August is Winding Down!
As we soak in the last of these ‘hot’ summer days, I have some ‘cool’ updates to share. But first, here’s a quick tip on Sprint Planning and vacation time.
Sprint Planning During Vacation Season
A common question I hear is, “How do we plan a Sprint when half the team is on vacation?” The quick answer: There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, so I recommend asking the team what they prefer. Here are a few options to consider:
Reduce the workload: If your team’s capacity is significantly impacted, take in less work. For example, if you usually plan for 20 points, reduce it to 10.
Adjust the Sprint length: If you typically run a 2-week Sprint but have a major holiday coming up, extend it to 3 weeks to accommodate more working time.
Switch to Kanban: My friend LeAnn’s company uses what they call “Christmas Kanban” during such times. A 2 - 4 week break from Sprinting.
Keep in mind, that velocity during these Sprints will likely be unreliable since they’re outliers. You might look at last year’s velocity for the same period, but it’s often not valid after a year’s time. Either way, I wouldn’t include this Sprint’s velocity in your average. Have a method that works for you? I’d love to hear about it—reply to this email and share!
The Agile Network—The Next Big Thing
If you haven’t heard about The Agile Network yet, it’s going to be a game-changer. Modeled after networks where fans connect with college athletes, this platform allows you to interact with Agile professionals, including Agile Manifesto signatories, XP creators, authors, Certified Scrum Trainers®, and professional coaches. You'll have access to videos, webinars, interactive sessions, and even personal video responses to your questions!
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We look forward to seeing you live soon on the network.
Wrapping Up the Summer
I hope your summer has been fantastic so far. If you’re following the trend of heading to ‘cooler’ destinations for your vacation, and you find yourself in Minnesota for tax-free shopping at the Mall of America or exploring the Canadian boundary waters, reach out! I’d love to meet up for a beverage, where we can chat, and you can enjoy some classic “yah, sure, you betcha” Minnesota hospitality.
As always, let me know if you have any questions.
Warm Regards,
Lonnie Weaver-Johnson, CST®
Partner, Sticky Agile, LLC
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