Agile-Lean Ireland (ALI) Podcast

Send us a textOver the past few years, a dedicated team has been immersed in building a Generative AI startup @ HAL9 The journey has been a masterclass in innovation, resilience, and learning. Some strategies paid off immensely (enter ChatGPT productivity hacks), while others served as hard-earned lessons about the dangers of over-investing in the wrong initiatives.To share these insights, an upcoming webinar with Javier Luraschi will focus purely on learning—no sales pitches, just real-world experiences. It will explore the highs, lows, and everything in between of AI product development, offering practical takeaways for teams and creators navigating this space.Key topics include:1️⃣ AI Productivity Hacks – How tools like ChatGPT have redefined work efficiency.2️⃣ Product Development Wins & Fails – The costly missteps to avoid and strategies that led to breakthroughs.3️⃣ Creative AI Tools – Evaluating tools like MidJourney, Flux, and others: the game-changers vs. the underwhelming.This session is designed for anyone looking to maximise their AI tools, refine product strategies, and learn from the lived experiences of others in the field.Javier Luraschi is a software engineer with experience in technologies ranging from desktop, web, mobile and backend, to augmented reality and deep learning applications. He is currently the founder of Hal9 Inc, a Seattle-based company dedicated to making Artificial Intelligence truly accessible. He previously worked for RStudio, Microsoft Research and SAP and holds a double degree in Mathematics and Software Engineering. Javier is the author of various R packages like sparklyr, mlflow, r2d3, and torch.Thank you to our Community PatronsVisAgiChange AngelsBusinessmap Formerly KanbanizeWomen in Technology and Science Ireland Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textA comprehensive introduction to APIs, detailing how they facilitate data exchanges between different systems using protocols like HTTP and formats like JSON. It covers the principles of RESTful API design and discusses how APIs can be developed and refined iteratively, including the challenges and strategies involved in managing different versions of an API.Agenda• What is an API?• Data exchange between systems – frontend and backend• What are HTTP and JSON?• RestFul API basics• API versioning options and challengesMaciej GowinDeveloper, practitioner, easily accessible knowledge-sharing enthusiast. Head of Java Development at Ryanair Labs. Former programming teacher and PhD student at Jagiellonian University.Currently a lecturer and co-creator of the postgraduate program “Programming in Java” at WSB Merito University in Wrocław and Warsaw, Poland.Promoter of the idea of learning based on embedding subjects in the context of their actual application. Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textIn this episode, we explore how Lean AI intersects with the lean startup methodology, inspired by Lomit Patel's book "Lean AI." Learn how startups can leverage AI to drive growth and improve customer acquisition by aligning AI automation with lean principles.We'll break down the "intelligent machine framework," discuss real-world examples like IMVU, and consider the "build versus buy" dilemma for AI solutions. We'll also touch on the overlap between Lean Project Management, Lean UX, and AI, focusing on eliminating waste and optimizing user experiences.Tune in to discover how to use AI ethically and effectively, accelerate growth, and build smarter, leaner processes.AI Assisted Episode  Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textIn this episode, we're diving into the evolving future of work through the lens of Agile coaching and development. Join us as we crack open the book Your Boss is an Algorithm by Antonio Aloisi and Valerio de Stefano to explore how technology is transforming our work environments. We discuss the rise of the 'algorithmic boss,' the implications of automation on autonomy and empowerment, and how Agile principles can help us navigate these changes. From algorithmic transparency to participatory design, we break down what it means to use Agile values to shape technology in a way that enhances human collaboration, instead of undermining it. Whether you're a developer, a coach, or just interested in the future of work, this episode offers critical insights into how we can adapt and lead through change, ensuring technology works for us—not the other way around.AI Assisted Episode Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textIn this compelling AI driven episode, we explore the fascinating intersection of AI, teaching, and coaching in the agile world of education. This discussion is enriched by an array of sources, from cutting-edge research papers to real-world applications of AI in classrooms, demonstrating the potential of AI as a transformative tool in education and coaching. The episode, made in collaboration with an AI  Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textAn Exciting Online Meetup in partnership with Businessmap, as a part of the Reinvention in Action event series!Hear the real story of Ding - a global mobile top-up platform. Our special guest, Catherine Lane, will share her insights on the Agile journey, highlighting the wins, losses, and challenges to overcome in Agile transformations.· Learn from a top industry expert· Network with Agile professionals· Enjoy an engaging and informative virtual sessionDon’t miss this fantastic opportunity to gain valuable insights and connect with like-minded professionals.Come along to learn from top guest speakers, network, pitch for new job opportunities, have a beer, and have some fun along the way. 