The Big Agile Questions for 2025: A Community Reflection With Your Submitted Questions
Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches14 Helmi

The Big Agile Questions for 2025: A Community Reflection With Your Submitted Questions

This is a special episode, where I introduce the "Big Agile Questions" survey and review some of the questions that you've already submitted! Thank you all who did!

You can find the submission form here. Submit your questions, as we will be reviewing these in future episodes!

To join 25,341 other Agilists on our Newsletter (˜1 post/week), visit this page, and join.

The Power of Asking Better Questions

At every major turning point in history, from the Renaissance to the Industrial Revolution, progress has begun with asking better questions. The Agile movement itself started with the authors of the Agile Manifesto questioning traditional software development methods.

Now, in 2025, with significant changes in the industry including PMI's acquisition of the Agile Alliance, the community faces a crucial moment to shape its future direction through thoughtful inquiry and reflection.

"Throughout history, the biggest leaps forward have come from people willing to ask difficult, sometimes even quite challenging, questions."

The Future Beyond Agile

🎯 Max asks: What comes after the Agile era? Should we enter the ‘SmartOrg’ era, where multiple toolboxes thrive?

The question of what comes after the Agile era emerges as a central theme in the community submitted questions. While Agile has matured over two and a half decades, it continues to evolve beyond its first-generation frameworks like Scrum, Kanban, and XP. The focus shifts toward viewing Agile as a broader philosophy that can be adapted locally with different frameworks, while remaining open to new approaches that may emerge, particularly with the advent of AI and other technological advances.

This is only of the many questions we're trying to answer the The Global Agile Summit 2025. We’ll be featuring world-class speakers like:

    • Jurgen Appelo (Management 3.0)
    • Gojko Adzic (Impact Mapping, Specification by Example)
    • Clinton Keith (Agile for Game Development - EXCLUSIVE REVEAL!)
    • …and many more!

At the Summit, we’ll be discussing these BIG Agile questions and working together on real-world, actionable solutions. If you want to be part of this movement, submit your session to share your story—or simply join us in Tallinn!" Go to GlobalAgileSummit.com and submit your session!

"Maybe we need to evolve towards a world where agile is more of a philosophy and that we locally adapt that philosophy to the different frameworks that we have at our disposal today and in the future."

Psychology and Business: Bridging the Gap

🎯 Bob Marshall (a previous guest) asks: Why is there so much willful blindness to psychology in business and software development?

The role of psychology in business and software development remains underexplored, despite its crucial importance. Modern understanding of concepts like psychological safety and team dynamics challenges traditional management approaches based on Frederick Taylor's scientific management ideas. The Agile community must continue to incorporate insights from psychology to create more effective and humane workplaces.

"Agile is about people, but sometimes we treat teams, organizations, and even people like machines."

The NoEstimates Approach to Delivery

🎯 Andrew Mitchell (a previous guest on the podcast) asks: How can we deliver sooner and meet product deadlines with better forecasting tools?

When faced with the challenge of meeting product deadlines and improving delivery forecasting, the traditional estimation approach has proven ineffective. Vasco's research shows that projects are on average 60% late, with larger projects experiencing even greater delays. The solution lies in shifting from rigid prediction expectations to simpler, more effective forecasting tools that combine historical data with human insights. The key strategy for Agilists is to focus on shorter, smaller projects that deliver to production, supported by practices like continuous integration and continuous delivery.

The NoEstimates movement already shows some options, practical approaches, that we can use to deliver on time. But we are just starting to discover these new approaches. There's more to come.

"If there's one thing we've learned from old school project management, the fading framework that is still the 600 pound gorilla in the room... estimates don't prevent delays."

Leadership in the Age of Specialists

🎯 Zvone asks: How can we challenge leaders to step up their involvement while remaining trusted and respected?

The evolution of leadership in Agile organizations presents unique challenges. Leaders must balance involvement with trust, influencing while allowing teams to grow and express their potential. The community needs to develop coherent frameworks and tools specifically for leaders, similar to how Scrum serves development teams or product discovery serves product owners.

In this segment, we refer to David Marquet and his work with Turn The Ship Around! A must-read book for all Agile leaders.

"Leaders are working with teams of specialists, people who know more about the work that they're doing than their leaders do. And that's okay because the leader shouldn't be doing that work."

Executive Engagement and Transformation

🎯 Liat Feren asks: How can we engage executives in Agile transformation?

Understanding and engaging with executives requires speaking their language and focusing on outcomes rather than frameworks. Success stories from the Global Agile Summit demonstrate how organizations can transform when executives are properly engaged and understand the value proposition of Agile approaches.

"Executives love outcomes. They don't really care for frameworks."

