Agile is about delivering the highest business value possible faster by focusing on people and Continuous Improvement. While collaboration remains a key theme in everything we do, something more elemental has emerged out of our creative sessions: the importance of mutual understanding.
Today is our first day with a new team. The team’s eyeing the coach with mistrust and vague interest. We all know about the importance of making a good first impression. Here’s how to make it great.
This morning’s schedule looks like this:
| Duration | Activity |
|---|---|
| 10 min | Profile Card Exercise |
| 30-45 min | Define ‘Team’ and ‘Quality’ |
| 15-30 min | Create Team Manifesto |
| 10-15 min | Personal Agility Ratings Exercise |
We start with an ice-breaker called the Profile Card Exercise. It’s a curious way to get to know a new team. Next, we define an agreed way of working among the team members by defining the meaning of ‘Team’ and ‘Quality’ and then creating a Team Manifesto. We conclude with the Agility Ratings Exercise where we define the Agile Values and rate ourselves so that we know where to improve.
After such hardwork, everyone laughs together as we tease one another about our pet loves and hates over sandwiches and pudding.