In the grand finale of the “5 Wishes for 2025” series, Vasco Duarte tackles the chaotic nature of software development and why traditional project management just doesn’t cut it. Drawing on lessons from weather models, butterflies, and Agile practices, Vasco presents a bold manifesto for how we can thrive in uncertainty.

“Project management is like trying to predict where a butterfly will land after flying through a hurricane – good luck with that!”

Vasco begins with the story of Edward Lorenz, the MIT meteorologist who discovered what was later called the “butterfly effect.” This concept illuminates and explains the unpredictability of software development, where tiny changes can lead to massive, unexpected consequences – like a simple tweak spiraling into a full system refactor.

“Planning your year’s meals in January? That’s about as realistic as predicting October’s sushi cravings!”

Vasco humorously dismantles the premise of project management, which assumes stability, predictability, and complete information upfront. While Agile provides a more flexible approach, it’s often misused as “project management in disguise,” failing to unlock the true potential of adaptability.

“Loving Gantt charts is like loving fax machines – there’s a better way!”

Vasco outlines his four-point manifesto for how organizations can thrive in uncertainty:

1. Fund Software Incrementally: Treat funding like stock market investing – small, regular investments over time.

2. Think Like an Investor: Focus on maximizing returns, not rigidly executing plans.

3. Experiment by Default: Acknowledge that the best ideas come from testing and iterating.

4. Give Teams End-to-End Ownership: Empower teams to own their work from idea to delivery, eliminating micromanagement.

“Scrum teams in a project management organization are like race car drivers stuck in traffic jams – all that potential, nowhere to go!”

Vasco emphasizes that agility must extend beyond individual teams. Organizations need to embrace Agile principles at every level to avoid stifling innovation and potential. And his approach to funding and managing software investments does exactly that: bring agility to the decision making forums in the organization, instead of keeping it at the team level.

“Butterflies don’t follow project plans, and neither does software development!”

Vasco’s final wish for 2025 is for organizations to stop forcing software into rigid project management frameworks. Instead, they should embrace the unpredictable nature of development, leveraging incremental funding, iterative experimentation, and team empowerment to thrive in uncertainty.

“Want to see how real organizations are thriving in chaos? Join us in Tallinn!”

Vasco invites listeners to the Global Agile Summit 2025 in Tallinn, Estonia, where forward-thinking organizations will share their stories of breaking free from traditional project management. Holiday listeners can grab a 75% discounted Super Early Bird ticket at GlobalAgileSummit.com.

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.

In the fourth episode of the “5 Wishes for 2025” series, Vasco Duarte takes on a common yet overlooked productivity killer: the monster backlog. With humor, relatable analogies, and practical advice, Vasco shares how organizations can turn their overwhelming backlogs into powerful tools for focus and impact.

“Your backlog should be like your fridge, not your basement – keep only what you’ll use soon, not what you might need someday!”

Vasco opens by comparing bloated backlogs to storage boxes filled with old cables and chargers: seemingly useful but rarely touched. Sharing the story of Juha, a leader overwhelmed by a five-year backlog of epics, Vasco highlights how backlogs can grow out of control, becoming a source of stress rather than a tool for productivity.

“Your backlog should only contain work for the next 2-3 sprints. That’s it!”

Vasco introduces a game-changing rule of thumb:

• Short-Term Focus: Limit the backlog to items that can be completed within the next 2-3 sprints.

• Medium-Term Planning: Use a problem-centric roadmap to outline key issues to tackle in the next 6-9 months, and a technology strategy to align on longer term tech priorities (more on that in an upcoming episode)

• Long-Term Vision: Create a clear vision document to connect today’s work to future goals.

By managing backlogs with these three distinct timelines, teams can regain clarity and focus without sacrificing strategic alignment.

“Think of it as three zoom levels on your product map – focus on what you need today, tomorrow, and the distant future.”

Vasco explains how a problem-centric roadmap helps teams prioritize medium-term goals by focusing on the most critical customer problems. Combined with a clear long-term vision, this roadmap empowers teams to align their efforts without being overwhelmed by irrelevant details.

“At conferences, I’ve met teams with 10-year-old backlog items – that’s like keeping your Y2K plans ‘just in case’!”

Vasco shares surprising stories of teams with decade-old backlog items. These “zombie tasks” highlight the need for a system to prevent backlogs from growing unchecked. Without proper management, backlogs can cause anxiety and hinder teams from delivering value.

