What Is Agile Coaching?

by Agile Blogger | Jan 31, 2023 | Agile Coaching

Agile coaching is a relatively new role that has emerged in response to the popularity of Agile ways of working. Agile coaches help teams transition to and operate within an agile framework such as Scrum or Kanban, providing support and guidance at every step. In this post, we’ll explore what agile coaching is, what the benefits are, and how you can become an Agile coach.

What is agile coaching?

Agile coaching is a people-centric approach that focuses on developing and strengthening teams’ capabilities to improve performance. Agile coaches are trained in 5 skill areas:

• Agile & Lean Practices
• Mentoring
• Professional Coaching
• Facilitation
• Teaching

As Agile coaches, they facilitate team learning, provide support and guidance, help teams adjust to changes in the environment, and serve as a bridge between team members and in-between teams. They are guides who help individuals and groups navigate their transition to Agile and leverage continuous improvement in their Agile practices. In this way, they foster collaboration and focus on achieving optimal results.

The agile coach competency framework can help Team Coaches, Scrum Masters, Agile coaches assess their skills and strengths, identify areas of improvement, and focus on the most critical aspects of coaching to fulfill the needs of their clients. A good understanding of this framework can help Agile coaches build trust with teams, understand team dynamics, create a better learning environment, and, ultimately, help teams reach their goals.

What are the benefits of agile coaching?

Having an agile coach can be incredibly beneficial for agile teams. An agile coach is knowledgeable in agile principles and processes, making them a valuable asset that can help hold agile teams, product owners, and stakeholders accountable while leveraging their knowledge to support the team’s needs. By analyzing situations from a creative perspective and offering new ways of thinking, agile coaches can bring visibility to problems, help formulate solutions, and provide guidance on improving individual performances and that of the entire team or organization. Furthermore, agile coaches can recognize patterns of success that can tailor to different groups with various goals and objectives. Ultimately, coaching agile teams through their journey yields strengthened relationships, heightened morale, improved efficiency and effectiveness of processes, better strategies for collaboration, and streamlined decision-making.

Agile coaching is different from project management in that it emphasizes the team dynamics and collaboration of the group. Agile coaches focus on helping the development team to become more effective by understanding its current state, identifying areas of improvement, and providing guidance to maximize efficiency. A project manager usually focuses on completing tasks or goals within a given timeline. At the same time, an agile coach helps the team progress and improve by teaching processes and coaching individuals. Agile coaches must be experienced in communication, collaboration, and leadership and bring the Agile mindset to change initiatives. With proper coaching from an agile coach, teams can benefit from agile project management by implementing agile processes into their project management frameworks.

How do you learn agile coaching?

To become an Agile coach and develop the skills and values necessary to guide teams through their Agile adoption successfully, one should consider taking a course from an accredited institution such as ICAgile. ICAgile is an international credentialing body that provides agile coach certifications such as the ICAgile Certified Professional in Agile Coaching (ICP-ACC) and the ICAgile Certified Coaching Agile Transformations (ICP-CAT). These courses cover various topics such as effective team facilitation, coaching for high performance, working with leadership, creating learning environments, and organizational and cultural awareness. With the proper training, any aspiring Agile coach can become a successful guide to their team’s journey towards Agile success.

Scrum Masters can become Agile Coaches by taking additional training such as Agile Team Coach or Enterprise Coach certifications. These certifications provide Professional Scrum Masters with the knowledge they need to understand the principles of Agile methodology and how to best implement these practices in their teams. With this additional knowledge and certification, Scrum Masters have all the skills to become effective Agile Coaches. Moreover, with continuous learning and development, they will be able to stay up-to-date with the latest best practices (such as DevOps), learn how to facilitate conversations between teams and stakeholders better, and ultimately provide the best guidance possible to their teams.

Becoming an agile coach also requires practice and dedication. A great agile coach listens to the team, understands their needs, and helps them reach their goals in the most efficient way possible. Agile coaches must be comfortable providing feedback and helping teams improve by giving meaningful advice while also being supportive of team members. Agile coaches need to be agile coaches to recognize patterns of success and failures and tailor their coaching approach to the team’s needs. Additionally, agile coaches should have a wide range of tools and techniques to adjust as needed for each unique situation. With practice and dedication, anyone can become an effective agile coach and help teams achieve great results.

