Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast

BONUS: What the UK COVID App Project Taught Us About Remote Agile Collaboration: A Conversation with Giovanni Asproni NOTE: We want to thank the folks at Tuple.app for being so generous with their stories, and supporting the podcast. Visit tuple.app/scrum and share them if you find the app useful! Remember, sharing is caring!   In this special BONUS episode, Giovanni Asproni, CTO and co-founder of Launch Ventures, takes us behind the scenes of his work on the UK government's COVID-19 app project. Giovanni shares insights into the rapid development process, the adoption of remote pairing and ensemble programming, and valuable lessons on leadership in large-scale, high-stakes projects. Giovanni also offers practical advice for teams embracing remote collaboration and agile methodologies. The Start of a Crucial Project "When we got the call from the UK government, we knew this was a mission to help stop the spread of the virus." Giovanni kicks off the episode by recounting how his team at Zühlke Engi

Eli Goodman: How A/B Testing Can Derail Product Development, A Product Leadership Story NOTE: We want to thank the folks at Tuple.app for being so generous with their stories, and supporting the podcast. Visit tuple.app/scrum and share them if you find the app useful! Remember, sharing is caring! Eli Goodman, Head of Product at Tuple, discusses a recurring anti-pattern in product development: the over-reliance on A/B testing. Reflecting on his experiences at two different companies, Eli illustrates how A/B testing, when misused, can slow down product progress and lead to a bloated team structure. He also shares strategies on how to avoid this trap and take responsibility for product decisions. How can product teams avoid hiding behind A/B testing and instead move forward with confidence? Listen in to find out! Featured Book of the Week: The Idea Factory by Jon Gertner In this episode, Eli Goodman, Head of Product at Tuple, shares the profound influence of The Idea Factory, a book about Bell Lab

Eli Goodman: The Risk of Investing in Non-Critical Features That Remove Focus From the Core Experience, A Product Leadership Story NOTE: We want to thank the folks at Tuple.app for being so generous with their stories, and supporting the podcast. Visit tuple.app/scrum and share them if you find the app useful! Remember, sharing is caring!   In this episode, Eli Goodman, Head of Product at Tuple, shares a compelling failure story that transformed his approach to product development. Eli reflects on a time when he ambitiously pursued building a community feature that seemed like a perfect addition to the product. However, the project didn't take off, leading to a realization about investing in features that aren't critical to the core user path. How do you identify which features truly belong in your product? And when is it time to pull the plug on an idea?   About Eli Goodman Eli Goodman has been working on software teams for 17 years. He’s been a full-stack developer and engineering manager at bo

BONUS: Mastering Product Management in a Remote World, Insights from Tuple’s Head of Product, Eli Goodman NOTE: We want to thank the folks at Tuple.app for being so generous with their stories, and supporting the podcast. Visit tuple.app/scrum and share them if you find the app useful! Remember, sharing is caring!   In this episode, Eli Goodman, Head of Product at Tuple, shares insights from his extensive experience in software development and product management. Having transitioned from engineering management to product leadership, Eli reveals the key strategies Tuple uses to develop its remote pair programming service, which is trusted by companies like Figma and Shopify. Tune in to discover how Tuple handles remote team dynamics, customer-driven development, and balances tech debt with client needs, all while maintaining a customer-centric focus. Introduction to Tuple and Why It’s Unique Tuple, a remote pair programming service designed by engineers, solves a pain point that its founders, all p

BONUS: The Creative Agile Coach: Jaques Smit’s Lessons on Fostering Creativity in our Work and within Teams In this BONUS episode, we dive deep into the unique intersection of agile coaching and fantasy writing with Jaques Smit, an Agile Coach in the gaming industry, and master transformational coach with his passion for crafting fantasy stories infused with Positive Psychology. Join us as we explore how his dual passions inform and enhance each other, providing practical insights for both aspiring writers and agile professionals. Agile Coaching Through Storytelling "I explore ideas in agile coaching in my writing through characters and context, making complex concepts relatable and actionable to the reader." Jaques shares how his background in fantasy writing enriches his approach to agile coaching. By creating vivid characters and immersive contexts, he brings agile principles to life, allowing teams to better understand and implement them. This storytelling technique not only engages team members

Richard Coplan: The Power of a Vision-Driven Product Owner Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: The Power of a Vision-Driven Product Owner Richard highlights a positive example of a PO at a pharma company who excelled by focusing on the holistic system and maintaining strong user relationships. This PO inspired both the team and the business by bringing a clear product vision to every planning session.  The Bad Product Owner: When a PO Disconnects from Users, A Recipe for Failure Richard discusses the pitfalls of a Product Owner who treats their role as a side job, leading to disengagement from both the users and the development team. This PO was more concerned with their personal to-do list than listening to user feedback, creating a disconnect between the system’s true needs and what was being prioritized.    [IMAGE HERE] Are you h