Submit your questions to our BIG Agile Questions survey! Let's continue to explore the future of Agile together!

About Vasco Duarte

Vasco Duarte is a thought leader in the Agile space, co-founder of Agile Finland, and host of the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast, which has over 10 million downloads. Author of NoEstimates: How To Measure Project Progress Without Estimating, Vasco is a sought-after speaker and consultant helping organizations embrace Agile practices to achieve business success.

You can link with Vasco Duarte on LinkedIn and connect with Vasco Duarte on Substack.

Jaksot(200)

Product Owner Patterns – The Great and the Bad | Ellen Grove

Product Owner Patterns – The Great and the Bad | Ellen Grove

Ellen Grove: The Messenger Anti-Pattern, When Product Owners Lack Authority Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: Building Shared Understanding, The Collaborative Product Owner Pattern Ellen describes an exemplary Product Owner (PO) who actively engaged with customers, often bringing the team along to meet users. This practice fostered a shared understanding of customer needs and amplified creativity within the team. A great PO promotes collaboration and ensures that the team is aligned with the product vision, enabling innovative solutions and meaningful outcomes. The Bad Product Owner: The Messenger Anti-Pattern, When Product Owners Lack Authority A poor PO, Ellen explains, is one who lacks decision-making authority. In one case, a PO served merely as a messenger for the CEO, repeatedly deferring to higher-ups for answers. This lack of empowerment hindered team progress and frustrated the development process. Ellen underscores that Scrum Masters play a crucial role in supporting POs to ensure they can fulfill their responsibilities effectively. Self-reflection Question: How can you support Product Owners to strengthen their ability to make informed decisions? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] 🔥In the ruthless world of fintech, success isn’t just about innovation—it’s about coaching!🔥 Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, she’s caught in the middle of a corporate espionage drama that could make or break the future of digital banking. Can she help the team regain their mojo and outwit their rivals, or will the competition crush their ambitions? As alliances shift and the pressure builds, one thing becomes clear: this isn’t just about the product—it’s about the people. 🚨 Will Angela’s coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to People—the gripping story of high-stakes innovation and corporate intrigue. Buy Now on Amazon [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Ellen Grove Ellen is a skilled business agility coach, trainer, and facilitator, helping teams and leaders foster collaboration, productivity, and meaningful change. With expertise in Agile, Scrum, Lean, and systems coaching, she partners with diverse organizations—from startups to global enterprises—to navigate complex challenges, build resilience, and drive impactful organizational transformations across all departments. You can link with Ellen Grove on LinkedIn.

10 Tammi 16min

The Power of "Why", Modeling Coaching Behavior for Agile Teams | Ellen Grove

The Power of "Why", Modeling Coaching Behavior for Agile Teams | Ellen Grove

Ellen Grove: The Power of "Why", Modeling Coaching Behavior for Agile Teams Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Ellen defines success for Scrum Masters as the team developing a stronger sense of agency and self-sufficiency. When teams begin asking better questions and demonstrate ownership of their processes, it indicates growth and maturity. Scrum Masters must model this behavior by being thoughtful, curious, and consistently asking "why" to encourage a coaching mindset. This approach enables teams to think critically and solve problems collaboratively. Self-reflection Question: How can you model the behavior you want to see in your team during retrospectives and beyond? Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Retromat Ellen recommends using Retromat, a versatile online tool that provides a variety of retrospective formats to match the specific needs of your team. Ellen values mixing up retrospective formats to keep sessions engaging and contextually relevant. She stresses the importance of paying attention to all steps of a retrospective process, ensuring teams reflect, ideate, and act effectively. [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] 🔥In the ruthless world of fintech, success isn’t just about innovation—it’s about coaching!🔥 Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, she’s caught in the middle of a corporate espionage drama that could make or break the future of digital banking. Can she help the team regain their mojo and outwit their rivals, or will the competition crush their ambitions? As alliances shift and the pressure builds, one thing becomes clear: this isn’t just about the product—it’s about the people. 🚨 Will Angela’s coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to People—the gripping story of high-stakes innovation and corporate intrigue. Buy Now on Amazon [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Ellen Grove Ellen is a skilled business agility coach, trainer, and facilitator, helping teams and leaders foster collaboration, productivity, and meaningful change. With expertise in Agile, Scrum, Lean, and systems coaching, she partners with diverse organizations—from startups to global enterprises—to navigate complex challenges, build resilience, and drive impactful organizational transformations across all departments. You can link with Ellen Grove on LinkedIn.

