process improvement Archives - Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast

BONUS: Why More Code Doesn’t Mean Better Software — And Where AI Actually Helps Your SDLC

Most teams are adopting AI to write code faster. But what if code generation isn’t your bottleneck? Mooly Beeri has spent 25 years diagnosing where software organizations actually underperform — from Microsoft to Philips to automotive — and his message is clear: measure before you automate, and tie every AI investment to a business KPI.

You can also listen to the other episodes with Mooly right here.

The Pattern Debugger’s Origin Story

“I’ve been identifying patterns way before AI was doing that. One of my first jobs was Microsoft, and I got the opportunity to work in engineering excellence. Every single simple improvement would make the lives of so many people better and the code better and the products better.”

Mooly’s career started at Microsoft in engineering excellence, where he discovered his passion for finding process areas that need improvement. From there he built the first software centre of excellence for Philips, spawned it into a separate business, and has been doing the same process excellence work across healthcare, telecom, and automotive ever since. His framework: understand where you’re bleeding quality, revenue, or budget — then intervene there, not everywhere.

Improvement Doesn’t Mean Progress

“There are too many efforts to improve too many things that don’t really matter. The ability to tie a specific improvement to what actually means progress for a business — that, for me, is one critical component that’s missing in many transformations.” Continue reading BONUS: Why More Code Doesn’t Mean Better Software — And Where AI Actually Helps Your SDLC

BONUS: From Waterfall to Flow—Rethinking Mental Models in Software Delivery With Henrik Mårtensson

In this BONUS episode, we explore the origins and persistence of waterfall methodology in software development with management consultant Henrik Mårtensson. Based on an article where he details the history of Waterfall, Henrik explains the historical context of waterfall, challenges the mental models that keep it alive in modern organizations, and offers insights into how systems thinking can transform our approach to software delivery. This conversation is essential for anyone looking to understand why outdated methodologies persist and how to move toward more effective approaches to software development.

The True Origins of Waterfall

“Waterfall came from the SAGE project, the first large software project in history, where they came up with a methodology based on an economic analysis.”

Henrik takes us on a fascinating historical journey to uncover the true origins of waterfall methodology. Contrary to popular belief, the waterfall approach wasn’t invented by Winston Royce but emerged from the SAGE project in the 1950s. Bennington published the original paper outlining this approach, while it was Bell and Tayer who later named it “waterfall” when referencing Royce’s work. Henrik explains how gated process models eventually led to the formalized waterfall methodology and points out that an entire generation of methods existed between waterfall and modern Agile approaches that are often overlooked in the conversation.

In this segment we refer to:

- The paper titled “Production of Large Computer Programs” by Herbert D. Benington (direct PDF link) Updated and re-published in 1983 in Annals of the History of Computing ( Volume: 5, Issue: 4, Oct.-Dec. 1983)
- Winston Royce’s paper from 1970 that erroneously is given the source of the waterfall term. Direct PDF Link.
- Bell and Thayer’s paper “Software Requirements: Are They Really A Problem?”, that finally “baptized” the waterfall process. Direct PDF link

Mental Models That Keep Us Stuck

“Fredrik Taylor’s model of work missed the concept of a system, leading us to equate busyness with productivity.”

Continue reading BONUS: From Waterfall to Flow—Rethinking Mental Models in Software Delivery With Henrik Mårtensson

Mateusz Komander: When Process Becomes a Prison, Breaking Free from Over-Rigid Agile Team Practices

Working with an airline scheduling tool development team, Mateusz encountered a situation where rigid processes became a self-imposed prison. Instead of adapting to challenges, the team’s response to missed deadlines was to add more process layers, particularly around testing.

The daily standups became status reports rather than collaboration opportunities, with team members focused on appearing busy rather than supporting each other. Through careful intervention, Mateusz helped transform their daily meetings to focus on future collaborations and mutual support needs.

Self-reflection Question: How can you identify if your team’s processes are serving as protective measures or becoming barriers to effective collaboration?

Featured Book of the Week: Managing for Happiness by Jurgen Appelo

Mateusz recommends “Managing for Happiness” by Jurgen Appelo as an essential read for Scrum Masters. This book stands out for its practical combination of tools and real-life examples, helping create better environments for teams’ daily work. Its inspirational approach makes it particularly valuable for Scrum Masters looking to introduce new practices and ideas to their teams.

