Giant Jenga + Agile Tips = Tower of Agility

Two weeks ago at Keep Austin Agile 2016 (can you believe it’s already been two weeks), attendants stopped by our booth to spin the prize wheel and play the “Tower of Agility” aka giant Jenga. They also imparted words of wisdom by writing Agile tips on the wooden blocks. We’ve compiled them below for your reference.  

• Create transparency at all levels of the organization  
• Acceptance criteria are very important!
• Transparency is key
• Don’t forget to demo!
• Self-organizing and working software are keys to success  -@anjuan
• Use metrics that contribute to progress, not activity
• Make sure your metrics are meaningful
• Stay close to your customer
• Share Everything
• Get out of the building see how your customers work
• Be the change you want to see in the world
• Chat Ops FTW!!!
• Access outcome vs. output
• Collaborate
• Quality is owned by the entire team
• 24X7 DEVOPS – Development and testing
• People > Process
• Life is Balance!
• Avoid waterfall
• Think outside of the box
• Be open to change
• Respect
• Plan with customers
• #1 Identify the problem. Ask questions! -@christameck
• People over Process. We are humans. Interact! Ask about their weekend. Know your Co-workers. -@christameck
• Ask your teams what they need -@smittyhoo
• The number doesn’t mean anything  -@athought
• Be agile -@athought
• Be, or not be agile, there is no do. – Yoda
• We have some “opportunities” on this project.
• Always time box
• Talk about quality
• Test Factory
• Define Business problems! Understand the vision!  -Brandon Wiemers
• Agile is challenging for a maintenance team
• Take it to the team!  -Doc
• Pay attention to operational framework!  -Carol Whitaker
• Ask why!  -Carol Whitaker
• Transparency is key
• Happy Friday!
• Think Collaboration
• Agile works for infrastructure & operations   @behemphi
• You always need more blue painters tape @jasonhallc
• #deliver focus on the value of outcome not on the volume of output. #NoEstimating – we don’t sell by the pound –Dhaval Panchal
• Listen!   -@juneadelle
• Stop starting, start finishing
• Have a strategy!
• Keep it sustainable
• Change is inevitable albeit you can negotiate. Embrace it!
• Don’t forget “Back end” infrastructure
• Communicate, self-organize
• Embrace change
• Don’t take on work until dependencies are met.
• Keep eye on tech debt
• Work incrementally
• Collaboration!
• Keep up consistent communication!
• Don’t leave out retrospectives
• Communicate often!
• Be kind to people