Coaching


Coaching can take on many forms but basically it means: working with individuals and teams to improve. One way of thinking about it is as a personalised training, the coach works with the individual or team over a period of time to help them learn and improve.

Coaching normally takes place in the work environment. This helps individuals to focus on the issues in hand and minimises the time they spend away from work.

Coaching FAQ


What is Coaching? What does a coach do? And what is an Agile coach?
Direct, face-to-face advice and assistance for teams, managers and developers on how to create and operate a process that works.

Introducing an Agile software development method (e.g. XP, Scrum, Crystal, etc.), or increasing business Agility in general, is a change management project itself. Individuals and teams often find they need help, coaching is a method of providing that help.

Coaching is about working with individuals to address specific problems. Business coaching is a well established field. Agile coaching applies these ideas specifically to individuals and teams making their work more Agile.

How can a coach help Agile adoption?
Working with individuals and teams a coach can help them apply Agile principles and remove blocks to Agility and project success. For teams adopting Agile software development Agile coaching will address questions such as:
  • Which Agile method is best for us - Scrum, XP, Lean, Kanban?
  • How can we run our planning meetings?
  • How should we plan and schedule work?
  • How can I answer the question: "When will it be ready?"
  • How can we make the rest of the company understand what we are doing?
  • Can Agile principles be applied to large projects?
  • How can we adopt Test Driven Development when we have a large legacy code base?

How can a coach help a manager?
For managers leading Agile teams coaching might address questions such as:
  • How can I introduce change to the team?
  • What does Agility mean for our business? And what are the benefits to the business?
  • How can remote developers be included in the Agile process?
  • What should I address first?
  • How can I continue to improve my team?
  • What should I tell my customers?

Agile Coaching is not limited to these questions, coachees are free to ask the questions they want. The coach's job is to help them with the answers to their questions.

Agile Coaching can help you think about your circumstances to find the solutions that work for you. Solutions that go beyond the books.