Scott M. Graffius' Intellectual Property Was Utilized by Robert W. Malone, MD
Introduction
Intellectual property (IP)—including copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, patents, and algorithms—is a strategic asset that provides significant value. IP rights ensure creators can benefit from their hard work, discovery, and innovation. Infringement can damage the marketability and value of the IP. IP rights are so important that IP theft is a federal crime.
Scott M. Graffius maintains, enforces, and protects his copyrights and other IP rights.
This article covers the news that Robert W. Malone, MD used Graffius’ copyrighted 'Phases of Team Development' intellectual property in his book. However:
- Malone did not request nor receive permission to use Graffius’ intellectual property;
- Malone used Graffius’ copyrighted content word-for-word;
- Malone used Graffius’ intellectual property commercially—in his book;
- Malone used a significant amount of Graffius' copyrighted property; and
- Malone did not cite, reference or otherwise attribute Graffius’ respective IP content to Graffius.
Ensuring the integrity of intellectual property is paramount to Graffius. He is resolute in protecting and enforcing his copyrights and other IP rights.
This article presents facts—including visuals and additional evidence—and a critical analysis of this consequential matter.
Overview of Graffius' Copyrighted 'Phases of Team Development' IP
Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman, Ph.D. and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 100 subsequent studies, and Scott M. Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his ‘Phases of Team Development’ IP. It’s a unique perspective on the five phases of team development — Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning — and it’s inclusive of the characteristics and strategies for each phase.
Graffius published his 'Phases of Team Development' work as an article, among other mediums. The body of his article has text in typical — not bullet point — format. The typical format text by Graffius was used by Malone.
(For reference only, Graffius' same article includes a visual which incorporates a graph showing how performance varies by phase, as well as the characteristics and strategies for each phase. The visual has text in bullet-point format. Again, the body of the article has text in typical — not bullet point — format; that typical format text by Graffius was used by Malone.)
Graffius' ‘Phases of Team Development’ IP is registered with the United States Copyright Office.
Graffius initially developed his material in 2008, and he periodically refreshes it. In this case, the applicable edition is 2021. An example is here and other locations.
(For reference only, the most current [2024] edition of his 'Phases of Team Development' is here.)
Here’s a macro/wide view of Graffius' respective 2021 IP.
Here’s another macro/wide view of Graffius' respective 2021 IP, showing the main body of the article.
Here’s a zoomed-in view of Graffius' respective 2021 IP, showing the applicable text.
Here’s a zoomed-in view of Graffius' respective 2021 IP, showing his copyright information.
Graffius' copyright ownership details are clearly noted: "Copyright © 2021 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius."
Graffius presented his 2021 'Phases of Team Development' IP via multiple channels/platforms in 2021. Select examples include:
- Graffius’ blog (January 4, 2021) at: here.
- Graffius’ ResearchGate account (January 4, 2021) at: here.
- Graffius’ Twitter (now called X) account; one of many examples is (January 17, 2021) at: here.
- And some of Graffius’ appearances at conferences and other events; one example is Graffius’ talk at the IEEE’s ‘IEEE Day’ 2021 Event (October 5, 2021), a recording of his session is at: here.
Conference organizers, businesses, professional organizations, government agencies, and universities around the world engage Graffius to deliver compelling talks and workshops. To date, he's presented sessions at 91 conferences and other events across 25 countries:
- Armenia,
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- Czech Republic,
- Finland,
- France,
- Germany,
- Greece,
- Hong Kong,
- Hungary,
- India,
- Ireland,
- Lithuania,
- Luxembourg,
- Nepal,
- Netherlands,
- New Zealand,
- Norway,
- Romania,
- Sweden,
- Switzerland,
- United Arab Emirates,
- United Kingdom,
- and the United States.
His 'Phases of Team Development' IP is central and key to many of those sessions. Graffius' rate card and a listing of his engagements are here and here, respectively.
With an authorization/license from Graffius, many organizations have featured and used his 'Phases of Team Development' IP. Select examples include:
- Adobe,
- American Management Association,
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
- Boston University,
- Cisco,
- Deimos Aerospace,
- DevOps Institute,
- Ford Motor Company,
- Hasso Plattner Institute,
- IEEE,
- London South Bank University,
- Microsoft,
- New Zealand Government,
- Torrens University Australia,
- UK Sports Institute,
- University of Galway Ireland,
- U.S. National Park Service,
- U.S. Tennis Association,
- Virginia Tech,
- Yale University,
- and many others.
Robert W. Malone's Unauthorized, Word-for-Word, Commercial, Significant Amount, and Unattributed Use of Graffius' Intellectual Property
As already covered, Graffius' copyright ownership details are clearly noted: "Copyright © 2021 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius."
Robert W. Malone, MD used Scott M. Graffius’ copyrighted ‘Phases of Team Development’ intellectual property in his 2022 book, Lies My Gov’t Told Me: And the Better Future Coming. However:
- Malone did not request nor receive permission to use Graffius’ intellectual property;
- Malone used Graffius’ copyrighted content word-for-word;
- Malone used Graffius’ intellectual property commercially—in his book;
- Malone used a significant amount of Graffius' copyrighted property; and
- Malone did not cite, reference or otherwise attribute Graffius’ respective IP content to Graffius.
Evidence is archived. Visuals and additional information follows.
A side-by-side comparison is below. It shows Graffius' 2021 copyrighted content, on the topic of Forming. It also shows what Malone has in his 2022 book on the same topic: Malone uses Graffius' content word-for-word.
A side-by-side comparison is below. It shows Graffius' 2021 copyrighted content, on the topic of Storming. It also shows what Malone has in his 2022 book on the same topic: Malone uses Graffius' content word-for-word.
A side-by-side comparison is below. It shows Graffius' 2021 copyrighted content, on the topic of Norming. It also shows what Malone has in his 2022 book on the same topic: Malone uses Graffius' content word-for-word.
A side-by-side comparison is below. It shows Graffius' 2021 copyrighted content, on the topic of Performing. It also shows what Malone has in his 2022 book on the same topic: Malone uses Graffius' content word-for-word.
A comparison is also delineated next.
🟢 From Graffius' copyrighted 2021 'Phases of Team Development' IP, his content on Forming includes:
"include displaying eagerness, socializing, generally polite tone, sticking to safe topics, being unclear about how one fits in, and some anxiety and questioning."
🔴 From page 376 of Malone's 2022 book, Forming includes:
"include displaying eagerness, socializing, generally polite tone, sticking to safe topics, being unclear about how one fits in, and some anxiety and questioning."
🟢 From Graffius' copyrighted 2021 'Phases of Team Development' IP, his content on Storming includes:
"resistance, lack of participation, conflict related to differences of feelings and opinions, competition, high emotions, and starting to move towards group norms."
🔴 From page 376 of Malone's 2022 book, Storming includes:
"resistance, lack of participation, conflict related to differences of feelings and opinions, competition, high emotions, and starting to move towards group norms."
🟢 From Graffius' copyrighted 2021 'Phases of Team Development' IP, his content on Norming includes:
"improved sense of purpose and understanding of goals, higher confidence, improved commitment, team members are engaged and supportive, relief—lowered anxiety, and starting to develop cohesion."
🔴 From page 376 of Malone's 2022 book, Norming includes:
"improved sense of purpose and understanding of goals, higher confidence, improved commitment, team members are engaged and supportive, relief—lowered anxiety, and starting to develop cohesion."
🟢 From Graffius' copyrighted 2021 'Phases of Team Development' IP, his content on Performing includes:
"Characteristics of Performing include higher motivation, elevated trust and empathy, individuals typically deferring to the team's needs, effective production, consistent performance, and demonstrations of interdependence and self-management (also referred to as self-organization)."
🔴 From page 376 of Malone's 2022 book, Performing includes:
"Characteristics of Performing include higher motivation, elevated trust and empathy, individuals typically deferring to the team's needs, effective production, consistent performance, and demonstrations of interdependence and self-management (also referred to as self-organization)."
The indisputable proof shows that Malone used Graffius' copyrighted property.
Conclusion
Again, Graffius' copyright ownership details are clearly noted: "Copyright © 2021 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius."
Robert W. Malone, MD used Scott M. Graffius’ copyrighted ‘Phases of Team Development’ intellectual property in his book and:
- Malone did not request nor receive permission to use Graffius’ intellectual property;
- Malone used Graffius’ copyrighted content word-for-word;
- Malone used Graffius’ intellectual property commercially—in his book;
- Malone used a significant amount of Graffius' copyrighted property; and
- Malone did not cite, reference or otherwise attribute Graffius’ respective IP content to Graffius.
What Malone did was alarming and profoundly concerning. When others have done something not to Malone's liking or what he thought was wrong, Malone has been known to publicly criticize and characterize them as having "no moral compass." Examples are here and here.
Ensuring the integrity of intellectual property is paramount to Graffius. He is resolute in protecting and enforcing his copyrights and other IP rights.
This case is currently open.
Read on for additional information, including:
- About Scott M. Graffius;
- About Robert W. Malone;
- About Book by Robert W. Malone;
- About Copyright and Other Intellectual Property Rights;
- References/Sources; and
- How to Cite This Article.
About Scott M. Graffius
Scott M. Graffius, PMP, SA, CSP-SM, CSP-PO, CSM, CSPO, ITIL, LSSGB is an agile project management practitioner, consultant, creator, multi-award-winning author, and international public speaker. Founder and CEO of Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions™ and subsidiary Exceptional Agility™, he has generated over $1.9 billion for Global Fortune 500 businesses and other organizations he has served. Graffius and content from his books, talks, workshops, and more have been featured and used by Microsoft, Oracle, Broadcom, Cisco, Gartner, Project Management Institute, IEEE, National Academy of Sciences, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. National Park Service, U.S. Tennis Association, Yale University, and others. He delights audiences with dynamic and engaging talks and workshops on agile project management, AI, video game development, strategic alignment, the science of high performance teams, and more. To date, he's presented sessions at 91 conferences and other events across 25 countries. His full bio is available here.
About Robert W. Malone
Robert Wallace Malone is a physician and biochemist. His early work focused on mRNA technology, pharmaceuticals, and drug repurposing research. He's the author of the bestselling book, Lies My Gov't Told Me: And the Better Future Coming. Malone used Scott M. Graffius’ copyrighted ‘Phases of Team Development’ intellectual property in his book. Malone did not request nor receive permission to use Graffius’ intellectual property (IP). Yet, Malone used Graffius’ IP word-for word; he used it commercially—in his book, for his financial gain; he used a significant amount of it; and he did not cite, reference or otherwise attribute Graffius’ respective IP content to Graffius.
About Book by Robert W. Malone
Malone, Robert W. (2022, December). Lies My Gov't Told Me: And the Better Future Coming. ISBN-13: 978-1510773240. New York City, New York: Skyhorse Publishing.
About Copyright and Other Intellectual Property Rights
For copyright/IP infringement cases, it is recommended that you consult a qualified attorney.
Infringement of copyright and other intellectual property (IP) rights is a deplorable act of intellectual theft, displaying a flagrant disregard for professionalism, morality, ethics, and the law. It undermines the hard work and innovation of others and is a disgraceful, unprofessional, dishonest, immoral, unethical, and illegal practice. IP rights are so important that IP theft is a federal crime.
To learn about copyrights, visit the United States Copyright Office’s website at https://www.copyright.gov.
The Reporting Intellectual Property Crime: A Guide for Victims of Copyright Infringement, Trademark Counterfeiting, and Trade Secret Theft publication by the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice is a good resource.
The Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Center coordinates the U.S. government’s response to intellectual property crimes. Visit their website at https://www.iprcenter.gov to learn more.
See the References/Sources section for additional information.
References/Sources
Select bibliography:
- Bartlett, Tom (2021, August 12). The Vaccine Scientist Spreading Vaccine Misinformation. The Atlantic. Available at: https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2021/08/robert-malone-vaccine-inventor-vaccine-skeptic/619734/.
- Blaskovic, Andrew K.; Rusk, John-David; Parker, Victor C.; and Payne, Bryson R. (2022). Cybercrime and Intellectual Property Theft: An Analysis of Modern Digital Forensics. In book: Proceedings of the Future Technologies Conference (FTC) 2022, Volume 2. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-18458-1_36.
- Dolgin, Elie (2021, September 14). The Tangled History of mRNA Vaccines. Nature. Available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02483-w.
- Dyer, Jeff; Furr, Nathan; Lefrandt, Chris; and Howell, Taeya (2023, January 17). Innovation Depends on Intellectual Honesty. MIT Sloan Management Review. Available at: https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/why-innovation-depends-on-intellectual-honesty/.
- Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions (n.d.). Rate Card for 2023-2024. Available at: https://scottgraffius.com/resources/Exceptional-PPM-and-PMO-Solutions-Rate-Card-for-2023-2024-v23110907.pdf.
- Graffius, Scott M. (2021, January 4). Phases of Team Development (Update for 2021). DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.22040.42246.
- Graffius, Scott M. (2021, January 4). Using Bruce Tuckman's Phases of Team Development to Help Your Team Grow and Advance: 2021 Update. Available at: https://www.scottgraffius.com/blog/files/team-21.html.
- Graffius, Scott M. (n.d.). Intellectual Property (IP). Available at: https://www.scottgraffius.com/intellectual-property.html.
- Graffius, Scott M. (n.d.). Public Speaker. Available at: https://scottgraffius.com/publicspeaker.html.
- Hartline, Devlin (2016, September 26). Criminal Copyright Infringement is Crime of "Moral Turpitude." George Mason University Center for Intellectual Property x Innovation Policy. Available at: https://cip2.gmu.edu/2016/09/26/criminal-copyright-infringement-is-crime-of-moral-turpitude/.