In this segment, we also refer to Emotional Intelligence, by Daniel Goleman.

The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends…

🔥 In the ruthless world of fintech, success isn’t just about innovation—it’s about coaching! 🔥

Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, she’s caught in the middle of a corporate espionage drama that could make or break the future of digital banking. Can she help the team regain their mojo and outwit their rivals, or will the competition crush their ambitions? As alliances shift and the pressure builds, one thing becomes clear: this isn’t just about the product—it’s about the people.

🚨 Will Angela’s coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to People—the gripping story of high-stakes innovation and corporate intrigue.

Buy Now on Amazon

The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends…

About Mateusz Komander

Mateusz, is a Scrum Master at Heineken, and brings expertise from biotech and airline industries, excelling in Agile delivery and transformations. Skilled in Management 3.0, he fosters self-managed, innovative teams. Mateusz just launched a podcast on organizational transformation, Mateusz highlights how understanding team dynamics beyond the Scrum framework enhances collaboration and effectiveness.

You can link with Mateusz Komander on LinkedIn.

BONUS: The Power of TWI in Transforming Supervisory Skills and Software Leadership With Hugh Alley

In this BONUS episode, we delve into how Training Within Industry (TWI) principles can revolutionize leadership and supervision, and those principles can be adapted to the software industry. Hugh Alley, industrial engineer, author of The TWI Memory Jogger, and seasoned consultant, brings invaluable insights on how adapting these timeless methods can enhance team cohesion, productivity, and job satisfaction.

From Toxic Workplaces to Transformative Solutions

“When I first saw supervisors shouting in the workplace, I knew there had to be a better way.”
Hugh’s journey began in the high-stress world of manufacturing where ineffective leadership was the norm. His turning point came when he discovered TWI, which shifted a company from zero employee suggestions to implementing 2-3 improvements per week. He shares the importance of recognizing poor patterns and seeking practical solutions that lead to lasting change.

“A key insight? The power of TWI isn’t just in theory; it creates immediate, real-world results.”

The Historic Power of TWI: Lessons from World-War II

Continue reading BONUS: The Power of TWI in Transforming Supervisory Skills and Software Leadership With Hugh Alley

Developing Teams the Scrum (and Lean) way! by Lean.Org’s The Lean Post

I’ve been working on a collection of great blog posts about the Scrum Master role. If you have a favorite article on the Scrum Master role, or it’s goals and responsibilities, let me know by submitting it here: https://bit.ly/TheBestScrumMasterBlogPosts2020

Scrum Masters are key participants in the teams, and key contributors to the improvement of productivity in the organizations they work in. Even if the Scrum approach and Agile, in general, are very new (from late1990’s, early 2000s), there are other approaches that have been with us for nearly more than a century now.

One such approach is “Taylorism”. In that approach, the main premise is that “some people” know “what needs to be done and how” (the planner/thinker), and other people “do it” (the doers).

“Take it to the team”: a Scrum Master Mantra

Unfortunately, that Tayloristic approach has become prevalent thanks to the work of some early consultancies.

In Scrum, one of the most important changes to the world of work is that the “doers” are also the “thinkers”. This is one of the reasons why here on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast, we often say: “take it to the team”. In other words, anyone can raise an idea of improvement, but only the team knows what can/should be done to achieve the goal. Sometimes that team is the development team, sometimes it is the development team + stakeholders, but it’s “the team” that owns and develops the process of work.

This perspective is revolutionary for many, including many consultancies that still push “process improvement” à lá Taylor (you know which ones).

What’s better than Taylorism for developing our teams and organizations?

That’s why I want to highlight this post in Lean.Org’s Lean Post blog: “Develop Your People Patiently Rather Than Rely on Super Taylorism”

As the article puts it: while the “west” was focused on separating the thinking from the doing, and using “Super Taylorism”, “in Japan, Toyota was developing a different approach to strategy, one based on technical learning on the gemba through trial and error–a process that aimed to serve all customers with a broad product line of high quality and at the right price.”

Does that sound familiar? Scrum is exactly that kind of approach: “based on technical learning on the Gemba through trial and error”

Check out the post, and learn about the roots of Scrum and Agile. Don’t get stuck in a Tayloristic approach that leads to frustration, dis-enfranchising the team, and long term problems.

Help us grow as a Scrum Master community, share your best 2020 articles below.

Loading…