Levels of agile coaching

There are three different levels of Agile coaching:

Team Facilitator

A Team Facilitator is an Agile coach who works directly on the team level to help them become successful in their journey toward agility. The role of a team facilitator is to ensure that everyone understands the goals, vision, and values of the agile program, as well as help teams by providing clarity on roles and responsibilities within each project. They also play a crucial role in helping identify and address any challenges or behaviors they may encounter during their process and conducting retrospectives with the team. A team facilitator should have technical and soft skills, as they must be able to explain technical concepts while listening and understanding the team’s needs. Through facilitation, a team facilitator helps teams become more cohesive and efficient.

Agile Team Coach

Agile Team Coaching requires working with teams to help them achieve agility through implementing Lean-Agile practices and agile methods. It involves assisting groups in understanding the principles behind Agile methodology, including self-organizing and high-performing teams, collaboration, and adaptation to change. An agile team coach needs to identify areas that need improvement in process, communication, and engagement of team members so that the team can maximize its efficiency. Additionally, they should be able to provide guidance, feedback, and support to the team to help them identify and reach their goals.

Enterprise Coach

An Enterprise Agile Coach is a change agent who works with organizations to help them achieve agility and guide successful transformations. They navigate by assessing the current organization and its culture, understanding agile leadership engagement, and providing strategies for implementing Agile methodologies. One pathway to becoming an Enterprise Coach is ICAgile’s Certified Professional in Enterprise Coaching (ICP-ENT), which goes beyond software development and focuses on business agility as the goal. Enterprise coaches must be knowledgeable in organizational assessments, cultural awareness, and leadership engagement. To successfully help organizations, they must focus on developing and implementing systems thinking approach that meets the needs of the organization and its team members.

By understanding the different levels of Agile Coaching, teams can ensure they are working with experienced coaches and understand their specific needs.

Why Do You Need Agile Coaching?

Agile coaching is integral to any organization that wants to stay up-to-date with the changes in their field and consistently produce superior products. With an agile coach, organizations can take advantage of opportunities to streamline processes, optimize efficiency, and discover bottom-line improvements. Not having an agile coach can have serious consequences, including a lack of focus on essential details, failure to recognize gaps in productivity or operations, and laying down plans without considering the consequences of making certain decisions. Utilizing the services of an agile coach will provide valuable guidance while uncovering essential insights within an organization. An agile coach can help ensure your team has the right tools and mindset to make good decisions quickly and strategically turn consequences into opportunities.

Conclusion

Agile coaching is a process that helps organizations and individuals learn and implement the Agile methodology. Agile coaching has many benefits, including improved communication, faster delivery of value, increased transparency, and more. Leadership Tribe will help prepare you for the Scrum Alliance Certified Team Coach and Certified Enterprise Agile Coach certifications. If you’re interested in learning more about agile coaching or becoming an agile coach, check out our latest courses at Agile Coach Bootcamp or read more about agile topics on our blog.

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What Should New Team Leaders Do First? Best practices.

by Agile Blogger | Jan 23, 2023 | Agile Coaching, Leadership And Management

Taking on a leadership position, whether for an existing team or starting in a new one, can be daunting, with no prior experience to draw on. In addition, as a post-COVID effect, more teams are embracing remote working or a hybrid model, adding complexity and uncertainty to new leaders’ challenges.

Your performance in the first few months can significantly impact your success as a team leader and, ultimately, whether your team can deliver optimal results. How are you going to strategize your move? What steps would you take to set your team up for success? We’ve provided some strategies and tips for new leaders and included information on leading remote teams. This article will help you establish and maintain a productive, collaborative team while developing your leadership skills.

The best strategy for a new team leader

Get to know your coworkers

New team leaders should start by getting to know their team in person and understanding their coworkers’ skills, talents, personalities, and goals. They should also encourage team members to learn from each other better, create an environment where people can be honest, open, and vulnerable, and build trust and a team collaboration culture.

