Hi all,
Today is our first try at a new format (in addition to the cartoons) at www.implementingscrum.com.
It is called, “ImplementingScrum – UnScripted” and will feature audio and/or video in different formats along the way. By the time this goes out, it should be out on youtube and here is a link to the “.mov” format (uses quicktime and is just under 17MB — for some reason this is MUCH clearer — any recommendations???).
Using FeedBurner, it should also find it’s way out to iTunes as a podcast… let’s see together how it all works and continue to inspect and adapt.
Fair? (smile)
This first version of this is with a guy “Down Under” who had some spectacular patience with me this morning (in addition to the fifteen hour time difference!).
His name is James Brett and he maintains a site at www.scrummaster.com.au and recently (with a LOT of help with the people there!) published a survey, where you can see the results at www.scrummaster.com.au/Article.mvc/Detail/43 or download the PDF file from www.scrummaster.com.au/Content/download/ScrumSurveyResultsJan09.pdf.
The video of this is about eight minutes long and goes into the survey a bit and introduces the topic. It is not meant to be exhaustive — right now it is a test of the technology convergence(s) and as usual we want to keep these things short and to the point.
A few other references made in the video included a retrospective formats article and retrospective why.
You can also check out a few cartoons about retropectives on this site (there is a three part series here:
www.implementingscrum.com/2007/09/04/scary-team-retrospectives-part-one/
www.implementingscrum.com/2007/09/10/retrospectives-not-just-reading-a-book-part-two/
www.implementingscrum.com/2007/09/17/walk-into-the-light-retrospectives-part-3-of-3/
As usual, any errors anywhere on the video or my site — I accept that responsibility.
Take a look at the video and the links above for the survey and other stuff and PLEASE comment about it below.
Inspect and Adapt.
Let’s see where we go.
As usual!
Thank you.
www.implementingscrum.com
www.michaelvizdos.com
Hi all,
Well. It looks like my eight year old son and myself are headed on a roadtrip to end all roadtrips (at least for this year). We need to head out to San Diego from Richmond, Virginia, in order to do some work on a rental house we own. He is going to help me paint the exterior backyard, and he is totally excited about a major trip like this.
Let me know if you’d like to join us for either eventual party doing this or as we make stops along the way!
So.
This next few weeks will intertwine Scrum and our road trip that may wind up covering just about 5000ish miles.
While many of you may question “What does this have to do with Scrum?”
Hmm.
Remember.
It is all about the people.
And.
I have found that talking about Scrum though stories about my real life is something my audience enjoys.
So.
Sit back after the holiday and learn some thing about Scrum, Mike & Dominic Vizdos, and life in general.
It will be a trip to remember.
I promise to only post one entry per day — if you want to follow-me on twitter or facebook, sign up in the right hand sidebar on this page.
Tony (the artist) and I are getting together some incredible cartoons for next year.
Next stop.
2009.
We’ll continue this trip into 2009 and at the end, have a retrospective of all retrospectives.
And.
We’ll see what happens after that.
Life Changes.
Always.
It hurts sometimes.
We move on.
It’s time for me to do that.
Hi all,
Thanks for the comments so far on my latest twitter posting announcement (see previous post). There is a reason. Really lol.
Well. It looks like right after Christmas I will be out in San Diego for a little while. I am not really sure yet what a “little while” looks like, but in San Diego I will be.
In addition to teaching and consulting with my “normal” clients, please get the word out to local firms there so that if teams are intertested in working with me, this may be the time to do it 
.
And.
You’ll be getting a mind-blowing announcement tomorrow night about this same time.
A key date is coming.
I’ll reveal it tomorrow night!
Thank you,
-mike vizdos
Hi all,
And welcome to a new week at www.implementingscrum.com; albeit to most Americans living in the USA it will be a short week here (July 4th is still July 4th everywhere else in the world!).
I need to do some quick research on the French connection since I got some comic strips translated recently where we can make some timely postings (smile). If not, maybe I’ll just make up some history.
That’ll be fun, since we all know whatever we read on the Internet MUST be true, RIGHT?
