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Most Agile coaches build their careers inside large organizations — but what happens when a new opportunity calls from an unexpected direction? Scrum.org CEO, Dave West, sits down with Marina Alex, an AI & modern management expert and Founder of The SWAY Academy, who answered that call. After the enterprise market shifted in 2022, Marina pivoted her practice toward small and medium-sized businesses in Knoxville, Tennessee — and discovered what she describes as a blue ocean: many companies that have never heard of a Sprint, but are ready for one. Along the way, Marina found that AI has become a natural entry point into these conversations. With most small businesses neither tech-heavy nor equipped with an IT department, the excitement and anxiety around AI opens the door to deeper work around team culture, structure, and customer focus. Rather than leading with frameworks, she leads with outcomes — helping business owners understand that strong teams and clear processes are what make any new technology actually stick. Marina walks Dave through the mindset shifts, networking strategies, and practical adaptations — from one-week Sprints to sticky-note Retrospectives — that have allowed her to build a thriving practice doing work she loves, serving the local business communities that need her most. Free Guide from Sway Systems with tips to find new clients Connect with Marina

In this episode, Eric Naiburg and Darrell Fernandes of Scrum.org tackle a pressing question: How do you measure the impact of AI on your team? from a recent webinar focused on AI as a teammate. They explore how AI’s role differs across organizations—from ideation and analysis to stakeholder engagement—and why its productivity gains are still evolving. The conversation highlights the importance of combining qualitative insights with quantitative metrics, including flow-based measures like velocity, to assess real impact. They also discuss the growing responsibility of hiring managers to define AI roles clearly, set expectations, and ensure AI contributes value without disrupting team dynamics. Plus, they share how AI itself can be leveraged to help define roles, recommend metrics, and improve performance measurement.

In this episode of the Scrum.org Community Podcast, Dave West sits down with Tomasz Maj, Head of Product Ops at Odevo, to explore how a rapidly growing property management giant is navigating the AI revolution. Odevo faces a unique challenge: managing a massive, diverse portfolio across the northern hemisphere while balancing centralized scale with local autonomy. Tomasz pulls back the curtain on "vibe coding"—the democratization of development that allows non-technical staff to build functional tools—and how Odevo balances this "wild west" of innovation with rigorous security and GitHub-backed governance. Key topics include: The Operating Model of Diversity: Why Odevo chooses not to have a single "master platform" and how that fuels speed.Vibe Coding in the Wild: How accountants and maintenance teams are using AI to solve their own data problems.The 5-Step AI Engineer: Inside Odevo’s comprehensive training program, from prompting to agentic development.Governance vs. Innovation: How to implement "Module Zero" (legal, GDPR, and security) without killing the creative spirit.

In this episode of the Scrum.org Community Podcast, Eric Naiburg, COO at Scrum.org  and Darrell Fernandes, Executive Advisor at Scrum.org continue to dive into how to make AI a true teammate in product development while answering questions from a recent webinar on the topic. They explore the importance of creating a context library to store domain-specific knowledge, enabling AI to provide accurate, efficient answers. Learn how consistent definitions, thoughtful prompt engineering, and regular updates to your AI context can improve team collaboration, reduce costs, and empower Scrum Masters to guide effective AI usage.

If you are a Scrum Master, Agile Coach or in a related role and have questions about how to use AI as a tool to better support your job, teams and organization, this episode is for you! AI has become a core capability in product delivery and is transforming every role. Scrum Masters and Agile Coaches have a key part to play in the use of AI and introducing AI to teams, products and organizations, acting as a catalyst for change. Through the proper use of AI tools, Scrum Masters, their teams and organization become more effective. But in what ways can you reap the benefits? In this Ask a PST session hosted by Patricia Kong, PSTs Miriam Blommers and Said Azarfane took listener questions on how to leverage AI to be more successful as a Scrum Master! Whether you are looking to find ways to improve facilitation, collaboration or solve more challenges, get great advice in this episode on how to make AI a helpful and important part of your toolbox!

In this episode, host Dave West sits down with Alexey Krivitsky and Roland Flemm to explore a systemic approach to enterprise agility and performance. As organizations scramble to integrate AI, many are finding that their current structures—riddled with silos, handoffs, and conflicting mandates—are simply not "fit for purpose". The authors of the new book they co-authored with Craig Larman, 10x Org Powered by Org Topologies, argue that to stay relevant in an AI-driven landscape, companies need a 10x improvement in adaptability and learning. They introduce Org Topologies (OT): a framework-agnostic method that uses mapping and assessment to make hidden organizational challenges transparent. In this episode, we discuss: The 10x Performance Leap: Why organizations must reshape their structures before rolling out AI capabilities to avoid amplifying global inefficiencies.OT Mapping: How to visualize value flows and dependencies to create a shared language for improvement.The Mandate Problem: Understanding how organizational mandates impact team autonomy and the speed of delivery.Beyond Scaling Frameworks: Why Org Topologies is unique in its ability to map and improve any existing framework, from SAFe to LeSS.Practical Experimentation: How to start small with "change experiments" in tribes or release trains to test adaptive practices.Whether you are a leader navigating a complex digital transformation or a manager looking for a shared language to align your teams, this conversation provides a roadmap for elevating your organization’s performance through systemic design.

