“The instinctual shortcut…when we have ‘too much information’ is…picking out the parts we like and ignoring the remainder, making allies with those who have made the same choices and enemies of the rest.” – Nate Silver, American statistician, writer. “The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail – but Some Don’t” (2012)

If you want to be competent at continually uncovering the unknown, strategic processes need to be based on learning not planning…in the fast paced world of twenty-first-century business, the focus of strategic work is no longer about making decisions – it’s about making discoveries. It is about discovering what you don’t know that you don’t know.” – Rod Collins, author, speaker, consultant; formerly Chief Operating Executive at Blue Cross & Blue Shield Federal Employee Program. “Why Planning Is No Longer a Strategic Activity”, (2013)

Over the last several months I’ve gratefully appreciated opportunities to present at conferences and user groups in Denver, Chicago, Houston, and Boston, and will have one more opportunity to close the year presenting in Pittsburg come Dec. While discussing possible topics with organizers of these events, most felt a presentation discussing some myths and misconceptions about the Kanban Method would be of interest and benefit for their attendees. [Note: you can find additonal context, and a bit about the initial motivation for talking more about these myths and misconceptions in my earlier post titled “The Kanban Method: Is It Just Scrum With Tweaks or Is There More?”]

The latest variation of my presentations on this topic was at the Agile New England user group in Boston, where they capture many, if not all of their monthly presentations, on video and make them available publicly. You’ll find this video below. If you’re in the Boston area and not familiar with ANE yet, I’d encourage you to visit their website here.

To assist with viewing the video I’ve listed a mini-index (below) indicating a few logical partitions where one might stop and come back to if you’re unable to sit through the presentation in a single sitting. [Note: this particular presentation allowed for a number of questions to be taken throughout, and not just at the end.] I hope you find it interesting. As per a quote I heard once somewhere that has really stuck with me, “the greatest learning occurs at the interface of disagreement” (adding, provided there is some constructive dialogue). So, if you feel I’ve mistated something, could articulate something a bit more effectively, or you disagree with something, please let me know.

Logical partition points after intro material:

07:23 – A taste of LKNA2013 from Chicago via Boston

07:56 – Getting on the same page with the term “kanban”

10:53 – Why is this important?

13:13 – If you take away “one” thing only

14:40 – First of the “myth and misconceptions”

17:49 – Second of the “myth and misconceptions” (including a number of questions from attendees)

42:57 – Notes on the term “iterate”

43:50 – Notes on decoupling activities

45:36 – Third of the “myth and misconceptions”

57:27 – Closing Q&A

I want to thank again here a few of the people from ANE who work hard on a volunteer basis to provide this first class user group in the Boston area. Thanks to ANE Member Shyam Kumar for his persistance, as we started talking about this opportunity some time ago and patitiently working through schedules. Also thanks to ANE’s President, David Grabel, ANE’s Vice-President, Tom Woundy, and ANE’s Program Coordindator, Ron Morsicato, for their efforts that evening and prior, contributing to a first class user group operation. Lastly, thanks to ANE Member Ron Verge who video-taped, edited, and put togther the video.

Take care,

Frank