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This will be an introduction to the what, why and how of TDD by way of a practical demonstration with plenty of chance for discussion and heckling.

Test Driven Development: A Practical Overview from Practitioners

This February, join Adam Pridmore and Neil McLaughlin for an interactive session on Test-Driven Development (TDD). Whether you're new to TDD or looking to improve your approach, this talk will provide a practical demonstration of what TDD is, why it matters, and how to implement it effectively in your projects. Expect plenty of opportunities for discussion, questions, and even a bit of lively heckling. It’s the perfect chance to dive into TDD with hands-on examples and insights from experienced practitioners. Come along and learn how TDD can transform your development process!

2009 February Meetup

An introduction to unit testing design patterns illustrated by an indepth look at Test Doubles (Dummies, Mocks, Fakes And Stubs).Unit testing is a widely used agile technique. The basics can be learnt quickly but developers new to unit testing often struggle to create high quality, maintainable tests. Design patterns describe a solution vocabulary for recurring concepts. They are widely used as tools to improve the quality of object oriented designs. This talk introduces the pattern language of the unit testing domain, illustrated by Test Doubles: Dummies, Mocks, Fakes and Stubs (an area with many traps for the unwary).

Test Doubles: An Introduction To Unit Test Patterns

This March, join Robert Burrell Donkin for an insightful session on unit testing and design patterns. Robert will introduce the concept of Test Doubles—including Dummies, Mocks, Fakes, and Stubs—providing a clear understanding of how these unit test patterns can improve the quality and maintainability of your tests. Whether you're new to unit testing or looking to refine your skills, this session will offer practical tools and knowledge to help you avoid common pitfalls and write better, more effective tests. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from an expert in open-source and enterprise-level development!

2009 March Meetup

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In this session Richard, will attempt to provide an overview ofCrystal Clear, an agile project methodology proposed byAlistair Cockburn in his book of the same name. This will be from the view of a novice to the methodology, looking at how it appears to pragmatically match the process in place in many companies that are attempting to be agile but do not match the full rigour of Scrum or XP.

Crystal Clear Methodology

This April, Richard Fennell will introduce you to Crystal Clear, an agile project methodology developed by Alistair Cockburn. Richard, coming from a novice’s perspective, will explore how Crystal Clear offers a pragmatic approach to agile that aligns well with the existing processes of companies attempting to be agile, but not fully adopting frameworks like Scrum or XP. If you're looking for a flexible and approachable agile methodology that can adapt to your team's needs, this session will give you valuable insights. Don't miss the chance to discover how Crystal Clear can help streamline your agile practices!

2009 April Meetup

In this session, Ralph will provide an overview of some techniques that bring Agility into the world of testing. The world of testing is a strange place: regarded by most people as a nice place to visit but you wouldn't want to live there, it is an unmapped wilderness where the waterfall methodology still roams unfettered. The main focus will be on one such technique, Exploratory Testing.It is defined by many as "simultaneous learning, test design and test execution", but Ralph will attempt to be more helpful. After the presentation many of you will claim this is what you have been doing all along, but now it has a fancy name you can use it without shame and companies can sell you high-priced consultancy in it.

Exploratory Testing

This May, join Ralph Williams for an engaging session on Exploratory Testing, a technique that brings agility to the world of testing. Ralph will introduce this powerful approach, which combines learning, test design, and execution in real-time. Often misunderstood or overlooked, exploratory testing is an agile-friendly method that enables testers to adapt quickly and discover issues more effectively. Ralph will shed light on how this technique is already in practice in many teams, even if they didn’t know it had a name! If you’re looking to bring more agility into your testing practices, don’t miss this chance to learn from an expert in agile testing.

2009 May Meetup

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This talk will introduce Slim, the most important upgrade to FitNesse in years. Slim is the new test runner which promises to bring platform interoperability, easier integration, a much simpler programming model and lots of small helpers that will allow us to write and maintain executable specifications and acceptance tests easier. This is a session for .NET and Java developers. Some prior exposure to FitNesse and FIT would be beneficial, but not required.

