Agile Mindset
The Story Behind “Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions” - Agile Transformation at an Entertainment Company | Part 8
15 April 2019
Agile Workflows
The Story Behind Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions — Agile Transformation at an Entertainment Company
Scott M. Graffius, CEO of Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions™, helps companies achieve their strategic objectives and business initiatives through project management leadership. A fantastic agile transformation outcome with a client organization in the entertainment industry was the inspiration for Scott's award-winning book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions. This is the story behind the book—told by Scott. Identifying details have been changed and certain elements are not included.
This article is the final installment of the eight-part story. If you haven't already read the earlier parts, you can find them here:
- Part 1: The Call;
- Part 2: The Goals;
- Part 3: The Environment;
- Part 4: The Options;
- Part 5: The Pilot – Vision, Roadmap and Release Plan, and Product Backlog;
- Part 6: The Pilot – Sprint Planning and Sprint Execution; and
- Part 7: The Pilot – Sprint Review and Sprint Retrospective.
Part 8: The Success
By adopting an agile mindset and providing improved engagement, collaboration, transparency, and adaptability via Scrum's values, roles, events, and artifacts, the results were excellent. After one sprint, satisfaction ratings for the Development Team and stakeholders were higher than the target. After three sprints, the output of the Scrum Team became consistent and predictable, satisfaction increased even further, and all of the seven goals mentioned earlier were achieved. Here's an overview:
🎯 Goal 1
- Source: This goal was identified by the EVP (executive vice president)
- Desired outcome: Develop and deliver products and services faster than 6-12 months
- Result: The goal was achieved (with the agile transformation, delivery occurred as often as every two weeks)
🎯 Goal 2
- Source: This goal was identified by the EVP
- Desired outcome: Improve the satisfaction of the Scrum Team
- Result: The goal was achieved
🎯 Goal 3
- Source: This goal was identified by the EVP
- Desired outcome: Improve the satisfaction of the stakeholders
- Result: The goal was achieved
🎯 Goal 4
- Source: This goal was identified by the Scrum Team (Scrum Master, Product Owner, and the Development Team)
- Desired outcome: Meet or exceed the expectations of management
- Result: The goal was achieved
🎯 Goal 5
- Source: This goal was identified by the Scrum Team
- Desired outcome: Deliver valuable products/services
- Result: The goal was achieved
🎯 Goal 6
- Source: This goal was identified by the stakeholders
- Desired outcome: For stakeholders or their representatives to be more involved in requirements
- Result: The goal was achieved
🎯 Goal 7
- Source: This goal was identified by the stakeholders
- Desired outcome: Get useable products delivered more frequently than 6-12 months
- Result: The goal was achieved (with the agile transformation, delivery occurred as often as every two weeks)
The EVP, Scrum Team, and stakeholders declared the pilot a success and they made this implementation of Scrum the preferred approach for the development and delivery of products and services going forward.
In addition to achieving the goals summarized above, the agile transformation also supported the organization's efforts to innovate and drive their competitive advantage. It became more successful. As the business grew, so has the number of Scrum teams. Originally numbering one, the division presently has six Scrum teams.
This concludes The Story Behind Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions — Agile Transformation at an Entertainment Company. The agile transformation experience was the inspiration for Scott M. Graffius’ book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions. The publication helps technical and non-technical teams develop and deliver products in short cycles with rapid adaptation to change, fast time-to-market, continuous improvement, and more. It has garnered 17 first place awards and credit is shared with Chris Hare and Colin Giffen, the technical editors on the publication. Scott and Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions have been featured in Yahoo Finance, the Boston Herald, NBC WRAL, the Dallas Business Journal, the PM World Journal, Learning Solutions, Innovation Management, and additional media publications. A trailer, high-resolution images, reviews, and a detailed list of awards are in the digital media kit.
About Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions
Shifting customer needs are common in today's marketplace. Businesses must be adaptive and responsive to change while delivering an exceptional customer experience to be competitive.
There are a variety of frameworks supporting the development of products and services, and most approaches fall into one of two broad categories: traditional or agile. Traditional practices such as waterfall engage sequential development, while agile involves iterative and incremental deliverables. Organizations are increasingly embracing agile to manage projects, and best meet their business needs of rapid response to change, fast delivery speed, and more.
With clear and easy to follow step-by-step instructions, Scott M. Graffius's award-winning Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions helps the reader:
- Implement and use the most popular agile framework―Scrum;
- Deliver products in short cycles with rapid adaptation to change, fast time-to-market, and continuous improvement; and
- Support innovation and drive competitive advantage.
