Category Archives: Scaled Agile Framework

03 Aug

Saahil Panikar: “Compromise in the changing demands of PI Planning.”

Certified SPCT Saahil Panikar of Icon Agility Services is planning a workshop at the virtual RTE Summit Global. The pitch: a deep-dive into the conflicts of communication and visualization that take place between teams during PI planning events. Saahil being an expert in every facet of working within an Agile framework, we expect an exciting, informative moment. An RTE with ‘rock star’ status? Saahil has over 10 years of experience with Agile, working with SAFe since 2014, and... Learn more

31 Jul

Remote SPC Training: “More important, and better than ever.”

Ever since social distancing made impact, we have been hard at work making all of our courses and trainings compatible with remote learning. Through hard work and expertise, trainers like SPCT Anand Murthy Raj have made remote SPC training effective, informative, and enjoyable leaving participants ready to begin their SAFe Program Consultant journey. How SPC training has adapted to remote classes Anand describes: “The first challenge we had to overcome in remote training was to build a... Learn more

27 Jul

SAFe POPM: Vision and expertise give authority

Product Owners and Product Managers (POPM) together represent the customer’s wishes regarding a service or product. We asked Gladwell Academy trainer Boris de Jong to offer his thoughts on what role the PO and PM play in a SAFe organization, and how they can optimize their work. The Product Owner and Product Manager in SAFe “At a more basic level, Scrum creates two roles, the Scrum Master and Product Owner. It’s the Product Owner who sets the product course for the whole team.... Learn more

06 Jul

Leading SAFe: Everything you need to know

Have you heard about the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) and how it can bring both Agile and Lean ways of working to large organizations? Maybe your organization has decided to adopt SAFe but you don’t know where to begin? The Leading SAFe course answers all your questions as you begin your SAFe journey and earn your SAFe Agilist certification. The course We asked Gladwell Academy trainer Renate Cremer to describe what the course has to offer prospective participants. “This two-day course... Learn more

01 Jul

Voices from the classroom: “SAFe is an egalitarian model”

Gladwell Academy’s “Leading SAFe” course with instructor Boris de Jong was one of its first courses to move to a remote setting following social distancing measures. We reached out to a former participant to get their thoughts on the experience and what they learned. SAFe methods to encourage SAFe thinking “When I took the remote Leading SAFe course, I was surprised by how much I actually learned! In conventional courses it’s easier to ‘hide in the crowd’ and just... Learn more

19 Jun

SAFe Summit 2020: A new frontier in virtual communication

On June 10-11 2020, Gladwell Academy was proud to be among the exhibitors at Scaled Agile’s first ever virtual European SAFe Summit. One of the first events of its kind, the summit provided an opportunity to consider where the future of events to share knowledge and build new connections may be moving. A new platform The SAFe Summit’s remote setting did nothing to hinder the exchange of new ideas and knowledge. Gladwell Academy’s speakers found that the online platform offered... Learn more

16 Jun

SAFe for Architects: “The shift to agile architecture impacts everything.”

SAFe for Architects is a relatively new training in the Scaled Agile curriculum. What value does it add and why is it important? A seasoned architect himself, Frank Langeveld is also a SAFe trainer at Gladwell Academy. He shares his insights and experience with organizational architecture. Improve the impact of architecture “This course fundamentally addresses how architects work because the shift from traditional architecture to agile architecture impacts everything. “When the class... Learn more

11 Jun

So you want to Scale Agile!

The fact that it’s widely seen as desirable doesn’t make Agile an easy thing to embrace – precisely for those big, established enterprises. As much as people loathe the bureaucracy and hierarchy that they’ve been brought up with as professionals, most people find it surprisingly difficult to let go of those habits, or to replace them with something so amorphous and initially unfamiliar. So how do you do it? How to transform from a lumbering conventional corporation to a flexibly Agile... Learn more

30 Apr

Mastering Virtual Meetings

Face-to-face communication is the most efficient and effective method of conveying information. However, there are times in which teams do not have a choice but to work entirely from home or other remote locations, which eliminates direct, face-to-face interactions among team members. This publication provides tips and tricks on how to keep your Agile events and meetings effective, even with a completely virtual workforce. Published by Gladwell Academy partner BlinkLane... Learn more

