Turia Raymond (Director of Cloud and Infrastructure Services) and Stephanie Martinez Alejandro (Agile Analyst – Scrum Master II) recently presented to Dayspring Academy in Port Richey, FL, on the benefits of Agile Project Management.
Dayspring Academy is a charter school that focuses on studying the arts. Recently, a staff member at the school completed their Scrum certification, which prompted the school administration to take an interest in Scrum and Agile practices and how they could improve the efficiency and management of their school overall.
Raymond, an acquaintance of the staff member who received their Scrum certification, was then asked to come lead a discussion on the benefits of Scrum and Agile. She recruited Martinez Alejandro to help her put together the presentation.
“When my team did their original transformation to Agile, I remember some of the pain points we experienced and wondered how this was supposed to really benefit us. I used that to build out our presentation,” says Raymond. “There is a time commitment involved that people usually question, so it was important to address this up front. We explained how planning and organization gives a clear path forward which minimizes disruptions.”
One of the focal points of the presentation was how committed work in a sprint becomes a negotiation point. If a team is asked to take on something within their sprint, something else must come out. This is a benefit of working in this framework and helps keep employees from burning out.
“It's essential to empower teams to negotiate their work and ensure they stay within their allocated sprint capacity. This means creating an environment where team members feel comfortable speaking up when they are faced with too much work or unrealistic deadlines and where they can collaborate with the rest of the team to find solutions,” says Martinez Alejandro. “By empowering team members to negotiate their work, they can help ensure that they are working efficiently and effectively, which in turn contributes to the overall success of the project.”
Additionally, the duo emphasized how Agile also focuses on transparency and helps tell the story of all the work teams are doing through sprint reviews and demos showcasing key deliverables.
“By showcasing work throughout the Agile process, teams can gather feedback early on, identify and resolve issues quickly, and adjust their approach to ensure they deliver the best possible product,” says Martinez Alejandro. “This not only leads to better results but also fosters a sense of trust and collaboration among team members and stakeholders.”
Dayspring Academy officially launched their Scrum teams shortly following the presentation.