AgileDad  was  founded  in  September  of  2007  by  V.  Lee  Henson  who  serves   as   President   &   CEO.   Lee’s   15   years   of   working   agile  experience   spans   a   broad   array   of   roles   and   responsibilities.   He   is  currently   one   of   just   over   165   Certified   Scrum   Trainers  worldwide  and   has   certified   well   over   2500   ScrumMasters   and   Product  Owners.   He   is   also   a   Project   Management   Professional,   SAFe  Program  Consultant,  PMI  Agile  Certified  Practitioner,  and  a  Certified  Lean  Agile   Professional.   His   personal   experience   includes   hands   on            

web   development,   quality   assurance   analysis,   automated   test  engineering,  senior  product  management,  senior  project  management,  ScrumMaster,  agile   coach,   consultant,   and   ADDIE   training   professional.   He   has   worked   with  hundreds   of   teams   to   assist   them   in   successful   implementation   of   thousands   of  projects.  His  client  list  includes  43  of  the  Fortune  100  companies,  Government  sector  projects,  small  and  large  software  production  facilities,  and  multiple  successful  large-­‐scale  e-­‐commerce  implementations  worldwide.  

When   not   coaching   or   training,   Lee   enjoys   doing   motivational,   inspirational,   and  keynote  speaking  sessions  at  various  conferences,  churches,  and  universities.  He  has  been  recognized  for  excellence  in  public  speaking  and  does  all  he  can  to  help  others  get   the   most   out   of   both   work   and   home   life.   He   is   a   graduate   of   the   Disney  Management   Institute   and   has   served   as   Chairperson   for   the   Scrum   Alliance  Certification   Advisory   Board.   He   is   the   author   of   the   Definitive   Agile   Checklist   and  organizer   of   the   Salt   Lake   City   Agile   Meetup.   He   is   the   inventor   of   Rapid   Release  Planning,   The   Agile   12   Step   Program,   and   other   advanced   Agile   Principles.   He   is  continually  looking  for  ways  to  accelerate  Agile  learning  and  give  back  to  the  industry.  

V. Lee Henson, President and CEO of AgileDad would like to take a moment to welcome you and allow you to get to know him and his company AgileDad.

Meet Your Organizer!

V. Lee Henson ~ AgileDad July 21, 2015

Agile 12 Step Program Who ever said Agile was an All or Nothing Proposition? Learn the steps companies take to implement Agile!

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About our Host Lets take a moment to thank and meet our gracious host, Ultradent.

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About AgileDad Learn more about AgileDad ad the goals for the SLC Agile Meetup.

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Many organizations struggle with finding a balanced approach to their Agile implementation. They often try the ‘do it yourself’ approach and run into major issues. The right Agile Coach cannot only speed things along, but can save your company money! Look for credible on the ground experience. Review recommendations and see what others have had to say about this company. Never be afraid to ask for a trial ‘warm-up’ period as part of your agreement.

Selecting the right trainer or coach…

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1) It was believed at that time that enterprise

organizations would select one of the Agile Methods and implement a vanilla implementation of Scrum, XP, DSDM, etc. My prediction was that over time these large companies would discover that Agile is not one size fits all. I correctly predicted that organizations would select a method such as Scrum to use as a foundation and select best practices from the others in order to create their own Agile Center of Excellence. I was all but laughed out of the Agile community back then. Today, this has proven to be true in every facet.

Many Agile Coaches and Trainers have taught for years that Agile is an all or nothing proposition. This is NOT the case. This 12 Step Approach to Agile Adoption will help you accelerate learning and serve as a guideline for Agile Success.

2) Most believed for some time and many still believe you are either Agile or Non-Agile, Scrum or Scrum-Butt, Lean or just not efficient. This is also not true. In fact, I have created a roadmap for ANY size organization to follow that will allow them to see incremental improvement as they implement Agile processes within their organization. Just as the changes are incremental, the results of the changes are also incremental. It is indeed true that you will not stand to recognize all of the benefits of a pure Agile implementation without first implementing the core foundational pieces of what Agile means and how it should be applied.

Many trainers, coaches, and training organizations have proclaimed that Agile is an all or nothing proposition. This could not be any further from the truth. In fact, back in 2001, shortly after the Agile Manifesto was written, I put together a white paper that made the skin of the Agile Community crawl. It was entitled Driving The Agile Hybrid. The subject matter debunked two very widely believed principles:

It is for this reason I have composed the Agile 12 Step Program. While I do not feel I am in position to make light of any program designed to help individuals through a struggle they may be facing in their personal life, I do feel like this document could assist organizations who are ready to make changes, but not quite ready to swallow the entire Agile pill. The following steps are tried and true. I have successfully transformed organizations of EVERY size using these steps. Consider this your first round free of Agile Transformation Coaching, compliments of AgileDad.

