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Agile and Lean Program Management
Scaling agile or lean projects to a program is difficult. Dictating to a program doesn’t work. What does? Autonomy, collaboration and exploration. Learn how to become an agile and lean program manager or become a valued member of a program team and collaborate across the organization.
- GenresNonfiction
173 pages, ebook
First published May 25, 2015
42 people are currently reading
157 people want to read
About the author
Johanna Rothman
44 books108 followersPeople know me as the “Pragmatic Manager.” I offer frank, practical advice for your challenging product development problems.
I help leaders and teams see their current reality. Because one size never fits all, we explore options for what and how to change. The results? Leaders and teams learn to collaborate and focus on outcomes that matter.
My clients and readers appreciate both my trademark practicality and humor. I've written 21 books, hundreds of articles, and thousands of blog posts. See all my writing and monthly newsletters at www.jrothman.com and www.createadaptablelife.com.
I write in all genres except for horror because I need my sleep, and horror gives me nightmares. My short fiction has appeared in Pulphouse Magazine, Fiction River, and Heart’s Kiss in addition to several other anthologies.
I help leaders and teams see their current reality. Because one size never fits all, we explore options for what and how to change. The results? Leaders and teams learn to collaborate and focus on outcomes that matter.
My clients and readers appreciate both my trademark practicality and humor. I've written 21 books, hundreds of articles, and thousands of blog posts. See all my writing and monthly newsletters at www.jrothman.com and www.createadaptablelife.com.
I write in all genres except for horror because I need my sleep, and horror gives me nightmares. My short fiction has appeared in Pulphouse Magazine, Fiction River, and Heart’s Kiss in addition to several other anthologies.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 2, 2018
Great book. I'd highly recommend it to anyone working (or trying to work) in an Agile space. It's only really the first part that is very Programme specific/focused, thereafter most of the topics are relevant across "layers".
Very pragmatic/practical.
Provides ideas to solve some common, real-world problems.
I love how she ties everything back to one of the principles from either the Agile Manifesto or Lean Sofware Delivery at the end of each chapter.
Did end quite suddenly. But I guess these types of books don't really have an arc to them.
Very pragmatic/practical.
Provides ideas to solve some common, real-world problems.
I love how she ties everything back to one of the principles from either the Agile Manifesto or Lean Sofware Delivery at the end of each chapter.
Did end quite suddenly. But I guess these types of books don't really have an arc to them.
April 23, 2018
The first book who offers a decent strategy to scale agile development. Johanna introduces the concept of a program that is one level up from a project. It is not the same as a project and needs different approaches, but it can ensure to follow a common goal and bring different teams together to build on the same big application. Johanna addresses all the important parts and gives practical advice you can directly use.
February 5, 2017
This book is quite dry and full of lists, which make the audio version a bit dull. The material is good though. Worth reading on paper, I think.
January 26, 2020
Excellent. Full of tips and concepts.
November 24, 2021
Great read, pragmatic and helps contextualise the role of projects and programs in an agile context.
April 15, 2016
If you are thinking of "scaling" agile from one project to a program, read this book.
Scaling process produces bloat. Scaling collaboration is true to the agile principles and works.
Here's the longer blurb:
Scale collaboration, not process.
If you’re trying to use agile and lean at the program level, you’ve heard of several approaches, all about scaling processes. If you duplicate what one team does for several teams, you get bloat, not delivery. Instead of scaling the process, scale everyone's collaboration.
With autonomy, collaboration, and exploration, teams and program level people can decide how to apply agile and lean to their work.
Learn to collaborate around deliverables, not meetings. Learn which measurements to use and how to use those measures to help people deliver more of what you want (value) and less of what you don’t want (work in progress). Create an environment of servant leadership and small-world networks. Learn to enable autonomy, collaboration, and exploration across the organization and deliver your product.
Scale collaboration with agile and lean program management and deliver your product.
Scaling process produces bloat. Scaling collaboration is true to the agile principles and works.
Here's the longer blurb:
Scale collaboration, not process.
If you’re trying to use agile and lean at the program level, you’ve heard of several approaches, all about scaling processes. If you duplicate what one team does for several teams, you get bloat, not delivery. Instead of scaling the process, scale everyone's collaboration.
With autonomy, collaboration, and exploration, teams and program level people can decide how to apply agile and lean to their work.
Learn to collaborate around deliverables, not meetings. Learn which measurements to use and how to use those measures to help people deliver more of what you want (value) and less of what you don’t want (work in progress). Create an environment of servant leadership and small-world networks. Learn to enable autonomy, collaboration, and exploration across the organization and deliver your product.
Scale collaboration with agile and lean program management and deliver your product.
June 24, 2015
I really liked this book which is in Beta right now. Some chapters are not yet finished, but I found it to be inspirational and a pleasant read.
Most use cases in this book are related to managing large program teams. I was looking for feedback on how to introduce agile and lean practices in smaller groups, but found all the suggestions here quite helpful.
In this book it is the first time I have heard of "servant leadership". Something I already practiced naturally in part, believed it was the right path and now it sticks better in my head. A servant leader facilitates communication, removes obstacles, connects people, serves the program, trusts the people to do the right thing and manages by exception.
I like the stories in this book and the author's writing style, all this makes the book a fast lecture.
Most use cases in this book are related to managing large program teams. I was looking for feedback on how to introduce agile and lean practices in smaller groups, but found all the suggestions here quite helpful.
In this book it is the first time I have heard of "servant leadership". Something I already practiced naturally in part, believed it was the right path and now it sticks better in my head. A servant leader facilitates communication, removes obstacles, connects people, serves the program, trusts the people to do the right thing and manages by exception.
I like the stories in this book and the author's writing style, all this makes the book a fast lecture.
February 7, 2017
Everything I had complained about in a previously listened to book on Agile Program Management was remedied in this book!
Besides being an interesting listen, the author provides support PDF that she references often. Complaints I have had about other books where the narrator simply reads lists is addressed in this book. The author reads the list item, but then spends a few paragraphs talking about real world application referencing the PDF where needed.
Any book on Agile is going to be a challenge for me as I am not in the software development arena...but I did find a tremendous amount of ideas I hope to apply in my current project management role.
Besides being an interesting listen, the author provides support PDF that she references often. Complaints I have had about other books where the narrator simply reads lists is addressed in this book. The author reads the list item, but then spends a few paragraphs talking about real world application referencing the PDF where needed.
Any book on Agile is going to be a challenge for me as I am not in the software development arena...but I did find a tremendous amount of ideas I hope to apply in my current project management role.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews