Category Archives: Highlights

02 Oct

Architecting while Agile? Yes, you can.

If you’d been in one of my trainings a while ago, you’d have heard someone ask me this question. “You Agile evangelists are always talking about these new roles: Product Owner. Development Team. Release Train Engineer. This, that and the other. Fine and good - but where does my work fit in? I’m an architect. And I can see my role is changing, but I’m not sure how exactly. Why is it changing, and more importantly what can I change... Learn more

01 Oct

Platinum partner CollabNet VersionOne: “Insight into the delivery process is vital to RTEs.”

After visiting last year’s RTE Summit, platinum partner CollabNet VersionOne is once again looking forward to this year’s RTE event. Enterprise Account Director Olav Maassen: “whether you’re using enterprise Agile or more traditional methods, we have an option for everyone.” CollabNet is an established brand with over 20 years of experience in the IT industry. VersionOne is its main agile product, with suites such as TeamForge more suitable for waterfall organizaitons.... Learn more

30 Sep

Why bring Agile ideas to Hardware?

The advantages of working Agile have been a revolution for software development - and then for services-oriented businesses too. Why is the world of hardware development now suddenly becoming so eager to follow suit? Because, finally, it can. The promise of Agile is well-known and widely acknowledged. The ability to ‘turn on a dime, for a dime’. The ability to drastically reduce time-to-market. The increased sense of empowerment that pervades all layers of the... Learn more

29 Sep

He has not spoken in over 50 countries; he’s coming to not speak here, as well.

Motivational non-speaker Steve Barnett, also known as ‘The Silent Conductor’, gives us a hint of what we can expect on the November 12th at the RTE Summit. Originally from South Africa, Steve Barnett’s unique non-verbal method of bringing large groups of people together is something to watch out for at this year’s Summit. His captivating performance builds on compelling notions of tribal culture to give a high-spirited and energetic keynote. Steve has delighted... Learn more

15 Sep

“No fighting, no fleeing; an open review.”

Organizational psychologist and RTE Summit keynote speaker Dirk van Uffelen looks ahead to his contributions on November 11th and 12th. “A conflict of expectations isn’t necessarily a threat. People make it into one with their behavior.” When it comes to managing conflict in the workplace, there isn’t much that Dirk van Uffelen hasn’t seen. As a seasoned conflict analyst in the workplace, Dirk visits tens of organizations and teams to bring members to... Learn more

02 Sep

AgilityMasters.com partners with RTE Summit: “RTEs are crucial for growth.”

CEO Wessel Herwijnen was quick to decide on a renewed Bronze partnership between AgilityMasters.com and Gladwell Academy’s RTE Summit: “Of course we’re doing this…!” Growth for both! AgilityMasters.com has been growing steadily in the past year, Wessel describes. “We offer professionals in a wide variety of Agile roles to help out organizations in need of such expertise: either because they’re undergoing a transformation, or because of a situational shortage. With so... Learn more

24 Aug

Become an RTE ‘in one week’!

The subtle work of the Release Train Engineer (RTE) requires a lot of what the Germans call ‘Fingerspitzengefühl’. In other words, experience is key. What better way to boost your beginnings as an RTE than with our ‘RTE in a week’ offer? Immerse yourself in a full week of mentorship, knowledge exchange and training by the world’s most experienced RTEs and SPCTs. From 11 to 14 November… it’s all about the ART. Course: Release Train Engineer This is... Learn more

01 Aug

“Priorities, velocities and stakeholders aside – this is what being an RTE boils down to.”

Keynote speaker at the RTE Summit Eelco Rustenburg looks ahead to his contribution on November 12th. Renowned SPCT and big-picture thinker Eelco Rustenburg’s keynotes are usually a thing to look out for: high-energy, visionary, playful contributions, a welcomed break from sessions that excel at niggling over technical details. We asked him what he looks forward to sharing at the upcoming Summit: “The theory of the RTE is a lot of planning and priorities... Learn more

29 Jul

Newly appointed SPCT Niels Groen: “Excited to educate the change agents.”

Gladwell Academy’s own Niels Groen has been accepted into the ranks of the SAFe Program Consultant Trainers this week! As only the second Dutchman ever to receive this highest Scaled Agile certification, he’s quite thrilled: “Educating the change agents also involves me in the transformations they lead”. With demand for SAFe continuing to rise, becoming an SPC is an appealing possibility for thousands of aspiring Agile professionals around the world. So, Niels Groen’s SPCT... Learn more

24 Jul

Joe Vallone discusses new version of SAFe at RTE Summit

“By the time of the RTE Summit in November, we will have released a new version of the Scaled Agile Framework. So, while I’m not allowed to say what the version number of the new framework will be, I can go into particulars at the RTE Summit. I’ll also discuss how the role of the RTE evolves in the new version. That might be something to look forward to.” Evolving role He continues: “The role of the RTE is continuing to evolve. There are thousands of RTEs all over the... Learn more

17 Jul

Agile for Hardware 1.0 shares the success and the struggle

It’s over! Pioneers in hardware-oriented industries all over the world gathered at the Heineken Experience in Amsterdam to share stories of embracing Agility in hardware development at the Agile for Hardware conference, version 1.0. We had a fascinating time, and you? The first edition of Agile for Hardware opens with an audience of about sixty people. A humble crowd, but chairman Ralph Hofman and event coordinator Johanna Raivio are more than pleased: “It’s fitting: there aren’t... Learn more

17 Jul

Leading by Example: Does every leader need Leading SAFe (SA) training and certification?