9 Tammi 16min

The Dual Work of Agile, Managing Projects and Change Simultaneously | Ellen Grove

The Dual Work of Agile, Managing Projects and Change Simultaneously | Ellen Grove

Ellen Grove: The Dual Work of Agile, Managing Projects and Change Simultaneously Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Ellen shares her insights on managing organizational change effectively. She explains how Scrum and Lean Change Management offer tools to make the "change work" visible alongside project work. By putting infrastructure in place to support this dual focus, stakeholders and teams can gain transparency and clarity. Ellen emphasizes that lasting change requires collaboration and visibility, not isolation. Self-reflection Question: How can you make the "change work" more visible in your organization? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] 🔥In the ruthless world of fintech, success isn’t just about innovation—it’s about coaching!🔥 Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, she’s caught in the middle of a corporate espionage drama that could make or break the future of digital banking. Can she help the team regain their mojo and outwit their rivals, or will the competition crush their ambitions? As alliances shift and the pressure builds, one thing becomes clear: this isn’t just about the product—it’s about the people. 🚨 Will Angela’s coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to People—the gripping story of high-stakes innovation and corporate intrigue. Buy Now on Amazon [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Ellen Grove Ellen is a skilled business agility coach, trainer, and facilitator, helping teams and leaders foster collaboration, productivity, and meaningful change. With expertise in Agile, Scrum, Lean, and systems coaching, she partners with diverse organizations—from startups to global enterprises—to navigate complex challenges, build resilience, and drive impactful organizational transformations across all departments. You can link with Ellen Grove on LinkedIn.

8 Tammi 15min

Why Feedback Loops Are Essential for Agile Teams | Ellen Grove

Why Feedback Loops Are Essential for Agile Teams | Ellen Grove

Ellen Grove: Why Feedback Loops Are Essential for Agile Teams Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Ellen shares a story about coaching a team in a public sector enterprise working on a website project. Despite their commitment to Agile, the team’s disconnect from user feedback led them to build features that missed critical functionality. This stealthy anti-pattern—assuming "what should be done and why" without user input—resulted in wasted effort and budget. Ellen emphasizes the importance of direct feedback loops with real users, even for internal products. Self-reflection Question: How can you ensure your team receives continuous feedback from real users to avoid building the wrong product? Featured Book of the Week: Humble Inquiry by Edgar Schein Ellen highlights "Humble Inquiry," a transformative book that stresses the importance of relationships over tasks in solving problems. The book encourages leaders to build trust and respect through better questioning techniques. It challenges readers to rethink their interactions and adopt a stance of curiosity, fostering collaboration and understanding. [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] 🔥In the ruthless world of fintech, success isn’t just about innovation—it’s about coaching!🔥 Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, she’s caught in the middle of a corporate espionage drama that could make or break the future of digital banking. Can she help the team regain their mojo and outwit their rivals, or will the competition crush their ambitions? As alliances shift and the pressure builds, one thing becomes clear: this isn’t just about the product—it’s about the people. 🚨 Will Angela’s coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to People—the gripping story of high-stakes innovation and corporate intrigue. Buy Now on Amazon [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Ellen Grove Ellen is a skilled business agility coach, trainer, and facilitator, helping teams and leaders foster collaboration, productivity, and meaningful change. With expertise in Agile, Scrum, Lean, and systems coaching, she partners with diverse organizations—from startups to global enterprises—to navigate complex challenges, build resilience, and drive impactful organizational transformations across all departments. You can link with Ellen Grove on LinkedIn.

7 Tammi 14min

Managing Change in Complex Organizational Cultures | Ellen Grove

Managing Change in Complex Organizational Cultures | Ellen Grove

Ellen Grove: Managing Change in Complex Organizational Cultures Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Ellen reflects on her early experiences as a Scrum Master, facing challenges in an environment that resisted the introduction of Scrum. She shares valuable lessons about handling external resistance, managing personal expectations, and avoiding emotional burnout when navigating organizational change. Ellen emphasizes the importance of focusing on what can be influenced and detaching from outcomes beyond one’s control. Self-reflection Question: How do you maintain focus and resilience when dealing with resistance to Scrum in your organization? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] 🔥In the ruthless world of fintech, success isn’t just about innovation—it’s about coaching!🔥 Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, she’s caught in the middle of a corporate espionage drama that could make or break the future of digital banking. Can she help the team regain their mojo and outwit their rivals, or will the competition crush their ambitions? As alliances shift and the pressure builds, one thing becomes clear: this isn’t just about the product—it’s about the people. 🚨 Will Angela’s coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to People—the gripping story of high-stakes innovation and corporate intrigue. Buy Now on Amazon [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Ellen Grove Ellen is a skilled business agility coach, trainer, and facilitator, helping teams and leaders foster collaboration, productivity, and meaningful change. With expertise in Agile, Scrum, Lean, and systems coaching, she partners with diverse organizations—from startups to global enterprises—to navigate complex challenges, build resilience, and drive impactful organizational transformations across all departments. You can link with Ellen Grove on LinkedIn.