- Huppert, Elizabeth; and Levine, Emma (2023, August 31). The Rise of Dishonest Leaders: Causes and Solutions. Academy of Management Perspectives, 37 (3). DOI: 10.5465/amp.2021.0063.
- Kenton, Will (2022, August 23). What Is a Whistleblower? Protections, Law, Importance, and Example. Available at: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/w/whistleblower.asp.
- Malone, Robert W. (2023, August 8). Demonic Nihilism. Substack. Available at: https://rwmalonemd.substack.com/p/demonic-nihilism.
- Malone, Robert W. (2023, January 6). Project Veritas has Broken Pfizer's Gain-of-Function Research Program Wide Open. Substack. Available at: https://rwmalonemd.substack.com/p/project-veritas-has-broken-pfizers.
- Malone, Robert W. (2022, December). Lies My Gov't Told Me: And the Better Future Coming. ISBN-13: 978-1510773240. New York City, New York: Skyhorse Publishing.
- McGregor, Jena. (2017, May 15). More CEOs are Getting Forced Out for Ethical Violations. Washington Post. Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/on-leadership/wp/2017/05/15/more-ceos-are-getting-forced-out-for-ethics-violations/.
- National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) (n.d.). About the Center. Available at: https://www.iprcenter.gov/about.
- Popomaronis, Tom (2020, August 20). These 11 Famously Disgraced CEOs Have Entered the Reputation Hall of Shame. Entrepreneur. Available at: https://www.entrepreneur.com/business-news/these-11-famously-disgraced-ceos-have-entered-the/354739.
- Rivera, Kristin; and Karlsson, Per-Ola (2017, June 6). CEOs Are Getting Fired for Ethical Lapses More Than They Used To. Harvard Business Review. Available at: https://hbr.org/2017/06/ceos-are-getting-fired-for-ethical-lapses-more-than-they-used-to.
- Smith, Isaac H.; Kouchaki, Maryam; and Wareham, Justin (2021, April 14). The Price Leaders Pay for Cutting Ethical Corners. MIT Sloan Management Review. Available at: https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/the-price-leaders-pay-for-cutting-ethical-corners/.
- Steffen, Thomas (2019, May 24). For CEOs, Integrity Is the Best Policy. Yale School of Management. Available at: https://insights.som.yale.edu/insights/for-ceos-integrity-is-the-best-policy.
- Sterne, Robert; and Chaplick, Trevor (2005, February). Why Directors Must Take Responsibility for Intellectual Property. Intellectual Asset Management Magazine. Available at: https://www.wsgr.com/PDFSearch/IP_RESPONSIBILTY.pdf.
- Stim, Richard (2024). Patent, Copyright & Trademark: An Intellectual Property Desk Reference (18th Edition). Berkeley, California: Nolo.
- Stubben, Stephen; and Welch Kyle (2018, November 14). Whistleblowers Keep Companies Healthy. Harvard Business Review. Available at: https://hbr.org/2018/11/research-whistleblowers-are-a-sign-of-healthy-companies.
- Thomson Reuters (2022, December 16). Copyright Litigation 101. Available at: https://legal.thomsonreuters.com/blog/copyright-litigation-101/.
- United States Copyright Office (USCO) (n.d.). Can I Use Someone Else's Work? Can Someone Else Use Mine? (Excerpt: "In cases of willful infringement for profit, the U.S. Attorney may initiate a criminal investigation.") Available at: https://copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-fairuse.html.
- United States Copyright Office (USCO) (n.d.). Welcome to the U.S. Copyright Office. Available at: https://www.copyright.gov.
- United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) (n.d.). Intellectual Property Theft and Commercial Fraud. Available at: https://www.dhs.gov/hsi/investigate/intellectual-property-and-commercial-fraud.
- United States Department of Homeland Security (US DHS) (n.d.). Intellectual Property Rights. Available at: https://www.dhs.gov/intellectual-property-rights.
- United States Department of Justice (DOJ) (n.d.). Reporting Intellectual Property Crime: A Guide for Victims of Copyright Infringement, Trademark Counterfeiting, and Trade Secret Theft (Third Edition). Available at: https://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-ccips/file/891011/dl.
- United States Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of the Inspector General (OIG) (n.d.). Whistleblower Rights and Protections. Available at: https://oig.justice.gov/hotline/whistleblower-protection.
- United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) (2013, July 24). Copyright Policy, Creativity, and Innovation in the Digital Economy. Available at: https://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/news/publications/copyrightgreenpaper.pdf.
- Vitasek, Kate (2022, November 29). The Role of Honesty in Success (and Why Cutting Corners is a Bad Idea). Forbes. Available at: https://forbes.com/sites/katevitasek/2022/11/29/the-role-of-honesty-in-success-and-why-cutting-corners-is-a-bad-idea/.
How to Cite This Article
Graffius, Scott M. (2024, June 6). Scott M. Graffius' Intellectual Property Was Utilized by Robert W. Malone, MD. Available at: https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/ip-theft.html.
About Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions
Shifting customer needs are common in today's marketplace. Businesses must be adaptive and responsive to change while delivering an exceptional customer experience to be competitive.
There are a variety of frameworks supporting the development of products and services, and most approaches fall into one of two broad categories: traditional or agile. Traditional practices such as waterfall engage sequential development, while agile involves iterative and incremental deliverables. Organizations are increasingly embracing agile to manage projects, and best meet their business needs of rapid response to change, fast delivery speed, and more.
With clear and easy to follow step-by-step instructions, Scott M. Graffius's award-winning Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions helps the reader:
- Implement and use the most popular agile framework―Scrum;
- Deliver products in short cycles with rapid adaptation to change, fast time-to-market, and continuous improvement; and
- Support innovation and drive competitive advantage.
Hailed by Literary Titan as “the book highlights the versatility of Scrum beautifully.”
Winner of 17 first place awards.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is available in paperback and ebook/Kindle in the United States and around the world. Some links by country follow.
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- 🇨🇦 Canada
- 🇨🇿 Czech Republic
- 🇩🇰 Denmark
- 🇫🇮 Finland
- 🇫🇷 France
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- 🇬🇷 Greece
- 🇭🇺 Hungary
- 🇮🇳 India
- 🇮🇪 Ireland
- 🇮🇱 Israel
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- 🇱🇺 Luxembourg
- 🇲🇽 Mexico
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand
- 🇳🇴 Norway
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- 🇨🇭 Switzerland
- 🇦🇪 UAE
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- 🇺🇸 United States
About Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change
Thriving in today's marketplace frequently depends on making a transformation to become more agile. Those successful in the transition enjoy faster delivery speed and ROI, higher satisfaction, continuous improvement, and additional benefits.
Based on actual events, Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change provides a quick (60-90 minute) read about a successful agile transformation at a multinational entertainment and media company, told from the author's perspective as an agile coach.
The award-winning book by Scott M. Graffius is available in paperback and ebook/Kindle in the United States and around the world. Some links by country follow.
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- 🇦🇹 Austria
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- 🇨🇦 Canada
- 🇨🇿 Czech Republic
- 🇩🇰 Denmark
- 🇫🇮 Finland
- 🇫🇷 France
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- 🇬🇷 Greece
- 🇮🇳 India
- 🇮🇪 Ireland
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- 🇱🇺 Luxembourg
- 🇲🇽 Mexico
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- 🇨🇭 Switzerland
- 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- 🇺🇸 United States
The short link for this article is https://bit.ly/theft-ip
© Copyright 2024 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
The Holiday Very Nice List: 10 Gifts to Impress in 2021
The Holiday Very Nice List: 10 Gifts to Impress in 2021 is a curated collection of highly-rated products which we love and made the top of our list.
Prices are in United States Dollar (USD) and information was current at the publication. Names, marks, and images are the property of their respective owners.
When you see a product you're interested in and you click through from our site to a retailer to get it, we may earn affiliate (such as Amazon Associates) commissions. This helps support our work, but it does not affect what products we cover or how we assess them, and it does not affect the price you pay.
Now—on to the list!
1. Apple TV 4K—with 64 GB of Storage
Apple TV 4K with 128 GB of Storage, Wi-Fi and Ethernet (3rd Generation)
- 4K Dolby Vision and HDR10+ for vivid picture quality
- Dolby Atmos for three-dimensional, theater-like sound
- Incredible power with the A15 Bionic chip
- Siri Remote brings precise control with a touch-enabled clickpad
- Wi-Fi and Ethernet for high-speed data transfer
- The latest shows, movies, sports, and live TV, all in one place
- More ways to enjoy your TV with Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, and Apple Music
- Use AirPlay to share photos, videos, and more from your iPhone, iPad, and Mac on your TV
- Pair with HomePod mini for hands-free control with Siri
- Acts as a home hub to connect and control smart home accessories
$165.00
Select here to see the product on Amazon.com
2. Zero Halliburton Profile Deluxe Backpack
Zero Halliburton Profile Deluxe Business Backpack
- Padded pocket to protect your electronic devices
- Newly designed carry handle is easy to grip and comfortable to hold
- Front zippered pocket with organizer
- Padded shoulder strap is designed to rest comfortably on your shoulder regardless of what you carry
$275.00
Select here to see the product on Amazon.com
3. Bose QuietComfort 45 Noise-Cancelling Headphones
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones
- LEVELED-UP LISTENING: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones with spatial audio give you an immersive experience that makes music feel more real; CustomTune technology offers personalized sound, shaped to you
- WORLD-CLASS NOISE CANCELLATION: These noise cancelling headphones feature Quiet Mode, Aware Mode and Immersion Mode, which combines full noise cancellation and Bose Immersive Audio
- CRYSTAL CLEAR CALLS: Microphones focus on the sound of your voice and the noise cancelling headphones with mic filter out background noise for the clearest phone calls of any Bose headphones
- ELEVATED DESIGN, LUXE COMFORT: Soft ear cushions hug your ears, the band spreads pressure evenly and elevated materials let you make a statement with these noise cancelling over-the-ear headphones
- BLUETOOTH WIRELESS HEADPHONES: Advanced Bluetooth 5.3 offers connection within 30 feet of your device; SimpleSync allows you to sync with a Bose smart soundbar so you can listen to TV at your own volume
- 24-HOUR BATTERY LIFE: Listen longer with up to 24 hours of battery life (up to 18 hours with Immersive Audio), a 15-minute charge offers up to 2.5 hours of play time (up to 2 hours with Immersive Audio)
- CONNECT AND CONTROL: Touch controls on each earcup allow you to change volume, skip tracks, answer calls and change modes; you can also turn the Bluetooth headphones on/off simply with head motions
- MORE THAN JUST A PRESENT: Perfect for various ages and interests, you will make a friend or family member smile with joy when you give the gift of Bose
$429.00
Select here to see the product on Amazon.com
4. Zero Halliburton Edge Lightweight Collection Medium Attaché Case
Zero Halliburton Edge Lightweight Collection Medium Attaché Case
- Matte polycarbonate exterior.
- ZH Concave Edging.
- Custom-designed handle with ergonomic cushion-cut shape and rubberized feel.
- Combination lock for added security.
- Concave horizontal double rib design and subtle branding.
- Coated leather lining with organization sleeve.
- Minimal design to enable customizable versatility.
- Available in Black, Gray, and Navy.
$425.00
Select here to see the product on Amazon
5. Zero Halliburton Edge Lightweight Brilliant International Carry-On Case
Zero Halliburton Edge Lightweight Brilliant International Carry-On Case
- Polished polycarbonate.
- ZH Concave Edging for extra strength.
- Low-profile, retractable rubberized side handles.
- ZH Chassis with scalloped grip handle near wheels for easy lifting from trunk or overhead.
- Zip-around closure with integrated TSA combination lock.
- Three-stage retractable telescoping handle with ergonomically-positioned single button release.
- Sumptuously lined interior for pampered and organized packing: Two-sided zip in or out separator, wide-panel tie-down straps with air-flow mesh to hold clothes in place, extra pockets to stow smaller items, and unobtrusive hanger clip that can accommodate a range of hanger sizes.
- Rubber lined 360 wheels for added traction, ease, and shock absorption.
- Cushion-cut metal logo badge on which to hook a small shopping bag.
- Custom-made magnetized leather ID tag with monogram option.
- Concave double rib design and subtle branding.
- Available in Black, Blue Camo, Gray, & Navy.
$475.00
Select here to see the product on Amazon.com
6. Louis Vuitton Keepall 45 Bandoulière
Louis Vuitton Keepall 45 Bandoulière
This iconic Keepall 45 Bandoulière is fashioned in the new iconic black and grey Monogram Eclipse canvas. Since 1930, the Keepall duffle has journeyed alongside generations of elegant globetrotters. This version – with comfortable-to-hold leather handles, a strap for casual cross-body wear and a gleaming padlock – holds all the essentials for an overnight jaunt.
- 17.7 inches length x 10.6 inches height x 7.9 inches width
- Coated Canvas
- Natural Cowhide Leather trimmings
- Cotton Textile Lining
- Good capacity
- Cabin size
- Removable leather name tag
- Silver color metal pieces
- Strap: Removable, adjustable
- Strap drop: 14.2 inches
- Strap drop max: 19.7 inches
- Handle: Double
$2,440.00
Select here to see the product on LouisVuitton.com
7. Bose Lifestyle 650 Home Entertainment System
Bose Lifestyle 650 Home Entertainment System
$3,999.00
Select here to see the product at Bose.com
8. Dell Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition R14 Gaming Desktop—with Options
Dell Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition R14 Gaming Desktop—with Options
$5,509.99
Select here to see the product at Dell.com
9. Hasselblad 907X Anniversary Edition Medium Format Camera Kit
Hasselblad 907X Anniversary Edition Medium Format Camera Kit
- CFV II 50C (Anniversary Edition) (Includes Battery and Protection Cover Lid) - 907X (Anniversary Edition) (Includes Front and Rear Covers) - Focusing Screen Mask - XCD 30mm f/3.5 Lens (Anniversary Edition) (Includes Front and Rear Lens Caps) - Lens Shade - Control Grip - Optical Viewfinder - USB Power Adapter - Shoulder Strap - Expose Cable 503 CW - Flash Input Sync Cable - Flash Output Sync Cable - USB 3.0 Type-C with USB-A Connector Cable - Lens Protective Pouch - Hasselblad 1 Year Limited
- Large medium format 50MP CMOS sensor
- Up to 14 stops of dynamic range
- Captures 16-bit RAW images and full resolution JPEGs
- Video: 2.7k (2720 x 1530) & Full HD (1920 x 1080) / Video covers full sensor width in a 16:9 ratio
$15,000.00
Select here to see the product on Amazon.com
10. Tesla Model S, Plaid Edition—with Options
Tesla Model S, Plaid Edition—with Options
$145,990.00.