“Let’s turn our backlogs back into the focusing tools they were meant to be.”

Vasco’s fourth wish for 2025 is to see teams use backlogs as powerful prioritization tools, not bottomless pits of forgotten ideas. By embracing a short-term backlog, medium-term roadmap, and long-term vision, teams can stay focused, aligned, and productive.

“Want to learn how real teams are taming their monster backlogs? Join us in Tallinn!”

Vasco invites listeners to the Global Agile Summit 2025 in Tallinn, Estonia, where teams will share practical strategies for managing backlogs effectively. Holiday listeners can snag a 75% discounted Super Early Bird ticket at GlobalAgileSummit.com.

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.

In the third episode of the “5 Wishes for 2025” series, Vasco Duarte takes aim at one of the most common anti-patterns in software development: the obsession with managing tasks instead of discovering what truly works.

He calls on teams to shift their mindset from backlog management to running experiments, creating a culture of learning and rapid innovation.

“Managing a backlog is like planning a road trip by focusing on the gas stops instead of the destination.”

Vasco reflects on how teams often lose sight of their goals, becoming bogged down in task management instead of pursuing real customer value. He humorously compares this approach to being a “backlog secretary,” organizing tasks while forgetting why the project began in the first place.

His solution? A radical shift from task obsession to a learning-first approach driven by rapid experiments.

“Why wait for weeks to learn something you could test in a day?”

Vasco shares real-world success stories of teams embracing a rapid experimentation mindset:

• The Skeptical Client: In just 48 hours, this team launched two market experiments and gained actionable feedback.

• The Experiment-First Startup: Meeting twice weekly to design and run experiments, this startup learns more in a week than most teams do in a month.

These examples showcase how rapid testing leads to faster learning and greater customer impact.

“Or as I like to call it, the ‘Question-Experiment-Insight’ cycle – it’s like having a GPS for product development.”

Vasco introduces a three-step approach to running experiments:

1. Start with a Concrete Goal: Define measurable business targets using a Business Value Equation.

2. Create a Metrics Tree: Break down goals into daily metrics that track progress.

3. Experiment, Experiment, Experiment: Test new features, tweaks, and ideas quickly to gain insights and adjust course.

He highlights a team’s transformation from a “feature factory” to “experiment mode,” where the Product Owner posed questions and the team creatively solved them. This cycle drives meaningful insights instead of aimless task completion.

“A backlog full of tasks is like a restaurant full of recipes – it means nothing until you know what your customers actually want to eat!”

Vasco’s third wish for 2025 is a world where teams prioritize learning over task management. By embracing the “Question-Experiment-Insight” cycle, teams can focus on solving customer problems and creating real value.

This mindset shift transforms teams from task managers into product scientists, driving faster, smarter innovation.

“Want to learn how real teams are running experiments and making an impact? Join us in Tallinn!”

Vasco invites listeners to the Global Agile Summit 2025 in Tallinn, Estonia, where teams will share stories about adopting rapid experimentation. Holiday listeners can snag a special “White Wednesday” deal: a 75% discount on tickets. Visit GlobalAgileSummit.com to claim your Super Early Bird ticket.

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.

In the second episode of the “5 Wishes for 2025” series, Vasco Duarte tackles one of the most persistent and damaging divides in software development: the wall between Product and Engineering teams. Through stories, metaphors, and real-world examples, Vasco challenges the status quo and paints a vision for seamless collaboration that drives innovation and value.

“It’s like having the ingredients and the recipe in separate rooms – how are you supposed to cook something amazing?”

Vasco begins by highlighting the invisible barriers that still exist between Product and Engineering teams in many organizations. These divisions stifle innovation and slow progress. Drawing parallels to outdated structures, Vasco recounts the struggle to integrate Product Owners into Scrum teams and how that barely scratched the surface of the larger issue.

He calls for a broader perspective: aligning the creative potential of engineering with the customer insights of product management to unlock real innovation.

“Not the mad scientist kind, but real, product-focused experiments that bring technical innovation and product leadership together.”

Vasco shares the success story of a client who created a dedicated experiments team. By combining technical expertise with clear product direction, they delivered rapid, value-driven results. This approach demonstrates the power of collaboration in turning ideas into impactful solutions.

“For the first time, Product and Engineering co-created a plan that aligned with strategic goals – no more top-down directives or forced OKRs!”