The Leading SAFe training was developed for executives, leaders, managers and Agile change agents responsible for leading Lean/Agile change initiatives in large enterprises. As Dean Leffingwell, one of the founders of SAFe and author of ‘Scaling Software Agility’ has said, “In scaling Agile, the problems are with the system – and only management can change the system in such a way that it facilitates Agile.” Leading from the bottom up According to Gladwell Trainer Renate... Learn more

26 Jun

“Our engineers stumbled on SAFe – and they made it their own.” Jan Vencken, Signify

Lighting brand Signify is big in hardware and software development – understandably so, considering recent software-heavy innovations in lighting solutions. Inevitably, sensible practices from one development type creep into the other at the company. Hence the recent embrace of SAFe by an ambitious group of hardware engineers, and an upcoming presentation that’s bound to raise a few eyebrows. Agile Coach Joris van Doorn is happy to bring along electrical engineer Jan Vencken... Learn more

26 Jun

Working with Dr. Kraus & Partner is an adventure

With awareness about Agility on the rise in Germany, at Gladwell Academy we’d love to share our experience and hands-on training approach with ambitious organizations from northernmost Rügen island to the southern city of Konstanz. Joining us on that journey is German consultancy firm Dr. Kraus & Partner, whose senior Agile consultant Guido Wiggerink recently visited Agile Munich in May. “We’re looking forward to building a presence in the market for Agile training in... Learn more

25 Jun

Ready to get challenged? Joining forces with AgileSparks in the US

“He’s a free spirit, and I tell it like it is.” After the success of running their first SAFe course together, AgileSparks SPCT Yuval Yeret will meet Gladwell Academy SAFe trainer Abram again to train several Implementing SAFe courses in New York and Boston this year. We asked Yuval to shed some light on their successful shared hostmanship. Yuval Yeret: “Delivering training with Abram brings a lot of fun and a lot of depth. Abram is ‘a free spirit’, so to speak.... Learn more

20 Jun

“SAFe helps to fail-fast-learn-faster in hardware development.”-Tanya Kudchadker, ASML

The experienced ASML Agilists Tanya Kudchadker and Wendy Versteeg are presenting together at the Agile for Hardware event. Here, they prelude on their contribution: applying Agile ways of working to the development of hugely complex lithography machines that cost billions to make. The lithography giant ASML builds tools crucial for semiconductor production: robotized, mobile assembly lines that produce fully formed silicon chips. Because semiconductors are feats of nanotechnology... Learn more

07 Jun

“We handed everyone the Scrum Guide and we started.”-Jan van der Tempel, Ampelmann

We’re excited that triple founder and original thinker Jan van der Tempel will contribute to Agile for Hardware. Here, he takes a moment to give some insight in his journey towards Agile development and his planned case study presentation. The first thing maritime entrepreneur Jan van der Tempel and some forward-thinking colleagues did to introduce Agile principles and processes to his three off-shore businesses, was to give all their co-workers copies of the Scrum Guide for... Learn more

06 Jun

“RTEs and Controllers need to learn the same language.”

Starting with his work for Schiphol Group and now continued in his work with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, freelance 'Agile controller' Martin Hofman has slowly been building his authority in the Agile Control discipline. “Conventional Controllers have difficulty building the business case for working Agile. Agility has become too important for Controllers to ignore though… and vice versa!” Agile and Control “Working Agile at the elementary team level doesn’t pose too many... Learn more

31 May

Your Route to RTE – Part 2: How far will you go?

In a role as newly-minted as that of SAFe Release Train Engineer there are still few practicing, certified RTEs, and no prescribed or clearly-defined career paths to becoming RTE. But there are trends in the pathways to this very significant senior role according to Andres Jansen, Senior Trainer, interim RTE at ASML and Founder of the RTE Summit. And right now, the two main career routes to becoming RTE are via the program side (PM, PL and the like); or from the (Advanced) Scrum Master... Learn more

23 May

We’ve teamed up with AgileSparks!

Fellow global educators with a long-term focus on quality and lasting Agility. The meeting of the two CEOs Erez Tatcher and Miranda Goossens was brisk and clear. “There’s so much we share; there’s so much we stand to benefit. Time’s a-wasting. Let’s go!” The two companies have agreed to service the US, Europe and India together for the months to come. Each will leverage their strong trainer network and long-term commitment to quality. Erez... Learn more