Now that we’re in an Agile world we’re all happy, aren’t we? Oh. Perhaps you are in an organization that "does" agile without "being" agile. Or, you have sticky pockets of waterfall in your mostly agile group. Or, you are trying to transition and folks are saying it doesn't feel safe. Friday November 22nd on the Westside, we are going to talk about the sometimes bumpy road from waterfall to agile. Come and join in, bring your war stories and insights. Help us work out how we can smooth the road from waterfall to agile.

Limited spots! Reserve your seat at https://www.meetup.com/AgilePDX-User-Group-Portland-Metro/events/266025155/

Events are made possible by the AgilePDX community and our sponsors, including platinum sponsor ProFocus Technology (https://www.profocustechnology.com/). Learn more about our sponsors at https://agilepdx.org/sponsorship.

Coaching is one of the most powerful tools used in agile. And yet... being a great coach is much harder than it seems. This month at the west-side cafe, we are going to discuss coaching in relationship to servant leadership. We will ask ourselves: As a team member, SM, etc how do we coach those who need coaching and may not realize (or admit it)?

Events are made possible by the AgilePDX community and our sponsors, including platinum sponsor ProFocus Technology (https://www.profocustechnology.com/). Learn more about our sponsors at https://agilepdx.org/sponsorship.

Please RSVP here: https://www.meetup.com/AgilePDX-User-Group-Portland-Metro/events/264541629/

As the Silicon Forest continues to grow, we turn to hiring authorities in the tech community for answer son how to navigate everything from IT management struggles like retention and hiring, to the effects of the latest technology trends on your career path. Our panelists have a combined 25+ years in tech and are excited to share their experiences and answer questions.

Panelists:

-- Neil Hefty, Talent Solutions Director at ProFocus Technology, an Inc. 500 Staffing and Consulting Company.
-- Chris Miller, VP of Human Resources at Smarsh, the leading provider of data archiving solutions. Helping organizations capture content, reveal risk and provide insights and opportunity for a proper response.
-- Lauren Shey, HR Generalist at Metal Toad, an AWS Advanced Consulting Partner providing cloud migration, AWS-based IoT, and Mobile solutions.

Agenda:

6:00-6:30 Networking/Food/Drinks/Door Prizes
6:30-7:05 Panelist Presentations
7:05-7:40 Breakout Discussions with Presenters
7:40-8:00 Report Out and Wrap Up

This special event is made possible by platinum sponsor ProFocus Technology (https://www.profocustechnology.com/) with space provided by Smarsh (https://www.smarsh.com/). Learn more about our sponsors at agilepdx.org or come chat with us at the event!

Additional Information:

Q: Is the space ADA accessible? A: Yes, the space is ADA accessible via the entrance to Pacific Center on 6th Ave.

Q: Will there be gender neutral restrooms? A: Contact an event facilitator for further information.

Q: Will there be food and drinks at this event? A: Food & Drink provided by ProFocus. GF/DF/V options available.

Q: What is the easiest way to get to the venue? A: If you can get to Pioneer Courthouse Square, you can get to this event! Trimet serves the area very well. Parking is available nearby in many paid lots. Parking validation will not be provided.

Q: How do I enter the building? A: Enter the Pacific Center building on 6th Ave, near Water Ave Coffee (in the adjoining building)

This event is inclusive and open to all.

Please RSVP here: https://www.meetup.com/AgilePDX-User-Group-Portland-Metro/events/265182383/

Missing out on round-table discussions due to location? Try out this virtual gathering.

This time some of us will share our go-to agile coaching tools. If possible we will try to demonstrate (5 minute mini demo). Do you have a go-to tool or advice you can talk about or possibly demonstrate? Join us to share and learn!

You are always welcome to join our community of practice. As we explore and share, we benefit from everyone's insight and perspective. You are in the right place. Bring your questions or stories to learn from and share!

RSVP on meetup to get the zoom invite.

Events are made possible by the AgilePDX community and our sponsors, including platinum sponsor ProFocus Technology (https://www.profocustechnology.com/). Learn more about our sponsors at agilepdx.org.

Additional Information:

Q: Is the space ADA accessible? A: This is a virtual zoom meeting that supports audio and video, and has a chat line. Please note that we are not able to offer close caption.

Q: Will there be gender neutral restrooms? A: What's available where you are joining from is what you get.

Q: Will there be food and drinks at this event? A: What's available where you are joining from is what you get.

Q: What is the easiest way to get to the venue? A: This is a virtual event. Take part from any location. Prepare for the meeting by downloading the zoom client app (or phone/tablet app).

Please RSVP on our Meetup page to reserve your spot: https://www.meetup.com/AgilePDX-User-Group-Portland-Metro/events/265141785/

Join us for a monthly hands-on Mob Programming workshop! The goals of this workshop are to practice mob programming, turn up the good, learn by doing, and promote rapid knowledge sharing. Come practice with us! This workshop starts with a short discussion, then we will dive right in to mobbing on a simple programming problem! We provide plenty of opportunities to ask questions and reflect on what we're learning. All skill levels and software disciplines are welcome!!! The mob programming workshop is a risk free, safe space for you to learn and experiment!

Mob Programming is a software development practice with many benefits - it raises code quality, removes knowledge silos, minimizes mental fatigue, and more. In practice it feels more like a bulldozer than a race-car —unstoppable and thorough.

The core of mob programming is pointing many pairs of eyes on a single problem, pushing all the code through a single keyboard. Each month we'll explore different methods for learning to mob well and reaping the rewards of this practice as soon as possible on your own team.