🚀https://www.agileleanireland.org/Businessmap offers the most flexible software platform for outcomes-driven enterprise agility. The unmatched functionality consolidates multiple tools into one, enabling affordable deployment at scale, visibility across all projects/portfolios, and alignment on goals, to deliver quality work faster. https://businessmap.io/ Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textWe've been having a blast experimenting with AI tools to prepare for hashtag#ALI2024! In addition to our serious work, we decided to have a little fun and created the official ALI Song. 🎵 Give it a listen and let us know what you think! 👇We're excited to continue exploring the possibilities of AI to enhance our work and bring a little joy along the way.Stay tuned for more AI-powered surprises as we gear up for #ALI2024! 🎉Get your tickets at www.agileleanireland.orgFind us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textDistilled from the brand new Scrum Anti-patterns Guide, Stefan Wolpers highlights the top twelve Agile anti-patterns jeopardizing project success.Join for a journey through common pitfalls like precise estimates, dogmatism, oversized backlogs, and the illusion of autonomy, and learn actionable insights for overcoming these challenges.Stefan WolpersSpeaker bio: Embarking on a Scrum career unintentionally in 2006, Stefan was initiated as a Scrum Master for a small German startup. Lacking initial knowledge but employing careful observation, note-taking, and dialogue, the author embraced the role and learned from the team’s experiences. Eighteen years into his Scrum journey, Stefan maintains an unwavering appetite for learning, humbled by the vast knowledge shared within the agile community. Recognizing newcomers’ overwhelming challenges in this field due to scarce formal education, he aspires to provide guidance, emphasizing a pragmatic, common-sense approach grounded in observing human interaction and collaboration. Since 2019, Stefan has served as a Professional Scrum Trainer for Scrum.org. Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textProduct owners often struggle to translate their big ideas into small user stories that the team can deliver in a sprint. When a user story is too big, it is harder to understand, estimate, and implement successfully. Some teams break the ‘business story’ into ‘technical stories’ but this doesn’t solve the problem because most or all of the technical stories need to be completed before there is anything meaningful for the stakeholders. This session will teach you 4 simple, yet powerful techniques to break big stories into smaller stories that are meaningful to stakeholders and deliver business value.About Chris SimsChris Sims is a certified scrum trainer, agile coach, and recovering C++ developer who helps organizations improve their productivity and happiness.Chris is the founder and product owner of Agile Learning Labs and the co-author of two best-selling scrum books: The Elements of Scrum and Scrum: a Breathtakingly Brief and Agile Introduction. More of their writing can be found on the Agile Learning Labs blog.Before starting Agile Learning Labs in 2007, Chris made a living in roles such as: scrum master, product owner, engineering manager, project manager, software engineer, musician, and auto mechanic. Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textEric, a distinguished Army veteran whose remarkable career journey, beginning at West Point and culminating in brigade command in Army recruiting, has been characterized by leadership excellence. Eric's military service includes being the honour graduate of the Army Ranger School, leading infantry company and battalion commands in Afghanistan, and instilling a passion for developing leaders.In 2020, driven by his commitment to leadership development, Eric founded Arrowhead Leadership Consulting. His love for building relationships and nurturing personal and professional growth in leaders is at the core of Arrowhead's vision and values. Eric's goal is clear: to impact lives by empowering individuals to become better leaders.You can discover Eric's insights and leadership wisdom on his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@lopezonleadership1962Eric’s talk “Mission Command 2.0" delves into the evolution of leadership philosophy within the army. Eric explores the necessity of modernizing the mission command leadership philosophy to align with the emotional intelligence paradigm and address the needs of new generations. Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textGavin, a seasoned leader with 18 years of experience spearheading medical device development projects. Currently serving as the CTO at Bluedrop Medical, a cutting-edge start-up focused on revolutionizing healthcare, Gavin is at the forefront of developing an innovative solution to monitor the early signs of diabetic foot ulcers.Gavin's wealth of experience extends beyond Bluedrop Medical. As the former CTO of VASGARD Medical, a start-up specialized in electronic wound devices, and a former editor at Medgadget, Gavin brings a diverse perspective to the intersection of technology and healthcare.Gavin’s talk is titled “Incubating an agile organisation”. The talk provides an overview of how Bluedrop Medical have leveraged a team-oriented culture to evolve a growing agile organization. It illustrates how a relatively small organization effectively manages a variety of disparate programs across compliance, software development, systems engineering, manufacturing and fundamental research. Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textLive music, parodies, and Agile. This is not your usual talk. In this wild mix of ingredients, we will explore together some very common challenges in the Agile world.How? From the perspective of a Scrum Master who is embarking on a wild journey, full of ups and downs, making mistakes and learning throughout the path. About the parodies? They will set the tone (pun intended) of each step of this journey. Fasten your seat belts and enjoy the ride in this mad session. This will be energetic, funny, and relevant. Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textJoin Fred Deichler as he recounts his transformative journey from Development Manager to Agile Coach, guided by a set of crucial competencies. Through the lens of the Agile Coaching Growth Wheel, Fred will demonstrate how these competencies align with common roles in the Agile landscape today. This interactive session will delve into key aspects of the 21 competencies, covering areas like Self Mastery, Foundational Skills, and Mindsets, among others. Learn how to create your own Growth Wheel and chart a focused path for your career development. Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textIn the realm of team dynamics, understanding behavioural preference is paramount. Enter the world of personality colours: Red, Blue, Yellow, and Green. Each color provides a lens to view not just individual motivations and strengths, but also how they interplay in a team setting.Red personalities, with their assertiveness and drive, often lead the charge, setting the pace and direction. They thrive on challenges and are quick decision-makers.Blue personalities, meticulous and thoughtful, ensure that every detail is considered, making them invaluable in planning and execution phases. Their analytical nature complements the Reds by providing depth and structure.Yellow personalities infuse teams with creativity and enthusiasm. Their adaptability and spontaneous nature can spark innovation, making them crucial during brainstorming sessions or when a fresh perspective is needed.Meanwhile, Green personalities, with their nurturing and harmonious nature, play the role of team glue. They ensure cohesion, mediate conflicts, and provide the emotional support that teams often need during stressful times.We all have all four energies within us, simply in different orders of preference. By recognizing and valuing these colour personalities, teams can optimize collaboration. Leaders can assign roles that play to each member's strengths, ensuring not just task completion, but also team harmony. This talk will delve into the practical applications of personality colours in team settings, offering insights on building resilient, harmonious, and high-performing teams through the power of understanding. Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textThe biggest challenge for anyone leading Agile change (or any change) is to successfully transform culture and change human behaviour, enabling team members to learn more efficient ways of working and collaborating so that they can deliver business value and ROI earlier.This is where managers and agile leaders may be missing a vital component... working on building their core coaching skills and competencies. Many people mistakenly believe that coaching is all about giving instruction, guidance, telling people what to do. That can be useful sometimes, but it doesn't encourage team members to be more self-sufficient, to problem-solve for themselves, to have more agency and empowerment when it comes to how they work. This is where real coaching can help.Join us for an interactive session to get a taste of the top 3 coaching skills that can help you become a more impactful leader and maximise your influence.... to ensure there's clarity, commitment and accountability. Whether you're a leader or team member, you'll take away some practical tips for having more impactful conversations with your colleagues and clients - and who doesn't want that?!Aimed at: Project & Programme Managers, Agile Leaders & Coaches, Agile Team members Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textIn this enlightening episode of ALI shorts, inspired by Josh Seiden's acclaimed article, we embark on a metaphorical journey through a vast forest. Using the allegory of individual trees representing outputs and the entire forest signifying outcomes, we challenge listeners to consider the broader, interconnected impact of their efforts. Drawing parallels between planting a single tree and introducing a new business feature, we stress the importance of understanding and measuring the true value of our contributions. Beyond mere deliverables, the episode underscores the significance of holistic growth, sustainability, and adaptability in today's dynamic business landscape. Join us as we reflect on the question: Are we merely planting trees, or are we nurturing an entire forest? Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textIn this episode of ALI Shorts, we dive deep into the world of agile HR practices. HR managers and leaders are facing a rapidly changing talent landscape, much like navigating through turbulent waters. Our host guides you through specific actions that HR managers can take to implement agile recruitment solutions.Imagine a river of skill demands, with unpredictable twists and turns. By 2030, 85% of today's jobs will be entirely new. To successfully navigate this dynamic terrain, HR managers must cultivate an agile culture within their organization, invest in cutting-edge technology, tailor recruitment models, integrate tech effectively, and balance it with personalized training.Discover how HR managers can enhance the candidate experience through AI-enabled applicant tracking systems and create structured roadmaps for technology adoption. Learn how fostering an agile learning culture and building high-touch relationships can help your organization thrive in the ever-evolving talent landscape.Tune in to this episode for actionable insights that will empower HR managers to steer their recruitment efforts in the right direction and adapt to the changing currents of the job market. Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textWelcome to "ALI Shorts: Your Agile Art Gallery of Tech Transformation." In this episode, we step into the future of tech-powered artistry, envisioning a dynamic gallery where UI/UX and AI choreograph a mesmerizing dance of innovation. Picture a realm where AI breathes life into UI/UX, offering immersive experiences through VR and AR, transforming user engagement. Discover a world where AI animations and interactive characters respond to emotions, painting a truly alive digital experience. The future unfolds with voice commands, gestures, and seamless interactions, orchestrated by AI, akin to evolving art techniques. However, mastering this AI artistry requires continuous learning and adaptation, as designers refine their craft to create technological masterpieces. Join us as we embrace the evolving canvas of user experience, painting it with the bold strokes of AI-powered creativity in this vibrant digital gallery of tomorrow. Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textWelcome to ALI Shorts, where we unravel the symphony of Artificial Intelligence in the orchestra of modern enterprise. In this episode, we explore the convergence of AI and IT operations through the powerful conductor, AIOps.AIOps, or Artificial Intelligence for IT Operations, is akin to the master conductor of a grand orchestra. It integrates AI, analytics, and machine learning to harmonize and optimize IT processes, ensuring a seamless performance.Imagine your enterprise as a musical masterpiece. The Agile methodology and Agile coaches act as the maestros, refining each section to adapt swiftly to changing notes. And AIOps? It's the conductor, synchronizing the orchestra, bringing order to the complexity.Through AIOps, businesses can automate event monitoring, ingest and analyze vast data streams, and filter out the noise, ensuring only the most relevant data is utilized. It's like conducting a seamless performance amidst a vast orchestra of IT processes.Join us as we dive deeper into this digital symphony. Stay tuned for more episodes where we explore the ever-evolving landscape of AI and its profound impact on enterprises. Until next time, keep orchestrating and embracing the agility of the digital melody. Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org

Send us a textWelcome to "ALI Shorts," where we delve into the Agile landscape, navigating its complexities to unearth valuable insights. In this episode, we're setting our sights on user-story mapping, a potent tool for Agile teams.Traditional product development often feels like a dense forest of business documents, lacking a clear route. But fear not, user-story mapping is the Agile team's GPS through this wilderness. It offers a lightweight alternative to chart a digital product's interactions, akin to a GPS guiding through uncharted terrain.User-story mapping, also known as story maps, operates as our GPS in the Agile wilderness. This lean UX-mapping method employs sticky notes and sketches to plot the course users take within a digital product.Much like a GPS segments a journey, a user-story map segments a product's journey into activities, steps, and details. These represent high-level tasks, subtasks, and the nitty-gritty interactions, respectively.In the Agile world, user stories are our navigation waypoints. They describe features or tasks from the user's perspective, aiding efficient navigation. User-story mapping transforms these waypoints into a navigational route, allowing teams to discuss and elaborate on them, eventually adding them to the product backlog.Creating a user-story map is akin to planning a group road trip, a collaborative effort essential to ensure a smooth journey. It's about establishing context and constructing the map using physical or digital tools, assigning distinct colors for visual clarity.User-story mapping vs. customer-journey mapping offers distinct perspectives, focusing on the product and user, respectively. While they complement each other, they serve different navigational purposes, enabling Agile teams to choose the right tool for their specific journey.With user-story maps as our reliable GPS, we can embark on our Agile journey with confidence. They improve collaboration, aid backlog creation, guide minimum-viable-product slicing, and identify risky assumptions. User-story maps are the trusted GPS in the Agile wilderness, encouraging user-centered discussions and efficient prioritization.Thank you for joining us on this journey through the Agile landscape, exploring the power of user-story mapping. Just like a well-calibrated GPS, user-story mapping guides Agile teams through product development, ensuring a smooth and efficient journey. Until next time, keep mapping those stories and navigating towards success in the Agile wilderness. Stay Agile, stay innovative! Find us here: www.agileleanireland.org