Hailed by Literary Titan as “the book highlights the versatility of Scrum beautifully.”
Winner of 17 first place awards.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is available in paperback and ebook/Kindle worldwide. Some links by country follow.
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- 🇦🇹 Austria
- 🇧🇪 Belgium
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- 🇨🇦 Canada
- 🇨🇿 Czech Republic
- 🇩🇰 Denmark
- 🇫🇮 Finland
- 🇫🇷 France
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- 🇬🇷 Greece
- 🇭🇺 Hungary
- 🇮🇳 India
- 🇮🇪 Ireland
- 🇮🇱 Israel
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- 🇱🇺 Luxembourg
- 🇲🇽 Mexico
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand
- 🇳🇴 Norway
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- 🇨🇭 Switzerland
- 🇦🇪 UAE
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- 🇺🇸 United States
- 🌏 More countries
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© Copyright 2019 Scott M. Graffius, AgileScrumGuide.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius/AgileScrumGuide.com.
24 Highly Recommended Books on Agile and Tech: List for 2024
15 December 2023
Agile Workflows
Introduction
Whether you’re reading this article on the date of publication (with 2024 on the horizon) or are reading it sometime in the future, it's always the right time to invest in your professional development.
Step through a portal crafted from 24 acclaimed titles on Agile, Technology, and their intersection. This curated list of books can support your commitment to continuous improvement and help elevate your tradecraft.
This website is owned by Scott M. Graffius, the author of two multi-award-winning books on Agile - Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions and Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change. This article does not include Graffius’ books in order to advance objectivity and keep the spotlight on the works of other stellar authors.
Prices are in U.S. Dollar. Information was current and links were functional when this article was published. Names, marks, images, and content are the property of their respective owners.
Books are presented in alphabetical order—by title. Now, on to the list!
Main Section of Article
Agile Estimating and Planning
- Title: Agile Estimating and Planning
- Author: Mike Cohn
- ISBN-10: 0131479415
- ISBN-13: 978-0131479418
- Paperback: $45.59
Order your book today.
Agile Game Development (Second Edition)
- Title: Agile Game Development (Second Edition)
- Author: Clinton Keith
- ISBN-10: 0136527817
- ISBN-13: 978-0136527817
- Paperback: $49.59
Order your book today.
Agile Project Management: Creating Innovative Products (Second Edition)
- Title: Agile Project Management: Creating Innovative Products (Second Edition)
- Author: Jim Highsmith
- ISBN-10: 0321658396
- ISBN-13: 978-0321658395
- Paperback: $45.22
Order your book today.
Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great
- Title: Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great
- Authors: Esther Derby and Diana Larsen
- ISBN-10: 0977616649
- ISBN-13: 978-0977616640
- Paperback: $16.79
Order your book today.
Agile Software Development: Principles, Patterns, and Practices
- Title: Agile Software Development: Principles, Patterns, and Practices
- Author: Robert C. Martin
- ISBN-10: 0135974445
- ISBN-13: 978-0135974445
- Paperback: $79.32
Order your book today.
AI 2041: Ten Visions for Our Future
- Title: AI 2041: Ten Visions for Our Future
- Authors: Kai-Fu Lee and Chen Qiufan
- ISBN-10: 0593238311
- ISBN-13: 978-0593238318
- Paperback: $20.00
Order your book today.
Alchemy: The Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and Life
- Title: Alchemy: The Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and Life
- Author: Rory Sutherland
- ISBN-10: 0062388428
- ISBN-13: 978-0062388421
- Paperback: $16.71
Order your book today.
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
- Title: Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
- Author: James Clear
- ISBN-10: 0735211299
- ISBN-13: 978-0735211292
- Hardcover (paperback not available at time of story): $13.79
Order your book today.
Blood, Sweat, and Pixels: The Triumphant, Turbulent Stories Behind How Video Games are Made
- Title: Blood, Sweat, and Pixels: The Triumphant, Turbulent Stories Behind How Video Games are Made
- Author: Jason Schreier
- ISBN-10: 0062651234
- ISBN-13: 978-0062651235
- Paperback: $12.61
Order your book today.
Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship
- Title: Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship
- Author: Robert C. Martin
- ISBN-10: 0132350882
- ISBN-13: 978-0132350884
- Paperback: $47.49
Order your book today.
Coaching Agile Teams: A Companion for ScrumMasters, Agile Coaches, and Project Managers in Transition
- Title: Coaching Agile Teams: A Companion for ScrumMasters, Agile Coaches, and Project Managers in Transition
- Author: Lyssa Adkins
- ISBN-10: 0321637704
- ISBN-13: 978-0321637703
- Paperback: $40.02
Order your book today.
