Lead Time is a critical metric used to measure the elapsed time between the initiation of a work item and its completion. It is a fundamental concept in Lean and Agile methodologies and is commonly used in Kanban systems to evaluate workflow efficiency and identify areas for improvement. Lead Time […]
Lean is a philosophy and management approach that focuses on maximizing value while minimizing waste in various processes and systems. It originated from the Toyota Production System (TPS) and is widely associated with manufacturing, but its principles have been successfully applied across diverse industries, including software development, healthcare, and service-oriented […]
Lean-Agile Budgeting is an approach to budget management that aligns with Lean and Agile principles, enabling organizations to fund and manage their initiatives in a more flexible, adaptive, and value-driven manner. It moves away from traditional annual budgeting practices that may be inflexible and rigid and instead embraces a more […]
Lean-Agile Leadership is a leadership approach that combines the principles of Lean thinking and Agile methodologies to foster a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, and value delivery in organizations. It emphasizes empowering teams, promoting a growth mindset, and aligning leadership practices with the values and principles of Lean and Agile. […]
Lean-Agile Leadership Development refers to the process of cultivating and developing Lean and Agile leadership capabilities within an organization’s leadership team. It involves equipping leaders with the knowledge, skills, and mindset necessary to effectively lead in a Lean and Agile environment. Key aspects of Lean-Agile Leadership Development include: Lean-Agile Leadership […]
Lean-Agile Marketing is an approach to marketing that combines principles from Lean and Agile methodologies. It focuses on optimizing marketing processes, improving efficiency, and delivering value to customers in a fast-paced and dynamic business environment. Key aspects of Lean-Agile Marketing include: Lean-Agile Marketing aims to optimize marketing processes, eliminate inefficiencies, […]
A Lean-Agile PMO (Project Management Office) is a Project Management Office that operates in alignment with Lean and Agile principles. It plays a critical role in supporting the successful implementation of Lean and Agile practices across the organization’s projects and initiatives. Key characteristics and functions of a Lean-Agile PMO include: […]
Lean-Agile Procurement is an approach to procurement and vendor management that aligns with Lean and Agile principles. It seeks to foster collaboration, flexibility, and value-driven decision-making in the procurement process, enabling organizations to work effectively with vendors and suppliers in Agile environments. Key aspects of Lean-Agile Procurement include: Lean-Agile Procurement […]
Lean Portfolio Governance is a management approach that aligns with Lean and Agile principles to govern the portfolio of projects, products, and initiatives within an organization. It provides a framework for making strategic decisions, allocating resources, and managing investments to optimize the delivery of value and achieve strategic objectives. Key […]
Lean Portfolio Management (LPM) is an Agile approach to managing a portfolio of projects, initiatives, and products within an organization. It aims to align the organization’s strategy, investment decisions, and execution with Lean-Agile principles to deliver valuable products and services efficiently. Key components and principles of Lean Portfolio Management include: […]
Lean Product Development is an approach to product development that is inspired by the principles of Lean thinking, which originated in manufacturing but have been adapted and applied to various domains, including software development and product management. Lean Product Development aims to create a streamlined and efficient process that focuses […]
The Lean Startup is a methodology and mindset for developing businesses and products, popularized by Eric Ries in his book “The Lean Startup.” It applies principles from Lean manufacturing and Agile development to the process of building startups and new products. The main goal of the Lean Startup is to […]
Lean Thinking is a management philosophy and approach that originated from the Toyota Production System (TPS) and was popularized by the book “The Machine That Changed the World” by James P. Womack, Daniel T. Jones, and Daniel Roos. Lean Thinking focuses on creating value for customers while minimizing waste and […]
LeSS stands for Large Scale Scrum and is a framework for how to extend Scrum to cover a large product organization. Scaling Scrum starts with understanding standard one-team Scrum. From that point, your organization must be able to understand and adopt LeSS, which requires examining the purpose of one-team Scrum […]
Mind mapping is a visual technique used to organize and represent ideas, concepts, and information in a nonlinear and hierarchical manner. It is a powerful tool for brainstorming, problem-solving, and creative thinking. Mind maps are often depicted as diagrams with a central idea or topic at the center, and related […]
A Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is a version of a product with the minimum set of features that allows a team to quickly test its core hypotheses and gather feedback from early adopters or customers. The concept of MVP is commonly associated with Lean Startup and Agile development methodologies. Key […]
Mob Programming is a collaborative software development approach in which an entire team works together on the same task simultaneously. In this approach, all team members, including developers, testers, and other stakeholders, gather around a single computer or workstation to collectively work on coding, designing, testing, and solving problems. The […]
Non-functional requirements (NFRs), also known as quality attributes or system qualities, are the criteria that describe how a system should behave rather than what it should do. Unlike functional requirements, which specify the features and capabilities of a system, non-functional requirements focus on the overall performance, reliability, usability, security, and […]
OKRs, which stands for “Objectives and Key Results,” is a goal-setting framework used by organizations to define and track their objectives and the key results associated with achieving those objectives. It’s a management methodology that was popularized by Andy Grove during his time at Intel and later refined and popularized […]