It may include facilitating a well-organized introduction session or initiating meetings with team-building exercises. It can entail holding social gatherings for virtual teams or beginning calls by asking how each team member is doing. Some practical team activities can have each person sharing their best and worst experiences working in groups or naming the top 3 items they enjoy or would like to change being part of a team. These discussions will help team members to come together to understand perspectives, feelings, and needs and identify further actions to promote collaboration.

Set expectations and lead by example

To ensure everyone is on the same page and can collaborate successfully and respectfully, new team leaders must lay out their expectations and establish ground rules for the group. Make no assumptions and explain how you expect the team to work. It may include a few things, such as how the organization defines roles and responsibilities, makes collective decisions, delegates work, uses metrics to measure performance, and works together.

It is an opportunity for new leaders to communicate their values and priorities, lead by example and motivate and inspire their teams. Great leaders are committed to the team’s success; they are willing to put in the effort required, listen to the ideas and opinions of their team and act on them as appropriate. It will, in turn, foster an environment of trust and collaboration, which can lead to more successful outcomes.

Start with “why” and clarify goals

Influential leaders start by helping their teams to understand the “why.” Ensure you thoroughly explain why this team exists, its purpose, and how each individual’s contribution is essential to achieving success. Encourage everyone to recognize their roles as part of something larger, creating a sense of purpose for them all.

Another essential task as a team leader is to work with your team and set ambitious but achievable goals with everyone’s input. With a clear understanding of the organization’s vision and the team goal early on, the team members will have a common purpose, team working and decision-making will be more efficient. Team members will hold each other accountable. In practice, it’s advisable to regularly review team goals and re-strategize, realign and reorganize resources to best achieve them.

Communicate openly and frequently

Communication is key to the success of any good leader. When you start your journey, it is crucial to identify your key stakeholders, understand their needs, and structure and cater your communications accordingly. Answer questions such as: Who are the key stakeholders you need to address? What would be the best approach to communicate with them – conference calls, one-on-one meetings, emails, or progress reports? How frequently do you need to check in with them?

As a general rule of thumb, it is better to over-communicate than to under-communicate at early stages. You can adjust your communication as you mature and establish your leadership role. Use your initiative, emotional intelligence, and communication skills, and work with your stakeholders to ensure everyone is up to speed and potential problems are addressed effectively and on time.

Recognize success and celebrate “early win”

Acknowledging the achievement of a team’s work can make all the difference, and achieving “early wins” accelerates the team’s momentum. People are more willing to go above and beyond in their professions and commit to future successes when they believe their efforts are appreciated and rewarded. Set milestones and encourage the team to achieve them; when they do, celebrate their accomplishment, no matter how small. It will motivate teams to constantly strive for excellence, improving team performance and creating a company culture of appreciation over time.

In practice, recognition can take the simplest form of taking a few minutes in your team meeting to recognize people’s contributions or to appreciate their help. Reflecting and celebrating the team’s accomplishment and showing appreciation for contributions can dramatically affect the team’s morale and retention and helps to bind the group together – something every couple needs for success!

Foster continuous learning

Let’s not forget that we operate in a rapidly changing and constantly evolving environment. Good team leaders should foster a learning environment by pursuing their leadership development and providing opportunities for team members to grow and develop their skills. This can be done by enabling regular training, mentoring, and coaching programs, creating a safe working environment, and encouraging teams to experiment with new ideas. Leaders can also become active contributors to the team’s learning journey by providing helpful guidance and constructive feedback.

By investing in the competency and capacity of the team, new leaders will create a more energetic and productive team in the long run.

What should a new team leader do?

Being a new team leader can be an exciting yet challenging experience. It is essential to think about how to lead your team; the following tips can help you transition to your new role successfully.

