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Lessons in Agile Management - On the road to Kanban

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The Missing Link in the Evolution of Kanban -- From Its Roots in Agile David J. Anderson developed the Kanban Method over years spent managing and coaching Agile development teams, at companies such as Sprint and Microsoft, by integrating Lean thinking with Agile principles and practices. This compendium of anecdotes and epiphanies shares this journey on the road to Kanban, now a popular method for improving predictability while managing change and risk in organizations worldwide. Topics -Why people resist change -The role of the manager in Agile development -Flow and variability -Timeboxes and delivery cadence -Estimation and metrics

409 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2012

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About the author

David J. Anderson

32 books63 followers
Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

David is an innovator in management thinking for 21st Century businesses. Author and pioneer of the Kanban Method he has more than 30 years’ experience working in the high-technology industry. David previously worked at IBM, Sprint, Motorola, and Microsoft where he developed the Kanban Method to greatly improving business outcomes on an enterprise-scale.

Originator of the Kanban Method, and co-creator of the Kanban Maturity Model, the Fit-for-Purpose Framework, and Enterprise Services Planning. David is a global leader in management training and leadership development for professional services, and intangible goods industries.

He is the author of 7 leading books for modern business with the most renowned being published in 2010 “KANBAN: Successful Evolutionary Change for Your Technology Business” which is in the top 5 best-selling Agile books of all time.

David also founded Kanban University, which includes over 400 accredited trainers and consultants. In addition, he created multiple global Kanban conferences and is the Chairman of the David J. Anderson School of Management which provides training in 21st-century business practices for enterprise agility, business resilience, and organizational maturity.

The group of companies founded by David is held within Mauvius Group Inc. This group of companies is focused on improving the quality of management, leadership, and decision making for 21st-century businesses.

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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
4 reviews
July 22, 2019
The second half!

The book initially was pretty difficult to be read by me - a collection of blogposts, not seeing the organising force behind them.

Now, this has changed in the second half of the book - the articles there were like a goldmine!

I'd recommend it to all, who are interested in organisational change in their role! :)
Profile Image for Sebastian Gebski.
1,208 reviews1,392 followers
December 24, 2013
Yupp, only 3 stars.

Mainly for two reasons:

1.) Nothing has changed - I still hate blog post collections turned to books. I find the chaotic, the "flow" of reading is disturbed and doesn't feel like aiming at any particular point. This didn't work out for many good authors (including Umberto Eco) and it doesn't work for David Anderson either.

2.) Waiting for a book for 1.5yr can make your expectations skyrocket and in this particular case that's what happened for me. Unfortunately, contrary to what I was thinking, this book somehow belongs between past Anderson's books - you could even call it a "prequel" to "Kanban". That's why you won't find anything new and breathe-taking here. There's no additional "layer", no new ideas that would enhance Kanban.

Obviously, it doesn't mean the book is a waste - you can see (and track) how some ideas developed and evolved, how D.A. was shifting towards where he belongs right now - I can't call it boring, but there's no "wow" effect, as if you've already read "Kanban" you won't find anything new here really.

Anyway, it's a nice read and it won't put you to sleep. But in terms of order, it's better if you read it before "Kanban".

Profile Image for Torbjörn.
14 reviews59 followers
August 12, 2012
David openly tells the story, the insights, inspirations and events that has shaped what has come to be known as the Kanban Method.
Along the way you'll not only find principles illustrated by the personal fashion disaster that used to be Davids wardrobe you'll also get acquainted with many in the Agile community lesser known thinkers. Reading it is very much feels like having a trusted conversation with a friend, the sort that while brilliant in his own accord freely shares the credit with those who've inspired, helped and contributed.

I believe that practitioners at all levels will find something worthwhile in this book.
Profile Image for Yuval Yeret.
13 reviews42 followers
July 8, 2012
David is a great story teller and here through a variety of stories
he manages to drive home key underlying principles of lean/agile
management as well as cool tips and practices. If you are a manager
trying to lead a lean/agile organization you will greatly enjoy this
book. Lean/agile industry insiders will also appreciate the fresh
perspective on David's journey and the birth of the Kanban Method.

I especially liked the discussion of TOC/Goldratt, Role of management as well as the traffic/transportation examples.


Profile Image for Amanda Varella.
57 reviews
September 11, 2013
It´s so difficult for a book that is a compendium of blog posts to be a pleasant reading. However, this book was a great surprise. It shows in a very soft reading how David had arrived to ideas of Kanban. This is also a historical book about agile software development. It has a lot of pages, but it´s enjoyable to go through them. Definitely a great reading for those involved in agile software development.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews

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