Food for Agile Thought #340: Roadmaps: Portfolios of Bets, Progressive Org Structures, From PM to CEO

TL; DR: Portfolios of Bets, Progressive Organizations — Food for Agile Thought #340

Welcome to the 340th edition of the Food for Agile Thought newsletter, shared with 35,173 peers. This week, we list ten progressive organizations with structures rooted in practice, from Kyocera to VISA to Haier. Also, we present research results that unlocking the benefits of diversity requires that team members can ‘express their ideas, questions or concerns and not be embarrassed or ostracised.’ Moreover, we believe that Taylorism is a continuation of the Newtonian Mindset of linear causalities — with serious consequences for the way we work.

We then take a different view on product roadmaps as portfolios of bets and visualize the differences between an earlier-stage VC-backed startup and a later-stage company. Additionally, we discover ways to tame complexity in product development, dissect the abrupt demise of CNN+ and its lessons for pursuing product discovery and explore 20 typically Sprint Planning anti-patterns. Also, there is some career advice: Kristina Walcker-Mayer believes that product management is an excellent apprenticeship to becoming a CEO.

Lastly, we suggest playing a game to reduce your potential risk and avoid falling victim to the planning fallacy, and we appreciate a guide to help you set and achieve your goals based on Stoicism’s first principles of self-discipline, self-control, and endurance.

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🏆 The Tip of the Week: Progressive Organizations

Joost Minnaar (via Corporate Rebels): 10 Progressive Organizational Structures Developed By Real Companies

Joost Minnaar lists ten progressive organizations with structures rooted in practice, from Kyocera to VISA to Haier.

Source: Corporate Rebels: 10 Progressive Organizational Structures Developed By Real Companies

Author: Joost Minnaar

➿ Agile & Scrum

Amy Edmondson and Henrik Bresman (via INSEAD Knowledge): Psychological Safety Unlocks the Potential of Diverse Teams

Amy Edmondson and Henrik Bresman present research results that unlocking the benefits of diversity requires that team members can ‘express their ideas, questions or concerns and not be embarrassed or ostracised.’

Source: INSEAD Knowledge: Psychological Safety Unlocks the Potential of Diverse Teams

Authors: Amy Edmondson and Henrik Bresman

Boris Karl Schlein (via Medium): Don’t Step into the Three Traps of the Newtonian Mindset

Boris Karl Schlein believes that Taylorism is a continuation of the Newtonian Mindset of linear causalities and details consequences.

Source: Medium: Don’t Step into the Three Traps of the Newtonian Mindset

Author: Boris Karl Schlein

Brian Bassett (via Simple Thread): Agile Principles: Reflect and Adjust

Brian Bassett reminds us of the priceless advantages of retrospectives.

Source: Simple Thread: Agile Principles: Reflect and Adjust

Author: Brian Bassett

🎓 🖥 💯 🇬🇧 Hands-on Agile #42: The Skinny on Lean Roadmapping and OKRs w/ Janna Bastow — May 30, 2022

This presentation will look at modern roadmapping best practices, including where lean roadmapping came from and how to put it to use in your organization. It’ll cover practical tips on how to move away from old school feature and date driven roadmaps, and how to move your team on to a leaner, more objective-focused track of product management using OKRs (Objectives and Key Results).

Learn more: 🖥 💯 🇬🇧 Hands-on Agile #42: The Skinny on Lean Roadmapping and OKRs — Janna Bastow — Mai 30, 2022.

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🎯 Product

John Cutler: A Portfolio of Bets

John Cutler encourages you to take a different view of your product roadmap, a portfolio of bets, visualizing the differences between an earlier stage VC-backed startup and a later stage company.

Source: A Portfolio of Bets

Author: John Cutler

(via UX Collective Editors): Designing big, complex products from scratch

Sharing his personal experience at Picnic, Jake Rich delves into ways to tame complexity in product development.

Source: UX Collective: Designing big, complex products from scratch

📺 Kristina Walcker-M. (via Mind The Product): The 5 Ways Product Management Prepares You to Become a CEO

Kristina Walcker-Mayer believes that product management is an excellent apprenticeship to becoming a CEO.

Source: Mind The Product: 📺 The 5 Ways Product Management Prepares You to Become a CEO

Author: Kristina Walcker-Mayer

Rita McGrath: Say what???? The optimistic launch and ignominious end of CNN+

Rita McGrath dissects the abrupt demise of CNN+ and its lessons for pursuing product discovery.

Source: Say what???? The optimistic launch and ignominious end of CNN+

Author: Rita McGrath

📯 20 Sprint Planning Anti-Patterns

The Sprint Planning is a core event that defines how your customers’ lives will improve with the following Product Increment. Learn more on how to improve its effectiveness by avoiding 20 common Sprint Planning anti-patterns.

👉 Learn more: Scrum: 20 Sprint Planning Anti-Patterns.

🛠 Tools & Measuring

(via InfoQ): Improving Your Estimation Skills by Playing a Planning Game

To avoid falling victim to the planning fallacy, Andrew Brown suggests playing a planning game to reduce your potential risk.

Source: InfoQ: Improving Your Estimation Skills by Playing a Planning Game

Lenny Rachitsky: What Is a Good Growth Rate

Lenny Rachitsky reached out to 24 investors to learn about their perception of good vs. great growth rates by the stage of the business.

Source: What Is a Good Growth Rate

Author: Lenny Rachitsky

✂️ Cutting Room Floor

(via Daily Stoic): Goal Setting: A Philosophical Guide to Setting and Achieving Goals

The Daily Stoic created a guide to help you set and achieve your goals based on Stoicism’s first principles of self-discipline, self-control, and endurance.

Source: Daily Stoic: Goal Setting: A Philosophical Guide to Setting and Achieving Goals

📅 Training Classes, Meetups & Events 2022

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• 🖥 🇬🇧 May 9–10 — Live Virtual Class: Professional Scrum Product Owner Training (PSPO I; English)
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• 🖥 💯 🇬🇧 May 30 — Live Virtual Meetup: Hands-on Agile 42: The Skinny on Lean Roadmapping and OKRs — Janna Bastow (English)
• 🖥 🇬🇧 May 31–Jun 1 — Live Virtual Class: Advanced Professional Scrum Master Training (PSM II; English)
• 🖥 🇩🇪 Jun 7–10 — Live Virtual Class: Professional Scrum Master Training (PSM I; German)
• 🖥 🇬🇧 Jun 20–23 — Live Virtual Class: Professional Scrum Master Training (PSM I; English)
• 🖥 🇩🇪 Jun 28–Jul 1 — Live Virtual Class: Professional Scrum Product Owner Training (PSPO I; German)

See all upcoming classes here.

🗞️ Last Week’s Food for Agile Thought Edition

Read more: Food for Agile Thought #339: Product Management Anti-Patterns, Scrum-like Kanban, Fixing Your Product Roadmap, 300+ Agile and Scrum Statistics.

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Now available on the Age-of-Product Youtube channel:

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• Hands-on Agile #35: Designing Powerful Questions to help you Coach & Create with Daniel Stillman.
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Food for Agile Thought #340: Roadmaps: Portfolios of Bets, Progressive Organizations, From PM to CEO, Potential of Diversity was first published on Age-of-Product.com.