Something strikes me; many companies hire experienced product professionals in the hope of scaling up their products. However, what happens in practice is frightening; such product professionals become powerless because they are not the ones calling the shots. Top management believes in knowing best what to do and expecting product…

Scrum Teams will never reach their highest potential without solid Product Management practices. — Why do companies hire highly qualified professionals? The answer should be straightforward, but what happens, in reality, is complex. I’ve observed many talented people trapped in the business world from doing what they are capable of. The reasons are endless, but some common ones are: Unskilled managers limit talents by…

The market is shifting in a new direction, can Scrum still find its space? — It’s impossible to ignore how well known Scrum is. For years, Scrum was the first choice among Agile frameworks for most companies worldwide; only a few would challenge it. But recently, something changed, organizations are losing trust in Scrum. …

Originally published in GoRetro It's Monday, the last day of the Sprint. After receiving critical feedback from the client, Björn took the time between the Sprint Review and Sprint Retrospective to address some issues. He is uneasy because the client complained about features he worked on. The time seems insufficient…

Conflicts are inevitable. Dealing with them is an art. — Originally published in GoRetro Painfully, Ivar learned the importance of collaboration during the last Sprint. It’s the first time Odin Enterprises has teams focused on specific audiences, and Ivar’s overconfidence contributed to a chaotic situation. …

Releasing and firefighting — Originally published in GoRetro Last Chapter, Björn, and Ivar worked closely with Lagertha to define the metrics they would follow. They learned the difference between output and input metrics and gained clarity on how to measure the results of their work. Now, they both have to lead teams Kattegat and…

Originally published in GoRetro Mechanical meetings will lead to nothing but progress. What’s the point in having a Daily Scrum with your team? Although you may think it’s about answering three questions and clarifying what is going on, this understanding is wrong. Please stick with me. Imagine the following, every day at 09:15 am; every team member answers…

Originally published in GoRetro Who is the Scrum Master? Do you need a dedicated person for this role? The answer to these questions significantly depends on your scenario. Until 2020, Scrum used to have three roles, Scrum Master, Developer, and Product Owner. After the last update in November 2020, the…

Outcome Orientation — Originally published in GoRetro After an extensive workshop, Odin Enterprises had new directions. Lagertha managed to show Ecbert the importance of focus and clarity. Now, teams Jorvik and Kattegat know what to work on and, most importantly, what not to. The challenge now lies in succeeding with the pressure on…