06 Apr

Distributed PI Planning Events

Individuals and Interaction over Processes and Tools is one of Agile’s core values. However, there are times in which we have no other choice than to work from home. Can that work in an Agile way of working? How can we keep the benefits of the face-to-face interactions and collaboration while working remotely? A PI planning event is an event where everyone is collocated and working closely together to stimulate interactions and alignment and involves gathering around physical boards to... Learn more

20 Mar

Managing Successful Transformations

In a fast-changing world, the ability to transform is fundamental to a company’s survival. But this is easier said than done. The act of transformational change is a complex endeavor and needs a clear approach in order to be successful. BlinkLane has combined the successes and learnings of many large-scale transformations with well-known change management tools in a proven approach. They apply this approach, referred to as Managing Successful Transformations (MST), in various forms in... Learn more

21 Jun

Agile, Scrum, SAFe and your career

Ever wondered what Scrum and Agile ways of working might mean for your career? We wrote the Agile, Scrum, SAFe and your career white paper to explain the possibilities that open up to you when your organization embraces an Agile framework such as Scrum or SAFe. What does it mean for conventional roles? What new roles are there, and which might suit your personality? Interesting? Download the white paper and see for... Learn more

07 Jun

Gladwell Academy remotely trains over 170 participants simultaneously!

Okay, here’s a challenge for you. At Gladwell Academy, we recently remotely trained an organization that produces hardware and advanced technology. This training on SAFe practices presented a new threshold for us, as it brought our training to a scale previously unheard of! Our trainers bringing everything together In preparation for this monumental undertaking, Gladwell Academy’s trainers brought everything they had learned about remote trainings together to make this course they’re... 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 May

Summer spare time? Get a discount on your training!

Beginning in 2017, Gladwell Academy began offering discounted summer courses in Scrum & SAFe and will continue to do so this year. With summer coming and many organizations slowing down, now is the time to take the initiative on your career path with training that will boost you and your organization in the coming year. Summer sun, same training While most organizations slow down over the summer, Gladwell Academy keeps going as strong as ever. Offering a mixture of both... Learn more

19 Oct

Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)

The Scaled Agile framework has been developed to allow companies to apply the Agile principles at all levels of the organization. The Scaled Agile Framework and its implementation is a process of trial and error. It is a road full of dedication and demands commitment of those involved. However, it should also encourage several self-organizing teams to collaborate effectively so that it results in a successful product, which is not an easy task. The Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) enables... Learn more

17 May

Remotely happy? Participant feedback

Working remote means following remote trainings, too. Is a remote course worth your time? What’s it like? How does Gladwell Academy enhance the experience? Here’s what Jeroen Frenken has to say. Jeroen Frenken, Product owner business intelligence Jeroen Frenken attended of one of Gladwell Academy’s very first remote Leading SAFe courses, and he was kind enough to share his experience with us. “In terms of content, the course was what I had expected. That didn’t vary... Learn more

11 May

Lisa van de Voort: “Training the U.S. Army is both other-worldly and familiar.”

Lisa van de Voort, a seasoned Agile transformation consultant at BlinkLane Consulting, reflects on her recent first training session with the U.S. Army on Agile practices. Traveling to the U.S. military base in San Antonio, TX she visited “a unique organization with its own unique challenges… and a wholly unique impact.” Experienced and knowledgeable Lisa comes to this training with over 4 years of experience as an Agile consultant, having contributed to over twelve Agile... Learn more

04 May

Eduardo Alvim: “Adapting Remote RTE Training”

With the World Health Organization’s current guidelines Gladwell Academy finds itself moving its trainings into an online remote only setting. Gladwell Trainer Eduardo Alvim discusses how he has adapted the highly advanced, SAFe RTE course to be effectively taught in a remote classroom. “A great course!” Eduardo describes how the traditional in-person RTE course is one of his favorites to teach. “RTE’s usually come to the course excited and ready to collaborate and interact during... Learn more

28 Apr

Eduardo Alvim: “Moving Leading SAFe online”

Gladwell Academy trainer Eduardo Alvim has been hard at work adapting our course content for remote teaching. A candidate to become SAFe Program Consultant Trainer, he recently taught his first remote Leading SAFe course and has walked away excited and motivated to make the course even better. A SAFe foundation “This has always been one of the best courses in SAFe. We go over a lot of different subjects around managing and leading change. This course is especially interesting for leaders... Learn more