Food for Agile Thought #264: PM-PO Delta, Lead-Squad Protocol, User Stories 101, Evidence-Based Backlogs

TL; DR: PM-PO Delta, Lead-Squad Protocol — Food for Agile Thought #264

Welcome to the 264th edition of the Food for Agile Thought newsletter, shared with 27,603 peers. This week, we delve into the PM-PO delta, the difference between product managers and Product Owners. We also revisit the Agile Manifesto’s notion that working software is the primary measure of progress, and we learn how to avoid becoming a lonesome servant leader.

We then come back to critical issues of the practical use of user stories; we create an evidence-based Product Backlog, and we consider quitting saying ’no‘ but asking a question instead when it comes to prioritizing the Product Backlog.

Lastly, we applaud Crisp for sharing the Lead-Squad Protocol, a lightweight attempt to align several teams collaborating on joint projects, products, or initiatives.

Did you miss last week’s Food for Agile Thought’s issue #263 ?

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🏆 The Tip of the Week: PM-PO Delta

Teresa Torres: 📺 Product Managers and Product Owners: What’s the Difference?

Teresa Torres delves into the difference between product managers and Product Owners and how all of this relates to product discovery.

Source: 📺 Product Managers and Product Owners: What’s the Difference?

Author: Teresa Torres

👉 📅 Join the Hands-on Agile #28: If You Use Scrum, Don’t Miss this One!

Agile & Scrum

(via Crisp): The Lead-Squad Protocol

Christophe Achouiantz introduces the Lead-Squad Protocol, a lightweight attempt to align several teams collaborating on joint projects, products, or initiatives.

Source: Crisp: The Lead-Squad Protocol

Ron Jeffries: Working Software

Ron Jeffries revisits the Agile Manifesto’s notion that working software is the primary measure of progress.

Source: Working Software

Author: Ron Jeffries

(via InfoQ): The Lonely Servant Leader

Nick Loe tells his story of how he avoided becoming “The Lonely Servant Leader.”

Source: InfoQ: The Lonely Servant Leader

📅 🖥 💯 🇬🇧 Professional Scrum Master Online Training: November 10-13, 2020

This guaranteed Professional Scrum Master training is an official Scrum.org class that leads to and includes the industry-recognized PSM I certification. The training is designed as a live virtual class of 4 hours per day from 9 to 13 o’clock CEST and will be offered in English.

Learn more: 📅 🖥 💯 🇬🇧 Professional Scrum Master Online Training: November 10-13, 2020 .

Product & Lean

Lisa Mabli (via Lithespeed): 📺 20 Questions: User Stories

Lisa Mabli addresses critical issues of the practical use of user stories.

Source: Lithespeed: 📺 20 Questions: User Stories

Author: Lisa Mabli

John Pagonis (via Mind The Product): Evidence-Based Product Backlogs

In this video, John Pagonis shares his experience of creating an evidence-based Product Backlog.

Source: Mind The Product: Evidence-Based Product Backlogs

Author: John Pagonis

(via Brainmates): Prioritise your Product Backlog with one simple question

Marco Tebaldi advocates quitting saying ’no‘ but asking a question instead.

Source: Brainmates: Prioritise your Product Backlog with one simple question

📯 Why Agile Turns into Micromanagement

You guessed right: it is time for a rant and short “checklist” to get the discussion going in your organization.

Agile turns into micromanagement as a result of the middle management’s resistance to change. Despite better knowledge, changing an organization into a learning one that embraces experimentation and failure is not in everybody’s best interest. Self-organizing, empowered teams often conflict with the middle management’s drive to execute personal agendas, self-preservation being one of them.

Learn more: Why Agile Turns into Micromanagement .

📅 More Training, Workshops, and Events

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See all upcoming classes here .

You can book your seat for the training directly by following the corresponding links to the ticket shop. If the procurement process of your organization requires a different purchasing process, please contact Berlin Product People GmbH directly.

📺 Join 2,450-plus Agile Peers on Youtube

Now available on the Age-of-Product Youtube channel:

• 🆕 Remote Agile (1) Replay: Practices and Tools for Scrum Masters, Agile Coaches, and Product Owners .
• Scrum Sprint Retrospective Anti-Patterns .
• Scrum Master Anti-Patterns .

✋ Do Not Miss Out and Learn about the PM-PO Delta: Join the 8,400-plus Strong ‘Hands-on Agile’ Slack Community

I invite you to join the “Hands-on Agile” Slack Community and enjoy the benefits of a fast-growing, vibrant community of agile practitioners from around the world.

If you like to join all you have to do now is provide your credentials via this Google form , and I will sign you up. By the way, it’s free.

🗞️ Last Week’s Food for Agile Thought Edition

Read more: Food for Agile Thought #263: Engineering Sanity, Skill Mapping, Technical Debt Survey, Outcomes vs. Outputs

The post Food for Agile Thought #264: PM-PO Delta, Lead-Squad Protocol, User Stories 101, Evidence-Based Backlogs appeared first on Age-of-Product .

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