Multitasking can often be considered a must-have skill when, in fact, it can actually make us less productive and more prone to error. But even with plenty of research supporting the perils of multitasking, it can be hard to convince managers and stakeholders. After all, being 100% utilized is the way to go, right? Maybe it’s time to re-think what really matters. A focus on the flow of work and value delivery should take precedence over ensuring everyone is simply busy.

In this highly interactive session, we'll run through three simulations (Multitasking is Evil, Name Game, & Featureban) to make the case that reducing our work in progress so that we can focus on the flow of work is the way to go! Each interactive session is a fun and easy way to learn and think about what it means to begin and finish work. Each activity becomes a little more complex, allowing us to consider additional details and interactions that simulate our day-to-day decision making at work. After running through each activity, we will debrief and discuss what we learned so you can take these ideas back with you to work!

When working with project teams, how many times do we see interactions and team dynamics at play without truly realizing what we are observing? And when we do observe, do we tend to inject our own biases into those observations? Observation is a powerful tool, but one which we may not take advantage to its true potential. After all, what exactly should we be observing, anyway?

There are many observational aspects such as body language and tone of voice that we may pick up on intuitively. But there are probably even more that pass us by because we’re simply not used to looking for or paying attention to them. By learning how to “up” our observational skills in a non-biased and judgmental manner, we can gain a deeper understanding of team dynamics and interactions allowing us to offer more meaningful and impactful support, coaching and empathy. The best way to become more observant is through deliberate practice, so let’s practice together through a series of group exercises in a fun and safe setting!

In this highly interactive workshop session, we’ll first review some tools and tips for you to consider to make you a better observer. Then we break the room into multiple groups of observers and builders. Builders will be assigned a challenging but fun task as the observers practice the new tools and ideas discussed earlier. When the task is complete, we allow plenty of time for debrief and discussion as the observers share their observations. We then switch roles (observers to become builders and vice-versa) as the builders attempt a new task for the new observers to witness.

If you are looking for new ways to connect with your project team, build new skills to enhance your agilist toolkit, or simply participate in an informative and interactive workshop, this session is for you!

Using metrics to track agile team performance can be an important tool to reinforce the need for continuous improvement. Metrics can serve as valuable input during retrospectives, the daily standup, and sprint planning allowing teams to continuously adapt their practices and performance based on the observed patterns the metrics reveal. In our experience, many new agile leads and teams are not sure which agile metrics would be the best metrics to begin using. Some teams may be tracking various data points, but lack the skill and understanding of what the metrics are actually revealing and how the teams can use this information to self-improve.

Our presentation/workshop introduces four "light-weight" agile metrics any team can easily adopt and begin using immediately. They are: Velocity, Comitted vs. Done, Sprint Build-up (Burn-up), & Cycle Time.

We introduce each of these metrics and explain what each one measures, how to obtain the data, and when it should be updated. But most importantly, our presentation provides a workshop component where we provide sample scenarios for each metric. These scenarios represent possible real-life data patterns teams could experience. In the workshop, we ask the audience to work in small groups to consider what each scenario may be representing and what they would do, in the spirit of continuous improvement, to respond to these patterns. We also discuss with the audience how to use the metrics in tandem to help provide a more robust interpretation of team performance.

We realize there are many agile metrics teams can adopt. However, for teams just starting out we recommend these easy to use yet powerful metrics to help teams monitor and assess team performance.