Category Archives: Highlights

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

22 May

“We develop our hardware like a start-up, because we are one.”- Daan Geldermans, SKOON

“If established developers want to learn how start-ups design new products these days, come to us,“ says Daan Geldermans. He’s a founder at SKOON, a start-up that’s pioneering in large containerized batteries that can replace diesel generators. “We’re doing everything ourselves, and it gives us exactly the flexible approach that’s so much in demand.” “We’re a young company, started in 2017 to research the business case for battery-powered shipping. We developed the... Learn more

19 May

Owning it: The Role of the Agile Product Owner

The Product Owner has a clearly defined goal: creating value together with the Scrum Team by producing a new product or sub-product. This is accomplished by acting as a link between all players: stakeholders, clients, Scrum Master and Development Team. “Thanks to this central position, the tasks of the Agile Product Owner are challenging to say the least,” says Renate Cremer, Trainer at Gladwell Academy and certified SPC. In this blog Renate focuses in on the role of the Agile... Learn more

16 May

Team Spirit: The Scrum Master Role in theory and practice

Are you empathetic and mindful of others? Are you able to read between the lines, and quickly understand the ‘question behind the question’? Do you enjoy removing impediments and obstacles so that team members are able to accomplish their particular tasks in their particular way? If this describes you, then the role of Scrum Master may fit you like a glove, according to Hanne Jacobs, Trainer for Gladwell Academy and a certified SPC. In this blog Hanne talks about the tasks of the Scrum... Learn more

07 May

“Scaling is Scrum’s biggest challenge – but we’re finding ways.” – Arjan Tuinhout, NXP

“I’m not about to ditch old-fashioned project management,“ assures Arjan Tuinhout, senior project manager at the Smart Antenna Solutions product line for NXP, global champion in semiconductors. “But after Scrumming pulled my team through some nasty timeframes, I’m convinced Agile can add to hardware development, too.” “We build high-frequency integrated circuits for products like mobile phones that involve radio emission and reception – a crucial component,... Learn more

02 May

“Everything we do before we bend metal, we can do Agile.” – Robin Yeman, Lockheed Martin

Pioneering Agilist Robin Yeman has been exploring Agility at defense hardware manufacturer Lockheed Martin since 2002. She prefaces her upcoming contribution to the Agile for Hardware conference on 1 July with an offer: “I have several projects I could discuss. How about I give you three options, and readers can choose which one they like?” Vote for the best topic by clicking here! Robin Yeman Her personable demeanor hides a true Agile powerhouse: Lockheed Martin’s... Learn more

02 May

RTE Summit 2019: Schiphol Airport Agile Controller Martin Hofman will speak

Andres Jansen updates the agenda for November 12th, the RTE Summit 2019. As chairman of the RTE Summit 2019, Andres Jansen is certain that this year’s edition on 12 November of 2019 will be even better than the last one. “We’re circling the speakers list, admiring the venue and building the social program. Not wanting to be pinned down by a theme, we’ve nonetheless listed several clear topics for the event. It’s exciting!” “We’re definitely keeping the... Learn more

19 Jun

7 Habits of highly effective RTEs

The role of Release Train Engineer (RTE, Chief Scrum Master) has only come into existence over the past decade or so. Its origins can be found in the Scrum Master’s role, in short: the coach operating in a single Agile Scrum Team, with roughly 7 +/-2 members. In this Whitepaper, Andres Jansen will elaborate the role, its possibilities and the habits that effective RTEs have in common. Release the trains! Contents of this White paper: RTE: A new role for a unique... Learn more

19 Apr

“Partnering with Scrum.org means we train Scrum properly.”

Scrum.org has included Gladwell Academy as a partner in their global Professional Scrum Trainer (PST) Network. Since Scrum was one of the first Agile trainings we started offering at Gladwell Academy, we have plenty of experience with this exciting framework. By leveraging our network of global trainers, we can now offer Scrum taught by certified PSTs. Experienced trainers “Scrum was hot five years ago when Gladwell Academy began, and it's still hot today,” says Miranda... Learn more