Facilitator Bio:

Jeff Patterson is a software quality engineer and scrum master on the platform team at Jama Software, language agnostic, quality evangelist, and non-traditional CS grad. He has facilitated Global Day of Code Retreat, founded a peer group to support Community College CS students transferring to University, and is often heard saying, "Software is made of people!"

Events are made possible by the AgilePDX community and our sponsors, including platinum sponsor ProFocus Technology (https://www.profocustechnology.com/). Learn more about our sponsors at agilepdx.org.

Additional Information:

Q: Is the space ADA accessible? A: Yes
Q: Will there be gender neutral restrooms? A: Yes
Q: Will there be food and drinks at this event? A: Soda and water will be provided. Please feel free to bring snacks!
Q: What is the easiest way to get to the venue? A. Please see the "How to find us" section in the sidebar in the meetup event.
Q: How do I enter the building? A: Please see the "How to find us" section in the sidebar in the meetup event.

Please RSVP here: https://www.meetup.com/AgilePDX-User-Group-Portland-Metro/events/265127438/

Hanna Tomas recently published an article in Medium about Agile. https://medium.com/@Hanna.Thomas/why-dont-we-just-call-agile-what-it-is-feminist-8bdd9193edba

The hypothesis is that Agile is not just a software engineering methodology or framework but it is a set of social values that apply more broadly to people.

The author asserts the following: "Successful organisations aren’t ones that adopt an ‘Agile mindset’. Successful organisations are ones that adopt a feminist, queer, anti-establishment, progressive mindset — one that is flexible, experimental, pushes boundaries, self-organises, and acts in service of community."

Lets all get together at McMenamins Ringlers Pub downtown and discuss this thought. Bring yourself and your friends to our community of purpose and talk with us about this idea. This event is inclusive and open to all.

You can find us in the back under the Crystal Ballroom, ask for the Agile PDX group and you will find us over yummy food and drinks.

Events are made possible by the AgilePDX community and our sponsors, including platinum sponsor ProFocus Technology (https://www.profocustechnology.com/). Learn more about our sponsors at agilepdx.org.

Additional Information:

Q: Is the space ADA accessible? A: Yes, McMenamins Ringlers Pub is ADA accessible. Please note, doors are manual but the staff is available to assist should you require assistance.

Q: Will there be gender neutral restrooms? A: McMenamins Ringlers Pub restrooms are designated Men and Women. There are no unisex/family/gender neutral restrooms at this location.

Q: Will there be food and drinks at this event? A: Food & Drink (including alcohol) is available to purchase, and we have table service. Standard pub fare & pub prices.

Q: What is the easiest way to get to the venue? A: Parking downtown is limited, so we recommend public transportation or a ride-share option, or another personal transportation (bicycle, etc). For public transportation options, please visit trimet website to plan your trip to Ringlers at 1332 W Burnside Street in Downtown Portland.

Q: How do I enter the building? A: We are in the side room under the Crystal Ballroom. You can use the entrance on the corner of Burnside & 14th. Let yourself in, and find us at the large table.

Staying Strong in an Agile world

As Agile champions we sometimes wrestle with the unknowable and get up close and personal with organizational dysfunction. It's a perpetual challenge.

So how do you stay strong, calm and effective when your world is just a tad crazy? Join us for a conversation about what helps rejuvenate you when your Agile journey gets bumpy.

Events are made possible by the AgilePDX community and our sponsors, including platinum sponsor ProFocus Technology (https://www.profocustechnology.com/). Learn more about our sponsors at https://agilepdx.org/sponsorship.

Join us as we explore a framework for iterative hardware-based product development. Kris Dobelstein will share insights into leveraging an Agile mindset, methodologies, and tools to envision product goals, clarify assumptions, uncover risk, align teams, and prioritize development resulting in timely, highly relevant products.

Agile practices aren't new, they're just rarely used effectively outside of software development. We'll give historical and practical examples, mostly from aviation, to illustrate some time-worn strategies for implementing Agile practices in hardware development. Most notably, an Agile product development framework for hardware products needs to:

1) Start slow to go fast 2) Delay key decisions as long as possible 3) Leverage 21st-century prototyping tools 4) Value high-bandwidth collaboration between teams, customers, and vendors over specifications, requirements, and contracts

Kris will provide an overview of a typical development cycle, highlighting how to get started with vision boarding, the product narrative, and development pre-mortem.

Then we will take a look at how to get the development ball rolling and maintain momentum in opportunity-rich environments using provisional architectures, various value lenses, customer feedback, and the all-important retrospective.

Come learn how hardware development offers unique opportunities to practice agility!

Take-aways - "Agile" product development isn't just 20 years old. In fact, highly collaborative, iterative development has been around for 80+ years. - Agile isn't about choosing a particular framework, it's about your mindset. - When you're making hardware, iterative approaches need to take the steps of designing and making tangibles into account. - Strategic communication tools help teams think about how to get started and align around a common vision so that they can learn to share iterations across disciplines. - Practical approaches for keeping hardware development modular and iterative.

About the Presenter

Kris Dobelstein has led hardware product development efforts using a variety of methodologies and techniques over the last decade. He has experimented with traditional and Agile project management methodologies and is constantly (and enthusiastically) looking for ways to evolve project management to optimize for creating products that customers love while keeping development efforts sustainable and enjoyable. He is a Pacific Northwest native and lives, works, and plays in Portland, Oregon with his family.

Notice: This meeting may be recorded.

Events are made possible by the AgilePDX community and our sponsors, including platinum sponsor ProFocus Technology (https://www.profocustechnology.com/). Learn more about our sponsors at https://agilepdx.org/sponsorship.

Additional Information:

Q: Is the space ADA accessible? A: Yes, Puppet is ADA accessible. Please knock to have the security guard help with doors.