Opex stands for Operating Expenditure, which represents the funds a company allocates for day-to-day operational expenses. These expenses typically include salaries, utilities, rent, marketing, office supplies, and other costs associated with running the business on a regular basis. Unlike Capex (Capital Expenditure), which covers long-term investments like equipment or infrastructure, […]
Organizational Design in Business Agility refers to intentionally structuring and reshaping an organization. This enables it to adapt effectively to changing market conditions, customer demands, and competitive landscapes. It is a crucial aspect of implementing and sustaining Agile principles and practices within an organization. Traditionally, organizational design aimed for efficient […]
Pair Programming is an agile software development practice in which two developers work together at the same computer to collaboratively write code. In this approach, one team member is the “driver,” responsible for actively writing the code, while the other team member is the “observer” or “navigator,” providing real-time feedback, […]
PDCA stands for Plan-Do-Check-Act, and it is a four-step iterative management cycle used for continuous improvement and problem-solving. PDCA is also known as the Deming Cycle or the Shewhart Cycle, named after its creator, Dr. W. Edwards Deming, who is considered one of the fathers of modern quality management. The […]
Peer review, also known as code review or collaborative code review, is a software development practice in which developers review each other’s code to ensure its quality, identify defects, and share knowledge among team members. During a peer review, one or more team members thoroughly examine the code changes made […]
A persona is a fictional character or representation of a specific target audience segment or user type. Organizations create personas to better understand and empathize with the needs, goals, behaviors, and preferences of a particular group of individuals interacting with a product, service, or content. Here’s a more detailed explanation […]
Pretotyping is a concept and methodology introduced by Alberto Savoia in 2011. It is a lightweight and low-cost approach to validate the appeal and demand for a new product or idea before investing significant time and resources in building a full-fledged prototype or product. The goal of pretotyping is to […]
A product can be defined as a tangible or intangible item that is created and offered for sale in the marketplace. It is the result of a manufacturing, production, or creative process aimed at satisfying a consumer need or want. A tangible product refers to a physical object that can […]
A Product Backlog is a prioritized and dynamic list of all the work items, features, enhancements, and bug fixes that need to be addressed to create and maintain a product. It serves as the single source of truth for the development team, product owner, and other stakeholders regarding what needs […]
A Product Increment is a tangible, coherent, and usable portion of a product that is developed and delivered during an Agile development iteration, commonly known as a Sprint in Scrum. It represents the sum of all the work completed during the iteration, including new features, enhancements, and bug fixes, that […]
A Product Manager is a professional responsible for the strategic planning, development, and management of a product or product portfolio throughout its lifecycle. They play a critical role in bridging the gap between the customer’s needs, the business goals, and the development teams. Key responsibilities of a Product Manager include: […]
The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. How this is done may vary widely across organizations, Scrum Teams, and individuals. The Product Owner is also accountable for effective Product Backlog management, which includes: The Product Owner may […]
Prototyping is the process of creating a tangible and functional representation of a product, service, or solution before its final development or production. It is a crucial step in the design and development process, allowing teams to test and validate ideas, gather feedback, and make improvements iteratively. Prototypes can take […]
Purpose-driven leadership transcends traditional leadership paradigms, centering around a clear and meaningful purpose that extends beyond mere financial success. This approach aligns the organization’s mission and values with the goals and actions of its leaders, employees, and stakeholders, which is at the core of Business Agility. A purpose-driven leader, in […]
Rapid prototyping is a technique used in product development and design that involves quickly creating tangible and functional models or prototypes of a product or service. The primary goal of rapid prototyping is to test and validate design concepts, gather user feedback, and identify potential issues or improvements early in […]
Real Options is a concept borrowed from financial decision-making and adapted to the context of product development and project management. It refers to the idea of treating decisions as options that provide the right, but not the obligation, to take certain actions in the future based on new information or […]
Refactoring is the process of making changes to the internal structure of code without altering its external behavior. It is a disciplined technique used in software development to improve the design, readability, and maintainability of the codebase without adding new features or fixing bugs. The primary goal of refactoring is […]
SAFe stands for “Scaled Agile Framework,” and it is a widely-used framework for implementing agile practices at scale in large organizations. SAFe provides a structured approach to scaling agile principles and methodologies to address the challenges of coordinating work across multiple teams, business units, and departments. The main objectives of […]
Scrum is a lightweight framework that helps people, teams and organizations generate value through adaptive solutions for complex problems. In a nutshell, Scrum requires a Scrum Master to foster an environment where: Scrum is simple. Try it as is and determine if its philosophy, theory, and structure help to achieve […]
The Scrum Master is accountable for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide. They do this by helping everyone understand Scrum theory and practice, both within the Scrum Team and the organization. The Scrum Master is accountable for the Scrum Team’s effectiveness. They do this by enabling the Scrum […]