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The Official Agile 12 Step Program:

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As the current group organizer, we are looking for both sponsors and places to host upcoming Agile Meetups. The format can be similar to this one, or it could be completely new and different. It could be about really advanced Agile topics, or a nice kickoff for those learning the ropes or getting back on the Agile Show horse. Either way, we cannot do this without your help and support. For the month of August, we are looking at August 24th as the date for our next Meetup! Are you available to assist? Can you help us really make the next meeting a rousing success? Do you have meeting space we can use in order to make this the BEST Meetup in the Valley? Please contact the group organizer or Co-Organizer with any information you may have of how you can be of additional assistance. Thanks in advance for your consideration!

How about we host the next Salt Lake City Agile Meetup at your place?

AgileDad Presents: The O

fficial Agile 12 Step Adoption Program

Organizations often struggle to em

ploy and scale the Agile Process. These 12 steps can serve as your guide to success.

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1) Admit you have a problem that you are trying to solve and disclose why you have selected implementation of Agile to help you solve the problem: Knowing what you are trying to solve and why is the first step to a successful Agile Implementation.

2) Set Management / Executive level Expectations and establish an Agile Vision: Without a clear vision of where we are heading and who is involved, we are nothing less than lost.

3) Identify and establish a distinction of every Agile Role: When people know what their true role is and they are willing to embrace what they should be doing, best Agile practices become much easier to follow.

4) Focus on Product Ownership and Backlog Item Creation: Backlog preparation is the number one issue I see with most organizations attempting to embrace Agile. Many are waiting until too late in the process. Others are not creating Backlog Items using the INVEST model and not having them prepared prior to planning meeting.

5) Hold proper Agile Meetings with

the correct purpose, attendees, and agenda: More money is wasted in organizations holding the incorrect conversations with the incorrect parties involved. The art of the Conversation is one that positively needs to be mastered. Every meeting should have an agenda and purpose. While this may seem simple on the surface, I see groups suffering from this issue regularly.

6) Clearly define product release cycles: Figuring out a cadence for release that is tolerable to both the organization and the customer can be challenging. Not to mention that the people on the ground frequently want to flex dates that have been set forth by the organization with regard to release timeframes. We need to define and stick to the release cycles that make sense. Include input from all key stakeholders, the product ownership team, and closely track consumer needs in order to best determine the best ultimate strategy for your release.

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“Embrace each of the 12 Steps as groups within your organization are ready, not all at once”

~ V. Lee Henson

7) Take time to measure end consumer satisfaction: In addition to the ever so critical acceptance criteria, we need to also note some form of measure for end consumer satisfaction. This information could be gathered with something as simple as frequent demonstrations of working product. Other times this requires more intense customer interaction. This is where we take the time to figure out a means of determining product success.

8) Enhance Programming Practices: Unit Testing = 100% Code Review = 100% Refactoring poorly designed code = 100% Coding Standard = In Place. This is the bread & butter when building software, (or anything else for that matter). The proof of forward progress rests in a demo of working results.

9) Enhanced Testing Practices: Every group should be working towards some form of TDD. In my world there is a test in place to validate before a line of code is ever written. Even acceptance tests should be written and set to fail prior to the beginning of any Sprint. This helps insure that we do not gold plate the code we create and that we work towards potentially shippable code at the end of every iteration.

10) Secure the appropriate Agile Tooling solution: While not every Agile implementation requires a large-scale tool implementation, keeping a close eye on the progress of the teams and organization is a must. What is visible is what gets done. The simple practice of selecting the correct Agile tool based on what information you wish to convey to management, is an important decision that should not be taken lightly.

11) Identify ways to measure team and group success: Take time to identify internal and external service level agreements and determine what metrics of success will be celebrated as a team. Do not let the team get into a mode where they feel like all they do is sprint and meet over and over again. They need to be recognized for positive accomplishments and need to build towards high performing teams.

12) Identify the top three issues that still may not have been addressed to date and plan a course of action to get these taken care of: While this list is comprehensive, no single list could include everything one organization needs to do in order to see all facets of Agile success. It is imperative to constantly look towards continuous improvement. This step allows you to review all previous steps and make certain there was nothing that was missed or overlooked. This also allows for time needed to inspect and adapt internally. It is always a best practice to look internally for additional opportunities to improve.

While no plan can be perfect for everyone, this plan is pretty comprehensive. Taking these steps and making minor adaptations where needed can certainly help the progress of your Agile transformation move forward more quickly. A couple of other quick points of note: In order to execute this Agile 12 Step Program, the organization needs to have an agreement in place that they accept and will adopt the 4 Pillars of Agile Success. They must also agree to identify, manage and eliminate outstanding technical debt. As long as debt remains in the picture, each of the additional steps become more challenging and make Agile on a whole much more difficult to implement. I still strongly recommend bringing in a qualified Agile Coach to assess the details of your situation. This outside assistance should pay for itself in no time and prove to give your organization the boost it needs to see true success.

