Quick update on a presentation I am doing in a few weeks at the Rocky Mountain Information Management Association (RMIMA). The presentation is targeted at folks who want to get a basic understanding of agile (Scrum), why so many people promote it, and what issues and challenges are brought to the surface when you move towards agile. Here is the abstract:

Agile – Myth or Reality

Why do we keep hearing more and more about agile? When will it arrive? Has it already arrived or has it departed? The presentation will provide an overview of agile-Scrum to demystify it. What is a standup, a sprint, why do people talk about chickens and pigs? Understanding why many people are “agile fanatics” requires clarity about the types of issues that agile can resolve.

Building on the overview of agile, the presentation will review common “software project challenges” and review why agile is often cited as a solution to these problems. Can “being agile” really solve these issues and reduce risk? Are these problems actually related to the software project? Finally, the presentation will review why Agile can’t solve all problems, although we often seem to only hear about ‘agile magic beans’. The session will review issues that agile may expose, but cannot solve, and how those issues can make or break your agile success.

Learning Objectives:
- Understand the basis of agile-Scrum.
- Understand how agile minimizes risks and why people promote it.
- Understand types of issues that agile exposes but cannot address.

Learn more and RSVP here.

If you have questions or comments please post them here (include your email and add “private” to the post if you would prefer a direct response via email).

Read This If: You want to ensure you are basing your projects value on input from true subject matter expert (for any type of project).

A fake subject matter expert or SME can derail a project. Improvements to your business should be based on the best information you have access to, not outdated or incorrect information. The acronym “SME” seems to pop-up everywhere. I agree that saying “subject matter expert” does not flow as well as SME, but the phrase drives home that the person should be an expert (and in the right subject)!

Subject matter experts are used on projects from IT Strategy, to business process improvement, to software development, to organizational change . . . to name a few. They are supposed to impart the wisdom of what is actually happening, and often, what is needed. But if they are NOT an expert, then what? Are you basing the success of your project on poor information?

So what exactly is a fake SME? The basic premise is that they are someone who appears or pretends to be a subject matter expert, but is not. There are many types, but let me outline some of the more common ones:
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