Is your team considering agile? Are you interested in agile software development, and want to learn more? Do you think agile might help you build better software? You re not alone. Agile is increasingly popular with software teams because the ones that have gone agile often talk about the great results they get. The software they build is better, which makes a big difference to them and their users. Not only that, but when agile teams are effective, they have a much better time at work! Things are more relaxed, and the working environment is a lot more enjoyable.Head First Agile is a brain-friendly guide to understanding agile concepts and ideas. Here s what you ll find The agile mindset, what an agile methodology is, and why agile methodologies that seem so different can still all be agileScrum, and how it can help you build better, more valuable software, and make your team and your users happierXP, and how its focus on code and programming can help you and your team build better systemsLean and Kanban, and how they can help your whole team get better every dayWe have two goals for Head First Agile . First and foremost, we want you to learn what it is, and how it can help you build better software and improve your team. But we also are focused on our readers looking to pass the PMI-ACP certification, so not only does the book have 100% coverage of the material for the PMI-ACP exam, it also includes end-of-chapter exam questions, a complete exam study guide, exam tips, and a full-length practice PMI-ACP exam everything that you need to pass the exam.So while Head First Agile is useful for developers, project managers, and others who want to prepare for and pass the PMI-ACP certification exam, this unique book is also valuable for software team members (including developers) who don't necessarily need to pass the PMI-ACP certification exam, but want to learn about agile and how it can help them.Based on the latest research in cognitive science and learning theory, this book uses a visually rich format to engage your mind, rather than a text-heavy approach that puts you to sleep. Why waste your time struggling with new concepts? This multi-sensory learning experience is designed for the way your brain really works."
Head First books are always fun. I had read O'Reilly's “Learning Agile” by the same authors and there is some overlap. The Head First book was really “too easy” for me, but I read it to be entertained. And also to have a common language with those just learning agile.
Early on, I had a moment of puzzlement – 30 days sprints in Scrum, really? Sixty pages later, they do say that 2 weeks is more common.
There are lots of interactive activities for reinforcement including crossword puzzles to review the terms. The madlibs style fill in the blanks is fun. As were the venn diagrams. I learned a couple new agile games like 1-2 words on how each team member is feeling.
As with many agile books, I was inspired to try new things with my team. Even reading ideas you have heard before helps see those.
The book ends with a full 128 questions PMP practice exam. I like how they kept all the PMP parts to two chapters at the back.
I give this book 8 out of 10 horseshoes.
--- Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for writing this review on behalf of CodeRanch.
This is indeed a brain friendly book. Learn completely new or rehearse what you already know. Have it on your shelf. If you need to sell agile, here you have great arguments for that.
Good read to know about the basics of Agile. I have been following this practices for sometime without knowing the name of it / thinking in detail about why that was there in the first place. This book answers that part. It explained about Agile, Scrum practices, XP, Kanban. I felt my interest faded away when I read the last part which is Kanban methodology, but apart from that others are a good read. Motivated me to read about Extreme Programming Explained.
I wanted to learn SCRUM and started with this book beside the information which you can find it at scrum.org. Its good, I liked it, also the questions are good to work your hand. The books goes also in other topics like Agile, Lean ... etc but I have skimmed them as my focus currently was on SCRUM and for this the book did its job beautifully.
Probably a good book for someone very new to agile software development. I didn't find it particularly inspiring. Call me a bore, but the never-ending humour gets a bit annoying at times :-/
Schönes Arbeitsbuch zur Einführung in die Agilen Arbeitsmethoden. Eignet sich durch den Aufbau für ein Selbststudium, gerade für den Einstieg in Scrum und XP.
A lot of typos and what seemed like basic, easily fixable mistakes. Very disappointed since their PMP prep book was so good. Overall helpful study material though.
Very useful and engaging. Even as an agile expert, I made lots of new connections between the different practices and to their underlying values.
One quibble: The practice exam at the end is much harder than the rest of the book. I would have preferred to have tough questions also after each chapter to help me understand whether my knowledge was up to ACP level.
Excellent summary of Agile principles/practices. The only nuisance is that it also doubles as a preparation for PMI Agile Practitioner exam, and if you don't need it you have to skip the questions and it makes for a little bit jarring reading experience.