Select here to see the product at Tesla.com
Happy Holidays!
The short link for this article is: https://bit.ly/nice-2021
© Copyright 2021 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" Made List of Best Scrum Books of All Time
Scott M. Graffius' Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions was named one of the Best Scrum Books of All Time by BookAuthority. A screen shot is available.
About Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions
Shifting customer needs are common in today's marketplace. Businesses must be adaptive and responsive to change while delivering an exceptional customer experience to be competitive.
There are a variety of frameworks supporting the development of products and services, and most approaches fall into one of two broad categories: traditional or agile. Traditional practices such as waterfall engage sequential development, while agile involves iterative and incremental deliverables. Organizations are increasingly embracing agile to manage projects, and best meet their business needs of rapid response to change, fast delivery speed, and more.
With clear and easy to follow step-by-step instructions, Scott M. Graffius's award-winning Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions helps the reader:
- Implement and use the most popular agile framework―Scrum;
- Deliver products in short cycles with rapid adaptation to change, fast time-to-market, and continuous improvement; and
- Support innovation and drive competitive advantage.
Hailed by Literary Titan as “the book highlights the versatility of Scrum beautifully.”
Winner of 17 first place awards.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is available in paperback and ebook/Kindle in the United States and around the world. Some links by country follow.
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- 🇨🇦 Canada
- 🇨🇿 Czech Republic
- 🇩🇰 Denmark
- 🇫🇮 Finland
- 🇫🇷 France
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- 🇬🇷 Greece
- 🇭🇺 Hungary
- 🇮🇳 India
- 🇮🇪 Ireland
- 🇮🇱 Israel
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- 🇱🇺 Luxembourg
- 🇲🇽 Mexico
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand
- 🇳🇴 Norway
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- 🇨🇭 Switzerland
- 🇦🇪 UAE
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- 🇺🇸 United States
About Author Scott M. Graffius
Scott M. Graffius is a technology leader, project management expert, consultant, international speaker, and award-winning author.
Scott is the CEO of Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions™, a professional services firm, where he partners with client companies to help them achieve their strategic objectives and business initiatives through project management leadership. The consultancy provides project, program, portfolio, and PMO management services inclusive of agile, traditional, and hybrid development and delivery frameworks. Business results include upgraded responsiveness to business needs, faster delivery and time-to-market, improved on-budget performance, higher customer and stakeholder satisfaction, and greater competitive advantage.
A fantastic agile transformation experience and result with a client in the entertainment industry was the inspiration for Scott’s book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions. It helps technical and non-technical teams develop and deliver products in short cycles with rapid adaptation to change, fast time-to-market, and continuous improvement—which supports innovation and drives competitive advantage. The book has garnered 17 first place awards from national and international competitions. Scott and Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions have been featured in Yahoo Finance, the Boston Herald, NBC WRAL, the Dallas Business Journal, the PM World Journal, BookLife by Publisher’s Weekly, Learning Solutions, Innovation Management, and additional media publications. A trailer, high-resolution images, reviews, a detailed list of awards, and more are available in the digital media kit.
Scott is a former vice president of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more. He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets, as well as experience spanning 20 countries.
Scott has a bachelor's degree in Psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds six professional certifications: Certified Scrum Professional (CSP), Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), Project Management Professional (PMP), Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL). He is a member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Within the IEEE, Graffius is a member of the Computer Society, the Consumer Electronics Society, the Broadcast Technology Society, the Internet of Things Community, and the Consultants Network.
He has been actively involved with the Project Management Institute (PMI) in the development of professional global standards. He was a member of the team which produced the Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition. Scott was a contributor and reviewer of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition and The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition. He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Congress 2019.
Scott regularly speaks at conferences and other events in the United States and internationally where he delights audiences with presentations on agile, traditional, and hybrid project, program, portfolio, and PMO management. He integrates content on professional standards, best practices, and his first-hand experience with successful implementations. Scott uses everyday language and custom vibrant visuals to make complex topics clear and understandable, and he provides audiences with practical information they can use. Scott spoke at Techstars Startup Week and at events in London and Las Vegas. He also delivered talks at the Los Angeles chapter of the PMI, the California Central Coast chapter of the PMI, the California Inland Empire chapter of the PMI (two events), and the California Central Valley chapter of the PMI. Attendees have said “Scott is an amazing speaker,” “fantastic presentation,” and “highly recommended!” A list of his past and upcoming appearances (including the Project World conference in Canada, and more) is available here.
His full bio is available here.
Connect with Scott on:
About BookAuthority
BookAuthority curates the books recommended by the world's most successful CEOs, business leaders, and domain experts such as Elon Musk, Warren Buffett, Sheryl Sandberg, and David Allen. Only the very best books are featured on BookAuthority. To keep BookAuthority's site objective and unbiased, ratings are calculated purely based on data. BookAuthority uses a proprietary technology to identify and rate the best nonfiction books, using dozens of different signals, including public mentions, recommendations, ratings, sentiment, popularity and sales history. BookAuthority does not accept requests to feature books, nor does BookAuthority conduct business with publishers or authors. BookAuthority has been featured on CNN, Forbes and Inc. The preceding information is based on content from BookAuthority.com.
© Copyright 2019 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Talk at Project Management Institute California Inland Empire Chapter on August 14, 2018
I had the pleasure of speaking on agile project management at a public event of the Project Management Institute California Inland Empire Chapter (PMICIE) on August 14th. My talk was titled "Agile Scrum: An Overview (Originally) for The Board of Directors of an Entertainment Company." It covered Scrum — including the roles, responsibilities, tools, and techniques unique to the framework — with a focus on best practices and top factors in typical successful implementations.
Thank you to William Parris, PMICIE President, and Stacey Wong, PMICIE Vice President of Programs, for the invitation and thank you to everyone who attended the session. I enjoyed meeting and talking with everyone.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Scott M. Graffius Presents Thought Leadership on Project and PMO Management; Listed at SpeakerHub
I'm pleased to present thought leadership on project, program, portfolio, and PMO management related topics of timely importance. I've delivered talks at private and public events in the United States and internationally. Examples of upcoming and past events follow.
- Scheduled to present “Agile Scrum: An Overview (Originally) for The Board of Directors of an Entertainment Company” at a public event of the Project Management Institute California Inland Empire Chapter (PMICIE) on August 14, 2018.
- Delivered a talk—“Agile Scrum: An Overview (Originally) for The Board of Directors of an Entertainment Company”—at a public event of the Project Management Institute California Central Coast Chapter (PMI-4C) on June 28, 2018.
- Spoke on agile project management at a public event of the Project Management Institute Los Angeles Chapter (PMI-LA) on July 25, 2017.
- Delivered a talk on innovation and project management at a private event in London, England on February 9, 2017.
I'm now on SpeakerHub. My profile includes information on availability, fees, pro bono work, and more.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" Now Available to Wider Audience Through More Retailers, Bookstores, Libraries, Academic Institutions, and Distributors
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions (Scott M. Graffius, author; Chris Hare and Colin Giffen, technical editors) helps teams deliver products and services in short cycles with rapid adaptation to change, fast time-to-market, and continuous improvement—which supports innovation and drives competitive advantage. Reactions to the book have been incredibly positive. It has won 17 first place awards.
I've been proud to have Amazon as the exclusive channel for Agile Scrum. Last month I received an email from a bookstore who wanted to carry the publication and asked about ordering it for resale. And on Monday of this week, a different bookstore called and had the same question. However, under the exclusive arrangement, distribution was limited to Amazon, and the bookstores were not able to get Agile Scrum for resale. To make the book available to those sellers—and others—I transitioned it to Expanded Distribution.
Both the print and ebook formats of Agile Scrum will still be available at Amazon, just not exclusively. Expanded Distribution provides access to a larger audience through more online retailers, bookstores, libraries, academic institutions, and distributors. With the change, Agile Scrum is now available for order through the following channels (in addition to Amazon):
- Bookstores and Online Retailers - available to online and offline retailers such as Barnes & Noble and to distributors such as Ingram and the National Association of College Stores, Inc. (NACSCORP).
- Libraries and Academic Institutions - offered through Baker & Taylor to libraries and academic institutions.
- CreateSpace Direct - available to certified resellers through the CreateSpace Direct wholesale website.
The move to Expanded Distribution was initiated on July 5.
Agile Scrum is offered in ebook/Kindle format (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) in:
🇦🇺 Australia from Amazon.com.au
🇦🇹 Austria from Amazon.de
🇧🇪 Belgium from Amazon.fr
🇧🇷 Brazil from Amazon.com.br
🇨🇦 Canada from Amazon.ca
🇫🇷 France from Amazon.fr
🇩🇪 Germany from Amazon.de
🇮🇳 India from Amazon.in
🇮🇪 Ireland from Amazon.co.uk
🇮🇹 Italy from Amazon.it
🇯🇵 Japan from Amazon.co.jp
🇱🇮 Liechtenstein from Amazon.de
🇱🇺 Luxembourg from Amazon.de
🇲🇽 Mexico from Amazon.com.mx
🇲🇨 Monaco from Amazon.fr
🇳🇱 Netherlands from Amazon.nl
🇳🇿 New Zealand from Amazon.com.au
🇸🇲 San Marino from Amazon.it
🇪🇸 Spain from Amazon.es
🇨🇭 Switzerland from Amazon.de
🇬🇧 United Kingdom from Amazon.co.uk
🇺🇸 United States of America from Amazon.com
🇻🇦 Vatican City from Amazon.it
Agile Scrum is sold in paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) in:
🇦🇼 Aruba from The Book Depository (via UK/Australia)
🇦🇺 Australia from Amazon.com.au
🇦🇹 Austria from Bokus.com (via Sweden)
🇧🇸 Bahamas from The Book Depository (via UK/Australia)
🇧🇪 Belgium from Bokus.com (via Sweden)
🇨🇦 Canada from Amazon.ca
🇨🇿 Czech Republic from Bokus.com (via Sweden)
🇩🇰 Denmark from The Book Depository (via UK/Australia)
🇫🇯 Fiji from The Book Depository (via UK/Australia)
🇫🇮 Finland from Bokus.com (via Sweden)
🇫🇷 France from Amazon.fr
🇩🇪 Germany from Amazon.de
🇬🇷 Greece from Bokus.com (via Sweden)
🇭🇺 Hungary from Bokus.com (via Sweden)
🇮🇸 Iceland from Bokus.com (via Sweden)
🇮🇳 India from Amazon.in
🇮🇪 Ireland from Amazon.co.uk
🇮🇱 Israel from The Book Depository (via UK/Australia)
🇮🇹 Italy from Amazon.it
🇯🇲 Jamaica from The Book Depository (via UK/Australia)
🇯🇵 Japan from Amazon.co.jp
🇱🇺 Luxembourg from Bokus.com (via Sweden)
🇲🇽 Mexico from Amazon.com.mx
🇲🇨 Monaco from Bokus.com (via Sweden)
🇳🇱 Netherlands from bol.com
🇳🇿 New Zealand from Fishpond.co.nz, Amazon.com (via USA), and Booktopia.com.au (via Australia)
🇳🇴 Norway from Bokus.com (via Sweden)
🇵🇪 Peru from The Book Depository (via UK/Australia)
🇵🇭 Philippines from The Book Depository (via UK/Australia)
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico from The Book Depository (via UK/Australia)
🇸🇬 Singapore from OpenTrolley Bookstore
🇿🇦 South Africa from Loot.co.za
🇰🇷 South Korea from Bokus.com (via Sweden)
🇪🇸 Spain from Amazon.es
🇸🇪 Sweden from Adlibris.com
🇨🇭 Switzerland from Bokus.com (via Sweden)
🇺🇦 Ukraine from The Book Depository (via UK/Australia)
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates from Amazon.ae
🇬🇧 United Kingdom from Amazon.co.uk, Blackwell's, and The Book Depository
🇺🇸 United States of America from Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, AbeBooks, Books-a-Million, Diesel Bookstore (Santa Monica, California), Laguna Beach Books (Laguna Beach, California), Warwick’s (La Jolla, California), The Booksmith (San Francisco, California), University Press Books (Berkeley, California), Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc. (San Francisco, California), University of Arizona Bookstore (Tucson, Arizona), Strand Books (New York, New York), Hudson Booksellers (New York, New York), Harvard Book Store (Cambridge, Massachusetts), Savoy Bookshop & Café (Westerly, Rhode Island), Books & Books (Miami, Florida), and others
🇻🇳 Vietnam from U-buy.vn
Get your copy today!
Review copies of Agile Scrum are available to members of broadcast, print or online media. Visit http://bit.ly/REVIEW-COPY.
