The Agile Software Development Methodology has been around for over 25 years, and most successful technology companies use it to create the software they either use internally, or sell, or both. That doesn't mean that everyone fully understands Agile or how to successfully implement it.  

Let's assume your company has embraced Agile in one form or another. You have your Agile team(s) set up, and they're producing work. You've probably got a Scrum Master or Kanban Manager, a Product Owner, and teams of an optimal size. But something isn't quite right, and you're not sure why they still struggle.

How Would You Describe the Health of Your Agile Practice?

Do any of the items on the left in the following table sound familiar? Or would you identify more with items on the right?

❌ Not really healthy if ...

✔️ Doing pretty well if...

Not everyone has actually had Agile training.
The entire team has had the same Agile training, and newcomers are similarly trained ASAP.
Teams resist attending Daily Standup.
Teams understand the value of Daily Standup and focus on problem-solving.
Teams are inconsistent in how they point their Stories.
Team members have a common understanding of Story pointing, and hold each other accountable.
Scrum Masters are not able to influence individuals towards more consistent software delivery.
Scrum Masters remove obstacles promptly and have the respect of their team members.
Scrum Product Owners don't provide sufficient detail in their Epics/Features.
Scrum Product Owners use a consistent format for requirements and include additional details as needed.
Ad-hoc meetings are often called to clarify requirements, assumptions, risks, and dependencies.
Teams have clear requirements, and track risks, dependencies, and assumptions.
Teams don't regularly offer Sprint demos.
Teams provide end-of-sprint demonstrations of working software.
Sprint Retrospectives are non-existent or awkward at best.
Sprint Retrospectives occur regularly, and are lively and creative discussions.
Sprint Retrospective feedback is never turned into action items that improve team processes.
Scrum Masters track ideas from retrospectives, assign action items, and document improved processes.
Other teams don't know who to contact to resolve dependencies.
Teams have internal wikis or websites with lists of contacts with specific turnaround times for requests.
Project Managers cannot get answers about schedules.
Project Managers get regular updates from Scrum Masters and Scrum Product Owners.
Stakeholder meetings focus on metrics that don't reveal the true state of the project.
Teams provide metrics and reports that describe project status and confidently present items needing attention.

The issues in the left column might be compounded if you're using contract staffing where you've got participants with varying levels of understanding of Agile. If you haven't invested time to ensure that everyone is on the same page in terms of procedures, that can slow delivery as well. 

Each day that passes costs you more because productivity is down and software isn't shipping. You need someone to look over the entire system and diagnose what's going on. This is where I can help you.

Advisory Consulting Matched to Your Needs

My name is Toolie® Merchant, and I'm an expert Agile Practitioner. I'm a certified, hands-on participant in Agile, having been a consultant, a Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Agile Coach for companies ranging in size from startups to giant corporations. I'm also an Authorized Training Partner for a global Agile certification company.

  • I can work with your leadership to determine what's going on behind the scenes in your development teams, and uncover the sources of friction that are slowing progress towards product delivery.
  • I can work with your team(s) to find areas for improvement, and make a plan that you can implement to get your team(s) back on track.
  • I can set up individual leadership skills mentorships for Agile Leaders, and provide group training in Agile. 
  • Consulting contracts can be as short at 6 months, or a multi-year plan. 

Ready to Start?

The process begins with a 1-on-1 conversation with me. This isn't some cookie-cutter system; all my work is tailored to your exact situation. Click the "Talk to Toolie" button bottom-right to book time in my online calendar, and let's put our heads together. Success is waiting for you, so let's get started!

Happy Humans == Better Software