Scrum of Scrums (SoS) is a technique used in large-scale Agile projects to coordinate and integrate the work of multiple Scrum teams. It facilitates communication, collaboration, and alignment among these teams to ensure they are working effectively toward the common goal of delivering a complex product. Key points about Scrum […]
The fundamental unit of Scrum is a small team of people, a Scrum Team. The Scrum Team consists of one Scrum Master, one Product Owner, and Developers. Within a Scrum Team, there are no sub-teams or hierarchies. It is a cohesive unit of professionals focused on one objective at a […]
Service design is a multidisciplinary approach that focuses on designing and improving the end-to-end customer experience of a service. It is a holistic and user-centric methodology that encompasses various design and management disciplines to create services that are efficient, effective, and user-friendly. Key aspects of service design include: Service design […]
SMART objectives are a framework for setting clear and specific goals that are both achievable and measurable. The term “SMART” is an acronym that stands for: Example of a SMART objective: “Increase website traffic by 25% in the next quarter (Q3) by implementing SEO optimization techniques and publishing weekly blog […]
The “Spotify Model” is an agile framework that gained popularity after a presentation by Henrik Kniberg and Anders Ivarsson from Spotify in 2012. The presentation described how Spotify organized its engineering and product development teams to promote a culture of agility, collaboration, and innovation. It’s important to note that the […]
In Agile software development, a Sprint is a time-boxed iteration during which a development team works on a set of user stories or backlog items to produce a potentially shippable product increment. Sprints are a fundamental part of the Scrum framework, which is one of the most widely used Agile […]
Sprint Planning is a key event in the Scrum framework, where the Scrum Team collaboratively plans the work that will be undertaken during a Sprint. It is a time-boxed activity that occurs at the beginning of each Sprint and involves the Product Owner, Development Team, and Scrum Master. Key points […]
A Sprint Retrospective is a vital ceremony in the Scrum framework, an Agile methodology for software development. It is a time-boxed meeting held at the end of each Sprint to reflect on the team’s performance during the Sprint and identify opportunities for improvement in the next one. The primary objectives […]
A Sprint Review is a key event in the Scrum framework, an Agile methodology for software development. It is a collaborative meeting held at the end of each Sprint to inspect the Increment of work completed during the Sprint and gather feedback from stakeholders. The main objectives of the Sprint […]
In the context of the Spotify Model, a Squad is a small, cross-functional, and self-organizing team that works together to deliver specific product features or functionalities. Squads are the fundamental building blocks of the Spotify organization, representing small groups of individuals with different skills and expertise who collaborate closely to […]
Story Points are a relative unit of measure used in Agile methodologies, particularly in Scrum and other Agile frameworks that employ the concept of User Stories for requirements management. Story Points are used to estimate the effort and complexity of implementing a user story or a task. Key points about […]
A storyboard is a visual representation of a story or concept, presented in a sequence of illustrations or images, often accompanied by brief descriptions or notes. It is commonly used in various fields, including filmmaking, animation, advertising, and user experience (UX) design. Storyboards serve as a means to visualize and […]
Test Driven Development (TDD) is a software development practice that can also be applied in the context of Business Agility to drive product development, enhance quality, and foster a culture of continuous improvement. In TDD, the development process is guided by writing tests before writing the actual code. This practice […]
Test Driven Development (TDD) is a software development practice that can also be applied in the context of Business Agility to drive product development, enhance quality, and foster a culture of continuous improvement. In TDD, the development process is guided by writing tests before writing the actual code. This practice […]
Transparency refers to the quality or state of being open, honest, and easily understood. It is the practice of sharing information, data, and processes in a way that is accessible, clear, and readily available to others. In various contexts, transparency can have different meanings: Overall, transparency fosters trust, accountability, and […]
In the context of the Spotify Model, a Tribe is a collection of squads that share a similar business domain or area of expertise within an organization. It is a large organizational unit that brings together multiple cross-functional teams (squads) working on related products, services, or components. Key characteristics of […]
A user journey, also known as a customer journey or user flow, is a visual representation or map that outlines the various steps and touchpoints a user goes through when interacting with a product, service, or system. It is a powerful tool used in user experience (UX) design and customer-centric […]
A User Story is a short, simple, and informal description of a specific feature, requirement, or piece of functionality from the perspective of an end-user or customer. It is a fundamental component of Agile software development methodologies, such as Scrum and Extreme Programming (XP). The User Story format follows a […]
Value Stream Mapping (VSM) is a visual tool and Lean management technique used to analyze, optimize, and improve the flow of materials, information, and activities required to deliver a product or service to customers. It provides a holistic view of the end-to-end process, from the initial request to the final […]
Velocity, in the context of Agile software development, is a metric used to measure the amount of work a team can complete within a specific time frame, typically measured in a Sprint. It is a performance indicator for Agile teams, and is often used by teams following Scrum or Kanban […]