Do:

• Connect with team members and encourage them to connect;
• Establish expectations and be clear about how to evaluate team performance;
• Clarify team goals and align team members to achieve them;
• Communicate and check in with key stakeholders frequently;
• Foster an open and collaborative working culture and promote diversity and inclusivity;
• Lead with empathy and respect;
• Continuously learn and develop own leadership and management skills, and related skill-set and strive for the best work;
• Encourage team development and provide guidance and feedback;
• Identify and celebrate “early wins,” spot and fix roadblocks or grievances;
• Strategize and plan for the first 90 days as a new team leader;

Don’t:

• Dive into accomplishing the work without building relationships with the team;
• Assume new team members are familiar with how you and others function;
• Be afraid to communicate often at the beginning;
• Set team goals without discussing them with the team members;
• Ignore feedback from the team;
• Be a new manager (you are a leader!)

Conclusion

Becoming a good team leader can be an overwhelming but rewarding journey.

Team leadership involves communicating and collaborating with your team members to create an environment of trust, respect, and collaboration. It is a continuous journey of empowering the team to achieve milestones, celebrate successes, and strive for the better. Setting clear objectives and expectations helps team members stay focused and take the initiative to work towards a common goal.

Empathy, emotional intelligence, leadership and management skills, dedication, and hard work are required. If you’re up for the challenge and passionate about creating a team that’s successful, motivated, and makes a difference, start acquiring the skills and practicing!

Contact us and find out how we can support you! Check out our latest courses at Agile Coach Bootcamp or read more about agile topics on our blog.

Employee Development Plan

by Agile Blogger | Dec 9, 2022 | Leadership And Management

As businesses grow, it becomes increasingly important to invest in employee development. A well-developed employee development plan can help you retain top talent, improve your team’s skills, and boost productivity. There are a few key elements to include in any employee development plan.

You know how important it is to invest in your employees’ growth and development, but you may need to figure out how best to get started. An employee-development plan can unlock your team’s potential and give them the tools they need to succeed. This article will provide an in-depth guide to creating an effective employee-development plan that complements employees’ goals and the company’s needs. From defining objectives and researching different options to creating a plan template and monitoring progress, you’ll be able to develop a plan that sets your team up for success. An effective employee development program leads to enhanced succession planning and employee retention and enhances employee performance. This blog post will discuss those elements and how you can create a plan that works for your business needs. Let’s get started!

Employee Development Plan – Intro

An employee development plan is a documented process that helps employees reach their full potential within an organization. It involves setting short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals and providing one-on-one support and resources to help employees achieve them.

An employee development plan can help members of your team:

• better understand their role in the organization
• identify skills gaps for improvement
• set professional goals and track progress
• receive feedback and coaching
• access training and development opportunities

A well-designed employee development plan can be a powerful tool for retaining top talent, driving organizational success, and achieving business goals.

An employee development plan will typically include learning opportunities consisting of an action plan, at a bare minimum, e-learning modules, and face-to-face seminars. However, consider each employee’s training. How can we make the learning experience effective?

Here are a few examples of learning activities to consider including in a learning plan:

• Modules for e-learning and online courses
• Seminars held in person
• Meetings or events
• Coaching and mentoring programs
• Books, magazines, and journals
• Workshops or webinars
• Unique projects
• Intensive employee engagement

What is an employee development plan?

An employee development plan is a document that details the specific goals and objectives that an employee should focus on during their time with a company. This plan should be tailored to the individual and can be used to help them reach their full potential within the organization.

The benefits of having an employee development plan are numerous. By taking the time to sit down and map out specific goals, you are helping your employees better understand what is expected of them. This clarity can lead to increased motivation and greater ownership over their career development.

In addition, an employee development plan can serve as a valuable reference point for your and your team member’s development needs. As they progress in their role, you can refer back to the plan to ensure they are on track. And if they have any questions or concerns, you will have a ready-made resource to direct them to.

Creating an employee development plan can be simple. But it is worth taking the time to do it right, as it can make a big difference in the long-term success of your team members.

Benefits of professional development plans

When it comes to professional development, there are many benefits to having a plan. A professional development plan can help you set goals and achieve them, learn new skills, and get promoted.

Setting goals is the first step to success in any field. Without goals, you will have no way of measuring your progress or determining whether you are on the right track. A professional development plan can help you set realistic and achievable goals for your career.

