PAST MEETINGS:

Past Meeting Topics of the Agile Project leaders Network of Connecticut:

Agile Demystified

Agile Experience Reports from around Connecticut

Agile and Entreprenuerial Thinking Patterns: an Agile2007 presentation

Agile2007 Trip Report: A summary of the best presentations of the conference

Next Meeting Feb 12th: Management and Development Tools for Agile .NET Development

The APLN Connecticut Chapter Is Proudly Sponsored by:

The very best .NET training on the planet!

The best recruiter-- bar none!

Past Meetings Detail:

Part 01: Incorporating Agile Practices

Agile methods value production-- at the expense of waste. In Agile software projects, any activity that does not focus on shippable code is considered waste. This session provides and overview of Agile—an empirical and highly adaptive approach to managing complex processes such as software development. Attend this session to learn:

· How Agile is fundamentally different from traditional approaches
· Why Empiricism MATTERS
· The difference between planning and prediction- and why prediction is futile
· How Agile dynamically REDEFINES the role and relationships between Sponsor, Project Manager and Project Team
· How to begin using true Agile methods on your next project

Part 02: Agile and Entrepreneurial Thinking Patterns

Agile methods are strongly correlated with entrepreneurial thinking patterns. Entrepreneurs and Agile practitioners routinely engage in iterative, empirical processes. Both clearly recognize and understand the futility of engaging in prediction. Both routinely invest the minimum to prove an idea true or false. Both "pull the plug" very quickly when results prove negative. Both routinely defer commitment to irrevocable decision making-- until the last possible moment. These highly adaptive behaviors are part of what we currently refer to as Agile methods.

Intended to provoke thought and discussion, this session raises important questions about the empirical process, entrepreneurship and the implications for Agile leaders, modern business and the Agile movement.

· The large overlap of Agile patterns and Entrepreneur patterns

· Planning vs. prediction—and the “last responsible moment”
· The essential concepts of successful agility-- and entrepreneurship
· Implications of the entrepreneurial thinking model for Agile leaders

In Partnership With:

Are You NEW to Agile Methods? If so, be sure to examine these links:

www.agilealliance.org

www.agilemanifesto.org

What is Scrum?

www.agile2007.org

www.controlchaos.com

www.jeffsutherland.com

www.agile2007.org

www.apln.org

...........Agile methods are a set of ideas whose time has come. At the core of successful Agile methods you will find collaboration, self-organizing teams, honest and direct communication-- and a high degree of trust. Agile methods are all about excellence in the building and leadership of truly great teams, usually (but not always) software development teams. The intention of Agile methods is the delivery of great end-user products on time and on budget.

ATTEND the next meeting of APLN CONNECTICUT !!

Would you like to:

Learn proven methods for introducing and/or leading agile in your organization?
Network with other leaders to learn about their successes and failures?
Discuss various dimensions and possibly influence the direction of agile leadership?
Discover how to create agile enterprises and lead agile product lines in large organizations?

Then join us at the next meeting of APLN CONNECTICUT !

Mission

The mission of APLN CONNECTICUT is to explore agile leadership in agile projects, agile product portfolios, and agile enterprises in the region. The Agile Project Leadership Network's (APLN) overall mission is to connect, develop, and support great project and enterprise leaders using Agile methods nationwide.

Each meeting of the APLN CONNECTICUT Chapter is your chance to network with leading regional experts in the area of Agile Leadership, and to share your experiences and concerns with them and other leaders, who are in the same situation as yourself.

CONNECTICUT's Chapter of the Agile Project Leadership Network

Each meeting features a speaker and networking opportunities. APLN's CONNECTICUT chapter targets both new and seasoned Agile leaders – both organizational leaders and project leaders, within IT and outside of IT. The group educates through a tutorial and networking focus. Members and other attendees discover, share, and develop tools and techniques for becoming great leaders in their organization.

APLN CONNECTICUT meets once a month on the 2nd Tuesday of the month. APLN CONNECTICUT provides:

Networking opportunities at each meeting;
Mini-seminars and experience reports on Agile Leadership: successes, failures, best practices, experiences, advanced leadership tools, and models.

Each meeting also features an open forum, where participants raise issues and get answers in an open, peer-to-peer format.

APLN CONNECTICUT

Dan Mezick, APLN CONNECTICUT Chair