Hi.

[This is a message from the heart / full transparency "on" / and not specific to Scrum --- more of the "State of the Site at www.implementingscrum.com and, "Where do we take it in the future...."]

Last week I asked a specific question that I have received a ton of feedback as of today (thank you to everyone who responded).

For people who have been regular readers of this blog for a while, I hope you can tell that I am constantly “creating” this site using feedback from you — inspecting and adapting — eating my own dog food as it were. For new readers, please expect this trend to continue.

If you have not noticed… I have removed all google advertising from the site; per feedback from you I thought this would be best (even though it was a car payment [plus] a month in revenue!).

And, the site as it stands today (and in the future) the blog entries and comics will continue to be “free” (just your time, which I appreciate) in the future.

Please continue to tell your friends and teams around the universe about this site (thank you). If you have not done so already, now is a great time (smile).

As you may not realize, I own a company (Vizdos Enterprises, LLC) and work around the world helping clients Implement Scrum at all levels in hundreds — at this point probably over a thousand — of locations.

I am also a Certified Scrum Trainer (one of less than 50 in this great Universe) and spend a lot of time on the road doing the CSM Workshops (although it is not my main revenue stream).

I will be in more than 30 cities in the USA between now and the end of the year.

And I have some plans to head overseas too.

Lots of travel. And that is what is just currently booked.

I need to update both the Scrum Alliance site with these new dates, along with my public google calendar.

Be sure if you are in the USA I should be arriving to a city near you!

I DO have a family and one of my personal goals is to start to cut back on travel again.

My five and eight year old boys are growing up. And… for anyone who travels extensively… you know how this works. If you are interested in doing what I do, we can talk about the pros and cons anytime!

This is where I need you (sorry for the long intro… but this is like having a one way conversation!).

The results of the “voting” for more blog entries were positive. Both as they stand today and in more video/audio formats.

And, starting next week you will start to see different flavors of them being produced more often (maybe more than Dominc (my oldest son) and I doing youtube videos.

There will be other avenues and distribution channels over time.

Again… inspect and adapt.

The comic strips and blog entires about those comic strips will continue to be free.

This next part is not a sales pitch — it is to gain serious interest (although you may consider it a pitch).

I am starting a “Premium Content” area of the site.

Ah.

That means dinero/cash/euros/whatever out of your pocket (or your company or organization).

I am looking for a limited number of people who would be interested in becoming “Charter Members” of the Premium Content area of implementingscrum.com.

I will request each of the limited Charter Members pay a fee, and, in return this fee will continue to remain the same forever for you (if the price goes up, you will pay the same subscription amount as long as you are a member).

I am looking for an initial three month commitment from you (and me) to actually “test” some new features as they are developed.

So, in addition to becoming “Charter Members” you will help guide the content and delivery mechanisms for the future subscribers of the site — both “free” and “Premium”.

Are you interested in doing something like this with me?

The journey will be fun.

And — as a Charter Member — you will have a safe place as part of a new community to help yourself — and others — learn even more about Scrum and other Agile Practices.

I only want serious people who have a positive attitude and a true spirit of adventure.

Is that you?

If so, please let me know.

Who knows?

Heck, when I started this site I could not believe the impact that one person (actually two — Tony (the artist) and I) could have on an industry.

Change happens one person at a time.

And good Karma is always a good thing to possess, even if only for a millisecond of time in your life.

If you are interested, stop by www.implementingscrum.com/premium for a bit more information and sign-up to become a Charter Member for the Premium Content.

Risk free.

This is an incredibly limited opportunity and I will cut it off on or before June 30, 2008 for new Charter Members (if there is too great of a response, a waiting list will begin).

Part of this limitation is to take it in small steps and inspect and adapt along the way.

Thank you for reading all of this.

If you are not ready to sign-up as a Charter Member today, please pass this information on to others who may be interested.

I do sincerely appreciate it.

- mike vizdos
www.michaelvizdos.com
www.implementingscrum.com

PS: 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!

Hi.

[This is a message from the heart / full transparency "on" / and not specific to Scrum --- more of the "State of the Site at www.implementingscrum.com and, "Where do we take it in the future...."]

Last week I asked a specific question that I have received a ton of feedback as of today (thank you to everyone who responded).

For people who have been regular readers of this blog for a while, I hope you can tell that I am constantly “creating” this site using feedback from you — inspecting and adapting — eating my own dog food as it were. For new readers, please expect this trend to continue.

If you have not noticed… I have removed all google advertising from the site; per feedback from you I thought this would be best (even though it was a car payment [plus] a month in revenue!).

And, the site as it stands today (and in the future) the blog entries and comics will continue to be “free” (just your time, which I appreciate) in the future.

Please continue to tell your friends and teams around the universe about this site (thank you). If you have not done so already, now is a great time (smile).

As you may not realize, I own a company (Vizdos Enterprises, LLC) and work around the world helping clients Implement Scrum at all levels in hundreds — at this point probably over a thousand — of locations.

I am also a Certified Scrum Trainer (one of less than 50 in this great Universe) and spend a lot of time on the road doing the CSM Workshops (although it is not my main revenue stream).

I will be in more than 30 cities in the USA between now and the end of the year.

And I have some plans to head overseas too.

Lots of travel. And that is what is just currently booked.

I need to update both the Scrum Alliance site with these new dates, along with my public google calendar.

Be sure if you are in the USA I should be arriving to a city near you!

I DO have a family and one of my personal goals is to start to cut back on travel again.

My five and eight year old boys are growing up. And… for anyone who travels extensively… you know how this works. If you are interested in doing what I do, we can talk about the pros and cons anytime!

This is where I need you (sorry for the long intro… but this is like having a one way conversation!).

The results of the “voting” for more blog entries were positive. Both as they stand today and in more video/audio formats.

And, starting next week you will start to see different flavors of them being produced more often (maybe more than Dominc (my oldest son) and I doing youtube videos.

There will be other avenues and distribution channels over time.

Again… inspect and adapt.

The comic strips and blog entires about those comic strips will continue to be free.

This next part is not a sales pitch — it is to gain serious interest (although you may consider it a pitch).

I am starting a “Premium Content” area of the site.

Ah.

That means dinero/cash/euros/whatever out of your pocket (or your company or organization).

I am looking for a limited number of people who would be interested in becoming “Charter Members” of the Premium Content area of implementingscrum.com.

I will request each of the limited Charter Members pay a fee, and, in return this fee will continue to remain the same forever for you (if the price goes up, you will pay the same subscription amount as long as you are a member).

I am looking for an initial three month commitment from you (and me) to actually “test” some new features as they are developed.

So, in addition to becoming “Charter Members” you will help guide the content and delivery mechanisms for the future subscribers of the site — both “free” and “Premium”.

Are you interested in doing something like this with me?

The journey will be fun.

And — as a Charter Member — you will have a safe place as part of a new community to help yourself — and others — learn even more about Scrum and other Agile Practices.

I only want serious people who have a positive attitude and a true spirit of adventure.

Is that you?

If so, please let me know.

Who knows?

Heck, when I started this site I could not believe the impact that one person (actually two — Tony (the artist) and I) could have on an industry.

Change happens one person at a time.

And good Karma is always a good thing to possess, even if only for a millisecond of time in your life.

If you are interested, stop by www.implementingscrum.com/premium for a bit more information and sign-up to become a Charter Member for the Premium Content.

Risk free.

This is an incredibly limited opportunity and I will cut it off on or before June 30, 2008 for new Charter Members (if there is too great of a response, a waiting list will begin).

Part of this limitation is to take it in small steps and inspect and adapt along the way.

Thank you for reading all of this.

If you are not ready to sign-up as a Charter Member today, please pass this information on to others who may be interested.

I do sincerely appreciate it.

- mike vizdos
www.michaelvizdos.com
www.implementingscrum.com

PS: 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!

Tattoo. Not Toto (Wizard of Oz). Still Scrum. Shaken. Not Stirred.

---

---

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

7) Scrum is a Silver Bullet

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!

Originally Published:
May 29, 2008

Posted in Certification, Chickens, Pigs, Product Owner, ScrumMaster, Training, Transparency — by mvizdos on 05/29/08 Anyone?

Scrum - The Workout. No Hot Models.

---

---

Welcome back to yet another week at www.implementingscrum.com.

Wow. I saw something at a client site a few weeks ago that inspired the cartoon for this week.

This is real life.

As it is every week and every posting with me.

And.

Unexpected to say the least.

I’ll let you in on the actual pictures of the inspiration tomorrow… but for now let’s continue with the point for this week.

Sometimes it feels like you are working on the same thing day after day.

At least sometimes it feels that way to me. Maybe it is just me (smile).

Kinda like a treadmill. This is something that you walk on forever and actually get nowhere.

Are you there in your [work] life?

What about your Team?

And your Organization?

What can help you get out of this — or “off the treadmill?”

Umm.

I could sugar coat it with a bunch of inspirational bla bla, and sometimes I do that.

Tonight… zero sugar coating. It is not going to happen, as sometimes you need to hear this and actually take a hard knock of reality (like sometimes people on the team need to be “voted” off the island!).

Here goes.

The only way off the treadmill is for you to make a change.

Take responsibility.

Be accountable.

To who?

You.

The rest of the Team and Organization will follow.

Or will they?

Does it really matter to you?

Worry about you first.

Really.

The rest will follow.

Or not.

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!

Originally Published:
May 13, 2008

Posted in Cartoons, Teams, Transparency — by mvizdos on 05/13/08 1 comment

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