Bob Gower et al. - Agile Business: A Leader’s Guide to Harnessing Complexity

AGILE BUSINESS

A Leaders Guide to Harnessing Complexity

By

Bob Gower
&
Rally Software

AGILE BUSINESS A Leaders Guide to Harnessing Complexity

2013 Rally Software Development Corp. All rights reserved.

No part of this book, whether in print, digital or other form, may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or other) without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Rally, the Rally logo, and Rally Software Development are trademarks of Rally Software Development Corp. Third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Published by:
Rally Software Development Corp.
3333 Walnut Street
Boulder, Colorado 80301
www.rallydev.com

Permissions:
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Legal Department
Rally Software Development Corp.
3333 Walnut Street
Boulder, Colorado 80301

Author:
Bob Gower
www.bobgower.com

Book and e-book design:
Telemachus Press, LLC
www.telemachuspress.com

Cover design:
Grant Miller

ISBN: 978-1-939337-53-5 (print)
ISBN: 978-1-939337-52-8 (ebook)

Version 2013.05.06

Acclaim for Agile Business

Agile Business is more than just a savvy guide to the ins and outs of the Agile Development process. It is a call to take your game up to a new level where customers are not only satisfied but delighted, and where work teams are not only productive but inspired.

Geoffrey Moore, author, Crossing the Chasm

Its hard to be Lean if youre not Agile too. Agile Business is a powerful collection of essays by Agile thought leaders and practitioners. It will help you understand and apply Agile principles in the real world. Dont miss it!

Patrick Vlaskovits, author, The Entrepreneurs Guide to Customer Development

Agile Business describes Agile philosophy and practices in elegant and simple terms, making the concepts easy to grasp and, more importantly, easy to use. Ive struggled for years to help my business partners understand how to work with Agile teams and how to best leverage Agile for themselves. This book provides a foundation to effectively use Agile to collaborate with partners across your entire organization. Thanks Rally!

Geoffrey Bourne, SVP at a multinational financial services corporation

Agile is one of the best ways I know to create happier and more democratic organizations. And this new book from Rally is the most accessible introduction to Agile Ive ever seen. If youre new to the topic or want to deepen your practice, then Agile Business is the place to start.

Traci Fenton, founder and CEO, WorldBlu

There are few Agile coaching communities as full of integrity, goodwill, self-reflection, learning, and improvement and application experience as Rallys. I have enjoyed my dance with Rally as a client, partner, collaborator, friend, and inspiration for nearly ten years. This book is a treasure trove of knowledge and a pleasure to read.

Christopher Avery, international speaker, author and business advisor

Any sustainable business must meet customer needs with efficiency and flexibility. Agile Business describes how to do just that. The lessons here arent just for software companies. Any business creating complex products can benefit from Agile and Lean thinking. Agile Business is the way to learn.

L. Hunter Lovins, president and founder, Natural Capital Solutions

The time is right for Agile to escape software delivery and transform the businessthis book provides instructions on how to build your escape plan.

Dave West, chief product officer, Tasktop Technologies, and former Forrester Research analyst

Agile is not just for software developers! The biggest mistake I see made by entrepreneurs and business people at all levels is planning too far ahead and then getting stuck in their plan. They stick to their original plan even when everything indicates it is time to abandon the plan, reassess the goals, and regroup. Learning the skills, tools, and methodology of Agile, however, will help you avoid making this common and costly mistake. If youre curious to learn exactly what Agile isor how to organize incredibly complex projects around constantly shifting goals and resourcesthis book is your answer! And its written in clear, nontechnical prose.

Rich Goldstein, founder, Goldstein Patent Law

A great reference guide for businesses and individuals wanting to explore the many dimensions of being more Agile. Nicely broad, nicely topical.

Dean Leffingwell, author, Agile Software Requirements and Scaling Software Agility

A powerful book that delivers years of knowledge and expertise in a relatable and captivating way.

Andrew Korbel, Agile Coach, DigitalGlobe

In loving memory of my father, Irv Gower (1925-2012), who always reminded me that inch by inch lifes a cinch.

Contents

No book is the work of a single individual and this booka collaboratively written book about collaborationtook a village. Many people contributed and often in more than one way.

First, Id like to thank all of the contributing authors. This book is what it is because of your willingness to take time out of incredibly busy lives to share your experience and wisdom. You are 35 of the most caring and brilliant people I know. Thank you, Alex Pukinskis, Andre Dhondt, Ann Konkler, Ben Carey, Brendan Walsh, Brent Barton, Charles Ferenchack, Chris Browne, Eric Willeke, Isaac Montgomery, Jean Tabaka, Jeff Ellis, Jessica Kahn, Jim Tremlett, John Michael Martin, Julie Byrne, Julie Chickering, Karl Scotland, Ken Clyne, Larry Maccherone, Laura Burke, Liz Andora, Mark Kilby, Michael Ball Marian, Niki Kohari, Rachel Weston Rowell, Rick Simmons, Ronica Roth, Ryan Martens, Sean Heuer, Stephanie Tanner, Steve Lawrence, Tamara Nation, Todd Olson, and Zach Nies.

A writer is nothing without a good editorial team. Thank you to our editor and publishing advisor, Michael Parrish DuDell, who took us from hope to strategy to finished product; and to copyeditor Richard Defendorf, whose attention to detail is unparalleled. And a special thank you to Kevin Kanareka dear friend who has been honing my writing and storytelling for many years and who offered keen insight into early drafts of this book.

Steve Jackson and the team at Telemachus Press, thank you for giving us such a beautiful layout and helping us navigate the treacherous waters of digital formats. And thank you to Grant Miller for the wonderful cover design.

This book has been through many incarnations at Rally and work on early versions with Scott Dunn, Steve Adolph, and Isaac Montgomery was an invaluable step toward the finished product we have today.

Producing a book at a software company is a bit like building a bicycle in a machine shop. All the parts are there but youre not really set up to do the work in an easy or efficient way. This book wouldnt have happened without the early and continuous support of Ryan Martens, Tim Miller, and Jean Tabakathank you for your time and attention. And thank you to Anne Greenhaw, Bob Nendza, Brad Norris, Chris James, Christine Bottagaro, Jessica Kahn, Kerri Beers, Lara Vacante, Nick Budor, Parker Jackson, Rachel Weston Rowell, Ronica Roth, and Zach Nies for contributing time, resources, and encouragement at numerous points throughout the project.