Learning new skills is essential for career growth. Even if you have been in your field for years, there are always new things to know. A professional development plan can help you identify the skills you need to learn and provide a roadmap with action steps for acquiring them.

Getting promoted is the ultimate goal of most professionals. A professional development plan can help you identify the steps you need to take to reach the next level in your career. It can also help you create a portfolio of your accomplishments that impress potential employers.

What are the types of professional development plans?

Professional development plans are created to help employees reach their career goals and improve competencies. There are many professional development plans, and the right plan for each employee depends on their individual needs and objectives. Some common types of professional development plans include:

Individual employee development

Individual development plans are created specifically for one employee and outline the steps they need to take to reach their desired career goals.

Career development plans

Career development plans are broader in scope than individual development plans and can be used by employees at any stage of their careers. These types of programs typically focus on identifying an employee’s strengths and weaknesses and outlining how they can improve in areas of weakness and capitalize on their strengths.

Leadership development plans

Leadership development plans help employees develop the skills and knowledge necessary to become influential leaders. These plans often include formal training programs and opportunities for leadership roles in projects or committees.

Succession planning

Succession planning is a professional development plan that focuses on preparing employees for future leadership roles within an organization. This plan often includes mentorship programs and opportunities to shadow current leaders to gain experience and knowledge.

What are goal examples for professional development plans?

You may be asked to create a professional development plan as an employee. This plan will outline your goals for professional development and detail the steps you will take to achieve them.

Your professional development plan could include goals such as:

• Earn a certification in your field
• Attend conferences or workshops related to your work
• Network with professionals in your industry
• Read industry publications and keep up with trends
• Shadow a more experienced colleague or participate in a mentorship program
• Develop new skills related to your current job or position

What are key elements of every individual development plan?

When it comes to employee development plans, there are crucial elements that every plan should include to be effective. These elements are:

1. A clear and concise overview of what the plan entails and what its goals are.
2. A timeline for completing the various tasks and objectives involved in the plan.
3. Identify the resources needed to complete the tasks and objectives (e.g., training, support, funding).
4. Regular check-ins and reviews to monitor progress and identify areas needing adjustment.
5. A transparent system for tracking progress and celebrating successes.

By including these key elements in every employee development plan, organizations can set their employees up for success and ensure everyone is working towards common goals.

How to create employee development plans?

There are a few critical steps to creating employee development plans that can help set your team members up for success.

1. Define the goals you want your employees to achieve.

Think about the skills and knowledge they need to achieve these goals. Consider their current level of experience and aptitude. Also, please consider their career aspirations and any potential roadblocks that may prevent them from achieving their full potential.

2. Create a timeline for each goal.

Establish when you would like each goal completed and break it down into smaller, more manageable milestones. It will help keep your employees on track and motivated as they work towards their goals.

3. Assign tasks and responsibilities.

Delegate specific tasks that need to be completed to reach each milestone. Ensure your employees have the resources and support they need to complete these tasks successfully.

4. Regularly check in with your employees’ needs.

As their development plan progresses, check in with your employees regularly to see how they are doing and offer feedback or support as needed. It will help ensure that they are on track and making progress toward their goals.

5. Identify resources and budget for employee training and development activities.

Finally, you need to create a budget for your employee development plan. This will ensure that you have the resources necessary to implement and monitor your plan’s progress.

Once the above factors are considered, organizations can develop a tailored employee development plan that meets their needs. When designing the program, it is essential to remember that employee development plans should be flexible to accommodate organizational goals, objectives, or resource changes.

Career development FAQs

1. What is a career development plan?

A career development plan is a written document outlining an employee’s professional development goals and objectives. It includes a timeline for achieving these goals and may identify resources or mentors to assist in the process.

2. Why is it essential to have a career development plan?

A career development plan can keep employees motivated and focused on their goals, helping them to advance their careers. It can also help employers to retain talented staff by providing opportunities for growth and development.

3. How do I create a career development plan?

There are many ways to create a career development plan. One approach is to start by brainstorming your long-term goals and then break them down into smaller, more achievable ones. Another option is to use a template or guide, which can be found online or through HR departments. Once you have created your plan, please share it with your supervisor or manager and set up regular check-ins to ensure you are making progress toward your goals.