For more information on the book and to connect on social:
- Digital press kit https://AgileScrumGuide.com
- Trailer http://bit.ly/ASG-TRAILER
- Video channel https://bit.ly/ASG-CHANNEL
- Amazon https://amzn.to/2fVA3lW
- Twitter http://bit.ly/ASG-TWITTER
- Facebook https://bit.ly/ASG-ON-FB
- Instagram https://bit.ly/ASG-INSTA
- Pinterest http://bit.ly/ASG-PIN
- Blog https://bit.ly/AGILE-BLOG
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
"Agile Scrum" Bonus Content Updated on 5 July 2018
Scott M. Graffius of Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions™ had consulting engagements with a division of a global entertainment business. A fantastic agile transformation experience and result with that client was the inspiration for Scott's book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions. This is an update on the book.
Online bonus material—containing an ever-growing list of supplemental content that comes free with the purchase of Agile Scrum—was updated today. Contents include satisfaction survey examples, quizzes, tools, select resources, and more. Instructions on how to access the online bonus material are provided inside the publication (both the ebook and the paperback format of the book).
For more information on Agile Scrum and to connect on social:
- Digital press kit https://AgileScrumGuide.com
- Trailer http://bit.ly/ASG-TRAILER
- Video channel https://bit.ly/ASG-CHANNEL
- Amazon https://amzn.to/2fVA3lW
- Twitter http://bit.ly/ASG-TWITTER
- Facebook https://bit.ly/ASG-ON-FB
- Instagram https://bit.ly/ASG-INSTA
- Pinterest http://bit.ly/ASG-PIN
- Blog https://bit.ly/AGILE-BLOG
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Talk by Scott M. Graffius at PMI California Central Coast Chapter Event on June 28, 2018
Thank you, California Central Coast chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMI-4C), for inviting me to speak at your June 28, 2018 meeting, where I presented “Agile Scrum: An Overview (Originally) for The Board of Directors of an Entertainment Company.” The turnout was fantastic, and it was a pleasure and honor to speak with such an engaging audience.
Special thanks to Chris Hare and Colin Giffen—the technical editors on the award-winning book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions—for their involvement.
Thanks to PMI-4C's Michael Peter and Robert Tucker for organizing and managing the event.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Scott M. Graffius at Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2017
This was the 50th anniversary of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), and it was a blast! Scott M. Graffius represented Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions™ at CES. Here are a few highlights.
It was a sort of a car show within a tech show. For example, there was Faraday Future’s FF91 — a 1,050 horsepower electric prototype with plenty of smart features. It is reported to go from 0 to 60 MPH in 2.39 seconds. Production is set to start in 2018.
Connected cars were a big trend. And the companies working behind the scenes — on features such as autonomous driving and voice-assist — shared the focus. Nvidia is working on technology that would enable cars to read your lips. Mobileye's cameras help cars get a sense of what is happening all around them.
Beyond cars, the Internet of Things (IoT) was present with connected products such as washing machines, coffee makers, and more. And there was coverage on wearables and VR.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
“Agile Scrum: An Overview (Originally) for The Board of Directors of an Entertainment Company” Talk at PMI-4C Chapter
Scott M. Graffius will deliver a talk—“Agile Scrum: An Overview (Originally) for The Board of Directors of an Entertainment Company”—at a public meeting of the Project Management Institute California Central Coast Chapter (PMI-4C) on June 28, 2018. For more information, and to register for the event, visit here.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Scott M. Graffius Speaking at PMI California Central Valley Chapter
Scott M. Graffius will present “Agile Scrum: An Overview (Originally) for The Board of Directors of an Entertainment Company” at a public event of the Project Management Institute California Central Valley Chapter (PMI-CCVC) on September 13, 2018. His talk provides a vibrant and highly visual overview of Scrum, the most popular agile framework for the development and delivery of products and services. For more information and to register for the event, visit here.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Scott M. Graffius to Speak on Agile Scrum at Techstars Startup Week - Inland Empire
Scott M. Graffius, CEO of Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions™, will be speaking at Techstars Startup Week. He will be presenting "Agile Scrum Helps Innovators, Disruptors, and Entrepreneurs Develop and Deliver Products at Astounding Speed Which Drives Competitive Advantage." The talk will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 4, 2018 at The Box Riverside (also known as The Box Theater) in Riverside, CA. For more information and to register for the event, please visit https://ie.startupweek.co.
Techstars Startup Week provides presentations, workshops, events, and mentoring sessions designed to inspire, educate, and advance startups and others in the local entrepreneurial community.
Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions™ helps organizations achieve their strategic objectives and business initiatives via world-class project management. The firm provides expert advisory, training, and facilitative consulting services related to project, program, portfolio, and PMO management in agile, traditional/waterfall, and hybrid development and delivery frameworks.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
“Agile Scrum" Business and Technology Guide Recognized by Shelf Unbound Competition
Today, Shelf Unbound named Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions a Top 100 Indie Book. A press release from Scott M. Graffius, the author of the book, is located here. Additionally, the text from the release is provided below.
Los Angeles, CA — Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions (Scott M. Graffius, author; Chris Hare and Colin Giffen, technical editors) was named one of the Notable 100 independently published books. The awards program is sponsored by Shelf Unbound, an international review magazine which connects readers with the best books from independent publishers. The contest was open to English-language works in digital and print formats from small press, academic press, and self-published authors. Editors of Shelf Unbound judged the entries, and the top hundred books are included in the Notable 100. The news is featured on page 90 of the April/May issue of Shelf Unbound magazine.
There are a variety of frameworks supporting the development of products, and most approaches fall into one of two broad categories: traditional or agile. Traditional practices engage sequential development, while agile models involve iterative and incremental deliverables. Organizations are increasingly embracing agile to best meet their business needs—and successfully manage projects, innovate, and prosper at astounding speed.
Scott released Agile Scrum to provide those interested or involved in innovation, product development, project management, software development or technology management with a roadmap to implement Scrum, the most popular agile framework. It helps teams develop and deliver products in short cycles with rapid adaptation to change, fast time-to-market, and continuous improvement—which supports innovation and drives competitive advantage.
Reactions to Agile Scrum have been incredibly positive. Earlier honors include 16 first place wins from national and international competitions: the 5th Annual Beverly Hills International Book Awards (for Business-General, and also for Technology), 2016 London Book Festival (for Business), Fall 2016 Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards (for Business), 2017 Feathered Quill Book Awards (for Informational), 2016 New Apple Book Awards (for Technology), 2017 Independent Press Award (for Technology), 11th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards (for Technology), 2017 Pacific Rim Book Festival (for Business), 2017 Bookvana Awards (for Green/Conscious Business), 2017 Book Excellence Awards (for Technology), 2017 Best Book Awards (for Business Reference), 2017 New York City Big Book Awards (for Technology), 2017 Royal Dragonfly Book Awards (for Science & Technology), 2017 Human Relations Indie Book Awards (for Workplace), and the 2018 Florida Book Festival (for Business).
About the Author
Scott M. Graffius, PMP, CSP, CSM, CSPO, ITIL, LSSGB is a project management expert, consultant, international speaker, and author. He founded and is CEO of Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, an Inc. Verified Business, which helps organizations better solve their problems and capitalize on opportunities via world-class project management related services. Results include more consistent realization of business outcomes, faster delivery speed, improved on-budget performance, higher satisfaction, and more. A fantastic agile transformation experience and result with a client in the entertainment industry was the inspiration for Scott's book, Agile Scrum. He is a former vice president of a provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet including social networking and internet access. Before that, Scott worked in organizations with businesses ranging from advanced technology products and services to business services, retail, e-commerce, manufacturing, and entertainment. He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets, as well as experience spanning 20 countries.
His full bio is available here.
Connect with Scott on:
About the Book
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
Review copies of Agile Scrum are available to members of broadcast, print or online media. Visit http://bit.ly/REVIEW-COPY.
Visit AgileScrumGuide.com to learn more about the publication. For more information on Shelf Unbound and their awards program, visit shelfmediagroup.com.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
The Importance of Managing Work in Progress (WIP)
The following example illustrates the importance of managing work in progress (WIP). While the scenarios pertain to a Scrum project, the point applies to other types of projects—such as Kanban and SAFe—as well.
Take a look at the results at the end of a sprint on a Scrum project. There are two scenarios. Both have the same user stories with the same story points for each:
- User story 1: 13 story points
- User story 2: 8 story points
- User story 3: 3 story points
- User story 4: 5 story points
- User story 5: 1 story point
- User story 6: 3 story points
- User story 7: 1 story point
Scenario A
Here are some details on A:
- User story 1: 70 hours of work performed, 5 hours of work remaining
- User story 2: 51 hours of work performed, no work remaining (and it meets the Definition of Done [DoD])
- User story 3: 45 hours of work performed, 13 hours of work remaining
- User story 4: 29 hours of work performed, no work remaining (and it meets the DoD)
- User story 5: 3 hours of work performed, 2 hours of work remaining
- User story 6: 30 hours of work performed, 17 hours of work remaining
- User story 7: 4 hours of work performed, 1 hour of work remaining
A is summarized as:
- 232 hours of work was performed, and 38 hours of work remains
- 2 user stories were done, and 5 user stories were not completed
Scenario B
Here are some details on B:
- User story 1: 75 hours of work performed, no work remaining (and it meets the DoD)
- User story 2: 51 hours of work performed, no work remaining (and it meets the DoD)
- User story 3: 58 hours of work performed, no work remaining (and it meets the DoD)
- User story 4: 29 hours of work performed, no work remaining (and it meets the DoD)
- User story 5: 5 hours of work performed, no work remaining (and it meets the DoD)
- User story 6: 14 hours of work performed, 33 hours of work remaining
- User story 5: no work performed, and five hours of work remaining
B is summarized as:
- 232 hours of work was performed, and 38 hours of work remains
- 5 user stories were done, and 2 user stories were not completed
What Counts
Scrum requires teams to build an increment of functionality during every sprint. Only work meeting the Definition of Done (DoD) is counted as complete, demonstrated at the sprint review meeting, and is potentially shippable.
There were two scenarios. Both had the same user stories with the same story points for each, and the same amount of work hours performed. Yet the outcomes were dramatically different. In A, 2 user stories were done--and are to be demonstrated at the sprint review meeting, and are potentially shippable. In B, 5 user stories were done--and are to be demonstrated at the sprint review meeting, and are potentially shippable. B is the better scenario.
A possible explanation for the differences between the two situations is that the Scrum team in B may have done a better job of limiting Work in Progress.
To learn more about agile/Scrum, check out the award-winning book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions. You're invited to visit the digital press kit, watch the trailer, and pick up a copy of the publication. It’s offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Are Agile and Scrum Limited to Technology Projects or Technology Industries?
Shifting customer needs are common in today's marketplace. Businesses must be adaptive and responsive to change while delivering an exceptional customer experience to be competitive. Traditional development and delivery frameworks are often ineffective. In contrast, Scrum is a value-driven agile approach which incorporates adjustments based on regular and repeated customer and stakeholder feedback. And Scrum's built-in rapid response to change leads to substantial benefits such as fast time-to-market, higher satisfaction, and continuous improvement—which supports innovation and drives competitive advantage.
Agile and Scrum were once the sole domain of software development. However, the benefits and results have not gone unnoticed by others. Practices are being adopted by additional departments and industries. Examples follow.
- The State of Scrum Report(1) revealed that 21% of Scrum projects are run by departments outside of Technology such as Marketing, Finance, and Sales.
- An article published in The New York Times(2) noted agile's use in diverse industries—with examples ranging from a museum in Sydney, Australia, to an automobile dealership in Maine.
- A business brief(3) illustrated how varied businesses—including John Deere, NPR, and Mission Bell Winery—employed agile.
In summary, agile and Scrum are used broadly. For more information on agile/Scrum, pick up a copy of the award-winning book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions. For more information on the publication, and to connect:
- Digital press kit https://AgileScrumGuide.com
- Trailer https://vimeo.com/178858753
- Video channel https://vimeo.com/channels/AgileScrumGuide
- Amazon https://amzn.to/2fVA3lW
- Twitter https://twitter.com/AgileScrumGuide
- Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AgileScrumGuide/
- Instagram https://www.instagram.com/AgileScrumGuide/
- Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/AgileScrumGuide/
References:
(1) Scrum Alliance (2017). The State of Scrum Report. Westminster, CO: Scrum Alliance, Inc.
(2) Hardy, Q. (2016, November 25). "The New Workplace is Agile, and Nonstop. Can You Keep Up?" The New York Times, page B1.
(3) Rigby, D. K., Berez, S., Caimi, G., and Noble, A. (2016). Bain Brief: Agile Innovation. Boston, MA: Bain & Company.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" Book Trailer — Updated on 13 April 2018
Agile Scrum Guide | Official Book Trailer from Scott Graffius on Vimeo.
Scott M. Graffius of Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions™ had consulting engagements with a division of a global entertainment business. A fantastic agile transformation experience with that client was the inspiration for his book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions. This is an update on the book.
The new book trailer for Agile Scrum is live at https://vimeo.com/178858753 (and it can be played above). This new version highlights some editorial reviews, and it features fresh music and additional updates. The total run time is 1 minute.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" Author Interview of Scott M. Graffius for Literary Titan
Scott M. Graffius of Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions™ had consulting engagements with a division of a global entertainment business. A fantastic agile transformation experience with that client was the inspiration for his book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions. This is an update on the book.
On March 16, Literary Titan published their review of Agile Scrum—“The book highlights the versatility of Scrum beautifully”—and they gave it five stars. On April 6, the program honored Agile Scrum with their Gold Award.
Today, Literary Titan published an interview I did for them. It's titled "That Fantastic Agile Transformation Experience: Scott M. Graffius Author Interview," and you're invited to check it out.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" by Scott M. Graffius Receives Gold Award from Literary Titan
Scott M. Graffius of Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions™ had consulting engagements with a division of a global entertainment business. A fantastic agile transformation experience with that client was the inspiration for his book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions. This is an update on the book.
On March 16, Literary Titan published their review of Agile Scrum—“The book highlights the versatility of Scrum beautifully”—and they gave it five stars.
