Questing for Value
Value is the holy grail that we all strive for. However, the old words of wisdom say: "More work doesn't always mean more value." Put on your adventuring boots, we're going on a Quest for Value!
Agile Matinée is a fortnightly dispatch curated by Panaxeo, one Agile topic at a time. We bribe five Agile enthusiasts with croissants and expect them to collect interesting and read-worthy content in return. This one embarks on a quest for Value!
Our world is output-driven. We all use the newest tools, have a sweet set of delivery metrics, and an all-stars team. Were matters this simple, building a successful business would be a walk in a park.
The harsh truth is that the only thing that matters is how much customer value we create. Becoming a value-oriented, outcome-focused organisation is a strategic decision — and it requires a whole new skillset. That's why we decided to bring you a selection of tips to kick-start (our course-correct) on value.
Happy reading!
1. Research'd - Elements of value
Ever felt frustrated with how the concept of (business) value gets thrown around in vague, "whatever-suits-my-argument" ways? It is the Holy Grail of our Quest, yet it remains undefined.
Getting a guide on what value is is a tall order.
Especially if it explains both the concept and the practice, is coherent, practical, and researched, aaand that teaches you how to optimize it in your own product.
Do the requirements sound too harsh? We don’t think so. This timeless piece by HBR is the best we’ve found so far. Worth a read.
2. The Perverse — How poor metrics created an army of mutilated cows
One of the deadliest enemies a manager faces on their quest are lousy metrics. No matter how good your intentions are, you must imagine the worst-case, outright perverse way of people bending it. Because, eventually, metrics and KPIs co-create culture.
In the 1990s, the European Union decided that the number of milk-producing cows needed to be reduced. What follows is a cautionary tale of how a simple innocent metric totally missed the point and instead, resulted in a man-made tragedy.
3. Mindset matters — How ETSY enforces Experimentation to sustain value creation
All our features and tickets are just hypotheses of value – the actual truth happens in production. We all know the Agile theory. So, it's always refreshing to get evidence from the big boys that the experiment-and-validate approach drives their success. They are always so secretive!
On your next commute, listen to Harry Stebbings interviewing Etsy CEO Josh Silverman about how Etsy structured its operations around constant experimentation. It’s agile and sustainably creates value.
4. Practically speaking - Calculating and prioritizing business value (ScrumInc.com)
Much has changed since 2014, but this in-depth presentation from the Agile 2014 Conference in Orlando failed to age. (Just like its author, Alex Brown. Sick beard!)
Explore the facets of value in the context of Scrum and get practical to determine and calculate it. Learn to manage value in an ongoing day-to-day hurry on your Agile project. There’s homework too. Gotta love homework.
5. What if… nobody cares? Impact Mapping Template to try now
When it comes to rallying the team around a vision, building empathy with the customers, or simply getting your product priorities straight — there's no better time-proven tool than Impact Mapping.
And since we all use Miro anyway, we found you a sweet template to conduct an Impact Mapping session with your team. Tim Herbig made it, and we think it's beautiful. You have zero excuses not to go and get that much-needed clarity.
6. Law and order — Why ordering a backlog by value or priority is a bad idea.
One of the evergreen misconceptions about Scrum is that you as the Product Owner should order the backlog by value. Or priority. That would, of course, make your life a whole lot easier but also turn your product into a long-term shipwreck.
Seems nuanced? It is. However, we found that the topic of work order is packed with misunderstandings in practice. Highlighting the correct way to approach Product Backlog ordering seemed like a worthy service to the world. Here you go.
That’s it; we’re off.
Hope you’ve basked enough in this Agile well of inspiration. Now, go about your day and put this stuff into practice! Oh, and unless you want to miss our next digest, follow us on LinkedIn or share this post with your friends and frenemies!
Hasta la Agilista, baby!