Another client reimagined their product planning process after attending a workshop. Instead of cascading initiatives from the top, they worked collaboratively from the ground up. This innovative approach allowed them to align with company goals while fostering ownership and creativity across teams.

“It’s like they turned the wall between Product and Engineering into a large living room where everyone works together.”

Vasco highlights an inspiring case from Berlin, where a company merged technical and product leadership into a single CTPO (Chief Technical and Product Officer) role. This structure bridges the gap, ensuring that both technical possibilities and customer needs are seamlessly aligned.

Catch Vasco’s interview with this trailblazing CTPO in the show notes to explore how this innovative approach is reshaping their organization.

“Product and Engineering are like coffee and milk – different, but together they make something special.”

Vasco’s vision for 2025 is a world where Product and Engineering work side-by-side in shared spaces of collaboration and value creation. He calls for a shift from siloed teams to integrated partnerships where both groups speak the same language – the language of value and impact.

The companies that embrace this shift will be the leaders of tomorrow, delivering innovation at the speed of market change.

“Innovation flows as freely as coffee at a developer conference when Product and Engineering collaborate.”

Vasco invites listeners to experience this transformation firsthand at the Global Agile Summit 2025 in Tallinn, Estonia. The summit will showcase real-world examples of organizations successfully adopting flow-based software delivery.

For holiday listeners, Vasco has a special gift: a Super Early Bird ticket with a 75% discount. Visit GlobalAgileSummit.com to grab your ticket and see what the future of software development looks like.

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.

In the kickoff episode of the “5 Wishes for 2025” series, Vasco Duarte dives into a topic close to his heart: why managing software like construction projects leads to failure. Drawing on his experience in the Agile community and sharing compelling real-world examples, Vasco introduces a new perspective on how software development should flow, adapt, and continuously deliver value.

“Software is more like a garden than a construction site—continuous care and attention are key to thriving.”

Vasco begins by debunking the myth that software development can be meticulously planned like a construction project. Sharing a story about a failed 18-month software endeavor, he highlights how rigid plans crumble in the face of changing markets. Instead, he advocates for an adaptive, flow-based approach to software development, comparing it to the continuous nurturing required in a garden.

“You can’t plan your year’s meals in January—why would you try that with software?”

Vasco identifies three critical flaws of project-driven software development:

1. Assumption of Stability: Markets and requirements shift too fast for static plans.

2. Front-loaded Decisions: Early decisions often fail to hold up over time.

3. Artificial Boundaries: Restrictive scopes kill innovation and flexibility.

“Software is like a shark—it has to keep moving or it dies.”

Vasco explains how companies can succeed by continuously delivering updates to users. He shares insights from a mobile startup using experiments and feedback loops to keep evolving and delivering measurable value.

“Fund software like a business, not like a construction project.”

Drawing on ideas from Lean-Agile financial planning, Vasco introduces incremental funding as a smarter way to manage development. He points listeners to a previous episode with experts Maarit Laanti and Rami Sirkia for deeper insights.

“Teams need goals, not just backlogs.”

Vasco stresses the importance of giving teams end-to-end ownership of the value they create. The backlog is a tool, but the real focus should be on clear goals that align with business impact. He mentions his OTOG - One-Team-One-Goal blog post.

“Flow-based software development lets us make quick, strategic decisions at the portfolio level.”

By embracing continuous delivery, incremental funding, and goal-driven teams, organizations can elevate agility from individual teams to the entire portfolio. Vasco highlights this as a game-changer for modern businesses, enabling quicker, smarter product decisions.

“Join us in Tallinn to see flow-based software delivery in action.”

Vasco invites listeners to the Global Agile Summit 2025, where real-world examples of flow-based development will take center stage. For those listening during the holiday season, there’s a Super Early Bird ticket available with a 75% discount. Visit GlobalAgileSummit.com for details.

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.

In this BONUS episode, Victor Pena and Michelle Pauk dive deep into the power of language in shaping our work as leaders, Agile Coaches, and Scrum Masters. Together, we explore how the words we use influence relationships, decisions, and the success of Agile practices. From navigating the ambiguity of language to fostering effective communication, this episode provides actionable insights to help you thrive in a constantly changing workplace.

“Language is how we carry culture, but without clarity, it can lead to misalignment and conflict.”