Q: Will there be gender neutral restrooms? A: We are still checking on this.

Q: Will there be food and drinks at this event? A: Pizza is sponsored by PNSQC, and soda is courtesy of Puppet.

Q: What is the easiest way to get to the venue? A: Street parking downtown is limited, but there are parking garages in walking distance. For public transportation options, please visit https://trimet.org/ to plan your trip to Puppet at 308 SW 2nd Avenue in Downtown Portland.

Q: How do I enter the building? A: Enter the building on 2nd Avenue, and knock for security guard to open the doors. Take the elevator to the 5th floor to access Puppet's event space.

AgilePDX is providing a forum for Agile Project Managers, Agile Facilitators, and Scrum Masters to gather online once a month and discuss all things project, program, and portfolio related. Please join us for a Lean Coffee style event facilitated by experience Agile PM's and instructors in the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner prep program.

You'll be dialing in from your desktop with your favorite early morning brew. Please join with your camera on. The Zoom URL will be provided to confirmed attendees. Feel free to post questions to this meetup prior to the event.

We welcome divergent opinions and experience reports. Bring your challenges for groups feedback and support. Plan to join 15 minutes early for coffee clatch chat and networking or stay 15 minutes for the same networking experience.

Please RSVP on our Meetup page to reserve your spot: https://www.meetup.com/AgilePDX-User-Group-Portland-Metro/events/264531418/
If you are unable to attend, please update your RSVP to open your seat for another attendee.

Join us for a hands-on workshop experiencing Mob Programming!

Note: The location of this workshop has changed! We are now at Jama Software (right across Taylor Street from our previous location). See the "How to find us" section for directions.

This workshop starts with a short discussion, then we will dive right in to mobbing on a simple programming problem that includes tests! We provide plenty of opportunities to ask questions and reflect on what we're learning.

All skill levels and software disciplines are welcome!!! The mob programming workshop is a risk free, safe space for you to learn and experiment with this energizing and effective way of creating software!

Mob Programming is a software development practice with many benefits - it raises code quality, removes knowledge silos, minimizes mental fatigue, and more. In practice it feels more like a bulldozer than a racecar - unstoppable and thorough.

The core of mob programming is pointing many pairs of eyes on a single problem, pushing all the code through a single keyboard. Each month we'll explore different methods for learning to mob well and reaping the rewards of this practice as soon as possible on your own team.

Facilitator Bio:

Jeff Patterson is a software quality engineer at Jama Software, language agnostic, quality evangelist, and non-traditional CS grad. He has facilitated Global Day of Code Retreat, founded a peer group to support Community College CS students transferring to University, and is often heard saying, "Software is made of people!"

Events are made possible by the AgilePDX community and our sponsors, including platinum sponsor ProFocus Technology (https://www.profocustechnology.com/). Learn more about our sponsors at agilepdx.org.


Please RSVP at our Meetup page and get the Zoom connection info: https://www.meetup.com/AgilePDX-User-Group-Portland-Metro/events/263795497/

What is Coderetreat?

Coderetreat is a day-long practice event that focuses on the fundamentals of good software development and design. Developers are given the opportunity of focused practice away from the pressures of “getting things done”, allowing them to sharpen their craft and to learn new skills in a safe environment. Yes, this event is women-focused, and everyone is welcome.

(Originally developed by Corey Haines, the global webpage is located at http://coderetreat.org/ if you would like to read more about it.)

Why attend a Coderetreat?

~ Learn new skills to help you write better code ~ Learn to take risks and experiment ~ Learn to practice writing code ~ Gain collaborative experience through pair programming ~ Network and make new friends

Wait...it’s free?

Yes, Coderetreat is free. There are simply 2 requirements that will help you get the most out of a Coderetreat: ~ Show up with an open mind and learner’s attitude. ~ Bring a laptop with a working development environment and testing framework, and be prepared to use it (see below for a list of popular IDEs).

What does a full day of coding practice involve?

Coderetreat is built on a specific formula. The day consists of usually 5-7 45-minute iterations in which participants are presented with a specific problem that they need to code. Emphasis is NOT placed on finishing, in fact participants are not expected to finish within the given 45 minutes. Instead, the emphasis is placed on learning new skills that enable participants to write code in a different way than would normally be the case. Participants change partners with each iteration, with the goal being that everyone should pair with someone different for every iteration. Techniques such as Test Driven Development will be introduced, with exposure to core fundamentals such as the 4 Rules of Simple Design and SOLID. Breakfast and lunch are both included, with gluten free options available. This is your chance to learn something new, and to be fed while doing it.

If you learn one new thing that you can take back to the office, you have a win, and so do we! We’ll also be supporting you in understanding the importance of taking care of yourself while coding and strategies for attracting skills transfer opportunities.

Come early and meet other attendees for a leisurely chat over coffee!

More details and handouts will be posted as we near the event, so watch this space and manage your RSVP so we have an accurate food and coffee headcount. This space is cozy, so seats are limited.

Popular Development Environments: PyCharm Community, VS Code, Visual Studio Community, Aptana Studio, Eclipse, Netbeans

Please RSVP here: https://www.meetup.com/AgilePDX-User-Group-Portland-Metro/events/264002905/

Scrum and XP have values such as respect, communication, and openness. The Agile Manifesto highlights individuals and interactions and supporting project teams, trusting they will get the job done. Why are these values so important for effective collaboration and creation? And what keeps us from communicating openly? What stops us from suggesting an idea, a solution... it's a unique idea; it may be crazy; it may be absurd. Maybe better to not suggest it.