As most readers of my blog know, I spend a LOT of time on the road (planes, trains, and automobiles).
Right now I am scheduled for almost 20 more public appearances before the end of the year — not including the private clients I am working with (the majority of my work BTW) around the world.
While on a short [very bumpy] coast-to-coast flight today, a realization hit me.
Almost like, “Duh Mike.”
For me, sometimes things like this take time to fully understand.
It was there all the time for me to see. I have been living it without realizing this.
Much like this Scrum stuff we do or are thinking about doing.
On the plane today (and most other flights around the world) I usually spend some very focused time replying to emails that come in every day. And… as people who write me understand… if you send me an email eventually you will get a reply.
I am working on getting better with managing this inflow, so please do not stop.
Most of the replies I create let people know we can use the ‘time change’ to where ever I am in the world to our advantage when I am not home. Does this make sense?
So why is this so different than when I am really just, “Working from home in Richmond, VA?”
So what was the “Realization?”
I BUY time for myself every time I travel.
Think of it this way…
Today is a 27 hour day for me. I gained 3 hours by “going back in time.”
Wow.
Wait.
I know I did not REALLY do that.
But.
Got me thinking.
No matter where we are in the world, most of us thinks the rest of the world is on our time and schedules on a “regular” daily basis. Waking up, eating breakfast, doing the stuff we all do daily, eating dinner, and then going to sleep.”
The job (can we call it that?!) I have allows me to look at it from a MUCH different point of view.
And this is cool.
And has had a serious impact on how I have worked in the past.
Now that I have come to this realization, maybe in fact I will make some serious changes regarding “time” in the future.
Does this make any sense to you, dear reader?
It has had a tremendous impact on my psyche — today — as in WOW.
If there is no impact on you from this insight… keep your head to the grindstone and do what you do. Keep at it. That’s basically what almost everyone else in the world will do anyway.
Otherwise, let’s truly think how this little change on how we look at life and using time can truly change our world.
The world.
Wow.
Truly.
One person at a time.
For me, I will take that accountability and that very uncomfortable first step.
It’s something I work with teams to challenge them to do all the time — have uncomfortable conversations.
Now… It’s time to live that and take it up in my life a notch.
Does this make any sense?
I think, as usual, actions will speak louder than words.
Wanna join me?
I am starting today.
Inspect and Adapt.
Let’s see where it leads.
I am thinking some incredible things will come out of this.
Peace Out.
Thank you!
- mike vizdos
www.michaelvizdos.com
www.implementingscrum.com
p.s. And remember… If you or your friends [or enemies] have not signed up for FREE updates to this blog, please Subscribe to Implementing Scrum via Email!
Welcome back to yet another week at www.implementingscrum.com.
OK.
So what was I talking about a few nights ago with the cartoon posting above?
It really truly is not politically correct.
In no sense of any being.
But.
It is HIlarious to me.
Because it can help me make a point.
Actually tonight, eight points.
Eight Points.
Just for you.
How is that for a Thursday night or Friday morning?
Hmm.
Think about it this way.
You are arriving on “Fantasy Island” if you think…
1) You can stock the Product Backlog without a Product Owner present during Planning Poker
2) The definition of “Done” is not important to anyone
3) BurnDown Charts are useless, actually more useless of tracking tasks
4) The CSM Workshop is a waste of your time
5) You can pronounce the last name for
Ricardo
(c’mon Fantasy Island Buffs (or OK… is there even a “buff” reading this?))
6) Documentation is not needed on any agile projects
You can get a date with the “Hot” ScrumMaster replacement (smile) or Jessica Alba or with some hot babe with her Bottom Up.
9) This cartoon is about SCUBA Diving [strangely enough this is one of the most downloaded cartoon on this site)
…. OK.
Enough for now.
Man.
I can go on for a while.
But I think you get the picture.
What have I missed?
Now….
Do you see where you can spend a lot of time on Fantasy Island?
Do you want to leave it?
Really?
Why?
Gotta run! Please send comments, questions, criticisms, ideas, or whatever here.
You can also enter The Scrum Community to discuss this entry and other Scrum topics. Thank you!
May 29, 2008
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