6 Tammi 14min

Throwing Features Over the Fence, The Disconnected PO | Robert Finan

Throwing Features Over the Fence, The Disconnected PO | Robert Finan

Robert Finan: Throwing Features Over the Fence, The Disconnected PO Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: Fostering Quick Feedback Loops With Story Mapping Robert describes a great Product Owner as someone who immerses themselves in the team, fostering collaboration and ensuring quick market feedback.  By using tools like Story Mapping, these POs help teams focus on value while staying engaged and open to learning. The Bad Product Owner: Throwing Features Over the Fence, The Disconnected PO Bad Product Owners remain distant, throwing requirements “over the fence” without participating in the team’s efforts. This disconnect often leads to misalignment and poor outcomes.  For Scrum Masters and Agile Coaches, Robert suggests investigating the root cause of this distance and addressing it collaboratively. [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] 🔥In the ruthless world of fintech, success isn’t just about innovation—it’s about coaching!🔥 Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, she’s caught in the middle of a corporate espionage drama that could make or break the future of digital banking. Can she help the team regain their mojo and outwit their rivals, or will the competition crush their ambitions? As alliances shift and the pressure builds, one thing becomes clear: this isn’t just about the product—it’s about the people. 🚨 Will Angela’s coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to People—the gripping story of high-stakes innovation and corporate intrigue. Buy Now on Amazon [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Robert Finan Robert has been working in IT for over 25 years, with the last decade spent deeply engaged in “messy” real-world Agile transformations. He documents his experiences in the Agile Drill Sergeant webcomic. You can link with Robert Finan on LinkedIn.

3 Tammi 14min

Promoting Agile Team Growth Through Experiments And Small Focused Changes | Robert Finan

Promoting Agile Team Growth Through Experiments And Small Focused Changes | Robert Finan

Robert Finan: Promoting Agile Team Growth Through Experiments And Small Focused Changes Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Robert defines Scrum Master success as driving impactful team improvements through small, focused changes.  By maintaining a backlog of improvement ideas and encouraging teams to experiment, Robert highlights the importance of measurable progress in both behavior and collaboration. Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Sailboat Retrospective Robert recommends the Sailboat format, especially when working with new teams. By exploring current realities, future goals, and risks, this format provides rich insights and fosters alignment. The focus on improvement ensures actionable outcomes that resonate with team members. [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] 🔥In the ruthless world of fintech, success isn’t just about innovation—it’s about coaching!🔥 Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, she’s caught in the middle of a corporate espionage drama that could make or break the future of digital banking. Can she help the team regain their mojo and outwit their rivals, or will the competition crush their ambitions? As alliances shift and the pressure builds, one thing becomes clear: this isn’t just about the product—it’s about the people. 🚨 Will Angela’s coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to People—the gripping story of high-stakes innovation and corporate intrigue. Buy Now on Amazon [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Robert Finan Robert has been working in IT for over 25 years, with the last decade spent deeply engaged in “messy” real-world Agile transformations. He documents his experiences in the Agile Drill Sergeant webcomic. You can link with Robert Finan on LinkedIn.

2 Tammi 14min

Flexible Change Processes, How To Adopt Agile With An Agile Approach | Robert Finan

Flexible Change Processes, How To Adopt Agile With An Agile Approach | Robert Finan

Robert Finan: Flexible Change Processes, How To Adopt Agile With An Agile Approach Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Robert discusses how top-down, project managed Agile transformations often fail to account for the complexity of change. By focusing on flexibility, inspect/adapt cycles, and bringing comfort to the change process, Scrum Masters can guide organizations away from one-size-fits-all solutions and toward the sustainable improvement that is the hallmark of Agile. Self-reflection Question: How can you bring comfort to the change process in your organization? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] 🔥In the ruthless world of fintech, success isn’t just about innovation—it’s about coaching!🔥 Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, she’s caught in the middle of a corporate espionage drama that could make or break the future of digital banking. Can she help the team regain their mojo and outwit their rivals, or will the competition crush their ambitions? As alliances shift and the pressure builds, one thing becomes clear: this isn’t just about the product—it’s about the people. 🚨 Will Angela’s coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to People—the gripping story of high-stakes innovation and corporate intrigue. Buy Now on Amazon [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Robert Finan Robert has been working in IT for over 25 years, with the last decade spent deeply engaged in “messy” real-world Agile transformations. He documents his experiences in the Agile Drill Sergeant webcomic. You can link with Robert Finan on LinkedIn.

1 Tammi 12min

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