Agile for Non-Software Teams: A Practical Guide for Your Journey

by Gil Broza

Overview

Have you considered adopting an Agile way of working in your team?

Business agility does not mean using the same processes and practices as your software and IT teams. In fact, the specific practices don't matter. Agile is a way of thinking and making choices that can benefit marketing, HR, finance, all parts of the business.

This practical book will help you to...

• Decide where and how an Agile approach can help you serve the business better
• Customize and regularly improve an Agile way of working without your having to be a process expert
• Avoid the many pitfalls that lead to mediocre performance or bounce-backs
• Feel confident about your choices, even if they are different from what your tech colleagues use

Despite emerging in the technology domain, there is nothing exclusively tech about Agile. -- Evan Leybourn, Founder & CEO, Business Agility Institute

This book is written for the audience we always forget in Agile transformations: the non-software roles. -- David Dame, VP, Global Agile, Scotiabank

Gil has managed to make Agile accessible to everyone. -- Sandy Mamoli, Author of Creating Great Teams, Nomad8

You will be in the driver’s seat throughout, choosing what fits your situation and unique goals. -- Suzanne Daigle, Business Strategist and Partner, NuFocus Strategic Group

I wish such a resource had been available at the start of our transformation! -- Heather Francis, Head of Transformation, Roche Canada

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780988001657
Publisher:	3p Vantage Media
Publication date:	12/19/2019
Pages:	230
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.48(d)

About the Author

In the last 15 years, Gil has supported almost 100 large and small, private- and public-sector organizations along their Agile journeys. Seeking transformations, makeovers, or improvements, these clients have relied on his pragmatic, modern, and respectful guidance for customizing Agile in their contexts. Previously, Gil worked as a development manager, team leader, and programmer for many years, successfully applying Agile methods since 2001. He has served as a regular writer for the prestigious magazine projectmanagement.com (a PMI publication) and as a three-time track chair for the Agile 20xx series of conferences. He regularly gives keynotes and interactive talks at various conferences worldwide. Throughout his career, Gil has focused on human characteristics that prevent positive outcomes in teams. These include limiting habits, fear of change, outdated beliefs, and blind spots. In helping teams overcome these factors, he supports them in reaching ever higher levels of performance, confidence, and accomplishment. In 2012, he published "The Human Side of Agile," the definitive guide to leading Agile teams. In 2015, he published "The Agile Mind-Set," helping practitioners and leaders alike master the Agile approach and make their ways of working truly effective. His latest book, "Agile For Non-Software Teams," helps extend Agile transformations to non-technical teams. Gil provides training, coaching, consulting, facilitation services, and enablement programs to establish Agile ways of working, fix lackluster Agile attempts, and support ongoing Agile improvement efforts. In addition, he offers much-needed services to help managers, Scrum Masters, and team leaders grow as servant leaders. He is in high demand by organizations looking to fully realize Agile's potential. See his current offerings at 3PVantage.com/services.

Editorial Reviews

"Despite emerging in the technology domain, there is nothing exclusively tech about Agile. If there is any uncertainty in your work outcomes -- and let's face it, that's all work these days -- then an Agile approach will both improve customer outcomes and de-risk the work. With this book, Gil has created a practical and insightful guide for any team, in any part of the organization, seeking to be Agile." -- Evan Leybourn, Founder & CEO, Business Agility Institute

"This book is written for the audience we always forget in Agile transformations: the non-software roles. It's the first book I've seen that really tackles that elephant in the room. Read it to learn where to start to put agility in those functions, because it's only when all of these come together that you get true organizational agility." -- David Dame, VP, Global Agile, Scotiabank

"There's a strong focus on principles rather than particular frameworks, and Gil provides many practical tips for why, when, and how to introduce and sustain Agile. In this time of Agile being considered everywhere, Gil has managed to make Agile accessible to everyone." -- Sandy Mamoli, coauthor of Creating Great Teams and Agile Advisor at Nomad8

"You'll instantly feel as if you're having a conversation with an experienced partner who deeply understands Agile and business. Gil has a knack for providing just the right background information, helping you connect the dots with many practical real-life business examples while offering you a host of options from which to start or deepen your journey. You will be in the driver's seat throughout, choosing what fits for your situation and unique goals." -- Suzanne Daigle, Business Strategist and Partner, NuFocus Strategic Group

"I'm in the process of leading an Agile transformation at a pharmaceutical company -- the first of its kind in such an industry. I read this book in one evening and found myself nodding in agreement the whole way through. Gil has clearly pinpointed every key thing you will see, hear, and feel throughout such a transformation in a non-software environment, and how to work your way through it. I wish such a resource had been available at the start of our transformation!" -- Heather Francis, Head of Transformation, Roche Canada

"Finally, we have an Agile book for non-software teams! In this book, Gil Broza has taken Agile values, principles, and practices and translated them to be useful to teams of any type -- from marketing teams to management teams and beyond. As technology disrupts industry after industry, teams of all kinds are facing increasing complexity and uncertainty, and must learn how to succeed in this environment. Gil's book is a great place to start that journey." --Jim Highsmith, Executive Consultant, ThoughtWorks, coauthor of EDGE and The Agile Manifesto

"This book is a practical, well-written, and immediately applicable guide to becoming more agile in a non-software context. Complete with helpful examples, just enough theory, and down-to-earth prose, reading it is like having the author sit down with you over coffee and help you chart a pragmatic path to agility that's right for your unique business context." -- Jorgen Hesselberg, author of Unlocking Agility

From the Publisher