freeCodeCamp – Chris Gagné

I produce explainer videos on a variety of Agile topics for freeCodeCamp, a free coding boot camp that teaches students how to code and pairs them with nonprofits who need their help. I’m doing this because although boot camps help people become good developers, they don’t necessarily teach them how to work well on modern Agile teams.

Chickens and Pigs

Here’s a video I shot for freeCodeCamp about Chickens and Pigs.

The term “Chickens and Pigs” was removed from the official Scrum Guide in 2011, but you might hear it used even today. In this brief video, you’ll learn the story behind the term, as well as its history, meaning, and pros and cons.

Click “Continue reading” below for a transcript.

Chris Gagné2017-09-19T16:20:06-08:00July 27th, 2017|0 Comments

I.N.V.E.S.T.

Here’s a video I shot for freeCodeCamp about the I.N.V.E.S.T. mnemonic.

I.N.V.E.S.T. is a great starting point for your team’s Definition of Ready. In this brief video, you’ll learn what the mnemonic means and gain insight into a frequently required but often overlooked addition.

Click “Continue reading” below for a transcript.

Chris Gagné2017-09-19T16:20:06-08:00July 25th, 2017|0 Comments

The Agile Manifesto

Here’s a video I shot for freeCodeCamp about the Agile Manifesto.

The Agile Manifesto describes the fundamental values upon which every Agile framework rests. In this brief video, you’ll learn what the full Agile Manifesto is, along with a little history of how it was created.

Click “Continue reading” below for a transcript.

Chris Gagné2017-09-19T16:20:06-08:00July 24th, 2017|0 Comments

Definition of Done

Here’s a video I shot for freeCodeCamp about the Definition of Done.

The Definition of Done is a documented team agreement. It defines the conditions that must be met for a potentially shippable product to be considered “done as in done.” It’s how we know that we “did the thing right”, meaning that we built in the correct level of quality into the product. These are different from the acceptance criteria which help us know that we did the “right thing.”

Click “Continue reading” below for a transcript.

Chris Gagné2017-09-19T16:20:06-08:00July 10th, 2017|1 Comment

Working Agreements

Here’s a video I shot for freeCodeCamp about Working Agreements.

Does your team show up late to meetings? Does Sprint Planning take forever because half the team isn’t paying attention to anything but social media? Find out how to identify and limit these and other big risks with a Working Agreement.

Click “Continue reading” below for a transcript.

Chris Gagné2017-09-19T16:20:06-08:00July 3rd, 2017|0 Comments

Definition of Ready

Here’s a video I shot for freeCodeCamp about the Definition of Ready.

Have you ever started work on a user story that wasn’t ready to work on yet? Create a Definition of Ready to establish reasonable guidelines as to what conditions need to be met before you pull a user story into a sprint or begin work on it. Creating and following a Definition of Ready could double the speed of your team.

Click “Continue reading” below for a transcript.

Chris Gagné2017-09-19T16:20:06-08:00June 25th, 2017|0 Comments

Tradeoff Matrix

Here’s a video I shot for freeCodeCamp about the Tradeoff Matrix.

When we work on projects with fixed dates, scopes, and resources, we run the risk of burning out our teams and compromising quality. Use the tradeoff matrix to agree with your stakeholders as to what you’ll do when things—almost inevitably—don’t go exactly as planned.

Click “Continue reading” below for a transcript.

Chris Gagné2017-09-19T16:20:06-08:00June 19th, 2017|0 Comments