 Slim, The Future Of FitNesse

This June, join Gojko Adzic as he introduces Slim, the exciting new test runner that promises to revolutionise the way we write and maintain executable specifications and acceptance tests. Slim brings significant improvements to FitNesse, including platform interoperability, easier integration, and a simpler programming model. Whether you're a .NET or Java developer, this session will show you how Slim can make your testing process smoother and more efficient. If you're already familiar with FitNesse or FIT, great—but don't worry if you're new to it; Gojko will walk you through the key concepts. Don’t miss this chance to learn about the future of FitNesse and how it can benefit your projects!

2009 June Meetup

Agile software development has many very common-sense ideas in it, but if it was all common-sense we'd have been using it long ago. Agile also contains counter-intuitive ideas: paradoxes that make it hard for people accept. For example, the notion that we go fast BECAUSE we take quality to the max is paradoxical for people. They are used to having to trade off speed and quality. On the other hand the idea that those who do the work are best placed to estimate it is seen as perfectly sensible. How can a coherent design emerge if design is done one iteration at a time? Another paradox. But it's easy to accept that when you build a system iteratively, you can learn more quickly from your experiences - that's common sense. We’ll explore the 5 other paradoxes, and you’ll see how a grasp of these helps you to take your agile practices to the next level.

Seven Paradoxes of Agile Software Development

This July, we’re honoured to host Nancy Van Schooenderwoert, a true pioneer in the agile space and one of the leading thought leaders in Agile software development. Nancy’s career in agile began in 1998, where she was one of the first to apply agile practices to embedded software development, and she continues to shape the field today. In this session, Nancy will explore the Seven Paradoxes of Agile, which challenge conventional wisdom and make agile principles so effective—yet often counterintuitive. With years of experience applying agile in complex fields like embedded software, Nancy will help you deepen your understanding of agile principles and how embracing these paradoxes can take your practices to the next level. Don't miss the chance to learn from one of the foremost thought leaders in the agile community!

2009 July Meetup

An audience-participation exercise in which the audience must completely build a product using XP principles, like pair programming, story writing and estimation. For the exercise "build" here means that the developers will draw a picture of the desired product incrementally. The audience is broken down into groups, the members of each group take on different roles (such as "developers" or "stakeholders") and there are certain rules inplace to mimic what it's like to work on an XP project. There are good overviews on the [Pace University's Learning the Planning Game Extreme page](https://csis.pace.edu/%7Ebergin/xp/planninggame.html) and the [C2 wiki Extream Hour page](https://wiki.c2.com/?ExtremeHour).

This is something that's used by XP consultants to explain the methodology. Hopefully it'll be interesting and quite fun.

See you there.

2009 August Meetup

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##### Grok Talks
An evening of short talks (<= 10 mins) from the members on a wide range of subjects.
The aim is to have short presentations which drill down into a subject and which aim to give the audience an introduction and to deliver a couple of key points without getting sidetracked into detail. The emphasis for the talks is on simplicity - no fancy powerpoint presentations are necessary and unprepared presentations are OK (even encouraged!).
The floor is open to all so if you would like do a presentation on a cool technology or methodology you have used then drop an email to us so we can prepare a list in advance.
This is a great opportunity to practice your presentation skills with a friendly audience. Go on, what have you got to lose!

###### Currently Proposed Topics (there may be others added on the night)
- Pex
- UI Development using MVP
- Agile Client Management
- User Stories
- Story Point Estimating For Release Planning.

Should be good, see you there.


2009 September Meetup

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Agile War Stories: A Project Managers Perspective

In this session, we’ll explore the fundamentals of User Stories in Agile development, focusing on how they help bridge the gap between business needs and development teams. We'll cover the structure of a well-written User Story, best practices for writing clear and testable stories, and techniques for prioritising and refining the backlog. We'll also discuss common pitfalls to avoid and how to ensure continuous collaboration between stakeholders and developers to deliver real value incrementally.