Literary Titan periodically provides additional recognition for select works. Today, the program honored Agile Scrum with their Gold Award. Thank you to Literary Titan for the recognition. Thank you to Chris Hare and Colin Giffen, the technical editors on Agile Scrum.
A press release from Scott M. Graffius, the author of the book, is located here.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Technology Guide "Agile Scrum" Wins Top Honors — A Press Release from New Apple
Scott M. Graffius of Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions™ had consulting engagements with a division of a global entertainment business. A fantastic agile transformation experience with that client was the inspiration for his book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions. This is an update on the book.
Agile Scrum took first place in the Technology category of the New Apple Awards last year. I'm grateful for the honor, and I'm thrilled that the program continues to feature the book. Today, New Apple published a new press release about the book—"Technology Guide 'Agile Scrum' Wins Medalist Honors in New Apple Independent Book Awards." You can see the story at https://www.pr.com/press-release/749081.
Thank you to Chris Hare and Colin Giffen—the technical editors—for helping to make the book more clear, consistent, and valuable.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Produce Planning Cards™ — A Relative Estimation Tool and Technique for Agile Teams
Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions™ introduced Produce Planning Cards™ to help agile teams estimate work. An overview of the tool and the technique is provided in a video presented by Agile Scrum and Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions™. It's available at https://vimeo.com/261680776, and it can be played below.
Produce Planning Cards™ Help Agile Teams Estimate Work from Scott Graffius on Vimeo.
For more information on the Produce Planning Cards™, visit http://exceptional-pmo.com/Produce-Planning-Cards.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" Receives 5-Star Review from Literary Titan
Today, Literary Titan bestowed their highest rating of 5 stars to the business and technology book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions. A press release from Scott M. Graffius, the author of the book, is located here. Additionally, the text from the release is provided below.
"AGILE SCRUM: YOUR QUICK START GUIDE WITH STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS" BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS RECEIVES 5-STAR REVIEW FROM LITERARY TITAN
Los Angeles, CA — Literary Titan bestowed their highest rating of five stars to the business and technology book by Scott M. Graffius, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions. Literary Titan is an organization comprised of professional editors, writers, and professors; and they review English-language fiction and non-fiction works from around the world. Here's an excerpt from their review of Agile Scrum: "Unlike other books on the market, this one offers an informal look at Scrum without losing its practicality. The tone is conversational thus does not feel like a textbook, and it provides numerous examples and insight into real-world implementations of Scrum. I would recommend this to anyone looking to change their project management framework or work out knots in their current system. Scott M. Graffius delivers an in-depth understanding of the subject matter and instills the same in the reader."
There are a variety of frameworks supporting the development of products, and most methodologies fall into one of two broad categories: traditional or agile. Traditional practices engage sequential development, while agile models involve iterative and incremental deliverables. Organizations are increasingly embracing agile to best meet their business needs—and successfully manage projects, innovate, and prosper at astounding speed.
Scott released Agile Scrum to provide those interested or involved in innovation, product development, project management, software development or technology management with a roadmap to implement Scrum, the most popular agile framework. It helps teams develop and deliver products in short cycles with rapid adaptation to change, fast time-to-market, and continuous improvement—which supports innovation and drives competitive advantage.
Reactions to Agile Scrum have been incredibly positive. Earlier honors include 16 first place wins from national and international competitions: the 5th Annual Beverly Hills International Book Awards (for Business-General, and also for Technology), 2016 London Book Festival (for Business), Fall 2016 Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards (for Business), 2017 Feathered Quill Book Awards (for Informational), 2016 New Apple Book Awards (for Technology), 2017 Independent Press Award (for Technology), 11th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards (for Technology), 2017 Pacific Rim Book Festival (for Business), 2017 Bookvana Awards (for Green/Conscious Business), 2017 Book Excellence Awards (for Technology), 2017 Best Book Awards (for Business Reference), 2017 New York City Big Book Awards (for Technology), 2017 Royal Dragonfly Book Awards (for Science & Technology), 2017 Human Relations Indie Book Awards (for Workplace), and the 2018 Florida Book Festival (for Business).
About the Author
Scott M. Graffius, PMP, CSP, CSM, CSPO, ITIL, LSSGB is a technology leader, project management expert, consultant, international speaker, and author. He founded and is CEO of Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, an Inc. Verified Business, which helps organizations better solve their problems and capitalize on opportunities via world-class project management related services. Results include more consistent realization of business outcomes, faster delivery speed, improved on-budget performance, higher satisfaction, and more. A fantastic agile transformation experience with a client in the entertainment industry was the inspiration for Scott's book, Agile Scrum. He is a former vice president of a provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet including social networking and internet access. Before that, Scott worked in organizations with businesses ranging from advanced technology products and services to business services, retail, e-commerce, manufacturing, and entertainment. He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets, as well as experience spanning 20 countries. Scott lives in Los Angeles, California.
His full bio is available here.
Connect with Scott on:
About the Book
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
Note for Editors: Review copies of this award-winning book are available to credentialed journalists upon request. Visit bit.ly/REVIEW-COPY.
Visit AgileScrumGuide.com to learn more about the author and the publication. For more information on Literary Titan, visit literarytitan.com.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
New 1-Minute Video: Agile Has a Long and Colorful Heritage
Agile Scrum Guide | Minisode | Agile Has a Long and Colorful Heritage from Scott Graffius on Vimeo.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Agile Has a Long and Colorful Heritage — in an Infographic from Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions™
There's a widely-held view that agile development is new. But agile was used decades before it became well-known. For example, software was developed in half-day iterations in 1958 for Project Mercury, the United States' first human spaceflight program. And Harlan Mills of IBM promoted in 1968 that "software development should be done incrementally, in stages with continuous user participation and replanning."
Many innovators and visionaries have advanced agile—which includes Scrum—principles and practices over time. Agile Has a Long and Colorful Heritage: A Timeline Infographic from Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions™ illustrates via specific examples how agile has progressively evolved. The downloadable infographic is located here.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" by Scott M. Graffius Recognized by Wishing Shelf International Competiton
Today, The Wishing Shelf Book Awards announced an update on their 2017 international competition, and I'm pleased to share that Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is a finalist. A press release from Scott M. Graffius is located here. Additionally, the text from the release is provided below.
"AGILE SCRUM: YOUR QUICK START GUIDE WITH STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS" BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS RECOGNIZED BY WISHING SHELF INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
Los Angeles, CA — Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions by Los Angeles author Scott M. Graffius was named a finalist in the 2017 Wishing Shelf Book Awards. The United Kingdom-based contest is open to English language books from around the world which are self-published or published by small, independent or academic presses. Readers in London and Stockholm judged entries, and books rated as excellent are credited by the program.
There are a variety of frameworks supporting the development of products, and most methodologies fall into one of two broad categories: traditional or agile. Traditional practices engage sequential development, while agile models involve iterative and incremental deliverables. Organizations are increasingly embracing agile to best meet their business needs—and successfully manage projects, innovate, and prosper at astounding speed.
Scott released Agile Scrum to provide those interested or involved in innovation, product development, project management, software development or technology management with a roadmap to implement Scrum, the most popular agile framework. It helps technical and non-technical teams deliver products in short cycles with rapid adaptation to change, fast time-to-market, and continuous improvement—which supports innovation and drives competitive advantage. Reactions to Agile Scrum have been incredibly positive. Earlier honors include 16 first place wins from national and international competitions. Awards—along with reviews, photos, and more—are detailed at https://AgileScrumGuide.com.
About the Author
Scott M. Graffius, PMP, CSP, CSM, CSPO, ITIL, LSSGB is a project management expert, consultant, international speaker, and author. He founded and is CEO of Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, an Inc. Verified Business, which helps organizations better solve their problems and capitalize on opportunities via world-class project management related services. Results include more consistent realization of business outcomes, faster delivery speed, improved on-budget performance, higher satisfaction, and more. A fantastic agile transformation experience with a client in the entertainment industry was the inspiration for Scott's book, Agile Scrum. He is a former vice president of a provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet including social networking and internet access. Before that, Scott worked in organizations with businesses ranging from advanced technology products and services to business services, retail, e-commerce, manufacturing, and entertainment. He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets, as well as experience spanning 20 countries. Scott lives in Los Angeles, California.
His full bio is available here.
Connect with Scott on:
About the Book
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
Note for Editors: Review copies of this award-winning book are available to credentialed journalists upon request. Visit http://bit.ly/REVIEW-COPY.
For more information on the author and his publication, visit https://AgileScrumGuide.com. For more information on The Wishing Shelf and their international awards program, visit http://www.thewsa.co.uk.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" — Update on 19 February 2018
This is an overview and update on the award-winning book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, by Scott M. Graffius.
There are a variety of frameworks supporting the development of products and services, and most methodologies fall into one of two broad categories: traditional or agile. Traditional practices engage sequential development, while agile involves iterative and incremental deliverables. Organizations are increasingly embracing agile to best meet their business needs and effectively manage projects.
With clear and easy to follow step-by-step instructions, Agile Scrum helps the reader:
- Implement and use the most popular agile framework—Scrum
- Deliver products in short cycles with rapid adaptation to change, fast time-to-market, and continuous improvement
- Support innovation and drive competitive advantage
This guide is for those interested or involved in innovation, project management, product development, software development or technology management.
- It's for those who have not yet used Scrum
- It's also for people already using Scrum, in roles such as Product Owners, Scrum Masters, Development Team members (business analysts, solution and system architects, designers, developers, testers, etc.), customers, end users, agile coaches, executives, managers, and other stakeholders
For those already using Scrum, the book can serve as a reference on practices for consideration and potential adaptation.
Reactions to the book have been incredibly positive. Honors to date include 16 first place awards in national and international competitions.
- First Place Winner, Business-General Category, 5th Annual Beverly Hills International Book Awards
- First Place Winner, Technology Category, 5th Annual Beverly Hills International Book Awards
- First Place Winner, Business Category, 2016 London Book Festival
- First Place Winner, Business Category, Fall 2016 Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards
- First Place Winner, Informational (Business) Category, 2017 Feathered Quill Book Awards
- First Place Winner, Technology Category, 2016 New Apple Book Awards
- First Place Winner, Technology Category, 2017 Independent Press Award
- First Place Winner, Technology Category, 11th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards
- First Place Winner, Business Category, 2017 Pacific Rim Book Festival
- First Place Winner, Green/Conscious Business Category, 2017 Bookvana Awards
- First Place Winner, Technology Category, 2017 Book Excellence Awards
- First Place Winner, Business Reference Category, 14th Annual Best Book Awards
- First Place Winner, Technology Category, 2017 New York City Big Book Awards
- First Place Winner, Science & Technology Category, 2017 Royal Dragonfly Book Awards
- First Place Winner, Workplace Category, 2017 Human Relations Indie Book Awards
- First Place Winner, Business Category, 2018 Florida Book Festival
Additional awards—along with reviews and more—are listed in the digital media kit at AgileScrumGuide.com.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Scott M. Graffius Receives Certified Scrum Professional (CSP) Advanced Designation from Scrum Alliance
Today, I received the Certified Scrum Professional® (CSP®) advanced designation from the Scrum Alliance®. It's based on having fulfilled 70 or more hours of approved education/training, already holding recognized Scrum credential(s) (CSM® and CSPO® in my case), and documented successful professional experience with agile/Scrum in the last five years (my engagements with a fantastic client in the entertainment business—the inspiration for my book—contributed towards it). I'm proud to share this news.
The updated, long-length format of my bio is below.
Scott M. Graffius is a technology leader, project management expert, consultant, international speaker, and author.
He founded and is CEO of Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, an Inc. Verified Business (https://www.inc.com/profile/exceptional-solutions), which helps organizations achieve their strategic objectives and boost business results through world-class project management. The consultancy provides project, program, portfolio, and PMO management services inclusive of agile, traditional, and hybrid frameworks. Business results are significant. Examples include strategically aligned initiatives, faster delivery and time-to-market, improved on-budget delivery, higher customer and stakeholder satisfaction, and greater competitive advantage. Visit Exceptional-PMO.com.
Scott is a former vice president of a provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet including social networking and internet access. Before that, he worked in organizations with businesses ranging from advanced technology products and services to business services, retail, e-commerce, manufacturing, and entertainment. He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international customer markets, as well as international experience spanning 20 countries.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a focus in Human Factors. Scott has six certifications: Certified Scrum Professional (CSP), Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), Project Management Professional (PMP), Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL). He is a member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the IEEE Computer Society, the IEEE Consumer Electronics Society, the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society, the IEEE Consultants Network, and the IEEE Internet of Things Community.
Scott has been active in the development of professional global standards through engagements with the Project Management Institute. He was a member of PMI standards team which produced the Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition. Select recent examples include contributor and reviewer of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition, contributor and reviewer of The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition, subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI Global Congress 2016, and judge for the PMI 2015 Professional Education Provider of the Year Award.
He wrote Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions to provide those interested or involved in innovation, project management, product development, software development or technology management with an authoritative roadmap to easily and quickly implement Scrum, the most popular agile project management and delivery framework. Reactions to the book have been incredibly positive. Honors include 16 first place wins from national and international competitions: the 5th Annual Beverly Hills International Book Awards (for Business-General, and for Technology), 2016 London Book Festival (for Business), Fall 2016 Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards (for Business), 2017 Feathered Quill Book Awards (for Informational), 2016 New Apple Book Awards (for Technology), 2017 Independent Press Award (for Technology), 11th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards (for Technology), 2017 Pacific Rim Book Festival (for Business), 2017 Bookvana Awards (for Green/Conscious Business), 2017 Book Excellence Awards (for Technology), 14th Annual Best Book Awards (for Business Reference), 2017 New York City Big Book Awards (for Technology), 2017 Royal Dragonfly Book Awards (for Science & Technology), 2017 Human Relations Indie Book Awards (for Workplace), and the 2018 Florida Book Festival (for Business). See the press kit at AgileScrumGuide.com.
