Agile for Technical Teams From Principles to Practice

This interactive course introduces Agile methodologies through real-world simulations, collaborative exercises, and practical tools that mirror the fast-paced, iterative nature of Agile environments. Participants will explore Agile roles, artifacts, planning techniques, and metrics while applying them to a simulated product development project. By the end, attendees will be equipped to implement Agile practices in technical settings and lead cross-functional teams with agility and purpose.

• Engineers and technical professionals involved in product development, maintenance, or operations.
• Project and program managers transitioning from traditional to Agile methodologies.
• Technical leaders, contractors, and facilities managers seeking to collaborate more effectively using Agile principles.

This course is part of the Technical Leadership Certificate and Project Management Certificate. Course may be taken individually as well.

Module 1: Course Intro/Introduction to Agile: What is it - roots/history - current trends - what it's not.

Module 2: Agile project lifecycle models

Module 3: Agile project process models

Module 4: Agile project artifacts and documents

Module 5: Agile project team roles

Module 6: Agile Communications and Team Interactions - Daily stand-ups/scrums, team spaces/bullpens, other communications tools/methods

Module 7: Agile Estimating - Sizing and story points, planning poker, analogous estimating

Module 8: Agile Planning - release planning, Iterations/Timeboxing, retrospectives, burndown/burnup charts, task boards, definition of done, thin vertical slices, releasable increments

Module 9: Agile Metrics and Tools: Velocity, burndown/burnup charts

Module 10: Scaling Agile – LeSS, SAFe, S@S, Hybrid

Module 11: Adopting Agile - assessing projects, adoption, alternatives/adaptations, organizational readiness and typical challenges

Shawn Belling

Shawn Belling is a technology executive, speaker, instructor, and author based in Madison, WI. Shawn has held executive and management roles in health tech, higher education, software, consulting, bio-pharma, manufacturing, and regulatory compliance sectors. 

Shawn is a Lecturer in Interdisciplinary Professional Programs (InterPro) within the College of Engineering at UW-Madison. Shawn is also the Delivery Experience Officer at FarWell Project Advisors LLC of Madison, WI. Areas of professional and academic practice include project and program management, agile practices, organizational change management, software and IT strategy and delivery, new product development and remote work.

In addition to over 30 years of technology and project leadership experience, Shawn teaches, speaks and consults for businesses, universities and professional organizations on various leadership and management topics and practices. Shawn released his books Succeeding with Agile Hybrids in November of 2020 and Remotely Possible in June of 2021.

Shawn is certified by PMI as a Project Management Professional and Agile Certified Practitioner and is also a Certified Scrum Professional and Registered Scrum at Scale Practitioner.

Shawn earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater and Master of Science in Project Management from UW – Platteville. Shawn earned a certificate in Organizational Change Leadership from UW-Platteville and Doctor of Education in Leadership at the University of the Cumberlands.