agile champion I am today. In a previous post (https://lnkd.in/gbNED6QV), I talked about when my Agile journey began, with the famous words, “You’ll pry waterfall from my cold dead hands.” Last week, I talked about how I implemented Agile and Scrum in my first post-CSM job. How did I end up with that CSM, though? When I was so passionately anti-Agile? It started on the last day of September 2009. At 9:00 AM, I entered an all-hands meeting for my organization. Forty-five minutes later, I stood around with 150 co-workers, waiting for HR to hand me my official severance paperwork. For the second time in my career, I was caught completely flat-footed and unprepared. I was an outstanding project manager. I was one of the best. And it didn’t matter because my leadership had poorly communicated our value to the organization. For those who recall, 2009 was not the best time to be unemployed. The “Great Recession” was going on, and being a project manager in Silicon Valley was like being a single sprinkle on a Krispy Kreme donut. So, when Chris Sims (you’ll remember him from the “cold, dead hands story”) contacted me and offered me an unemployment discount for his Certified ScrumMaster class, I took him up on the opportunity. (Thanks again, Chris!) I had two and only two reasons for doing so: 1—To get the letters CSM on my resume. All the jobs I was looking at listed it as a “must have” or “nice to have.”  2— To prove all this Scrum and Agile stuff was a load of…. “Bovine by-product” Well… I got the letters CSM on my resume. Did I become a Scrum expert in those two days? Nope, certainly not. Did I learn everything I needed to take an entry-level Scrum job? Close, I still needed to do some follow-up reading to fill in the gaps. What I really got from the course was connections.  Connections with fellow students Connections with a lifelong mentor and friend in Chris Connections with my old customer service mindset and delivering value to the customers Connections with the vocabulary and accurate flow of Scrum My Agile journey may have started when I said, “You’ll pry waterfall from my cold, dead hands. It accelerated immeasurably when I took that two-day CSM course. I wouldn’t be where I am today if Chris hadn’t seen an opportunity and opened the door for me. Have you had a moment when a door was opened, and you thought about not going through it? Be open, be Agile. This has been a 🦍 Gorilla Coach 🦍 career moment. Have a nice day. #Agile #Scrum #Sustainability #ContinuousImprovement #AgileCareers

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𝐌𝐲 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐠𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 I often get asked, "What do you do as an agile coach?" Whether people are interested in becoming coaches themselves or wondering what a coach could do for them, it's a common question. Here are a couple of my favourite activities to give you a good idea. Have you ever wondered what makes coaching so transformative? It's not about telling; it's about creating spaces where new opportunities emerge from fresh perspectives. 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬. This week, I had the privilege of facilitating growth and innovation for various teams and individuals, which I truly enjoyed. 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: I had the opportunity to work with a group of leaders to align behind the biggest opportunities to create value for the business. 🚀 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐠𝐢𝐥𝐞: I trained a group of new starters in agile ways of working, creating a space for them to realize how they can apply the mindset in their area of business. See photo below of the wonderful group.🌱 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭-𝐚𝐧𝐝- 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡. I helped teams use a test-and learn approach to innovate. 🔄 Agile coaching and training accelerate outcomes and opens doors to new possibilities. It’s an extremely rewarding experience for both the coachee and the coach while it delivers results. Have you ever benefited from coaching? What was your experience?✨

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Are you ready to level up your product leadership game? 🏆 Join us for an exclusive workshop featuring an all-star lineup: Gary Neal - Head of Product, Ocado Mark Faulkner - Lead Enterprise Agile Coach Where you'll learn to: --Master Stakeholder Dynamics: Turn Conflicts into Opportunities --Hack Your Brain: Control Emotions, Amplify Influence --Supercharge Team Productivity: Transform Conflicts into Catalysts --Level Up Your Leadership: Become the Go-To Conflict Expert Rocket Your Career Over Lunch: 50-min Workshop + 10-min Q&A In today's shifting market, the ability to navigate stakeholder dynamics is more crucial than ever. Don't miss this chance to gain the edge you need! 🔥 Exclusive to Top Prods members - but there's still time to join us! 👉 Not a member yet? I'll personally reach out to connect and welcome you to our community of ambitious product leaders. (link to register in comments) Let's elevate your product leadership together. See you at the workshop! #ProductManagement #LeadershipSkills #ConflictResolution #CareerGrowth #TopProds