Amy Edmundson shows in her TedX talk that none of us come to work to look "ignorant, incomplete, intrusive, negative." Of course not - we want to connect and contribute, and make a positive impact. How can we get from choosing safe silence to choosing our voices? What can companies do to instill safety to speak up, safety to fail, and safety to express ourselves? And what can we as practitioners do, as peers and leaders in our work environments?

Please join us for this lunch discussion at the Ringlers Pub. We want to know your experience. We want to learn from each other and build our community of practice. We want a chance to discover what we have not seen and gain a new perspective.

You can find us in the back under the Crystal Ballroom, ask for the Agile PDX group and you will find us over yummy food and drinks.

Events are made possible by the AgilePDX community and our sponsors, including platinum sponsor ProFocus Technology (https://www.profocustechnology.com/). Learn more about our sponsors at https://agilepdx.org/sponsorship.

Additional Information:

Q: Is the space ADA accessible? A: Yes, McMenamins Ringlers Pub is ADA accessible. Please note, doors are manual but the staff is available to assist should you require assistance.

Q: Will there be gender neutral restrooms? A: McMenamins Ringlers Pub restrooms are designated Men and Women. There are no unisex/family/gender neutral restrooms at this location.

Q: Will there be food and drinks at this event? A: Food & Drink (including alcohol) is available to purchase, and we have table service. Standard pub fare & pub prices.

Q: What is the easiest way to get to the venue? A: Parking downtown is limited, so we recommend public transportation or a ride-share option, or another personal transportation (bicycle, etc). For public transportation options, please visit trimet website to plan your trip to Ringlers at 1332 W Burnside Street in Downtown Portland.

Q: How do I enter the building? A: We are in the side room under the Crystal Ballroom. You can use the entrance on the corner of Burnside & 14th. Let yourself in, and find us at the large table.

Are you in an organization that isn't traditionally associated with agile? Perhaps the water bureau or a non-profit? Or are you in an organization that is committed to a very structured project, process or quality framework? Either way our 4th Friday conversation this month is just for you.

If your organization somewhere in the middle; wanting to be agile but not entirely set up for it OR you are in a well oiled agile shop, my experience is that the folks applying agile in non-traditional places have a lot to teach us. Come join the conversation!

AgilePDX is providing a forum for Agile Project Managers, Agile Facilitators, and Scrum Masters to gather online once a month and discuss all things project, program, and portfolio related. Please join us for a Lean Coffee style event facilitated by experience Agile PM's and instructors in the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner prep program.

You'll be dialing in from your desktop with your favorite early morning brew. Please join with your camera on. The Zoom URL will be provided to confirmed attendees. Feel free to post questions to this meetup prior to the event.

We welcome divergent opinions and experience reports. Bring your challenges for groups feedback and support. Plan to join 15 minutes early for coffee clatch chat and networking or stay 15 minutes for the same networking experience.

As agile practitioners our role is to encourage individuals and organizations to practice the values of transparency and communication. In our journeys we may find that honesty, integrity and transparency are easier to do through conversations with individuals rather than open dialogue across organizational units. We need to find tools and techniques to live into these values and inspire leaders on how to manifest honesty and openness in every conversation not just the individual ones.

Come together and discuss this topic with us at Ringlers Pub on Friday the 2nd of August. We want to know your experience. We want to learn from each other and build our community of practice. We want a chance to discover what we have not seen or gain a new perspective.

You can find us in the back under the Crystal Ballroom, ask for the Agile PDX group and you will find us over yummy food and drinks.

Events are made possible by the AgilePDX community and our sponsors, including platinum sponsor ProFocus Technology (https://www.profocustechnology.com/). Learn more about our sponsors at https://agilepdx.org/sponsorship.

Additional Information:
Q: Is the space ADA accessible?
A: Yes, McMenamins Ringlers Pub is ADA accessible. Please note, doors are manual but the staff is available to assist should you require assistance.

Q: Will there be gender neutral restrooms?
A: McMenamins Ringlers Pub restrooms are designated Men and Women. There are no unisex/family/gender neutral restrooms at this location.

Q: Will there be food and drinks at this event?
A: Food & Drink (including alcohol) is available to purchase, and we have table service. Standard pub fare & pub prices. Menu link: https://d2660z551umiy9.cloudfront.net/files/menus/Crystal/RPmenu.pdf

Q: What is the easiest way to get to the venue?
A: Parking downtown is limited, so we recommend public transportation or a ride-share option, or another personal transportation (bicycle, etc). For public transportation options, please visit https://trimet.org/ to plan your trip to Ringlers at 1332 W Burnside Street in Downtown Portland.

Q: How do I enter the building?
A: We are in the side room under the Crystal Ballroom. You can use the entrance on the corner of Burnside & 14th. Let yourself in, and find us at the large table.

Please RSVP on our Meetup page to reserve your spot: https://www.meetup.com/AgilePDX-User-Group-Portland-Metro/events/262235120/
If you are unable to attend, please update your RSVP to open your seat for another attendee.

Join us for coffee/tea or beverage of your choice and fun discussions about how to overcome challenges we face or to share about Agile-inspired and other topics we agree or disagree with. This event is aimed at getting people in the North and NE areas of Portland and Vancouver together to facilitate discussions. It's not exclusive to people that live in the North and NE, just closer to those parts of the city to make it easier to come out.

We'll spend the first few minutes gathering discussion ideas, then roll right into the smooth easy cadence of the lively chatter.

If you aren't going to be able to make it, please update your RSVP so that we know how many to expect.

Parking:
Use the Gotham Building Parking lot on the corner of N Page St and N Borthwick Ave.

