Navigating the Scrum world, it’s impossible not to acknowledge the weight of the Applied Professional Scrum (APS). 🚀
From my own explorations and experiences, I’ve discerned a few elements that stand out, pushing this approach to the forefront for those yearning for genuine Scrum mastery.
Rooted in the Fundamentals
Let me clarify a conviction I’ve long held about Scrum: “You must have a working, usable product at the end of every iteration, including the first.” 💡
Without this, as I see it, we’re meandering away from the heart of agility. We unequivocally need those tangible, working products.
Why? They’re our foundation.
They let us test, refine, and solicit the pivotal feedback that steers our path.
I often recount this analogy that takes inspiration from the world of sailing. Think of a boat accumulating barnacles over time. Those very barnacles, while small, can dramatically slow it down.
Similarly, Scrum teams, especially those that have been in the game for a while, often acquire practices - or ‘barnacles’ if you will - that, over time, can become more of a hindrance than a help.
These might be practices introduced to patch up a momentary issue or perhaps to meet a specific organisational demand.
But, as I often point out, “Scrum picks up a bunch of barnacles.”
The challenge is recognising when these have outstayed their welcome.
In my view, APS offers that necessary lens to “scrape off those barnacles,” differentiating the core principles of Scrum from the extraneous ones we’ve picked up along the way.
One of the standout elements of the APS sessions I guide is this introspective exercise I’ve affectionately named the “Barnacle Exercise.”
Its design is straightforward: to aid teams, whether rookies on their Scrum voyage or seasoned sailors, in identifying and ultimately shedding their ‘barnacles’.
When we collaborate closely with specific organisations, this takes on an added layer, culminating in creating an “organisational change backlog.”
It’s essentially an agile transformation blueprint crafted by those knee-deep in the work each day. 🔄
As I’ve seen and believed, the soul of APS is its unwavering commitment to equipping teams with the right expertise and tools. 🎯
The aim?
To create teams that don’t just ‘do’ Scrum but truly embody it - authentically and proficiently.
If Scrum is your chosen path, and you’re seeking to optimise each step, I invite you to join me in the APS realm. 🌟
Engage, learn, transform. For those keen on exploring Agile further or simply keen to share their own Scrum tales, let’s connect.
Reach out via Naked Agility, and let’s pen your Scrum success saga together.
If you've made it this far, it's worth connecting with our principal consultant and coach, Martin Hinshelwood, for a 30-minute 'ask me anything' call.
We partner with businesses across diverse industries, including finance, insurance, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, technology, engineering, transportation, hospitality, entertainment, legal, government, and military sectors.
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