October 26th, 2023 @ 8:30AM| The Strathallan City View Ballroom
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About Agile Connect Rochester
Agile Connect Rochester is a full day event focused on learning and sharing Agile best practices with the TechRochester community. Attendees will engage in interactive breakouts and thought-provoking discussions to explore successful Agile implementations and learn how to address common challenges.
This collaborative event encourages peer-to-peer learning and open discussion as attendees will have opportunities to share their own achievements, lessons learned, and innovative approaches to Agile implementation. These shared experiences will illustrate how Agile principles can be applied across diverse business contexts at organizations of all sizes, inspiring attendees to implement similar practices within their own organizations.
Bryan Tew
Internationally Recognized Keynote Speaker
Bryan is a seasoned Enterprise Transformation Strategist, Coach and Trainer specializing in the practical implementation of Agile and Lean practices within all types of organizations. He brings a balance of business, technical and leadership expertise to his clients with a focus on how to achieve immediate gains in productivity, efficiency, visibility and flow. Bryan is a co-creator of the AgilityHealth measurement and continuous improvement platform, AgileVideos.com and the Enterprise Business Agility strategy model and continues to train, speak and write about leading Business Agility and Agile topics.
Bryan will be discussing:
5 trends in Agile
1. Upskilling and Cross-skilling is becoming critical
2. Value Stream Management is a necessary focus
3. Enterprise Business Agility to enable adaptability and fight disruption
4. Deliberately building a Culture of Agility
5. Building a data-driven improvement process
Agenda & Timing
Registration & Continental Breakfast Opens at 8:30am, Conference Begins @ 9:15am
9:15am – 9:30am | Conference Kickoff
9:30am – 10:30am | Keynote Speaker – Bryan Tew
10:30am – 11:00am | Break / Networking
11:00am – 12:00pm | Panel Discussion
12:00pm – 1:00pm | Lunch Buffet and Networking
1:15pm – 2:15pm | Breakout Sessions (choose one of three)
2:30pm – 2:45pm | Final Presentation / Key Learnings – Take Aways
2:45pm – 3:00pm | Conference Close / Survey
3pm – End | Optional Networking and Happy Hour
Panelists & Topic
“Breaking Boundaries: Agile Journeys Across ROC”
11:00am – 12:00pm | Panel Discussion
Stephen DeVay, Constellation Brands – Agile Coach, Office of the CIO
Cindy Donovan, Monro – SVP, Chief Information Officer
James Peer, Paychex – Senior Director Enterprise Program Office
Robyn Torpey, ESL Federal Credit Union – Senior Project Manager
Bryan Tew, Keynote Speaker & Panel Moderator
Breakout Sessions & Speakers
Breakout #1 – Through the Scrum Master’s Lens
As Scrum Masters, we are placed on teams and expected to root out problems, anti-patterns, and bad behavior. In some cases, we have tools at our disposal that previous agile practitioners and other savvy individuals have left for us. As humans we tend to favor simple answers to complex questions. Complex problems generally have complex causes which can branch out into industry and company dynamics, team history, interpersonal relationships, and personal backgrounds. The experienced scrum master understands that in empirical process control, not having the proper level of transparency leads to poor outcomes. The lens through which the team is observed is the key to opening the door to impactful servant leadership. In this topic, we’ll take a systems approach to coaching new and maturing scrum teams and explore topics such as the fundamentals of agile coaching and survey more advanced topics such as the 7 wastes of Lean and Theory of Constraints and how they complement our work as agile practitioners.
Leigh Smith
Agile Delivery Lead, Mindex
A passionate agilist for the last 12 years, Leigh uses innovative analysis methods to bring out the best in agile teams while also training and coaching Mindex’s Scrum Masters as Agile Delivery Lead. She believes that fostering a fun and positive work culture empowers others to execute their best work leading to improved efficiency, productivity, and positive team dynamics.
Michael Moeller
Director of Customer Delivery, Mindex
A lean software development champion and enterprise agilist, Mike brings a systems-thinking approach to driving efficiency and innovation as Director of Customer Delivery at Mindex. Mike believes that building a culture of continuous improvement through transparency, inspection, and adaptation brings about the best in others, yielding strong customer relationships, engaged employees, and impactful delivery outcomes.
Breakout #2 – Shaping Work: Finding the Right Level of Abstraction
Teams must avoid the extremes of being too vague or too concrete when shaping work. This talk will highlight the importance of creative collaboration and technical literacy in the shaping process. Attendees will walk away with an understanding of the properties of shaped work and the steps involved in shaping. They’ll be able to better set boundaries, address risks and rabbit holes, and write an effective product charter. Join us as we delve into practical application of ideas espoused in the popular book Shape Up.
Paul Gebel
Director of Product Management, ITX Corp.
With 20 years in the game, Paul is the Director of Product Management at ITX Corp., where he leads agile Scrum teams to market success. He’s a guru in aligning product roadmaps with business goals and technical capabilities. A data-driven strategist, Paul specializes in crafting AI-enabled features that disrupt industries and delight over 500 million users globally.
As an Adjunct Professor at Rochester Institute of Technology, he’s shaping the next generation of product pros. With an MBA and a BFA under his belt, Paul’s mission is simple: empower teams to achieve mission-driven innovation in a constantly evolving tech landscape.
Breakout #3 – Sustainable Development: Putting the “Team” back in “Team Lead”
Every team needs effective leadership, but the most effective teams are those in which it’s difficult to determine who the leader is. Emphasizing the value of motivated “generalizing specialists” and nurturing growth throughout the development team over a single source of truth inspires self-organization, efficiency, and resiliency to change – an ideal Agile team. In this talk, we’ll explore the habits effective development leaders can leverage to construct a supportive team environment that maximizes trust, promotes a sustainable pace and empowers all team members with the opportunity to lead.
Mark Chadbourne
Director of Technology and Engineering Advancement, Solü Technology Partners
A development leader with over 15 years of industry experience, Mark holds a bachelor’s degree in software engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology and is passionate about building effective Agile teams. After stops in the healthcare and defense industries, he has found a home in the world of consulting with Solü Technology Partners where he serves as the Director of Technology and Engineering Advancement. Responsible for an organization of over 100 developers, analysts, Product Owners, and Scrum Masters, Mark has personally held each role over the course of his career and is grateful for the opportunity to share his experiences with his team and work side-by-side with them to deliver high-quality software.
Reasons to attend Agile Connect Rochester
Connect with TechRochester’s Partner Community
Access to industry leaders and individuals who share a similar interest and background can provide unique perspectives, open new opportunities for collaboration, and provide valuable insights. Strengthen your ties with the local software development community, including TechRochester’s Partners Paychex, Solü Technology Partners, ITX Corp., Miller & Associates, and Mindex.
Be inspired by what’s around you
Whether you’re new to Agile methodologies or a seasoned practitioner, there is something for everyone at Agile Connect Rochester. Exposure to industry best practices and learning from attendees and professionals who share their lessons learned will help you stay ahead of the latest trends and may even encourage you to expand your own skill set.
Gain insights from a recognized subject matter expert
Bryan Tew’s unique blend of technical, business, project management, and leadership skills enable him to connect with leaders at all levels, identify the right problems to be solved, and implement practical, real-world strategies to help maximize the flow of value delivery. Bryan will be traveling in from Highland, Utah to help you learn how to achieve business agility in your own organization.
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