User Story Estimation

Join us for an exciting and insightful evening featuring two expert speakers followed by an open discussion on Lean and Kanban in software development. First, Ian Carroll will share Agile War Stories from a Project Manager’s perspective, providing real-world insights into the challenges and successes of agile project management. Then, Alan Williams will lead a session on User Story Estimation, offering practical tips and techniques for accurately estimating user stories in agile teams. After the presentations, we’ll dive into an open Lean/Kanban Discussion, where we’ll come together as a group to share what we know about Lean and Kanban practices and explore what they really mean for us as participants in the software development process. 
This is a fantastic opportunity to learn from experienced professionals and engage with the community on key agile topics that are shaping our practices. Don't miss out on this chance to reflect, learn, and connect!

2009 October Meetup

Why is it so difficult to talk to customers? Why do managers often endup making unrealistic demands on developers and encouraging them tomake promises that they can't keep? Why do so many software projectsend up in angry exchanges of accusation and counter accusation? Canany of this be explained? Can anything be done to make it better? Researchers at the "Harvard Negotiation Project" claim that a greatdeal can be done to make things better. By understanding the structure of "difficult conversations" we can be made aware of the various points at which things can go badly wrong and sometimes avoid them. By understanding our own contribution to the problem we can adopt strategies that give us a chance to actually improve a situation. Using as examples a particularly "difficult" conversation about the development of a website that I overheard in a cafe, and my own experiences in developing software over the last 15 years, I'd like to explore how understanding the nature of "difficult conversations" and some other basic negotiation strategies can help anybody involved in the business of developing software.

Techniques for dealing with difficult conversations & negotiations in software development

This November, we’re excited to welcome Mark Stringer for a session on navigating the tricky terrain of difficult conversations and negotiations in software development. Why do we often struggle with customer communication? Why do managers make unrealistic demands on developers, leading to frustration and unmet expectations? Mark will draw on insights from the Harvard Negotiation Project to explore how understanding the structure of difficult conversations can help us avoid common pitfalls and improve communication. With real-world examples from both overheard conversations and his 15 years of experience in software development, Mark will share practical strategies for turning these challenges into opportunities for collaboration. Whether you're a developer, manager, or agile coach, this session will equip you with tools to handle tough conversations with greater confidence and effectiveness.

2009 November Meetup

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Kanban focuses on becoming successful, which may lead to being Agile.Lean is a set of principles that are being applied to softwareengineering by a growing number of practitioners. Kanban is a true pullsystem implementation in software engineering. The five pillars ofLean, which Kanban fully implements are pull, continuous flow, customervalue, waste elimination and continuous improvement. The Principles ofKanban are: to agree a team capacity, to limit WIP (Work in Process) tothat capacity, to pull value through the value stream, and to make bothwork and workflow visible. It has proven easy to adopt and lowers resistance to change.The result is a gradual, incremental approach to change that is empowering for everyone.

Kaban For Software Engineering

A group activity which explores the motivations for becoming/being software engineers. By understanding what motivates software developers we can learn more about others and ourselves. In particular we can learn what behaviours software developers should avoid, reduce or increase given our understanding.

Why do we code?

This meeting will be a special end of year event held at Old Broadcasting House in Leeds. The evening will run from 6:30 until 9:00 with snacks and drinks provided. Afterwards the conversation will continue as we head down to the German Market at Millennium Square for some Bratwurst and mulled wine.


2009 December Meetup

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Kick off the year with us at the January Agile Yorkshire Meetup, where we’ll combine our Annual General Meeting (AGM), a Retrospective on 2009, and a relaxed social evening—all rolled into one!

There’s no fixed agenda for the evening, but it’s a perfect opportunity to reflect on the past year, discuss what worked well, and consider where we want to take the community in the future. We’ll encourage open discussions on what you’d like to see from Agile Yorkshire moving forward, so come prepared with ideas on how we can continue growing and evolving together. Expect some conversation around Lean, Kanban, and Systems Thinking, as these are likely to come up as we explore what’s resonated with the group over the past year.

To wrap up the evening, we’ll head to the Christmas German Market (yes, we’re still keeping the festive spirit alive in January!) for drinks and a bit of socialising. It's the perfect way to connect with fellow Agile enthusiasts in a casual setting as we look ahead to a new year of learning, growth, and collaboration. We hope to see you there!