His full bio is available here.
Connect with Scott on:
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Scott M. Graffius Served as a Judge in the 2018 Textbook Excellence Awards
I was honored to serve as a judge (business/technical fields) in the Textbook & Academic Authors Association's 2018 Textbook Excellence Awards.
The Textbook & Academic Authors Association (TAA) provides professional development resources and events for textbook authors and authors of scholarly journal articles and books. Established in 1987, TAA is the only national, nonprofit membership association dedicated solely to assisting textbook and academic authors. TAA's name was changed from "Text and Academic Authors Association" to "Textbook & Academic Authors Association" in 2016 to offer a clearer identity for TAA in light of the new meaning of "texting" on smart devices today.
TAA created the Textbook Excellence Award—also known as the Texty—in 1992 to recognize current textbooks and learning materials. Nominated works must carry a copyright date for the previous or current year, and entries can include learning materials in all mediums. Textbooks in their first editions with publication dates in the previous or current year may compete for a Most Promising New Textbook Award. In 1993, TAA initiated the William Holmes McGuffey Longevity Award, to recognize textbooks and learning materials whose excellence has been demonstrated over time. Nominated works must have been in print 15 years and are still being sold. All works are ranked on certain criteria: interesting and informative, well organized and well prepared, up to date and appealing, and teachability.
TAA's annual conference will be held on June 15-16 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Awards will be presented at a ceremony during the meeting.
For more information on Scott M. Graffius, visit scottgraffius.com. For more information on the TAA including their awards program, visit taaonline.net.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Inc. Verified Business: Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions
Scott M. Graffius is the Founder and CEO of Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions™, and this is a concise overview and update on the company.
Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions™ helps organizations achieve their strategic objectives and boost their business results through world-class project management. The consultancy leverages its expertise, industry standards and best practices to deliver significant results. Examples include strategically aligned initiatives, faster time-to-market, improved on-budget delivery, higher customer and stakeholder satisfaction, and greater competitive advantage.
Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions™ is proud to be an Inc. Verified Business. The link to the profile on Inc. is https://www.inc.com/profile/exceptional-solutions.
For more on Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions™, visit exceptional-pmo.com.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Using Bruce Tuckman's Phases of Team Development
Teams go through stages of development, and Bruce Tuckman established a popular framework on the subject. According to Tuckman, all phases—Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning—are necessary for the team to grow, tackle problems, find solutions, plan work, and deliver results. This article provides a brief overview of the model, including descriptions and strategies for each phase.
1. Forming
Characteristics of Forming include questioning, socializing, displaying eagerness, focusing on group identity and purpose, and sticking to safe topics. Strategies for this phase include taking the 'lead,' providing clear expectations and consistent instructions, and quick response times.
2. Storming
Traits of Storming include resistance, lack of participation, conflict, competition, high emotions, and moving towards group norms. Strategies for this stage include normalizing matters and encouraging leadership.
3. Norming
Features of Norming include reconciliation, relief, lowered anxiety, members are engaged and supportive, and developing cohesion. Strategies for this phase include recognizing individual and group efforts, providing learning opportunities and feedback, and monitoring the 'energy' of the group.
4. Performing
Characteristics of Performing include demonstrations of interdependence, healthy system, ability to effectively produce as a team, and balance of task and process orientation. Strategies for this stage include celebrating, 'guide from the side' (minimal intervention), encouraging group decision-making and problem-solving, and providing opportunities to share learning across teams.
5. Adjourning
Traits of Adjourning include a shift to process orientation, sadness, and recognition of team and individual efforts. Strategies for this phase include recognizing change, providing an opportunity for summative team evaluations, and providing an opportunity for acknowledgments.
The illustration summarizes the above information—and it shows how performance fluctuates as teams move through each phase. This information may be helpful for looking at your team.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Potentially Shippable Product Increment and Minimum Viable Product Approach
Scrum requires teams to build an increment of functionality during every sprint, and the increment must be potentially shippable because the Product Owner might decide to release it at the end of the sprint.
- The product increment is the sum of all backlog items completed during the current sprint
- Potentially shippable is defined by a state of confidence or readiness
- Shipping is a business decision: shipping may or may not occur at the end of the sprint (new functionality may be accumulated via multiple sprints before being shipped)
Minimum Viable Product Approach
The product increment may or may not be marketable. However, a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) approach is sometimes used to help test marketable ideas. MVP is a product release strategy which can be used in Scrum (or another framework). The term was created by Frank Robinson, and popularized by Steve Blank and Eric Ries.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions (http://bit.ly/scrumone) says:
"The MVP has just those features considered sufficient for it to be of value to customers, and allow for it to be shipped or sold to early adopters. Customer feedback will inform future development of the product."
Here are a few examples of then-startups use of an MVP:
- Facebook: The first product (originally called Thefacebook) tested traction of students connecting with their college/class and posting messages. Other features—built on the initial success—came later.
- Groupon: It launched with a WordPress site and PDFs emailed to early subscribers. The test proved successful, and the company subsequently built its voucher system and backend.
- Spotify: The initial product was simple desktop app, tested in a closed beta. The MVP proved to be of interest to consumers, and more features followed.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" by Scott M. Graffius Takes First Place in Business at Florida Book Festival
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions by technology leader, project management expert, consultant, international speaker and author Scott M. Graffius won first place in Business at the 2018 Florida Book Festival. This is the sixteenth first place award for the book.
The competition was open to works from small, medium, large (including the Big Five), and independent presses as well as self-published authors. Judging was conducted by a panel of industry professionals, and placements were determined based on overall excellence. Winners will be honored at a gala on Saturday, February 24 in Orlando, Florida. Graffius is scheduled to attend and speak at the ceremony.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Product Backlog Ordering Technique: Factoring Business Value and Risk
Scrum is the most popular agile project development and delivery framework. In Scrum, the product release backlog (sometimes referred to as the product backlog) is a list of features, user stories, bugs to be fixed, and/or other requirements. The Product Owner is the ultimate holder of the backlog. The Product Owner prioritizes items, and different methods can be employed to help accomplish that work. This brief article focuses on the technique of factoring business value and risk.
Each item in the product release backlog would be rated as either high or low in two dimensions: business value and risk. It is suggested that high business value, high-risk items are worked on first. While that may seem counterintuitive, the earlier this work is done, the sooner the team will move to mitigate the issues and unknowns—leading to a higher quality product. If there's a failure, it will occur early and relatively inexpensively.
An ordering of priorities is illustrated above, and it follows:
1. High business value, high risk.
2. High business value, low risk.
3. Low business value, low risk.
4. Low business value, high risk.
Alternatively, other prioritization methods—such as the MoSCoW ranking model— may be used. MoSCoW will be highlighted in a subsequent article.
This content is an abridged excerpt from the award-winning book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, available in paperback and ebook formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" — Update on 12 January 2018
This is an overview and update on Agile Scrum.
There are a variety of frameworks supporting the development of products and services, and most methodologies fall into one of two broad categories: traditional or agile. Traditional practices engage sequential development, while agile involves iterative and incremental deliverables. Organizations are increasingly embracing agile to best meet their business needs and effectively manage projects.
With clear and easy to follow step-by-step instructions, Agile Scrum helps the reader:
• Implement and use the most popular agile framework—Scrum
• Deliver products in short cycles with rapid adaptation to change, fast time-to-market, and continuous improvement
• Support innovation and drive competitive advantage
This guide is for those interested or involved in innovation, project management, product development, software development or technology management.
• It's for those who have not yet used Scrum
• It's also for people already using Scrum, in roles such as Product Owners, Scrum Masters, Development Team members (business analysts, solution and system architects, designers, developers, testers, etc.), customers, end users, agile coaches, executives, managers, and other stakeholders
For those already using Scrum, the book can serve as a reference on practices for consideration and potential adaptation.
Reactions to the book have been incredibly positive. Honors to date include 15 first place awards in national and international competitions.
- First Place Winner, Business-General Category, 5th Annual Beverly Hills International Book Awards
- First Place Winner, Technology Category, 5th Annual Beverly Hills International Book Awards
- First Place Winner, Business Category, 2016 London Book Festival
- First Place Winner, Business Category, Fall 2016 Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards
- First Place Winner, Informational (Business) Category, 2017 Feathered Quill Book Awards
- First Place Winner, Technology Category, 2016 New Apple Book Awards
- First Place Winner, Technology Category, 2017 Independent Press Award
- First Place Winner, Technology Category, 11th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards
- First Place Winner, Business Category, 2017 Pacific Rim Book Festival
- First Place Winner, Green/Conscious Business Category, 2017 Bookvana Awards
- First Place Winner, Technology Category, 2017 Book Excellence Awards
- First Place Winner, Business Reference Category, 14th Annual Best Book Awards
- First Place Winner, Technology Category, 2017 New York City Big Book Awards
- First Place Winner, Science & Technology Category, 2017 Royal Dragonfly Book Awards
- First Place Winner, Workplace Category, 2017 Human Relations Indie Book Awards
Additional awards—along with reviews and more—are located in the digital media kit at AgileScrumGuide.com.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Planning Cards Help Agile Teams Estimate Work
🔥 Update: The product sold out!
Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions™ has Planning Cards as a tool to help agile teams estimate work. Excerpts of the information and instructions—which are included with each deck of the cards—follow. This article is for those interested in getting an overview.
About These Planning Cards
- These cards are used to help estimate work
- Each deck contains four sets of cards—enough for four estimators
- Each of the four sets has a unique color on the front side of cards—it’s in either blue, green, orange, or yellow
- Cards are based on the Fibonacci sequence, where every number after the first two is the sum of the two preceding numbers
- Each set includes cards with the following values: 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, and "?"
- Each deck comes in a storage case
Purpose
These cards and instructions support the most popular approach to estimating work in Scrum projects—estimating the complexity of work via story points.
The Development Team—which may be comprised of business analysts, coders, testers, etc.—collaboratively estimates each item in the product backlog in story points. Story points are a relative measure of complexity.
Participants
- Product Owner
- Development Team
- Scrum Master (facilitator/observer)
Frequency
- Once or twice per sprint
Time-box
- One hour for each week of the sprint
- It’s a common practice to limit each meeting to one hour and have multiple meetings as appropriate
Prerequisites/Inputs
- Product backlog containing user stories, bugs, and other requirements
- One set of planning cards for each member of the Development Team
Suggested Steps
1. If each member of the Development Team does not already have their own set of planning cards, the Scrum Master provides materials as needed
2. The Product Owner describes an item (a user story, bug, or other requirement) from the product backlog and mentions its intent and business value
3. Each member of the Development Team silently picks a card best representing their assessment of the complexity of the work and places the card face-down
4. After all of the Development Team members have made their selections, the cards are turned face-up, and the values are read aloud
5. If all of the selections have the same value, the Product Owner records it as the estimate, and that completes the exercise for the item; otherwise, proceed to the next step
6. Team member(s) who gave an outlier value —such as someone who gave a high value and/or someone who gave a low value—explain their reasoning
7. After a brief discussion, the team may take the most common value (the mode average) as the estimate or they may play another round of this planning game (steps 3-7)
8. Steps 2-7 are repeated until each item in the product backlog has been estimated
9. The Product Owner updates the product backlog with the estimate values
Options
Some organizations use a subset of the cards and slice product backlog items when the estimate is "too large." Here's an example:
- Development Team uses cards with the following values: 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, and 21
- Predetermined that 21 is "too large"
- If a product backlog item is estimated at 21, it is sliced into two or more parts in collaboration with the Product Owner, and the resulting smaller items are estimated by the Development Team
This article provided a quick overview of an aspect of estimation in agile projects. Further details—including more information on the Fibonacci sequence, and additional options—are provided in the book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions.
About Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions
Shifting customer needs are common in today's marketplace. Businesses must be adaptive and responsive to change while delivering an exceptional customer experience to be competitive.
There are a variety of frameworks supporting the development of products and services, and most approaches fall into one of two broad categories: traditional or agile. Traditional practices such as waterfall engage sequential development, while agile involves iterative and incremental deliverables. Organizations are increasingly embracing agile to manage projects, and best meet their business needs of rapid response to change, fast delivery speed, and more.
With clear and easy to follow step-by-step instructions, Scott M. Graffius's award-winning Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions helps the reader:
- Implement and use the most popular agile framework―Scrum;
- Deliver products in short cycles with rapid adaptation to change, fast time-to-market, and continuous improvement; and
- Support innovation and drive competitive advantage.
Hailed by Literary Titan as “the book highlights the versatility of Scrum beautifully.”
Winner of 17 first place awards.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is available in paperback and ebook/Kindle in the United States and around the world. Some links by country follow.
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- 🇨🇦 Canada
- 🇨🇿 Czech Republic
- 🇩🇰 Denmark
- 🇫🇮 Finland
- 🇫🇷 France
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- 🇬🇷 Greece
- 🇭🇺 Hungary
- 🇮🇳 India
- 🇮🇪 Ireland
- 🇮🇱 Israel
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- 🇱🇺 Luxembourg
- 🇲🇽 Mexico
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand
- 🇳🇴 Norway
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- 🇨🇭 Switzerland
- 🇦🇪 UAE
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- 🇺🇸 United States
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" Book Trailer — Updated 26 November 2017
Agile Scrum Guide | Official Book Trailer from Scott Graffius on Vimeo.
The trailer for Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions was updated. Content in the Seen In and Honors sections were refreshed. The video is tight—the total run time remains 30 seconds. The video is above and at https://vimeo.com/178858753.