Competing in the Age of AI: Strategy and Leadership When Algorithms and Networks Run the World
- Title: Competing in the Age of AI: Strategy and Leadership When Algorithms and Networks Run the World
- Authors: Marco Iansiti and Karim R. Lakhani
- ISBN-10: 1633697622
- ISBN-13: 978-1633697621
- Hardcover (paperback not available at time of story): $22.31
Order your book today.
Designing & Leading Life-Changing Workshops: Creating the Conditions for Transformation in Your Groups, Trainings, and Retreats
- Title: Designing & Leading Life-Changing Workshops: Creating the Conditions for Transformation in Your Groups, Trainings, and Retreats
- Authors: Ken Nelson, David Ronka, Lesli Lang, Liz Korabek-Emerson, and Jim White
- ISBN-10: 1732003300
- ISBN-13: 978-1732003309
- Paperback: $25.65
Order your book today.
Doing Agile Right: Transformation Without Chaos
- Title: Doing Agile Right: Transformation Without Chaos
- Authors: Darrell K. Rigby, Sarah Elk, and Steven H. Berez
- ISBN-10: 163369870X
- ISBN-13: 978-1633698703
- Hardcover (paperback not available at time of story): $17.99
Order your book today.
Innovation Project Management: Methods, Case Studies, and Tools for Managing Innovation Projects (Second Edition)
- Title: Innovation Project Management: Methods, Case Studies, and Tools for Managing Innovation Projects (Second Edition)
- Author: Harold Kerzner
- ISBN-10: 111993124X
- ISBN-13: 978-1119931249
- Hardcover (paperback not available at the time of story): $74.68
Order your book today.
Lean Software Development: An Agile Toolkit
- Title: Lean Software Development: An Agile Toolkit
- Authors: Mary Poppendieck and Tom Poppendieck
- ISBN-10: 0321150783
- ISBN-13: 978-0321150783
- Paperback: $54.94
Order your book today.
Level Up: The Guide to Great Video Game Design (Second Edition)
- Title: Level Up: The Guide to Great Video Game Design (Second Edition)
- Author: Scott Rogers
- ISBN-10: 1118877160
- ISBN-13: 978-1118877166
- Paperback: $34.00
Order your book today.
Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It
- Title: Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It
- Author: Chris Voss
- ISBN-10: 1847941486
- ISBN-13: 978-1847941480
- Paperback: $14.95
Order your book today.
Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code (2nd Edition)
- Title: Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code (2nd Edition)
- Author: Martin Fowler
- ISBN-10: 0134757599
- ISBN-13: 978-0134757599
- Hardcover (paperback not available at the time of story): $38.59
Order your book today.
Testing Computer Software
- Title: Testing Computer Software
- Authors: Cem Kaner, Jack Falk, and Hung Quoc Nguyen
- ISBN-10: 0471358460
- ISBN-13: 978-0471358466
- Paperback: $42.58
Order your book today.
The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever
- Title: The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever
- Author: Michael Bungay Stanier
- ISBN-10: 0978440749
- ISBN-13: 978-0978440749
- Paperback: $7.58
Order your book today.
The Design Thinking Toolbox: A Guide to Mastering the Most Popular and Valuable Innovation Methods
- Title: The Design Thinking Toolbox: A Guide to Mastering the Most Popular and Valuable Innovation Methods
- Authors: Michael Lewrick, Patrick Link, and Larry Leifer
- ISBN-10: 1119629195
- ISBN-13: 978-1119629191
- Paperback: $26.00
Order your book today.
The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution
- Title: The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution
- Author: Walter Isaacson
- ISBN-10: 1476708703
- ISBN-13: 978-1476708706
- Paperback: $14.29
Order your book today.
Thinking in Systems
- Title: Thinking in Systems
- Author: Donella H. Meadows
- ISBN-10: 1603580557
- ISBN-13: 978-1603580557
- Paperback: $20.66
Order your book today.
Conclusion
Leverage the 24 titles in this curated list of highly rated books to advance your lifelong learning, professional development, and continuous improvement. Level-up!
How to Cite This Article
Graffius, Scott M. (2023, December 15). 24 Highly Recommended Books on Agile and Tech: List for 2024. Available at: https://agilescrumguide.com/blog/files/asg-books-2024.html.
A short URL for this article is: https://bit.ly/books-2024
© Copyright 2023 Scott M. Graffius, AgileScrumGuide.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius/AgileScrumGuide.com.