The course is part of this learning path
Course Description
The AgileSHIFT framework defines the smallest possible team structure to support and encourage agility which includes the team members who deliver the product or service, the change sponsor and the coach who mentors the people doing the work. This modules looks at all three of these roles, as well as defining the optimum team size for effective communication and looking at the impact of technology on skills.
Learning Objectives
The objectives of this course are to provide you with and understanding of:
- Effective AgileSHIFT teams
- The benefits of self-organizing teams
- Team development stages (Tuckman)
- Optimum team size for collaboration and communication
- The AgileSHIFT Coach
- The AgileSHIFT Sponsor
- The impact of technology on skills
Intended Audience
The target audience for the AgileSHIFT qualification is any employee of an organization that intends to adopt AgileSHIFT. This includes people who will become champions of the new working practice and employees from any part of the business who will contribute to the incremental improvements that will make up the wider change the organization requires.
Prerequisites
There are no specific pre-requisites to study the AgileSHIFT course or for entry to the examination.
Feedback
We welcome all feedback and suggestions - please contact us at qa.elearningadmin@qa.com to let us know what you think.
There are two key roles that support the team – the AgileSHIFT coach and the AgileSHIFT sponsor.
The AgileSHIFT Coach
The first thing to understand is that the coach isn’t a project manager, a team manager or a scrum master. Their job is to:
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Ensure that the AgileSHIFT principles and practices are understood and followed by the team;
Facilitate meetings;
Provide guidance on the tools and documents that should be used; and
Teach new, agile ways of working.
So, they’re a facilitator, an enabler and an advocate for agile ways of working.
The coach is an expert in Agile frameworks but they don’t need to know about the work the team’s doing – so they can work across a few teams at a time. Their role is to help people work in an agile way, and be a ‘critical friend’ who’s committed to helping teams develop agility and ensure blockers to delivery are dealt with.
The AgileSHIFT Sponsor
Agile environments often have a product owner – AgileSHIFT has a similar role called a sponsor. They can be at any level of management and should lead some element of an agile initiative. Their job is to optimize the value delivered to the organization, stakeholders and customers, and they have the authority to start a work iteration and decide if it should continue.
The AgileSHIFT sponsor is responsible for:
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Communicating the organizational strategy and task priorities to the team;
Endorsing the work of the team and delivering the products or services to customers;
Supporting the team in optimizing value;
Making ‘go’ and ‘no go’ decisions during the work iterations; and
Monitoring and reporting progress to organizational leaders.
The sponsor is there to represent the organization and the stakeholders, and to make sure the team has everything it needs to deliver the best product or service it can in support of the customer.
Tony has over 20 years’ experience in Business Development, Business Change, Consulting, and Project/Program Management working with public, private, and third sector organizations.
He has helped organizations to design and create processes and procedures to align ways of working with corporate strategy. A highly motivated and detailed solution provider, utilizing a wide range of methods and frameworks to provide structure whilst promoting creativity and innovation.
As a confident and self-motivated professional with excellent communication skills, Tony is able to bring people together and get them working as a team quickly.
Tony is an Agile and Scrum trainer with a vast knowledge spanning IT Systems, Business Change, Program and Project Management. With excellent presentation skills and a solid background, he ensures that all clients gain maximum benefit from his training. He has successfully guided those new to the industry through their initial training, helped experienced staff as they progress in their careers, and worked at the director level advising on best use and practice, as well as tailoring courses to fulfil the exact needs of clients.