Richard Coplan: Soft Metrics, The Key to Understanding Agile Team Dynamics and Succeeding as a Scrum Master Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Richard offers insights into how Scrum Masters can measure success, focusing more on soft metrics like collaboration and initiative, rather than just numerical measures. While managers often push for hard metrics, Richard argues that soft indicators—like team self-organization and PO engagement—are much more revealing. Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: The Sailboat Retrospective Richard discusses his favorite retrospective format, the Sailboat retrospective. He explains how it uses metaphors to engage teams and bring future risks and opportunities into the conversation. While Richard values simplicity in retrospectives, he believes the Sailboat format strikes the perfect balance between simplicity and meaningf

Richard Coplan: From Skeptic to Believer, Embracing SAFe for Agile Success Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Richard recounts his experience with a Pharma company implementing SAFe. Initially skeptical of the framework, he learned its value, particularly in the context of PI Planning, which became a key driver for collaboration between Product Owners and Scrum teams. Richard offers practical tips for using Miro and emphasizes the importance of pre-planning activities, such as the value-effort game, to prioritize work effectively.   [IMAGE HERE] As Scrum Master we work with change continuously! Do you have your own change framework that provides the guidance, and queues you need when working with change? The Lean Change Management framework is a fully defined, lean-startup inspired change framework that can be used as the backbone of any change process! You c

Richard Coplan: The Impact of Product Owner Pressure on Agile Team Morale Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Richard shares his experience working in a toxic team environment at an insurance company. Brought in to replace a beloved Scrum Master, he found himself navigating a strained relationship between the Product Owner (PO) and the team. The PO's aggressive push for deliverables demotivated the team, and management sided with the PO, creating a vicious cycle of disengagement. How can a PO's leadership style make or break a team's performance? Richard explores this anti-pattern of PO-driven disengagement. Featured Book of the Week: Lean Enterprise by Jez Humble, et al. Richard reflects on how the book "Lean Enterprise" helped shape his approach as an Agile Coach, offering a holistic view of organizations. He also discusses "Team Topologi

Richard Coplan: The Power of Team Ownership When Defining and Implementing Architectural Decisions Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Richard shares a story about his time working as a Scrum Master for two teams at a bank. While one team excelled at developing APIs and took ownership of architectural decisions, the other struggled to build a relationship with the architecture team. Richard discusses the friction that arose from a top-down imposition of architecture and highlights the key anti-pattern of architecture governance. How can teams take more ownership of their architecture, and what role should architects play in facilitating collaboration? Listen in to find out!   [IMAGE HERE] Recovering from failure, or difficult moments is a critical skill for Scrum Masters. Not only because of us, but also because the teams, and stakeholders we work with will also

Anita Kalmane-Boot: The Feedback-Driven Product Owner Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: The Feedback-Driven Product Owner Anita highlights a Product Owner who actively sought feedback and applied it to improve their work. This PO demonstrated humility and a commitment to growth, earning respect and trust from the team. Anita reflects on the importance of openness to feedback, regardless of experience level.  The Bad Product Owner: Disconnected Decisions, A Product Owner’s Communication Challenge When we talk about PO anti-patterns, Anita describes a Product Owner who failed to communicate with customers or colleagues, making decisions based on assumptions. This anti-pattern led to a disconnect between the product and customer needs. Anita advises to work with the PO and find ways to better understand and incorporate customer feedbac

Anita Kalmane-Boot: Beyond Metrics, Communication as a Key Success Factor for Scrum Masters Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Anita discusses her views on what defines success for a Scrum Master. Rather than focusing on metrics, she emphasizes the importance of communication within the team and the ability to give and receive feedback. Anita believes that true success is reflected in the team’s willingness to learn from each other and approach the Scrum Master when needed.  Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Team-led Retrospectives Anita shares her perspective on empowering team members to lead their own retrospectives. She believes that Scrum Masters should focus on building the team’s independence, offering support and guidance when needed. Anita has seen engineers thrive when given the opportunity to facilitate, despite initial he

Anita Kalmane-Boot: When Scrum Isn’t the Answer, How to Transitioning to Kanban Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Anita talks about her experience at a company where Scrum wasn’t working, and the need for change was clear. She facilitated a brainstorming session, but soon realized that Scrum wasn’t the right fit for the company’s culture. Instead, they transitioned to Kanban, learning and adapting together. Anita stresses the importance of questioning assumptions and understanding why certain frameworks are in place.    [IMAGE HERE] As Scrum Master we work with change continuously! Do you have your own change framework that provides the guidance, and queues you need when working with change? The Lean Change Management framework is a fully defined, lean-startup inspired change framework that can be used as the backbone of any change process! You can buy Lean

