"If you can start talking to audit, you can find solutions that they will help you reach that nobody else would have thought about" - Mark Richards

In Episode 19, hosted by Stephan Neck, Nikolaos Kaintantzis, Ali Hajou, and Mark Richards, the focus is on Lean Portfolio Management (LPM), specifically Lean Governance. The hosts stress the importance of governance in balancing spending oversight, compliance, and alignment between agile and non-agile teams. They highlight the need for engagement from roles like Value Management Offices (VMOs), business owners, and enterprise architects.

We discuss the challenge of synchronizing agile teams with the broader organization, ensuring vertical integration, and maintaining transparency at high levels. The episode explores the value of simulations, such as Get Kanban, to teach flow and governance to senior leaders. The hosts emphasize the importance of practice fields, visual tools, and fostering environments where new behaviors can be learned.

Mark shares how a simulation game helped a CIO and leadership team better understand and commit to Lean Governance. Niko explains how the power of visualization can be a game-changer, sharing the idea of using a simple magnet to indicate blockers on a board. The episode concludes with discussions on applying these concepts in real-world scenarios, using data for transparency and accountability.

The conversation touches on unfinished work items in portfolios, caution against weaponizing data, and the importance of pattern-based problem-solving. Stephan shares a story highlighting the importance of collaboration between business owners and enterprise architects in lean governance. The hosts wrap up by offering tips for new SPCs, stressing the importance of understanding controls, collaborating with key stakeholders, and treating audits with care to avoid premature conclusions.

References:

• https://getkanban.com/
• https://scaledagileframework.com/value-management-office/

Cast:

Ali Hajou(Moderator)

Niko Kaintantzis

Stephan Neck

Mark Richards