Building Entry:
Entry to the building is best through the door by Little Gotham Coffee. We'll have someone meeting on time attendees at the door. For those that run a few minutes late due to traffic or other reasons out of your control, there will be directions at the door on how to contact someone to let you in.

Weather Policy:
Cancellations will be posted on MeetUp and Calagater 3 hours before event time. We will not have the event in ice, or snowy conditions.

Percipio Consulting Group is opening up their offices to host this event.

Percipio is a business consulting firm that helps companies identify opportunities for improvement and successfully implement meaningful changes. That means more efficient processes, shored-up controls, a technology solution that really works for you, or all of the above. They have helped many companies, both Fortune 500 and mid-sized, navigate complex projects by truly understanding business needs and defining up front what success will look like.

Events are made possible by the AgilePDX community and our sponsors, including platinum sponsor ProFocus Technology: https://www.profocustechnology.com/. Learn more about our sponsors at https://agilepdx.org/sponsorship.

New to Lean Coffee?

It's a great way to have real, focused dialogue and we often discuss matters of agile, lean and such - but anything goes. As far as the mechanics, here's the format we'll follow:

Step 1: Everybody writes down proposed topics on stickies, placing them in the center of the table. Take as much time as needed, but typically takes only 3-5 minutes (or whenever coffee is ready).

Step 2: Each topic is briefly described by its writer to get a flavor for the subject (15-30 seconds typically per sticky).

Step 3: Each person gets five votes which they indicate by marking the voted-for sticky with their Sharpie. Mark with a plus + if you agree with the topic and want to discuss it, or a minus - if you disagree and want to discuss it, mark it with a dot if you want to hear the discussion and maybe join in. You can put all votes on one, one across many, however you feel. Each mark counts as one vote.

Step 4: The top vote-getting stickies are placed in the ToDo column, ordered by the stickies with the most votes at the top. In an Agile fashion, we'll use groupings of ToDo, Doing, Done and Lessons learned.

Step 5: Each of these stickies are discussed for 5 minutes, most votes first. The facilitator takes a quick "Cesar" (thumbs up/down) vote at the five-minute timer, and she moves on for three more minutes if the discussion still has majority interest. When complete, move the sticky over to the Done column. Rinse and repeat.

Step 6: wrap-up thoughts at the end - what one idea or person did you most enjoy, then break for home/drinks/cover.

Missing out on round-table discussions due to location? Try out this virtual gathering.

Join us to talk about coaching your team and your organization:
Scrum, one of the well-defined (and light!) frameworks to adopt agile principles states the Scrum Master serves not only the PO and team, but also the organization. And this is not limited to "helping employees understand Scrum" but also includes "Causing change that increases the productivity of the Scrum Team" - the limits of which are yours to interpret!
Read more at https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html

That said, we all have run into limits organization puts up, when change is happening from the team level upward. The Agile Fluency Model (https://www.agilefluency.org/) also takes a look at this balance of team and org, focusing on finding the right fit of agile practices that bring value to organizations.

What have you experienced? And what has helped you become successful in fostering an organization culture and structure that supports engaged and productive team members? What setbacks and company struggles have you witnessed, as you partner with your teams and peers to coach agile practices?

You are always welcome to join our community of practice. Bring your questions or stories to learn from and share!

Connect with us via Zoom:
Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/674417247

Events are made possible by the AgilePDX community and our sponsors, including platinum sponsor ProFocus Technology (https://www.profocustechnology.com/). Learn more about our sponsors at https://agilepdx.org/sponsorship.

Photo by Chris Barbalis on Unsplash

Please RSVP on our Meetup page to reserve your spot: https://www.meetup.com/AgilePDX-User-Group-Portland-Metro/events/262070829/
If you are unable to attend, please update your RSVP to open your seat for another attendee.

Join us for a beer (or beverage of your choice) and a snack at the Rogue Eastside Pub to discuss Start with Why by Simon Sinek. (Our poll tied twice, and this is part two!)

Here's the book in a nutshell, according to the handy Amazon description: "In 2009, Simon Sinek started a movement to help people become more inspired at work, and in turn inspire their colleagues and customers. Since then, millions have been touched by the power of his ideas, including more than 28 million who’ve watched his TED Talk based on START WITH WHY -- the third most popular TED video of all time.

Sinek starts with a fundamental question: Why are some people and organizations more innovative, more influential, and more profitable than others? Why do some command greater loyalty from customers and employees alike? Even among the successful, why are so few able to repeat their success over and over?

People like Martin Luther King Jr., Steve Jobs, and the Wright Brothers had little in common, but they all started with WHY. They realized that people won't truly buy into a product, service, movement, or idea until they understand the WHY behind it.

START WITH WHY shows that the leaders who've had the greatest influence in the world all think, act, and communicate the same way -- and it's the opposite of what everyone else does. Sinek calls this powerful idea The Golden Circle, and it provides a framework upon which organizations can be built, movements can be led, and people can be inspired. And it all starts with WHY."

Let's ponder and talk about how asking WHY will help us or hinder us on our agile journeys.

Join the #reading channel in our AgilePDX slack workspace to share your thoughts & ideas about this and future reads. Not part of AgilePDX slack? Send a request to [masked] and we'll invite you.

Events are made possible by the AgilePDX community and our sponsors, including platinum sponsor ProFocus Technology https://www.profocustechnology.com/ . Learn more about our sponsors at https://agilepdx.org/sponsorship.

This week we are shifting out one week due to the holiday, and are gathering on the second Friday of the month. Sean Lemson has graced us with the topic: how to demonstrate the effectiveness of agile coaching.