4. What are some common goals for a career development plan?

Some common goals for a career development plan include: increasing job satisfaction, developing new skills, advancing in your current role, changing careers, or starting your own business. Whatever your goal may be, make sure it is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

5. What resources are available to help me achieve my career development goals?

There are many resources available to help you achieve your career development goals. These may include books, websites, articles, online courses, or in-person training programs. Your employer may also offer resources, such as tuition reimbursement or mentorship programs.

6. How often should I review my career development plan?

Reviewing your career development plan regularly, at least once per year, is a good idea. This will allow you to ensure you are still on track to achieve your goals and make any necessary adjustments.

Employee development plan – closing words

Regarding employee development, it’s essential to set realistic goals and expectations. You can create a plan to help your employees reach their potential and improve their skills. Keep the following in mind as you develop your employee development plan:

1. Set realistic goals which are win-win for employees and company goals.
2. Be clear about what you expect from your employees.
3. Create a timeline for each goal.
4. Provide resources and support to help your employees reach their goals.
5. Evaluate progress regularly and make adjustments as needed.

Following these tips can create an employee development plan to help your employees reach their full potential. Contact us if you would like further support in your development project.

Kanban Roles: Everything you need to know

by Agile Blogger | Nov 7, 2022 | Leadership Tribe

In the agile world, job titles are becoming less important than roles and responsibilities. Agile frameworks like Kanban and Scrum focus on development team collaboration and collective ownership. As a result, organizations are placing more emphasis on what people do rather than who they are.

That said, two key kanban roles are comparable to scrum master responsibilities. In this article, we will explore these roles and discuss the importance of Kanban in today’s business world.

Introduction

Traditional organizations typically place a lot of emphasis on job descriptions. However, many Agile implementations like Kanban and Scrum focus more on specific roles and responsibilities; therefore, job titles are losing significance.

As a trainer, I am often asked, “what is the equivalent of a Scrum Master in Kanban?”

The short answer is “there isn’t one,” Scrum and Kanban are very distinct, although there are two significant Kanban roles comparable to Scrum accountabilities.

In this article, we will explore two essential roles within Kanban.

What is Kanban?

Before diving into the roles, it is essential to understand Kanban.

Kanban is a Japanese word that means “signboard” or “billboard.” In the business world, Kanban is a lean agile methodology that helps organizations visualize and manage their workflows. It is mainly used for service delivery teams but in project management and other knowledge-based work.

It is important to note that Kanban originated in manufacturing and is not limited to software development or IT. The main goal of Kanban is to help teams optimize their workflow and improve efficiency, which is done using a Kanban board, a physical or digital board that displays the tasks that need to be completed.

Typically, each task on the Kanban board will have its column, and each column will represent a different stage in the workflow. For example, there may be columns for “To Do,” “In Progress,” and “Done.” Each of these columns will have a work-in-progress limit to help optimize the flow of work through the system.

As tasks are completed, they are moved from one column to the next until they reach the “Done” column. It helps teams to track their progress and identify any bottlenecks in their workflow.

What’s the difference between Kanban and Scrum?

Now that we have a basic understanding of Kanban let’s compare it to Scrum.

Scrum is a framework for developing complex products in complex environments. It is an iterative and incremental approach that helps teams to deliver value incrementally.

Whereas Scrum is a framework, Kanban is a methodology. Kanban can be used within any framework, whereas Scrum must be followed strictly.

Kanban also has a different focus than Scrum. Whereas Scrum focuses on delivering value incrementally, Kanban focuses on optimizing the workflow.

The most significant difference is that Scrum uses a sprint, a fixed period in which a team works on a set goal. For example, a team may have a two-week sprint in which they aim to complete a certain number of tasks.

On the other hand, Kanban does not use sprints. Instead, work is continuous, and there is no time limit for completing tasks. It makes Kanban more flexible than Scrum and better suited for projects that have

What is a Scrum Master?

Now that we have a basic understanding of the difference between Kanban and Scrum let’s take a closer look at the Scrum Master role.