Anita Kalmane-Boot: Rebuilding Bridges Between an Agile Team and Their Manager Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Anita shares a story about a team that was paralyzed by fear of their own manager. Despite the manager's care for the team, communication had broken down entirely. Anita focused on mediating and rebuilding trust between the team and the manager. She reflects on the importance of understanding team dynamics and continuously defining the role of a Scrum Master. Featured Book of the Week: NeuroTribes by Steve Silberman In this episode, Anita introduces "NeuroTribes" by Steve Silberman, a book that explores the history of autism. Anita highlights the importance of understanding neurodiversity, especially in Scrum teams, where the percentage of neurodiverse individuals can be significant. She discusses how this book is a valuable resource for Scrum Mas

Anita Kalmane-Boot: When an Agile Team Rejects Scrum, Knowing When to Walk Away Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Anita shares her experience with a team that had already gone through two Scrum Masters before her arrival. Despite her best efforts, she realized that the team didn’t want to work with a Scrum Master. The situation was compounded by the challenges of remote work during the pandemic. Eventually, Anita made the difficult decision to step away from the team. She emphasizes the importance of seeking external perspectives and approaching situations without judgement. How do you handle a team that resists change, and when is it time to walk away? Listen in to find out!   [IMAGE HERE] Recovering from failure, or difficult moments is a critical skill for Scrum Masters. Not only because of us, but also because the teams, and stakeholders w

Johann Botha: The Role of Self-Accountability in Product Ownership Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: The Role of Self-Accountability in Product Ownership Great Product Owners understand both the business and the team’s needs. Johann shares an inspiring example of a PO who not only managed the product but also guided the team with a deep understanding of business and technology. What qualities set great Product Owners apart, and how can they drive both product and team success? Johann highlights the importance of accountability and collaboration in effective Product Ownership. The Bad Product Owner: How Bad Product Owners Derail Agile Teams A bad Product Owner (PO) can derail even the best Agile efforts. Johann discusses common PO anti-patterns and the importance of getting PO responsibilities right. Why do organizations struggle wit

Johann Botha: Coaching for Accountability, How Scrum Masters Can Foster Self-Managing Teams Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Success for a Scrum Master goes beyond just following Scrum rules; it’s about nurturing a team’s belief in itself. Johann explores the delicate balance Scrum Masters must maintain between authority and influence, and why transparency and accountability are key. How can Scrum Masters help teams embrace self-management and foster a sense of belonging? Johann shares insights on how to be a coach, a counselor, and a champion for team autonomy. Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly Johann prefers retrospectives that go beyond surface-level discussions. His favorite format, "The Good, the Bad, the Ugly," focuses on identifying real issues and experimenting with solutions. Why is it crucial to dig deeper i

Johann Botha: Overcoming External Dependencies in Agile Transformations Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In large organizations, even the best Agile efforts can fail if external dependencies are not managed. Johann discusses his experience with a financial services IT department where traditional project governance stifled Agile initiatives. How can Agile leaders identify and navigate these roadblocks? Johann shares practical tips on engaging leadership, redefining governance, and using techniques like the double diamond for root cause analysis to foster an environment where Agile can thrive.   [IMAGE HERE] As Scrum Master we work with change continuously! Do you have your own change framework that provides the guidance, and queues you need when working with change? The Lean Change Management framework is a fully defined, lean-startup inspired change framewo

Johann Botha: When Agile Teams Become The Reason Agile Fails in Organizations Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. When Agile teams push too hard for transformation, they risk becoming the enemy. Johann explains how corporate "immune systems" react against new ideas, even when they’re beneficial. What strategies can Agile teams use to navigate organizational resistance and avoid self-sabotage? Johann emphasizes the importance of listening, finding safe spaces to experiment, and avoiding the trap of making Agile seem like an invasive force. Featured Book of the Week: No Rules Rules by Reed Hastings and Erin Meyer Johann shares his journey through influential books that shaped his approach to management, from Tom Peters’ Liberation Management to Netflix's story in No Rules Rules. How do these books provide a roadmap for progressive management practices in tod

Johann Botha: The Pitfalls of Traditional Project Management in Software Development Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Project management struggles to deliver successful software projects because customers often don’t know what they want upfront, and the world around us changes too quickly. Johann reflects on the outdated thinking rooted in the Industrial Age that hampers modern software development. How can an iterative approach help teams deliver projects on time and within budget? Johann shares insights on why traditional project management often fails in dynamic environments and discusses how concepts from books like Reinventing Organizations and The Machine That Changed the World can transform management practices.   [IMAGE HERE] Recovering from failure, or difficult moments is a critical skill for Scrum Masters. Not only because of us, but also becau