Agile coaches are often asked to demonstrate their impact. Because we engage with many different types of levels and situations, it can be difficult to collect baselines and find metrics that adequately and accurately demonstrate the impact. We are joining together to share what has worked, the experience the community of purpose has with this, and how we might make this something we can use as we bring others along on this agile journey. Everyone is welcome to join and share their experience, ask questions, and listen to different viewpoints and insights.

Events are made possible by the AgilePDX community and our sponsors, including platinum sponsor ProFocus Technology (https://www.profocustechnology.com/). Learn more about our sponsors at https://agilepdx.org/sponsorship.

Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash


Please RSVP at our Meetup page and get the Zoom connection info: https://www.meetup.com/AgilePDX-User-Group-Portland-Metro/events/260412485/
If you are unable to attend, please update your RSVP to open your space for another attendee.

AgilePDX is providing a forum for Agile Project Managers, Agile Facilitators, and Scrum Masters to gather online once a month and discuss all things project, program, and portfolio related. Please join us for a Lean Coffee style event facilitated by experience Agile PM's and instructors in the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner prep program.

You'll be dialing in from your desktop with your favorite early morning brew. Please join with your camera on. The Zoom URL will be provided to confirmed attendees. Feel free to post questions to this meetup prior to the event.

We welcome divergent opinions and experience reports. Bring your challenges for groups feedback and support. Plan to join 15 minutes early for coffee clatch chat and networking or stay 15 minutes for the same networking experience.

Join us for a hands-on workshop experiencing Mob Programming!

Note: The location of this workshop has changed! We are now at Jama Software (right across Taylor Street from our previous location). See the "How to find us" section for directions.

This workshop starts with a short discussion, then we will dive right in to mobbing on a simple programming problem that includes tests! We provide plenty of opportunities to ask questions and reflect on what we're learning.

All skill levels and software disciplines are welcome!!! The mob programming workshop is a risk free, safe space for you to learn and experiment with this energizing and effective way of creating software!

Mob Programming is a software development practice with many benefits - it raises code quality, removes knowledge silos, minimizes mental fatigue, and more. In practice it feels more like a bulldozer than a racecar - unstoppable and thorough.

The core of mob programming is pointing many pairs of eyes on a single problem, pushing all the code through a single keyboard. Each month we'll explore different methods for learning to mob well and reaping the rewards of this practice as soon as possible on your own team.

Facilitator Bio:

Jeff Patterson is a software quality engineer at Jama Software, language agnostic, quality evangelist, and non-traditional CS grad. He has facilitated Global Day of Code Retreat, founded a peer group to support Community College CS students transferring to University, and is often heard saying, "Software is made of people!"

Events are made possible by the AgilePDX community and our sponsors, including platinum sponsor ProFocus Technology (https://www.profocustechnology.com/). Learn more about our sponsors at https://agilepdx.org/sponsorship.

Please RSVP on our Meetup page to reserve your spot: https://www.meetup.com/AgilePDX-User-Group-Portland-Metro/events/262205676/
If you are unable to attend, please update your RSVP to open your seat for another attendee.

All of our agile tools, methods, and frameworks are only successful if there is trust within the team. Join us Friday June 28th for a build-our-own-adventure discussion on building trust within the team. Model good trust building behavior and share your trust challenges. Help your agile cohorts with your hard won lessons. This promises to be a helpful and timely discussion.

Events are made possible by the AgilePDX community and our sponsors, including platinum sponsor ProFocus Technology https://www.profocustechnology.com/. Learn more about our sponsors at https://agilepdx.org/sponsorship.

Please RSVP on our Meetup page to reserve your spot: https://www.meetup.com/AgilePDX-User-Group-Portland-Metro/events/261504385/
If you are unable to attend, please update your RSVP to open your seat for another attendee.

AgilePDX is excited to have been a part of the meaningful collaboration with Lean Portland, Responsive Portland, and Agile Open Northwest that launched Future of Work.

And we are proud to continue to collaborate by cross-posting the Future of Work's second annual conference in Portland https://fowpdx.com.

Future of Work is about creating safe spaces to build community and explore work-life innovation. This event is a collaborative Open Space conference to host discussions and ideations to reimagine our work spaces to create "workplaces where we can thrive and effect positive change as the world evolves."

Future of Work believes "that by coming together we are able to change the places where we work into environments where we trust and value one another; where we can integrate work with life; where we can innovate and be better humans through better companies."

We hope you will consider joining in to forward this good work for our agile community.

To RSVP, please register for the conference here:

Please RSVP on our Meetup page to reserve your spot: https://www.meetup.com/AgilePDX-User-Group-Portland-Metro/events/261472603/
If you are unable to attend, please update your RSVP to open your seat for another attendee.

Agile is part of an evolution in consciousness--in the nature of our awareness and noticing skills and our knowledge of self and other. When agile emerges in an organization, it does so within a consciousness unlike its own. Yet, our approaches to agility often impede its ability to stick where it emerges.

Agilists have used the frames of mindset and learning. But, we need to use the frames of consciousness and development in order to truly transform. In doing so, we see agile transformations are actually personal transformations. Organizations don't change, people change and then the organization adapts.

This deep dive session discusses the agile mindset and puts “mindset” in the context of “consciousness.” It speaks to advancing agilists who are trying to understand why adoptions go wrong when they have done everything "right." You are more likely to receive full value in this session if you have been pursuing agility within organisations for at least three years.

This session provides pointers on how to spot developmental as opposed to lower level learning experiences. It is based on my own practice, on research I did for my master’s thesis, and on my book The Preservation of the Agile Heart: From Mindset to Consciousness.

