by Martin Burns | Sep 24, 2013 | Quotes
Putting out fires is not improvement. Finding a point out of control, finding the special cause and removing it, is only putting the process back to where it was in the first place. It is not improvement of the process. W Edwards Deming One of the problems that besets...
by Martin Burns | Sep 23, 2013 | Blog, News
This was my second year presenting at Lean Agile Scotland. Thanks once again to Chris McDermott for putting on a conference single-handedly that somehow managed to be even better than last year’s. For me as a constrained conference-goer rather than a regular...
by Martin Burns | Sep 10, 2013 | Announcements, Recipes
In advance of my A3 sessions at Lean Agile Scotland next week, I’ve published the A3 template I’ll be using, plus guidance in using it. This template and guidance has evolved in real world usage over the last four years or more with many teams doing both...
by Martin Burns | Sep 7, 2013 | Exploration, Patterns
The most important part of the Agile Manifesto is not the 4 comparisons.
by Martin Burns | Aug 22, 2013 | Lessons Learned
Do you need a tool to be agile? Or is the process more important? Cross Post from the Agile and Lean Software Development Linkedin Group. I’ve used tools in my traditional delivery days (I’m recovering nicely, thankyou) and in Lean/Agile days. I’ve...
by Martin Burns | Aug 12, 2013 | Announcements
Just a quick update to say that I’m speaking at Lean Agile Scotland 2013, focusing on the A3 Continuous Improvement method. As well as the formal session, I’ll be holding some informal A3 Dojos, where I’ll happily work with you on your own A3. As a...
by Martin Burns | Aug 10, 2013 | Exploration, News
Following recent critiques from Ken Schwaber and David Anderson, a few people were wondering whether leading SAFe proponents were planning to issue a formal response. I didn’t see anything from Dean Leffingwell, but Al Shalloway did helpfully say that while he...
by Martin Burns | May 13, 2013 | Blog, Recipes
Take the test to find out. But here’s a hint: you can’t. You task switch, and that takes time, even for trivial tests like these.
by Martin Burns | May 6, 2013 | Recipes
The Consultant role is one of exerting influence to change the what of operations, limited to areas where you have been asked to help. Gaining the sponsorship to fix the right problem is important, as is gaining the credibility needed for influence. This is a...
by Martin Burns | May 2, 2013 | Lessons Learned, Recipes
The role of a Contractor is to provide extra skilled capacity at short notice. The change you bring is to tidy up how the work is done, chiefly by example. Proactively expanding beyond that is a direct route to frustration and broken client relationships. This is a...
