CSPO-WSTorontoFebruary2015


If you want access to PDF files of the deck we used, please contact Cassandra at Cassandra.Wagner@LeanAgileTraining.com .  (Note for public readers: You must also be a CSM/CSPO we trained.)

 

Read or finish reading the following:

Agile Project Management with Scrum by Ken Schwaber.

http://www.infoq.com/minibooks/scrum-xp-from-the-trenches

The Scrum Guide  http://agileconsortium.pbworks.com/w/page/23740731/Scrum%20Guide

 

Again, the Scrum Guide is a key source for preparing for the CSM Test.

 

You are certainly welcome to read here (this wiki), at my blog Agile & Business (see http://www.leanagiletraining.com/blog/), and at a special Yahoo group called AgileBusiness (http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/AgileBusiness).  Please also contribute, even if only with questions.

 

And, for the next week, you are welcome to a free copy of my book, Agile Release Planning.

I will send you a link to get it for free.

 

We also particularly recommend:

ScrumDevelopment (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scrumdevelopment)

LeanDevelopment (http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/leandevelopment)

The Agile2015 Conference http://agile2015.agilealliance.org/ in August.

The next ScrumGathering is in Phoenix next May.

 

See Agile Info, here: http://www.leanagiletraining.com/resources.html

There is a whole LOT of info on and "beneath" this page.  It includes: books, articles, blogs, yahoo groups, "user groups", etc, etc.

 

Local Groups: You should join a "local" group.  Or start a local group or an "industry" group.

You should be aware of Agile Toronto group - http://www.meetup.com/Agile-Toronto-East

or Toronto Agile Community http://www.torontoagilecommunity.org/display/PUBLIC/Home

or Toronto Agile Support Group http://www.linkedin.com/groups?home=&gid=4607785&trk=anet_ug_hm

Scrum Canada in LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1441047&trk=myg_ugrp_ovr

 

Here are some other useful documents:

 

Prioritizing projects.pdf

 

CSM PDU Claim Process-3.pdf

 

Scrum-checklist-prio1.pdf

 

Joe's Unofficial Scrum Checklist

 

Favorite Scrum Mistakes

 

A list summarizing Scrum   This list is useful as a review. And maybe useful as a starting point for defining Scrum or Agile for your group.

 

Joe'sSimpleScrumTool3.xls

 

Agile 2010 Scrum excel spreadsheet:

ScrumExcelSpreadsheet20100124.xlsx 

 

Suggestions: 

We place the highest value on taking action and getting real results.

Put what you think you know into action.  Now.

Find out what you don't know as well as what you thought you did. 

Find out what you need to know the most. Now.

Learn more (for a bit). Act more.

Learn-Act.  Get into a tight cycle.  Like a PDCA cycle.

 

We want you to pursue this with perseverance and aggressiveness, and at the same time patience.

 

 

1. Talk with recent clients Ask agents to provide a list of what they've listed and sold in the past year, with contact information, says Ron Phipps, past president of the Chicago-based National Association of Realtors, or NAR. Before you start calling the names, ask the agent if anyone will be "particularly pleased or particularly disappointed," he says. With past clients, "I'd like to know what the asking price was and then what the sales price was," says William Poorvu, adjunct professor emeritus at Harvard Business School and co-author of "The Real Estate Game: The Intelligent Guide to Decision-making and Investment." And, if you're the seller, ask if these past properties are similar to yours in price, location and other salient features, Poorvu says. What you want is someone who specializes in exactly what you're selling. SHARE THIS STORY LinkedIn Delicious Reddit Stumbleupon Email story Another good question for sellers is: How long has the home been on the market?

2. Look up the licensing States will have boards that license and discipline real estate agents in those states, says Phipps. Check with your state's regulatory body to find out if the person is licensed and if there have been any disciplinary actions or complaints, or check to see if the information is posted online.

3. Pick a winner Peer-given awards count, says Phipps. One that really means something is the "Realtor of the Year" designation awarded by the state or local branch of NAR. "These agents are the best as judged by their peers," he says. "That's a huge endorsement."

4. Select an agent with the right credentials Just as doctors specialize, so do real estate agents. And even generalists will get additional training in some areas. So that alphabet soup after the name can be an indication that the person has taken additional classes in a certain specialty of real estate sales. Here's what some of the designations mean:

5. Research how long the agent has been in business You can often find out how long the agent has been selling real estate from the state licensing authority. Or, you can just ask the agent. "If they haven't been in business five years, they're learning on you and that's not good," says Robert Irwin, author of "Tips & Traps When Buying a Home." Ultimately, what you're looking for is someone who is actively engaged in a particular area and price range, says Phipps. You'll want to know what knowledge of those two factors they can demonstrate and "what kind of market presence they have," he says.

6. Look at their current listings Check out an agent's listings online, says Brobeck. Two places to look are the agency's own site and Realtor.com, a website that compiles properties in the Multiple Listing Service into a searchable online database. Most buyers start their search on the Internet, and you want an agent who uses that tool effectively. "A key thing is an attractive presentation on the Web," says Brobeck. You also can look at how closely the agent's listings mirror the property you want to buy or sell. Are they in the same area? Is the price range similar? And does the agent have enough listings to indicate a healthy business but not so many that you'd just be a number?

7. Ask about other houses for sale nearby A good agent should know about other area properties that are available "off the top of his head," says Irwin. Mention a house in your area that's sold recently or is for sale. If the agent knows the property and can give you a few details, that means he or she really knows your area, he says. "You want someone like that who's on top of the market."

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