I know that I might take some heat here, but I’m tired of hearing how Agile is just a mindset, a way of thinking: a collection of principles that should govern how we go about our business. That’s just not good enough. Not for me! Don’t get me wrong - I am a firm believer that to reap the success and benefits from the Agile process, individuals need to embrace these principles. However, embracing the Agile principles alone does not an Agile project make - nor should it imply some type of road to success. These principles need to be embraced hand-in-hand with the Agile practices. more »

I have heard many coaches provide various descriptions and metaphors in answering the question: “What is the Role of the Agile Coach?”. Shepard. Guide. Facilitator. Expediter. Sounding-board. Change-agent. Illuminator?  Mostly I tend to agree with how coaches view themselves and their role. Sometimes, however, I hear things that trouble me. One view that has grown in popularity — but one I simply cannot get behind — is the notion that the role of the coach is to “…help organizations discover new questions to ask”. So is the role of the Agile Coach truly to help identify questions?

Sorry — I’m just not buying it. more »