The Scrum Master is responsible for leading and coordinating a Scrum team. They ensure that the team follows the Scrum framework and help remove any barriers that may be preventing the team from working effectively.

The Scrum Master is also responsible for facilitating communication between the team and other stakeholders. They ensure everyone is on the same page and understands what needs to be done.

The Scrum Master is not responsible for doing the work themselves. Instead, they focus on helping the team work together effectively to deliver value incrementally.

Kanban doesn’t have a role called Kanban Master, but some key Kanban roles overlap with the Scrum Master accountability.

Kanban Roles

The roles in Kanban are not static, and team members are not assigned to one specific function. Instead, team members move between roles as needed to help the team optimize their workflow. For example, a team member who is usually responsible for coding might become the Service Delivery Manager for some time to help the team understand their workflow better.

Service Delivery Manager (SDM)

The Service Delivery Manager (SDM) is responsible for leading and coordinating the team. They ensure that the team follows the Kanban methodology and help remove any barriers that may be preventing the team from working effectively.

The SDM is also responsible for facilitating communication between the team and stakeholders, like a product manager. They ensure everyone is on the same page and understands what needs to be done.

This role is comparable to the Scrum Master role in Scrum. Both positions are responsible for leading and coordinating the team, ensuring that the team follows the Scrum Framework or uses the Kanban Method appropriately, and facilitating communication between the group and other stakeholders. However, the SDM is not its own separate, dedicated role. Instead, they are a team member who focuses on helping the team work together effectively to optimize their workflow.

The 7 Kanban Cadences

The SDM helps to facilitate the seven cadences in Kanban that teams use to help them optimize their workflow. These cadences are:

• Team Kanban Meeting / Standup: This is a daily team sync-up where the team “walks the board” from right to left. It’s an excellent time to notice any recent occurrences at a team level, such as blockers, and describe any new facts you’ve. It is also an opportunity to assess our compliance with WIP limits and to prioritize completing in-progress work items before adding new ones.
• Replenishment & Commitment Meeting: This focuses on ensuring that the team has an adequate number of the correct tasks to complete and can commit to achieving these activities.
• Team Retrospective: A biweekly or monthly assessment that focuses on how the team manages their workload and decision-making and identifies areas for improvement.
• Service Delivery Review / Workflow Kanban Meeting: This aims to evaluate the performance of the entire service (which may consist of multiple service delivery teams). For example, if two different teams are working on the upstream and downstream of the building of a service. It gauges performance with promises, customer-focused KPIs, quality, cycle time, classes of services, etc.
• Operations Review: Similar to the Service Delivery Review, this meeting will be held, but it involves a more significant portion of the organization (such as a department, many dependent teams, or even an entire small business). It prioritizes ensuring an efficient value stream over local optimizations and services being fit for purpose.
• Risk Review / Blocker Clustering: This is a chance to talk about and settle on risk profiles associated with specific activities and then take appropriate actions. It is a suitable time to bring up any departmental or team-level process obstructions (blockers) to gain insights on reducing workflow obstructions and the possibility of project delays.
• Strategy Review: This is the highest level meeting that reviews and modifies the strategy and initiatives in light of data from your markets and consumers and assesses your business’s viability and operating model’s suitability for purpose.

Making sure that work items flow

Smoothly flowing work items through the Kanban system is the primary focus of Kanban. To do this, teams need to have a clear understanding of their workflow and be able to visualize it on a Kanban board. The SDM is sometimes referred to as the Flow Manager.

The SDM is responsible for creating and maintaining the Kanban board and updating cards as work items move through the system so that everyone clearly understands what needs to be done and where each work item is in the process.

Facilitating change and continuous improvement

To continuously improve, teams must experiment with new ways of working and evaluate the results. The SDM is a facilitator for this process by helping the team identify areas where they can improve, suggesting possible changes that they could make, and then helping to implement those changes.

To facilitate this, the SDM collects data and metrics about the work items on the Kanban board and discusses them with the team. This data can help the team identify areas where they can improve, suggest possible changes they could make, and then helping to implement those changes.

The SDM also achieves this through probing questions until the team has located the natural source of a specific issue. It enables the team to concentrate on treating the actual cause instead of just the symptoms.