This episode is a must-listen for COOs, Agile Coaches, and Business Leaders who want to bridge the gap between "technical agility" and "business agility." When startups grow, they often bring in "responsible adults" who implement traditional playbooks in Finance, HR, and Legal. While well-intentioned, these silos often create a "factory mindset" that undermines the very agility that made the company successful. In this episode, Dave West is joined by Tyson Bertmaring, VP Partnership Success at Dyno Therapeutics and Yuval Yeret, Professional Scrum Trainer, to discuss how Dyno Therapeutics is taking a different path. By applying the Agile Product Operating Model (APOM) to General & Administrative (G&A) functions, Dyno is treating its organizational capabilities as a product to be engineered, not a hierarchy to be managed. What you’ll learn: The Stewardship Mindset: Moving from local optimization (like chasing $10k in interest income) to systemic value (ensuring vendor reliability).The "Two Jobs" Challenge: Balancing "running the business" with "building a better system."G&A as a Service: Identifying essential services—like talent acquisition and contracting—and developing them into exceptional "internal products."More!Subscribe to the Professional Scrum Unlocked Substack for more insights on this episode and others!

In Part 2 of this Q&A series stemming from questions in the webinar, Managing Your AI Teammate, Eric Naiburg continues the conversation with Darrell Fernandes, diving deeper into how AI is reshaping the way Scrum Teams work. Together, they explore practical applications of AI in Scrum — from drafting and refining user stories to strengthening Definitions of Done and improving Gherkin statements. Darrell shares how AI can help teams create clearer, more consistent, and testable backlog items, while also warning against over-reliance. Eric and Darrell examine AI’s impact on team dynamics, including how meeting-recording tools can summarize conversations, capture action items, and support retrospectives. They also address the human side of adoption: differing mental models, fear of change, and the critical role Scrum Masters play as enablers — not gatekeepers — of AI experimentation. Finally, they tackle a topic many teams overlook: total cost of ownership. As AI capabilities expand, Product Owners must understand infrastructure, data, and operational costs to avoid unintended financial consequences. If you're navigating how to thoughtfully integrate AI into your Scrum Team — balancing opportunity, risk, and cost — this episode offers practical insights and grounded guidance.

How can Scrum improve something as complex—and personal—as parent-teacher conferences? In this episode of the Scrum.org Community Podcast, Dave West is joined by Andrew Nimmer, Assistant Head of the Carroll Upper School, part of The Carroll School, an independent Massachusetts school serving students with language-based learning differences. Together, they explore how a cross-functional team of educators and data specialists used Scrum to streamline and improve the parent-teacher conference experience across multiple campuses. Andrew shares what it’s like to apply Scrum outside of technology, the shift from “one-and-done” projects to continuous product development, and the importance of clear goals, product ownership, and incremental improvement. The result? More aligned communication, better use of student data, and a conference experience that delivers greater value for families and teachers alike. This conversation offers practical insights for anyone curious about applying Scrum in education—or any non-traditional environment.

In this episode of the Scrum.org Community podcast, Dave West sits down with Brodie Green, Director of Agile Delivery Services at Pega, to unpack Pega’s two-decade-long agile evolution. From early whiteboard planning to experimenting with various scaling frameworks, Pega has continually adapted its approach as it scaled to over 6,000 employees worldwide. Brodie shares why Pega ultimately moved to a hybrid agile model, how continuous six-week planning replaced big-room quarterly events, and what they learned about shortening feedback loops across complex product portfolios. The conversation also explores how Pega’s Scrum Masters act as Agile Delivery Leads—shifting the focus from team facilitation to solving complex business problems and driving change at scale. The episode closes with practical insights on measuring impact, creating effective working agreements, and using AI as a true team-enabling capability rather than just a productivity tool.