Learning Outcomes:

· Be able to articulate a working definition of consciousness
· Understand the difference between mindset and consciousness
· Understand how consciousness and human development align
· Understand the difference between learning and development
· Be able to spot learning opportunities that do not facilitate development
· Be able to create opportunities for personal development and self-care in the context of development

About the Presenter:

Jean Richardson is a consultant and coach with nearly 30 years of experience in software development, with half of that time spent in learning about agile and participating in the agile movement. For the last six years she has coached individuals and teams in agile-aspiring organizations. A former AgilePDX Coordinating Committee member, Jean is actively involved in helping, guiding, and coaching the agile community at the local and national levels toward a collective agile consciousness!

Notice: This meeting may be recorded.

Events are made possible by the AgilePDX community and our sponsors, including platinum sponsor ProFocus Technology https://www.profocustechnology.com/. Learn more about our sponsors at https://agilepdx.org/sponsorship.

Please RSVP on our Meetup page to reserve your spot: https://www.meetup.com/AgilePDX-User-Group-Portland-Metro/events/262003435/
If you are unable to attend, please update your RSVP to open your seat for another attendee.

Join us for a hands-on workshop experiencing Mob Programming!

This workshop starts with a short discussion, then we will dive right in to mobbing on a simple programming problem that includes tests! We provide plenty of opportunities to ask questions and reflect on what we're learning.

All skill levels and software disciplines are welcome!!! The mob programming workshop is a risk free, safe space for you to learn and experiment with this energizing and effective way of creating software!

Mob Programming is a software development practice with many benefits - it raises code quality, removes knowledge silos, minimizes mental fatigue, and more. In practice it feels more like a bulldozer than a racecar - unstoppable and thorough.

The core of mob programming is pointing many pairs of eyes on a single problem, pushing all the code through a single keyboard. Each month we'll explore different methods for learning to mob well and reaping the rewards of this practice as soon as possible on your own team.

Directions: The building you are looking for is on 2nd and Taylor (look for the Starbucks on the ground floor). Take the escalators on the 2nd St. entrance to the WTC Building One second floor lobby (ADA access: ground floor elevator). Take an elevator to the 9th floor (press '9' outside the elevators and use the indicated cab). Follow signs to the Cayuse lobby and sign in for the event.

Facilitator Bio:

Jeff Patterson is a software quality engineer at Jama Software, language agnostic, quality evangelist, and non-traditional CS grad. He has facilitated Global Day of Code Retreat, founded a peer group to support Community College CS students transferring to University, and is often heard saying, "Software is made of people!"

Events are made possible by the AgilePDX community and our sponsors, including platinum sponsor ProFocus Technology https://www.profocustechnology.com/. Learn more about our sponsors at https://agilepdx.org/sponsorship.

Please RSVP on our Meetup page to reserve your spot: https://www.meetup.com/AgilePDX-User-Group-Portland-Metro/events/tjcbbryzjbvb/
If you are unable to attend, please update your RSVP to open your seat for another attendee.

Join us for coffee/tea or beverage of your choice and fun discussions about how to overcome challenges we face or to share about Agile-inspired and other topics we agree or disagree with. This event is aimed at getting people in the North and NE areas of Portland and Vancouver together to facilitate discussions. It's not exclusive to people that live in the North and NE, just closer to those parts of the city to make it easier to come out.

We'll spend the first few minutes gathering discussion ideas, then roll right into the smooth easy cadence of the lively chatter.

If you aren't going to be able to make it, please update your RSVP so that we know how many to expect.

Parking:
Use the Gotham Building Parking lot on the corner of N Page St and N Borthwick Ave.

Building Entry:
Entry to the building is best through the door by Little Gotham Coffee. We'll have someone meeting on time attendees at the door. For those that run a few minutes late due to traffic or other reasons out of your control, there will be directions at the door on how to contact someone to let you in.

Weather Policy:
Cancellations will be posted on MeetUp and Calagater 3 hours before event time. We will not have the event in ice, or snowy conditions.

Percipio Consulting Group is opening up their offices to host this event.

Percipio is a business consulting firm that helps companies identify opportunities for improvement and successfully implement meaningful changes. That means more efficient processes, shored-up controls, a technology solution that really works for you, or all of the above. They have helped many companies, both Fortune 500 and mid-sized, navigate complex projects by truly understanding business needs and defining up front what success will look like.

Events are made possible by the AgilePDX community and our sponsors, including platinum sponsor ProFocus Technology: https://www.profocustechnology.com/. Learn more about our sponsors: https://agilepdx.org/sponsorship.

New to Lean Coffee?

It's a great way to have real, focused dialogue and we often discuss matters of agile, lean and such - but anything goes. As far as the mechanics, here's the format we'll follow:

Step 1: Everybody writes down proposed topics on stickies, placing them in the center of the table. Take as much time as needed, but typically takes only 3-5 minutes (or whenever coffee is ready).

Step 2: Each topic is briefly described by its writer to get a flavor for the subject (15-30 seconds typically per sticky).

Step 3: Each person gets five votes which they indicate by marking the voted-for sticky with their Sharpie. Mark with a plus + if you agree with the topic and want to discuss it, or a minus - if you disagree and want to discuss it, mark it with a dot if you want to hear the discussion and maybe join in. You can put all votes on one, one across many, however you feel. Each mark counts as one vote.

Step 4: The top vote-getting stickies are placed in the ToDo column, ordered by the stickies with the most votes at the top. In an Agile fashion, we'll use groupings of ToDo, Doing, Done and Lessons learned.

Step 5: Each of these stickies are discussed for 5 minutes, most votes first. The facilitator takes a quick "Cesar" (thumbs up/down) vote at the five-minute timer, and she moves on for three more minutes if the discussion still has majority interest. When complete, move the sticky over to the Done column. Rinse and repeat.