Kanban teams strive to ensure that errors are only repeated once. It is done by identifying errors and then taking corrective action to prevent them from happening again. The SDM is responsible for helping the team determine and correct errors, so they are not repeated.

Service Request Manager (SRM)

The SRM role handles customer requests and ensures that they are routed to the appropriate team. This role is comparable to the Scrum Product Owner role, as both are responsible for handling customer requests and ensuring they are routed to the right team.

The SRM is responsible for ensuring that the team has a clear understanding of the customer’s needs. It includes understanding the customer’s business goals, their current pain points, and a good experience of their expected outcome from using the product or service.

The SRM also works with the customer to understand their requests and then works with the team to ensure they are adequately understood and addressed. The SRM is also responsible for maintaining a close relationship with the customer so that they can provide feedback about the product or service. The team uses this feedback to improve the product or service.

In summary, the SRM is responsible for understanding the customer’s needs, ensuring that the team understands those needs, and maintaining a close relationship with the customer to provide feedback. The team uses this feedback to improve the product or service.

The SDM and SRM work together to ensure that customer requests are correctly understood and addressed on time, sometimes sharing the role of a risk manager.

Kanban teams strive to ensure that customer requests are handled on time. The SRM is responsible for ensuring this happens by ordering work items from the backlog and facilitating prioritization of what comes next.

The SRM can help improve corporate governance by providing a clear and consistent process everyone can follow. It helps reduce confusion and ensures everyone is working towards the same goal. Additionally, Kanban can help minimize personnel risk by ensuring that only one individual is responsible for each task. It reduces the chances of errors occurring and makes it easier to hold people accountable for their actions.

Many of the responsibilities of the SRM can be described as “upstream kanban.”

Upstream Kanban

To keep your business running smoothly and generate new ideas, you need a steady flow of them. Upstream Kanban is a method that helps you do just that by refining concepts into work items that are ready for execution. It allows you to move requests through your delivery process more streamlined, keeping the flow of value-adding ideas going.

What is upstream Kanban?

Upstream Kanban is a tool that helps you manage the flow of work in your organization by refining concepts into work items ready for execution. It allows you to move requests through your delivery process more streamlined, keeping the flow of value-adding ideas going.

How does upstream Kanban work?

Upstream Kanban works by outlining the steps of concept refining on your Kanban board. It helps you assess different options and make choices that have been verified into more well-considered work items prepared for execution. As a result, you develop a more profound knowledge of your customer’s problems and can make decisions that are based on investigation and analysis.

Why use upstream Kanban?

There are many benefits to using upstream Kanban, including the following:

• Helps you manage the flow of work in your organization more effectively
• Helps you assess different options and make well-considered decisions
• Helps you develop a more profound knowledge of your customer’s problems

If you are looking for a way to improve the efficiency of your work process and generate new ideas, upstream Kanban may be the right tool for you.

How to implement upstream Kanban

There are a few steps you can take to implement upstream Kanban in your business:

• Outline the steps of concept refining on your Kanban board.
• Develop a more profound knowledge of your customer’s problems. – Assess different options and make choices that have been verified into more well-considered work items that are prepared for execution.

By taking these steps, you can improve the efficiency of your work process and generate new ideas more effectively. Upstream Kanban can help you to streamline your delivery process and keep the flow of value-adding ideas going.

Conclusion

In Kanban, there are various roles that team members can take on to best suit the needs of the project. The service delivery manager (SDM) and the Service Request Manager (SRM) are the most critical roles. The SDM is responsible for managing customer requests and ensuring they are adequately addressed. The SRM is responsible for ordering work items from the backlog and facilitating prioritization of what comes next. Upstream Kanban is a tool that helps refine concepts into work items that are ready for execution, which allows for a more streamlined delivery process.

Learn more about Kanban and Earn a Kanban Certification upon completion with our Kanban Training program.

Our Kanban consultants have helped organizations we work with improve productivity by making changes to their processes that have positively impacted their bottom line. If you want to understand how we can help you increase the value delivery, please feel free to reach out to us.