There truly is a lot more to these steps than just simple words on a page. I encourage you to reach out to AgileDad if we can be of additional assistance in helping you do a more thorough Agile Assessment and determining just what steps you can take to move you further along the path. The key is to help you internalize the Agile process. Our job literally is to work our way out of a job. We teach you to achieve Agile Excellence so that your customers can share in your newfound Agile Success.

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Certified ScrumMaster July 30-31 – New York

Certified Scrum Product Owner Workshop August 6-7 – Atlanta

Certified Scrum Product Owner Workshop August 11-12 San Diego

Certified ScrumMaster August 13-14 San Diego

Certified ScrumMaster August 18-19 – Seattle

Certified ScrumMaster August 20-21 – Toronto

Certified ScrumMaster August 25-26 – Phoenix

Certified ScrumMaster August 27-28 – SLC

Certified ScrumMaster Sept. 1-2 - New York

Private sessions and workshops are always available. For more information please email: Lee@AgileDad.Com

Upcoming AgileDad Public Courses:

Ultradent Products, Inc. evolved from a dentist’s quest to create more effective dental products and procedures. Just out of dental school and beginning his practice, Dr. Dan Fischer was not satisfied with many of the dental products available to him. His desire to develop more advanced dental solutions led him to create products that would set future industry standards. Dr. Fischer's first endeavor was a successful hemostatic solution called Astringedent®, developed in 1976. Astringedent set the pace for a succession of products that would soon exceed expectations in the dental industry.

Business grew rapidly, and within a 12-year period Ultradent expanded from a home operation to a 220,000 square-foot facility, which presently houses more than 1,000 employees. Ultradent now manufactures and packages more than 500 materials, devices and instruments. These products are used worldwide by dentists, group practices, dental and veterinary labs, government agencies and universities.

Ultradent continues development and holds numerous patents and trademarks on unique products, materials, devices and application techniques. In addition, its Products and Procedures Manual (catalog) is considered one of the best in the industry because it provides professionally illustrated, step-by-step procedures on how to use the products.

Ultradent pioneered another segment of the industry, becoming one of the first dental companies to manufacture syringe-packaged materials. As the demand for syringe-delivered products grew, Ultradent developed a molding division, and opened an adjacent injection molding facility. In addition to supporting Ultradent's growing needs, the molding facility produces a variety of plastic materials and devices for other companies. These materials range from syringe tips to all-purpose stacking containers. Dr. Fischer's company was established on a solid foundation of core values and a clear vision to improve oral health globally. The primary objective with regard to product development has always been preservation of natural tooth structure. Dr. Fischer has emphasized the importance and value of choosing the least invasive form of treatment: prevention as a primary first step, and then pit and fissure sealing before filling, tooth whitening before veneers, and composite restorations before crowns. Modern developments, particularly within the area of adhesives, allow today's dentist to practice increasingly conservative dentistry. While no restorative material is truly permanent, modern products and techniques provide the ability to buy time for patients and conserve their teeth more effectively and for longer than ever before. Ultradent, with the help of AgileDad, has embarked on a journey to embrace Agile practices to further build upon their already successful model. Agile will help them continue to focus on achieving the best outcome possible by building the correct products to meet the ever growing dental market demand. As an organization, Ultradent is excited to grow in their Agile practice and learn from the proven success of others in the growing local Agile community. Thanks to Ultradent for being our July Meetup Host!

What sets AgileDad apart you ask? We have personally trained, coached, and or certified Agile implementations in 43 of the Fortune 100 Companies! We have been hand selected by smaller organizations to help them be nimble with the talent and resources they have to perform at their absolute best. Our mantra is simple. With great power comes great responsibility. This advice sets the undertone for the objective of every AgileDad engagement. Selecting AgileDad means that you have entrusted us with your most valuable asset, your people. We take this responsibility very seriously. As a result we have provided nothing less than the highest quality training and coaching to a number of companies ranging in size from Startup to Fortune 100. We treat each engagement with the respect and depth that it warrants. We treat each customer the way we would want to be treated and wrap the human side into everything we do. Gone are the days where theory was enough, the new frontier takes us to a place where advanced experience matters. AgileDad has that experience and we look forward to our engagement with your organization.

About AgileDad:

Advancing Agile and doing what makes

sense in the Scrum & Agile Community

since 2001!

This Salt Lake City Agile Meetup Newsletter is intended for the educational enrichment of all those involved in the Agile Community. Please feel free to replicate and or duplicate this document in part or whole electronically or manually with

proper attribution association. For more information about this group, AgileDad course offerings, or Agile Coaching, please contact V. Lee Henson by using the information listed below. 2015 All Rights Reserved.