Step 6: wrap-up thoughts at the end - what one idea or person did you most enjoy, then break for home/drinks/cover.


Please RSVP at our Meetup page and get the Zoom connection info: https://www.meetup.com/AgilePDX-User-Group-Portland-Metro/events/261248175/
If you are unable to attend, please update your RSVP to open your space for another attendee.

Missing out on round-table discussions due to location? Try out this virtual gathering.

The topic this month is: Patterns of Resistance
Agile implementations introduce change, in processes and in mindset. And change raises concern, fear, and - resistance! As you've experienced organizational change (perhaps agile transformation), what have you observed as patterns of resistance? What is obvious, and what sneaks up? Where do they come from? And how can we apply agile principles of collaboration, iteration with inspection, and direct communication to help mitigate these patterns, and help people identify and grow into new opportunities?

You are always welcome to join our community of practice. Bring your questions or stories to learn from and share!

Connect with us via Zoom:
Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/674417247

Events are made possible by the AgilePDX community and our sponsors, including platinum sponsor ProFocus Technology https://www.profocustechnology.com/. Learn more about our sponsors at https://agilepdx.org/sponsorship.

Photo by Alex Rodríguez Santibáñez on Unsplash

Please RSVP on our Meetup page to reserve your spot: https://www.meetup.com/AgilePDX-User-Group-Portland-Metro/events/260412479/
If you are unable to attend, please update your RSVP to open your seat for another attendee.

You asked to talk to people who use Lean and Agile methods in government, and we found you John Dickson. What’s his biggest secret for success in using Lean and Agile? It’s all about respecting people and their opinions and never use the words Lean or Agile—and definitely never think of agile as a noun. John’s experience in Washington State and Spokane County government has made the papers—literally. And his Lean chops come straight out of Boeing.

Come hear John set context for a meaty discussion on doing what we do every day—successfully and in some of the toughest places to do it. Listen carefully, and be prepared for a hands-on, cheerful, conflict-welcoming style as you pose your questions and question your assumptions about how government services get delivered.

John has been an executive in private industry, state and now county government. He’s successfully led very large organizational transformations in each sector, giving him a unique perspective on how to effectively inspire people in any industry to willingly improve their processes to obtain better results.

Since March 2013, John has been Spokane County’s Chief Operations Officer. He’s leading significant operational improvement activities within county government and across the region focused on more efficient, effective and affordable processes. Since 2014, over 500 improvement projects have been initiated and run by county staff. And by collaborating with many local government and business leaders, several regional law and justice reform projects are successfully being implemented.

Previously, John worked for the military side of Boeing for over 20 years and had senior leadership roles on the Sea Launch, B-2 bomber, and F-22 Raptor programs. He left Boeing in 2006 to become Berg Integrated System’s General Manager, a start-up company in Plummer, ID, that fabricated large fuel bladders and expandable shelters for the US Army. His government career began in 2010 when he became WA State Employment Security Department’s Regional Area Director overseeing the WorkSource Spokane Employment Center. John has also been a Dale Carnegie leadership trainer since 2003 and has been ranked as high as their #2 trainer worldwide.

Meetup Description:
AgilePDX is providing a forum for Agile Project Managers, Agile Facilitators, and Scrum Masters to gather online once a month and discuss all things project, program, and portfolio related. Please join us for a Lean Coffee style event facilitated by experience Agile PM's and instructors in the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner prep program.

You'll be dialing in from your desktop with your favorite early morning brew. Please join with your camera on. The Zoom URL will be provided to confirmed attendees. Feel free to post questions to this meetup prior to the event.

We welcome divergent opinions and experience reports. Bring your challenges for groups feedback and support. Plan to join 15 minutes early for coffee clatch chat and networking or stay 15 minutes for the same networking experience.

Events are made possible by the AgilePDX community and our sponsors, including platinum sponsor ProFocus Technology: https://www.profocustechnology.com/
Learn more about our sponsors at https://agilepdx.org/sponsorship

Please RSVP on our Meetup page to reserve your spot: https://www.meetup.com/AgilePDX-User-Group-Portland-Metro/events/261482826/
If you are unable to attend, please update your RSVP to open your seat for another attendee.

Our community of practice wants to explore the evolution of Agile.

We acknowledge that the manifesto and principles were developed to address the unique needs for software engineering and development. Over the years we have seen Agile frameworks, both formal and informal, emerge and be embraced by different people and organizations. These frameworks are now being leveraged outside of software development. We see some of these tools being applied across many different industries and disciplines.

I believe we all share a view that iterative and incremental value delivery is a powerful tool. Self reflection and a commitment to continuous improvement is more than just a practice, it is a value to be lived.

Have we gotten to a place where it is time to have the conversation about (A)gile as a set of engineering practices, where (a)gility is how to empower people and teams to do valuable work in a different way regardless of the industry or product being delivered?

Events are made possible by the AgilePDX community and our sponsors, including platinum sponsor ProFocus Technology: https://www.profocustechnology.com/.
Learn more about our sponsors at https://agilepdx.org/sponsorship.

Please RSVP on our Meetup page to reserve your spot: https://www.meetup.com/AgilePDX-User-Group-Portland-Metro/events/260954070/
If you are unable to attend, please update your RSVP to open your seat for another attendee.

In-the-real-world, what does making a difference as a Scrum Master look like?

We know what the scrum guide says about Scrum Masters; what you are supposed to do. And we know that in practice, all kinds of other things happen. :) You want to make a difference.

So what does making a difference look like? Who do you need to be? What would be happening around you? What would you be doing that is different than standard scrum?

Bring your questions and your opinions and join a discussion that hopefully will inspire you to go out in the world to do great things.