• How to start a podcast

    There were a few essential things that we needed before starting our own podcast, Two Scrums Up. If you’re thinking of starting one, here are some things to keep in mind.

  • Scrum values and community values

    Alley’s core company values of quality, transparency and accountability closely align with the values of Scrum and, more broadly, the principles of agile software development. However, recent events have led us to consider how the practice of Scrum also supports our community values – radical candor, psychological safety, asynchronous communication, diversity, and inclusion.

  • How to select and prepare great code samples

    As more and more companies go remote, it will become increasingly more common to provide code samples with résumés. How should you select your code samples? What should you do to prepare them? Here are five things I look for when reviewing code samples.

  • Velocity in Scrum is a means, not an end

    Being a scrum master, I often worry if velocity looms too large for me. From project forecasting to sprint planning to team retrospectives, velocity metrics are up in my grill more than bratwurst at a Green Bay Packers tailgate. Even from a “book learnin’” standpoint, velocity is front and center: “The Scrum Master is accountable for the Velocity … of the Team.” That big V Velocity is really intimidating! But does velocity warrant such verbal (and mental) emphasis?