In this Q&A episode, Eric Naiburg, COO of Scrum.org, is joined by Darrell Fernandes, Executive Advisor at Scrum.org to explore how AI is showing up in Scrum Teams today—and what it really takes to make it valuable. Drawing from questions raised during a recent webinar: Managing Your AI Teammate: Turning AI from Experiment to Strategic Partner, they discuss practical ways teams are using AI as a research assistant, DevOps helper, and development aid. They emphasize why Scrum’s iterative mindset is critical for working with AI, especially given how quickly models, capabilities, and limitations evolve. The conversation tackles common misconceptions about AI replacing people, the importance of validating AI outputs, and why teams should consider writing a “job description” for AI to clearly define expectations, measures of success, and accountability. Eric and Darrell also explore how AI may automate some work while creating entirely new roles and opportunities for professionals. This is Part 1 of an ongoing conversation focused on helping Scrum Teams thoughtfully integrate AI while staying grounded in empiricism, collaboration, and value delivery. Key Learnings Why there is no single model for integrating AI into Scrum—and why experimentation mattersHow Scrum’s inspect-and-adapt mindset applies directly to AI usagePractical examples of AI as a research assistant, DevOps helper, and development toolWhy teams must validate AI outputs to manage bias, accuracy, and complianceHow defining a job description for AI helps measure effectiveness and valuWhy AI is better viewed as a teammate or tool, not a replacement for peopleHow AI may eliminate some tasks while creating new roles and opportunitiesLinks Webinar - Managing Your AI Teammate: Turning AI from Experiment to Strategic Partner Whitepaper - The AI Teammate Framework: A Four-Step Framework for Product Teams

How do you manage a large portfolio of initiatives while driving real business value? In this episode of the Scrum.org Community Podcast, Dave West talks with Nabila Sattar Safdar about her experience leading the transition from a project-based to a product-based portfolio. Nabila shares how she reduced a backlog of over 100 projects to 30 strategic initiatives, aligned teams around value streams, and created a culture of learning and continuous improvement. Listeners will hear practical strategies for: Partnering with leadership and steering committees to prioritize initiativesUsing data to inform decisions while balancing learning with deliveryInvesting in team capability and training to close gapsTaking a holistic view of people, technology, and customer outcomes Whether you’re a product leader, Scrum Master, or portfolio manager, this episode offers insights on how to make portfolio management more agile, strategic, and value-focused.

In this episode of the Scrum.org Community Podcast, host Dave West sits down with authors Sander Dur and Ryan Brook to explore their new book, The Anatomy of a Product—a practical field guide that uses the human body as a metaphor to demystify modern product management. Dave, Sander, and Ryan dive into why so many organizations still struggle to define and manage products effectively, and how this book helps bridge the gap between theory and real-world practice. They discuss treating products as living systems, the dangers of “marshmallow backlogs,” the need for evidence-driven decisions, and why continuous care and adaptation are essential for healthy products. The authors share insights from working with organizations like Miro, unpack common “product diseases,” and offer actionable guidance for Product Owners, product teams, and leaders seeking clarity in today’s complex environment. Listeners are invited to connect with the authors and join them at their book launch event in Amsterdam on January 13! Key Points Why the Book? Clarifies what a product is and offers a practical guide from definition to retirement. Human Body Metaphor Products are like living systems—interconnected, adaptive, and influenced by their environment. Theory vs. Practice Helps teams apply product concepts realistically, beyond Silicon Valley-style theory. Insights from real examples Real-world examples showing how to balance strategy, business thinking, and everyday product work. Backlog Health Avoid “marshmallow backlogs” by filtering work through strategic goals and focusing on value. Validation & Evidence Emphasizes validating ideas early and aligning efforts to outcomes, not just requirements. Product Health Introduces “product diseases” and how to diagnose and prevent common issues. Links: Book Launch event The Anatomy of a Product

In this Scrum.org Community Podcast episode,  Lindsay Velecina from Scrum.org sits down with Robb Pieper and Jason Malmstadt of Responsive Advisors to answer the real, practical questions practitioners have about self-management in Scrum in a live Ask a PST session. Listeners submitted questions like: How do you get management to support self-management?What should you do when a team resists taking ownership?How do you handle a disruptive team member without taking over?What metrics show that self-management actually works?How can junior Scrum Masters enable self-management when they’re not technical?AND MANY MORE! Robb and Jason tackle these questions head-on, sharing stories from the field, strategies for creating healthy team boundaries, and tools to make decision-making transparent — including Delegation Poker, feedback loops, and working agreements. They also discuss how to tie self-management to real business outcomes to gain leadership buy-in. Whether you’re just beginning your Scrum journey or coaching mature teams, this episode gives you actionable guidance and small experiments you can start using today.

In this Scrum.org Community Podcast episode, host Dave West speaks with Nathaniel Davis, CEO of Barrel One Collective, and PST Yuval Yeret about applying Agile principles beyond software — into the heart of business operations. Nathaniel shares his journey from working in a large brewing company to leading Barrel One Collective, a brewing group where he’s working to make Agile the foundation for innovation and entrepreneurialism. Together, they explore how Agile thinking can balance experimentation and consistency, drive outcome-oriented leadership, and shape company culture as a product. Tune in to hear how organizations can expand their definition of “product” — from beverages to behaviors — and how agility helps leaders continuously learn, adapt, and deliver value.