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How do we in the role of an agile coach supported a brand new Engineering Manager (EM) and Product Owner (PO) who are on the same team, in helping their team becoming more effective? Recently we discussed how they’re 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗼𝗴 and what the two of them do to 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺. 🤷‍♀️ 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 🤷‍♂️ • The difference between a user story, a task, and a sub-task.   • Who is responsible for what and  • How these three elements co-exist within a team’s workflow.   • How to deal with the overhead of a somewhat awkward workflow to link tasks to user stories dictated by JIRA. 🧠 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘀 🧠 Without such an alignment you will find repeated discussions about this and inconsistent ways of breaking down work.   It’s well worth the time 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀, perhaps coming up with your own hierarchies and definition, and, over time, using the data to make better informed forecasts about “when will it be done.” It’s amazing to see how different teams get hung up on trying to align their diverse mental models about something that on the surface appears so simple.  𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗶𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀: 👤𝗨𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: User stories are short, simple descriptions of a feature told from the perspective of the user or customer.   They are intended to define the “𝗪𝗵𝘆” 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 “𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁” and provide a clear understanding of what needs to be developed. ⛑️ 𝗧𝗮𝘀𝗸𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Tasks are more granular work items derived from user stories.  They represent the 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲 to implement a user story.   Ideally tasks would cover end-to-end implementation slices rather than be split along lines of specialty such as BE or FE. 🪛 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘁𝗮𝘀𝗸𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Sub-tasks are the smallest units of work, breaking down tasks into even finer details. They are often used to 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸. Ideally a sub-task could be easily completed within a day. How do you break the work down with your team? And who is responsible for the breakdown? #agilecoaching #productowner #EngineeringManager #planning

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🎉 I have received my copy of the "Illustrated Scrum Guide" today! 📚 This book is not just a read; it's an inspiration. With engaging illustrations and insightful notes, it embeds the #scrumguide and emaking it incredibly practical for anyone looking to implement #agile practices within the #scrum framework. 👍 Thierry DELESTRE ‘s work is a great contribution for the Agile community. 🌟 A must-read for every #ScrumMaster, #ProductOwner, and #AgileCoach. If you're on a journey to master Scrum, this is a resource you shouldn't miss! #AgileTransformation #ScrumTraining #ContinuousLearning

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If you haven't looked into Dysfunction mapping yet, you really should! It's a great way to increase the effectiveness of your team but also gives you a rich vein of professional development opportunities. Really helping to elevate entry and junior Scrum Masters to more versatile and impactful change agents. Integrating Dysfunction Mapping into your workflow can have a transformative effect but also it can amplify more of the good stuff you already have going on. On that theme I've put together a short review of how Dysfunction Mapping bolsters the Scrum Pillars transparency, inspection, and adaptation within your workflow and practices. Check it out for a different slant on how you can bring the pillars to life in your team and drive more continuous improvement through dysfunction mapping as an option in your toolbox. #agile #scrum #scrummaster

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It's time for one of my classic "I told you so" moments. This article is talking about why organisations are stepping back from scrum masters https://lnkd.in/eWwx8eQn. Here is something I wrote in 2015 explaining why this is happening https://lnkd.in/e7XffFxB

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Another really poor performance on a lot of fronts but we again manage to meet our Sprint Goal! The writing was on the wall for the coaching team during this sprint and we're now entering a pressurized section of our delivery with some new people constraints and additional challenges thrown into the mix. Here's to inspecting, adapting and (hopefully!) continuously improving as we grow into the project and competition. 🦁🦁🦁 #agile #scrum #scrummaster #euro2024

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Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of delivering the Scrum.org Professional Scrum with Kanban course in collaboration with TheScrumMaster.co.uk. This course covers - how Kanban can complement Scrum - How we can bring life to Scrum events - How we can make data-guided decision The course provides actionable insights, and our learners agree! A big thanks to Nick Sullivan for sharing this fantastic review. The highlight of the review for me is "the improvement i can bring into my teams." This encapsulates what the training is all about—focusing on actionable learning and real-world application, not just certificates.

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🚨 Don’t miss out! 🚨 Attention all Product Owners, aspiring Product Owners, or anyone who’s ever been handed a backlog and thought, “What do I do now?” 🙃 📅 29th & 30th January 2025 📍 Leeds City Centre – just a 10-minute stroll from the train station (yes, you can grab a coffee on the way ☕). ✅ Course guaranteed to run – no “will it or won’t it?” drama here! This is your chance to attend the Professional Scrum Product Owner course, powered by Scrum.org, and learn from not one, but TWO legendary trainers: 📚 Andy Hiles, a published author on flow aand walking Agile encyclopedia. 💡 Steve Trapps, a powerhouse of experience in high-demand, complex domains. Both bring real-world, no-fluff experience to the table, making this course not just another theory dump but a game-changer for your career. 🚀 Still not convinced? Let’s talk FOMO: ❌ Miss this and you’ll be watching your peers crush it in their Product Owner roles while you’re stuck googling “how to order a backlog” at 11 PM. ❌ Miss this and you’ll never know what insights, strategies, and secrets these two legends could’ve shared with you. ❌ Miss this and… well, do you really want to be the only one at work who didn’t attend? 💥 Level up your skills. Master your role. 💥 Spots are limited, so act fast before someone else snags your seat. 🪑 👉 Sign up now and make 2025 your year of Product Owner greatness! 👈 #Scrum #ProductOwner #ProfessionalDevelopment #ScrumTraining #Agile

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