Agile Scrum helps technical and non-technical teams deliver products in short cycles with rapid adaptation to change, fast time-to-market, and continuous improvement—which supports innovation and drives competitive advantage.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For more on the book, see the November 15, 2017 PRNewswire press release at https://finance.yahoo.com/news/scott-m-graffiuss-award-winning-204000210.html.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" Online Bonus Content — Updated on 28 November 2017
Online bonus material—containing an ever-growing list of supplemental content that comes free with the purchase of Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions—was updated today. A new quiz was added to the list. Instructions on how to access the bonus material are provided inside the ebook and inside the paperback book.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For additional information on the book, please see the November 15 press release, or visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" Takes First Place in Science & Technology at Royal Dragonfly Book Awards
November 16 was an especially fortunate day for Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions. As noted in an earlier post, it won first place in the Technology category at the 2017 New York City Big Book Awards. The same day, the book took first place in Science & Technology at the 2017 Royal Dragonfly Book Awards. The contest was open to English-language books in print from around the world from all presses including self-published authors. Books were rated on content, readability, and innovation by judges with expertise in the categories over which they presided. Exceptional books are honored with awards.
Including this new honor, the publication has received 14 first place awards from national and international competitions. Thank you to Chris Hare and Colin Giffen, the technical editors on the book.
A press release on the book—distributed on November 15 (the day before this win)—is located at Yahoo Finance at https://finance.yahoo.com/news/scott-m-graffiuss-award-winning-204000210.html.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" Wins First Place in Technology at New York City Big Book Awards
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions by Scott M. Graffius won first place in the Technology category at the 2017 New York City Big Book Awards. The competition was open to books in print and audiobooks from all authors and presses. Contestants ranged from independent authors to works from publishing giants. Entries were rated on presentation, editorial quality, and audience appeal. Works judged as best of the best are honored with awards.
Including this honor, the publication has received 13 first place awards from national and international competitions. Thank you to Chris Hare and Colin Giffen, the technical editors on the book.
A press release on the book—distributed on November 15 (the day before this win)—is located at Yahoo Finance at https://finance.yahoo.com/news/scott-m-graffiuss-award-winning-204000210.html.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Press Release: "Scott M. Graffius's Award-Winning Book on Agile Scrum Helps Organizations Drive Competitive Advantage"
There's a press release on the book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions. Distribution started today and as of the time of this post, the news has been carried by Yahoo Finance; Epicos—the information portal for Aerospace, Defense, and High Technology (ADHT) sectors; and 116 additional outlets. Distribution continues.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" is First Place Winner in the 5th Annual Beverly Hills International Book Awards ― Technology Category
The 5th Annual Beverly Hills International Book Awards recognized Scott M. Graffius' book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, as a winner in the Technology category (and also the Business-General category). The competition was judged by experts from all aspects of the book industry, including publishers, writers, editors, designers, and copywriters.
Thank you to the technical editors on the book, Chris Hare and Colin Giffen.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2016 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" is First Place Winner in the 5th Annual Beverly Hills International Book Awards ― Business-General Category
The 5th Annual Beverly Hills International Book Awards recognized Scott M. Graffius' book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, as a winner in the Business-General category (and also the Technology category). The competition was judged by experts from all aspects of the book industry, including publishers, writers, editors, designers, and copywriters.
Thank you to the technical editors on the book, Chris Hare and Colin Giffen.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2016 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" Awarded Five Stars Designation from Readers' Favorite
Readers’ Favorite awarded Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions with the best-in-class Five Stars designation.
Thank you to the technical editors on the book, Chris Hare and Colin Giffen.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2016 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" Reviewed by Readers' Favorite
Readers’ Favorite wrote, “The book is excellent.” I’m thankful for the review.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2016 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" Book Trailer — Updated on 10 November 2017
Agile Scrum Guide | Official Book Trailer from Scott Graffius on Vimeo.
The updated 30-second trailer for Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is live at https://vimeo.com/178858753 (and can be played above). Changes to the trailer include the addition of a new award—first place in the Business Reference category at the 14th Annual Best Book Awards—and revised formatting.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Scott M. Graffius Featured in BEA Author Showcase
I'm thrilled to be included in the BEA Author Showcase. The feature (here) relates the inspiration for the book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, and suggestions for aspiring authors.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" by Scott M. Graffius Took First Place in Business at Best Book Awards
The 14th Annual Best Book Awards named Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions by project management expert, consultant and author Scott M. Graffius as the first place winner in the Business Reference category. The annual competition is open to English-language books from all authors and publishers. Over 2,000 contestants ranged from first-time, self-published authors to bestselling works from publishing giants including Wiley, McGraw-Hill, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, St. Martin's Press, Penguin Random House, and Hachette Book Group. A panel of publishing industry experts judged entries, and outstanding books are honored with awards.
Thank you to the technical editors on the book, Chris Hare and Colin Giffen.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Contributor and Reviewer of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide)—Sixth Edition
I'm honored to have been a contributor and reviewer of the Project Management Institute's flagship standard, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide)—Sixth Edition. It includes new content for project delivery professionals working in the entire spectrum of approaches—from traditional (waterfall) to agile methodologies.
https://lnkd.in/g8r_Grd
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" Book Trailer — Updated 23 August 2017
Agile Scrum Guide | Official Book Trailer from Scott Graffius on Vimeo.
The updated, 30-second trailer for Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is shown above and it is available at https://vimeo.com/178858753.
Changes include two additional awards—First Place in the Business category at the 2017 Pacific Rim Book Festival, and First Place in the Green/Conscious Business category at the 2017 Bookvana Awards. Those honors to covered in separate entries earlier in the blog.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" Book Trailer — Updated 11 August 2017
Agile Scrum Guide | Official Book Trailer from Scott Graffius on Vimeo.
The updated, 30-second trailer for Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is shown above. Changes include the addition of the IndieBRAG award and a revision to the closing image.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" Book Trailer — Updated 3 August 2017
Agile Scrum Guide | Official Book Trailer from Scott Graffius on Vimeo.
The updated, 30-second trailer for Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is shown above.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Side-by-Side Comparisons of Agile Scrum and Waterfall Models: A Quick Look at Integration Management
"What are the similarities and differences between Scrum and waterfall?" That's a frequent question, and the answer follows. Scrum and waterfall methods both involve planning followed by forms of execution, monitoring and controlling. However, there are distinctions.
To help explain key differences, side-by-side comparisons were created on multiple areas such as scope management, quality management, integration management, etc. The information is included in the book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions. An excerpt is provided here. This post is titled, Side-by-Side Comparisons of Agile Scrum and Waterfall Models: A Quick Look at Integration Management.
The information is also shared simultaneously on Twitter (@AgileScrumGuide) and Facebook (AgileScrumGuide). This comparison is one from a series. Additional content will be posted separately.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" is Finalist in CIPA EVVY Book Awards
The 2017 CIPA EVVY Book Awards named Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions a finalist in the Business category! CIPA (the Colorado Independent Publishers Association) will announce the award placement levels at their awards ceremony on Saturday, August 19 at the Forney Museum of Transportation in Denver, Colorado.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Side-by-Side Comparisons of Agile Scrum and Waterfall Models: A Quick Look at Team Management
"What are the similarities and differences between Scrum and waterfall?" That's a frequent question, and the answer follows. Scrum and waterfall methods both involve planning followed by forms of execution, monitoring and controlling. However, there are distinctions.
To best explain key differences, side-by-side comparisons were created on multiple areas such as scope management, quality management, control management, team management, etc. The information is included in the appendix of the book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions. An excerpt is provided here. This post is titled, Side-by-Side Comparisons of Agile Scrum and Waterfall Models: A Quick Look at Team Management. (Note: In project management, team management is sometimes referred to as HR management.)
The information is also shared simultaneously on Twitter (@AgileScrumGuide) and Facebook (AgileScrumGuide). This comparison is one from a series. Additional content—comparisons on scope management, quality management, etc.—will be posted subsequently.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" is Bronze Medal Winner in 2017 Global Ebook Awards ― Business Category
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions by Scott M. Graffius received recognition from the 2017 Global Ebook Awards. Graffius' ebook won the bronze in the Business category (and also the silver in the Technology category).
Established in 2011, the competition is open to English-language ebooks from all publishers including the Big Five—Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Simon & Schuster, and Hachette—and self-published authors. Judging was conducted by librarians, professional critics and other industry professionals with experience in the category they evaluate. Ebooks were assessed on design, content, and overall appeal for the target audience. Awards shine a light on the best books available in digital format.
Thank you to the technical editors on the book, Chris Hare and Colin Giffen.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Added New Quiz to Online Bonus Content for Purchasers of Book
Online bonus material—containing an ever-growing list of supplemental content that comes free with the purchase of Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions—was updated today. A new quiz was added to the list.
Instructions on how to access the bonus material are provided inside the ebook and inside the paperback book.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" is Silver Medal Winner in 2017 CIPA EVVY Book Awards ― Business Category
On Saturday night, August 19, the Colorado Independent Publishers Association recognized author Scott M. Graffius at its 23rd Annual CIPA EVVY Awards in Denver, Colorado. Graffius was bestowed a silver medal in the Business category for his book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions. CIPA is a nonprofit cooperative of authors, book publishers and industry professionals; and the EVVY awards program is named after CIPA founder, Evelyn Kaye. The competition is open to books in print, e-books and audio books from around the world. Entries were judged by a panel of literary agents, authors, editors, critics, and business leaders. Outstanding works are credited with awards.
Thank you to the technical editors on the book, Chris Hare and Colin Giffen.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Side-by-Side Comparisons of Agile Scrum and Waterfall Models: A Quick Look at Quality Management
"What are the similarities and differences between Scrum and waterfall?" That's a frequent question, and the answer follows. Scrum and waterfall methods both involve planning followed by forms of execution, monitoring and controlling. However, there are distinctions.
To best explain key differences, side-by-side comparisons were created on multiple areas such as scope management, quality management, control management, team management, etc. The information is included in the appendix of the book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions. An excerpt is provided here. This post is titled, Side-by-Side Comparisons of Agile Scrum and Waterfall Models: A Quick Look at Quality Management.
The information is also shared simultaneously on Twitter (@AgileScrumGuide) and Facebook (AgileScrumGuide). This comparison is one from a series. Additional content—comparisons on scope management, communications management, etc.—will be posted subsequently.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" is Finalist in FAPA President's Book Awards
The 2017 FAPA President's Book Awards named Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions a finalist in the Business category! FAPA (the Florida Authors and Publishers Association) will announce the award placement levels at their awards ceremony on Saturday, August 5 at the Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace in Orlando, Florida.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Review and Examination Copy Programs — Updated on 10 October 2017
The review and examination copy programs were updated. It's now easier and quicker than ever for members of the media and instructors to request a paperback copy of Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions.
For members of the media: bit.ly/2gbU2uY.
For instructors: bit.ly/2gcKYG4.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions provides those interested or involved in innovation, project management, product development, software development or technology management with an authoritative roadmap to easily and quickly implement Scrum, the most popular agile project management and delivery framework. It helps technology and business teams deliver products in short cycles with rapid adaptation to change, fast time-to-market, and continuous improvement—which drives competitive advantage.
Reactions to the book have been incredibly positive. The Midwest Book Review wrote, “Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is an all-inclusive instruction guide that is impressively 'user-friendly' in tone, content, clarity, organization, and presentation.” Honors include 11 first place awards in national and international competitions.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
7 Business Benefits of Digital Transformation and How Agile Can Help Deliver Results Quickly
This is a brief overview of digital transformation—including key steps, business benefits, and how agile can help deliver results quickly.
Digital transformation is about leveraging data and connectivity to change the way the business competes and adds value. Leaders who don’t seize this opportunity will see their organization's business value erode.
Digital transformation involves three key steps:
- Convert data to insight. Collect, analyze and make sense of historical and real-time data.
- Impart insight to action. Leverage the insight as an action within a business process or other application.
- Convert action to outcome. Invent new or reinvent existing business processes or models, creating a stronger value proposition.
Digital transformation may yield one or more of the following benefits for businesses:
- Reach ROI sooner
- Better products/services
- Faster time-to-market
- Less waste
- More profit
- Protect/secure market share
- Improved competitive advantage
Digital transformation is about revolutionizing the way business is done, and an agile approach can help teams adapt and deliver value quickly. That supports innovation and succeeding in a rapidly evolving world.
For those interested in agile, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions provides an authoritative roadmap to easily and quickly implement Scrum, the most popular agile project management and delivery framework. It helps teams deliver products in short cycles with rapid adaptation to change, fast time-to-market, and continuous improvement―which drives competitive advantage. The book is available in paperback and ebook formats.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Video: Technical Debt — Including Top 7 Causes, and How to Avoid It
Agile Scrum Guide | Minisode | Technical Debt from Scott Graffius on Vimeo.
This (https://vimeo.com/238528947) is a “minisode” on technical debt. It’s a 60-second video version of an article on the same topic published earlier in this blog.
The content is an abridged excerpt from the award-winning book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, available in paperback and ebook formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" is First Place Winner in 2017 Book Excellence Awards ― Technology Category
The 2017 Book Excellence Awards named Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions by Scott M. Graffius as the first place winner in the Technology category. Sponsored by Literary Excellence Incorporated and based in Canada, the competition is open to English-language books in print, e-books and audio books from all publishers including self-published authors. The international program judged entries on overall quality and appeal to the target audience, and outstanding works are honored with awards.
Thank you to the technical editors on the book, Chris Hare and Colin Giffen.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Techniques for Gathering User Stories
In Scrum, user stories act as requirements. Each story represents a portion of business value that a team can deliver in an iteration. A common format is: “As a (role), I want (goal) so that I can (reason).” Here's an example: “As a customer, I want shopping cart functionality so that I can buy items online.” User stories are captured in the product release backlog. This short article focuses on techniques for gathering user stories.
The following methods can help the Product Owner gather material for user stories:
• Interviews: Ask a diverse group of users—or anticipated users if the product/service does not yet exist—open-ended questions containing "how" or "why." For example: "How would you pair this device with your iPhone?”
