Whether you’re building a new system from the ground up or modernizing a legacy system, the mission is the same – create a holistic solution that delivers real value and impact to your client and their consumers. To an Agilest, the best way to do this is to staff a cross-functional team. Dedicated and skilled…
Insights
Let’s Talk Tech (and more!)
Our people are passionate about their work, and they have a lot to say about it! Check out our weekly insights for our thoughts on technology, data, Agile, and program management.
A Business Case for Microservices
Key Takeaways Microservices is an approach of breaking up software into services that are small and do one thing well. Key benefits of microservices: smaller, more productive teams, reduced risk of change, faster software delivery, lower risk to introduce new technologies, lower risks and costs of replacing systems, and reduced costs of migrating and operating…
Play4Agile North America
I just returned from Play4Agile North America and I wanted to share some of my insights from this unconference. Using Open Space to Run an (Un)Conference First, a bit about the unconference itself. If you’ve never attended an unconference, I highly recommend you try one. People at this unconference organized themselves using Open Space Technology…
Executive Storytelling, a Component of Large Scale Transformation
I frequently work with executives on their Agile Transformation efforts and one thing is certain, they really do want change to happen. While there are many things executives can do to make these changes a reality, one of the most critical ones is telling stories. Storytelling is a real art in business communications, and this…
Baby Scrum (Sounds Better than “Lean-Baby-ban”)
Sometimes taking your work home is something we try to avoid. But sometimes it just makes sense. With a special thanks to my current employer Excella Consulting, this is an example of how taking my work home kept me sane. Inception 48 hours without sleep and 1 hour into parenting My wife and hour-old son…
The Tables Have Turned – at Grace Hopper 2016
Can you name one popular woman engineer who has made a significant impact on computing? Despite having many impressive choices (Grace Hopper, Anita Borg and Frances Allen, to name a few), most Americans can’t. Not only are there a significantly low number of female computer scientists, women are often not credited for their accomplishments fairly….
Best Tech Events for September 2017
Celebrate the end of summer and head to one of these tech events! Check out our list of upcoming events this month in the DC metro area. The Art and Practice of the Agile Leader; Presented by: Michael Hamman Sponsored by: Washington DC Scrum User Group Wednesday, September 6th 6:00 PM Arlington Tech eXchange – Arlington, VA…
Feedback Early & Often! 3 Questions to Ask to Take Full Advantage of Feedback Loop Opportunities
Agile frameworks are designed to accept and handle change – but you still need feedback to determine what changes will ultimately provide the most value. So, ask your team these three questions to ensure you’re taking full advantage of feedback loops. And no, it’s not just holding Sprint Reviews and Retrospectives. 1. Have You Captured ALL Your Stakeholders? Think about…
10 Things to Consider When Picking an Event Space
During my time at Excella Consulting, I have helped to organize over 250 events. These events ranged from meet-ups, trainings, and client meetings to sprint planning sessions and board meetings! As you can imagine, I have worked with a range of different people from company presidents to software developers. The important thing for you to…
Introducing the Agile Extension to the BABOK® Guide version 2
This summer, the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) partnered with the Agile Alliance to update its Agile Extension to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK) Guide. While Agile and analysis practices have advanced, the Agile Extension had not. Thus, a core team of seven contributors joined together to update this guide. The goal…