Victor and Michelle discuss how language reflects and shapes workplace culture. Misaligned terminology—like “servant leader”—can create tension between teams and executives. They highlight the importance of achieving shared understanding and the role of language in fostering trust and collaboration.

“Start by asking what others mean by key words—it’s the first step toward alignment.”

“Feedback gets us stuck in the past, while feedforward builds a path to a better future.”

Drawing inspiration from Marshall Goldsmith, we discuss how focusing on future-oriented improvement (feedforward) avoids the blame game and builds positive momentum. As Agile practitioners, shifting from root cause analysis to solution-focused coaching allows teams to move forward effectively.

“Ask yourself, what can we do better tomorrow instead of dwelling on what went wrong yesterday?”

“Words mean different things to different people—be curious about how others see the world.”

Victor and Michelle unpack how language ambiguity impacts communication and decision-making. They emphasize the need to explore the assumptions behind others’ words and how Agile principles like #NoEstimates challenge traditional views on planning and work management.

“When you encounter a term that seems obvious, ask: What does this mean to you?”

“Symbols are the silent drivers of collaboration.”

Semiotics, the study of symbols, plays a vital role in Agile practices like visual management. From story cards to team boards, symbols help teams communicate and navigate their work. The duo discusses how the language of Agile evolves through symbols and how to introduce these effectively in organizations.

“Create visual symbols that align with your team’s values—they’ll anchor your collaboration.”

“What’s trying to come forward in the evolution of Agile?”

While some criticize Agile as outdated, Victor and Michelle argue that its core principles—delivering value faster and improving quality—remain timeless. They explore how Agile can evolve to meet current challenges while retaining its essence.

“Instead of asking if Agile is dead, ask what the next evolution looks like.”

About Victor Pena and Michelle Pauk

Victor Pena is an Agile Coach dedicated to helping organizations achieve business agility. With a focus on innovation, collaboration, and delivering great customer value, Victor transforms practices to ensure long-term success in a dynamic environment.

You can link with Victor Pena on LinkedIn and connect with him via email at victor@vpena.com.

Michelle Pauk is the founder of Streamside Coaching, helping leaders and organizations thrive through change. With over 15 years of experience in Agile environments and certifications from the International Coaching Federation, Michelle specializes in leadership development and organizational growth.

You can link with Michelle Pauk on LinkedIn and connect with her at StreamsideCoaching.com.

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.

Karthiga shares the characteristics of an exemplary Product Owner, emphasizing their ability to navigate ambiguity and support their teams during challenging moments. Great Product Owners demonstrate strong leadership, foster team relationships, and celebrate successes, contributing to a positive and collaborative environment.

Karthiga discusses anti-patterns in Product Ownership, including the absence of strong relationships with developers and testers. A “bad” PO often fails to collaborate effectively within the “three amigos” framework or acts solely as a task scribe. These behaviors hinder refinement and the overall development process, emphasizing the need for active, communicative Product Owners.

Self-reflection Question: How does your Product Owner foster collaboration with developers and testers?

[The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

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 Karthiga Seturaj

Karthiga is a dedicated Agilist with over 15 years of experience in the software industry. She specializes in coaching agile teams, emphasizing respect, inclusion, accountability, and outcomes. Her journey spans from Scrum Master to Manager of Agile Coaches, transforming teams and driving impactful change.

You can link with Karthiga Seturaj on LinkedIn.

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.

Karthiga’s success definition is similar to what we’ve heard before: helping teams achieve independence and self-sufficiency. To illustrate that point, she describes an experience where a team’s decision to run retrospectives independently was both surprising and fulfilling, marking a key moment of maturity. This shift allowed her to focus on more strategic initiatives and support the team’s continued growth.

Self-reflection Question: Does your team take proactive steps to improve their work processes without prompting?

Karthiga highlights the DAKI retrospective format as a simple yet effective way to foster team reflection. By encouraging teams to categorize feedback into what to drop, add, keep, and iterate, this approach helps Scrum Masters facilitate actionable discussions. She suggests using tools like a retro postbox on a shared whiteboard to make capturing daily ideas a habit.

[The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

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 Karthiga Seturaj

Karthiga is a dedicated Agilist with over 15 years of experience in the software industry. She specializes in coaching agile teams, emphasizing respect, inclusion, accountability, and outcomes. Her journey spans from Scrum Master to Manager of Agile Coaches, transforming teams and driving impactful change.

You can link with Karthiga Seturaj on LinkedIn.