• Observation: Watch people using the product/service.
• Prototyping: Use tools such as sticky notes, PowerPoint, and wireframes to illustrate ideas, show preliminary versions of the product, and facilitate discussions.
• Surveys: Employ surveys where the Product Owner verbally asks respondents pre-determined questions, or questionnaires where items are presented via forms (online or in hard copy format).
• Workshops: This is a type of brainstorming where the group identifies as many user story ideas as possible. To support getting a high quantity of ideas, it is suggested that participants should not agree/disagree with or assess items during the workshop.
The above content includes excerpts from the book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions. It's offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Side-by-Side Comparisons of Agile Scrum and Waterfall Models: A Quick Look at Risk Management
"What are the similarities and differences between Scrum and waterfall?" Scrum and waterfall methods both involve planning followed by forms of execution, monitoring and controlling. However, there are distinctions.
To help explain key differences, side-by-side comparisons were created on multiple areas such as risk management, quality management, communications management, etc. The information is included in the book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions. An excerpt is provided here. This post is titled, Side-by-Side Comparisons of Agile Scrum and Waterfall Models: A Quick Look at Risk Management. This comparison is one from a series.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Book Trailer — Updated on 10 October 2017
Agile Scrum Guide | Official Book Trailer from Scott Graffius on Vimeo.
The 30-second book trailer for Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions (https://vimeo.com/178858753) was updated. The “Featured In” portion incorporates mentions of award placement news on sites of ABC, CBS and NBC affiliates. For example, ABC 7 (WZVN TV) lists the results of the 2017 Book Excellence Awards—where Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions took first place in Technology—on their site.
Reactions to the book have been incredibly positive. Honors include 11 first place wins in national and international competitions.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Contributor and Reviewer of Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition
I am honored to be a Contributor and Reviewer of The Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition by the Project Management Institute. The fourth edition will continue its evolutionary path from process-based to principle-based standard, expanding on the principles of program management to reflect good practice.
The PMI is scheduled to publish it in Q3 2017.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Contributor and Reviewer of Upcoming PMBOK® Guide – Sixth Edition
I am honored to be a Contributor and Reviewer of the PMI’s A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Sixth Edition. The PMBOK® Guide reflects evolving knowledge within the profession and is the leading global standard for project management. It has contributed significantly to the advancement of the project management profession worldwide by championing a common lexicon and disseminating generally accepted project management knowledge and practice.
The PMI is scheduled to publish it in Q3 2017.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Scott M. Graffius Selected as Featured Author by BookWorks
I’m honored that BookWorks selected me as a Featured Author. I was named for my favorably reviewed and award-winning non-fiction title, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions. Established in 2010, BookWorks is an international online community for authors and publishing industry professionals.
Thank you to the technical editors on the book, Chris Hare and Colin Giffen.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Talk on Agile Scrum at July 25 Meeting of LA Chapter of the PMI
It was an honor to speak on Agile Scrum: An Overview at the July 25 meeting of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Project Management Institute. The Q&A was engaging and insightful, and our time flew by quickly.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" is Silver Medal Winner in 2017 Literary Classics International Book Awards ― Instructional Category
The 2017 Literary Classics International Book Awards presented Scott M. Graffius with a silver medal in the Instructional category for his publication, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions. Literary Classics is dedicated to furthering excellence in literature. The judging committee was comprised of experts with backgrounds in publishing, writing, editing, design, and illustration. Books of exceptional merit promoting vision, creativity, and learning are honored with awards.
Thank you to the technical editors on the book, Chris Hare and Colin Giffen.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
5 Things You Need to Know About Leading Successful Large-Scale IT Modernization Projects
As business needs change and technologies advance, organizations often take on modernizing their IT systems. Some elect to do complete switchovers to new systems, but such "big bang" implementations may result in more challenges than taking a more measured and incremental approach.
This webinar from the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) covers topics to consider in executing large-scale modernization efforts. It includes: know where you want to be, know where you are, know what you need, know how to move forward, and iteratively move forward. The total run time for the video is one hour.
Since 1984, the SEI has been helping government and industry organizations to acquire, develop, operate, and sustain software systems that are innovative, affordable, enduring, and trustworthy. It serves the United States as a Federally Funded Research and Development Center and is based at Carnegie Mellon University, a global research university rated among the best for its programs in computer science and engineering.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Top 3 TED Talks for Project Managers
Here are three must-watch TED talks for those involved or interested in project management:
On creating harmony -
TED Talk by Itay Talgum
"Lead Like the Great Conductors"
On reducing complexities -
TED Talk by Yves Morieux
"As Work Gets More Complex, Six Rules to Simplify"
On sustaining a healthy team -
TED Talk by Dan Pink
"The Puzzle of Motivation"
If you enjoyed these talks, you’ll find 2,500+ more at TED.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
10 Key Changes to Government Project Management from the Program Management Improvement Accountability Act (PMIAA)
If you are involved or interested in government project or program management activities, here's an overview of the Program Management Improvement Accountability Act (PMIAA) which was passed into law by the US Federal Government in 2016. There are 10 key points.
This law established requirements for the Office of Management and Budget to:
1. Adopt and oversee implementation of government-wide standards, policies, and guidelines for project and program management;
2. Chair the Program Management Policy Council;
3. Establish standards and policies for executive agencies consistent with widely accepted standards for project and program management planning and delivery;
4. Engage with the private sector to identify best practices in project and program management that would improve federal project and program management;
5. Conduct portfolio reviews to address programs identified as high risk;
6. Conduct portfolio reviews of agency programs at least annually to assess the quality and effectiveness of program management; and
7. Establish a five-year strategic plan for project and program management.
The law specifies that the Office of Personnel Management must issue regulations that:
8. Identify key skills and competencies needed for an agency program and project manager;
9. Establish a new job series or update and improve an existing job series for program and project management; and
10. Establish a new career path for program and project managers.
Additionally, within three years of enactment, the General Accounting Office must issue a report examining the effectiveness of the following on improving federal project and program management: the standards, policies, and guidelines for project and program management; the strategic plan; Program Management Improvement Officers; and the Program Management Policy Council.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
List of 13 Most Valuable IT Credentials Include Three Related to Project Management
In IT, there's no substitute for experience. However, certifications remain a valuable tool for advancing one's career. CIO.com reports that 13 IT certifications emerged as the most valuable, and three of them are related to project management. Here's the list:
1. Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS)
2. Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE)
3. Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MCSD)
4. Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
5. Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
6. Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC)
7. Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT)
8. Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE): Cloud Platform and Infrastructure sub-category
9. VCP6 – DCV
10. AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional
11. Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
12. Project Management Professional (PMP)
13. Certified Scrum Master (CSM)
If you're interested in learning about the project management related certifications (CAPM, PMP and CSM), links follow. For information on the CAPM and PMP, visit the Project Management Institute. For information on the CSM, visit the Scrum Alliance.
Post-Publication Notes
If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.
This article by Scott M. Graffius on the most valuable IT certifications was published in 2019. Graffius periodically refreshes his work. The most current (2024) edition of his report is here.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Review and Examination Copy Request Forms Simplified
Complimentary softcover copies of Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions are available to media outlets and instructors.
Review copies are available for members of broadcast, print or online media including writers, reporters, producers, and editors—managing editors, assignment editors, and planning editors. The review copy request form was simplified. It's located here.
Examination copies are available for instructors at an accredited university or college who wish to consider the publication for adoption. The examination copy request form was also simplified. It's located here.
Requests are subject to availability and approval.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Agile Scrum Velocity
Velocity is a simple but powerful method for measuring the rate at which Scrum teams deliver business value. To calculate velocity, simply add up the estimates (usually in story points) of the features, user stories, requirements or other backlog items completed in an iteration. Only work completed per the definition of done counts.
Velocity, Actual
Actual velocity is the sum of the team’s delivery of completed work during an iteration, usually measured in story points.
Example 1: A team completed work on three out of three stories in a sprint:
• Completed story “A” had 3 points
• Completed story “B” had 5 points
• Completed story “C” had 8 points
The sum of the three completed stories is 16, so the velocity is 16.
Example 2: A team completed work on two out of three stories in a sprint:
• Completed story “X” had 2 points
• Completed story “Y” had 5 points
• Incomplete story “Z” had 5 points
Only completed stories count. The sum of the two completed stories is 7, so the velocity is 7.
Velocity values may fluctuate from iteration to iteration, but the values often stabilize for teams after they’ve completed between three and six sprints.
Velocity, Planned
Planned velocity is the historical velocity for the team. It is sometimes called the estimated velocity or ideal velocity. If the team has not done any iterations before, there is no historical data, and planned velocity does not yet apply. If there is historical data, sum all the velocity values and divide by the number of iterations to obtain the mean average, and use that value as the planned velocity. Using a simple method like the preceding one is advised, especially when starting out with Agile Scrum. Some organizations use alternatives—such as a three-point moving average, trimmed mean average or the median average—for planned velocity.
This content is an abridged excerpt from the award-winning book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, available in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Here's What Businesses are Doing with Artificial Intelligence
Disruption from artificial intelligence (AI) is here, but many leaders don't have clear expectations about AI or how it fits into their business. This brief article focuses on the disparity in understanding and implementation.
There are four organizational maturity clusters:
- Pioneers (19% of organizations): Businesses that both understand and have incorporated AI into their offerings and internal processes.
- Investigators (32%): Businesses that understand AI but are not deploying it beyond the pilot stage.
- Experimenters (13%): Organizations that are piloting AI without deep understanding.
- Passives (36%): Organizations with limited/no understanding of AI and no piloting/adoption.
Only 19% understand AI and have adopted it. Barriers for the remaining 81% may include issues with business cases, leadership, talent with AI expertise, and technology.
Data source: https://sloanreview.mit.edu/projects/reshaping-business-with-artificial-intelligence.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
7 Causes of Technical Debt and How to Avoid It
This is a brief introduction to technical debt—including top causes and how to avoid it.
Technical debt (also known as code debt and design debt) is a term used to describe the eventual consequences of a technical design or development choice made for a short-term benefit but with subsequent consequences. An example is writing suboptimal code to meet a deadline, knowing that the code will have to be rewritten later to make the software maintainable.
Technical debt may have one or more causes, such as:
1. Time pressures
2. Overly complex technical design
3. Poor alignment to standards
4. Lack of skill
5. Suboptimal code
6. Delayed refactoring
7. Insufficient testing
Over time, those factors result in the accumulation of technical inefficiencies that need to be serviced in the future. Unchecked technical debt may make the software more expensive to change than to re-implement.
Technical debt can be avoided or minimized by not taking shortcuts, using simple designs, and refactoring continuously. When there’s technical debt, the team should make the items visible by registering entries in the product release backlog, where the matters will be evaluated and prioritized for resolution.
Controlling technical debt (when others don't) can be a competitive advantage.
This content is an abridged excerpt from the award-winning book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
"Agile Scrum" is Silver Medal Winner in 2017 Global Ebook Awards ― Technology Category
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions by Scott M. Graffius received recognition from the 2017 Global Ebook Awards. Graffius' ebook won the silver in the Technology category (and also the bronze in the Business category).
Established in 2011, the competition is open to English-language ebooks from all publishers including the Big Five—Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Simon & Schuster, and Hachette—and self-published authors. Judging was conducted by librarians, professional critics and other industry professionals with experience in the category they evaluate. Ebooks were assessed on design, content, and overall appeal for the target audience. Awards shine a light on the best books available in digital format.
Thank you to the technical editors on the book, Chris Hare and Colin Giffen.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is offered in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Side-by-Side Comparisons of Agile Scrum and Waterfall Models: A Quick Look at Communications Management
"What are the similarities and differences between Scrum and waterfall?" That's a frequent question, and the answer follows. Scrum and waterfall methods both involve planning followed by forms of execution, monitoring and controlling. However, there are distinctions.
To help explain key differences, side-by-side comparisons were created on multiple areas such as scope management, quality management, communications management, etc. The information is included in the book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions. An excerpt is provided here. This post is titled, Side-by-Side Comparisons of Agile Scrum and Waterfall Models: A Quick Look at Communications Management.
The information is also shared simultaneously on Twitter (@AgileScrumGuide) and Facebook (AgileScrumGuide). This comparison is one from a series.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is available in digital and print formats.
The ebook (ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY) is available in:
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- France,
- Germany,
- India,
- Italy,
- Japan,
- Mexico,
- the Netherlands,
- Spain,
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States.
The paperback (ISBN-13: 9781533370242) is for sale at:
- Amazon,
- Barnes & Noble,
- Strand Books,
- Harvard Book Store,
- Books-a-Million,
- The Booksmith,
- Hudson Booksellers,
- Savoy Bookshop & Café,
- Compass Books at SFO/Books Inc.,
- Books & Books - Miami,
- University Press Books - Berkeley,
- and other retailers and partners in the United States and around the world.
For press, please visit AgileScrumGuide.com.
© Copyright 2017 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Side-by-Side Comparisons of Agile Scrum and Waterfall Models: A Quick Look at Time Management
"What are the similarities and differences between Scrum and waterfall?" That's a frequent question, and the answer follows. Scrum and waterfall methods both involve planning followed by forms of execution, monitoring and controlling. However, there are distinctions.
To best explain key differences, side-by-side comparisons were created on multiple areas such as scope management, quality management, control management, time management, etc. The information is included in the appendix of the book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions. An excerpt is provided here. This post is titled, Side-by-Side Comparisons of Agile Scrum and Waterfall Models: A Quick Look at Time Management.
The information is also shared simultaneously on Twitter (@AgileScrumGuide) and Facebook (AgileScrumGuide). This comparison is one from a series. Additional content—comparisons on scope management, communications management, etc.—will be posted subsequently.
<