2010 Jan Meetup

Ignite your interest and engage your energy at this months Open Space Meetup! Join us for a gathering where you take the lead! If you have a great idea, a captivating experience to share, or a burning question you're eager to discuss? This is your platform. Submit your topic and be part of a dynamic exchange of knowledge and inspiration. Don't miss out on this chance to connect, collaborate, and spark innovation with your peers!
#### Currently Nominated Topics
1. Unleashing the power of REST and OpenRasta
1. Exploring the cutting edge of Silverlight
1. Diving deep into the world of F#
1. Revolutionising your workflow with Test Driven Development insights
1. Mastering the art of Behaviour Driven Development

2010 February Meetup

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In the last decade or so we've seen a number of new ideas added tothe mix to help us effectively design our software. Patterns help us capture the solutions and rationale for using them. Refactoring allows us to alterthe design of a system after the code is written. Agile methods,in particular Extreme Programming, give us a highly iterative and evolutionary approach which is particularly well suited to changing requirements and environments. Martin Fowler has been a leading voicein these techniques and will talk about his recent thinking about how these and other developments affect oursoftware development.

Software Design in the 21st Century

This March, we’re thrilled to welcome Martin Fowler, one of the most influential figures in the software engineering world, to speak exclusively to our community. Known for his role in the creation of the Agile Manifesto, Martin has authored some of the most widely respected books in the field, including Refactoring, Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture, and UML Distilled.

Martin’s insights into software design, architecture, and Agile practices have shaped the way developers approach their craft. Now, for one night only, he’ll be joining us in a pub in Leeds, offering a rare opportunity to hear from a true pioneer in the field. Don’t miss this chance to engage with Martin, ask questions, and be part of a special event that you won’t find anywhere else.

This meetup is a must-attend for anyone passionate about software engineering, Agile, or simply looking to hear from one of the industry’s most respected voices. Come along for a night of learning, inspiration, and community with one of the world’s leading experts!

2010 March Meetup

While tools for Behaviour Driven Development like Rspec in Ruby havebeen aimed towards programmers and dealing with classes and objects,Cucumber is aimed at filling the communication gap between customers,programmers and testers. In Cucumber we build a personalised plain textdomain language to talk about the applications behaviour thatnon-technical users can understand and write. With Ruby mappings weturn the plain text into executable tests. We'll look at workingoutside-in with Cucumber and the importance of having a customer'sbusiness value as a direction,which helps us drive towards producing the minimal marketable feature.Looking also at how to use Cucumber with various programming languages.And some of the challenges of trying to introduce Cucumber into anagile environment.

Behaviour Driven Development using Cucumber

An experience report on the team's journey so far in bringing automated testing to data warehousing using Fitnesse and dbFit: what has worked, what hasn't, and what is still proving a challenge. It will include demo's of the tools in action.

Agile Business Intelligence Testing

Join us this April for an evening focused on two key topics in Agile development. Joseph Wilk will introduce Behaviour Driven Development (BDD) with Cucumber, showing how it helps bridge the gap between customers, testers, and developers by using plain text to write executable tests. Then, Andy Barker will share his team’s journey with Agile Business Intelligence Testing, demonstrating how they’ve applied automated testing to data warehousing with tools like Fitnesse and dbFit. This session is perfect for anyone looking to improve collaboration, explore BDD, or enhance testing practices. Come along for practical insights and real-world examples that you can apply to your own projects!

2010 April Meetup

In this upcoming Agile Yorkshire session, Alan Dean will lead a discussion into a thought-provoking question: Have we got object-orientation all wrong? Drawing from [David West's book, Object Thinking (ISBN 0-7356-1965-4)](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Object-Thinking-DV-Microsoft-Professional-David/dp/0735619654), Alan will lead us in exploring the assertion that traditional object-oriented approaches may not be as effective as we’ve been led to believe.

Alan will guide us through West's ideas on "Object Thinking," which challenges the conventional understanding of object-oriented programming (OOP) by introducing a more intuitive, human-centric view of how objects should behave. He’ll demonstrate how self-describing objects and self-evaluating rules can lead to a more flexible, dynamic approach to software design. Alan will also showcase real code examples to bring these concepts to life, giving you practical insight into how to implement this new way of thinking within your own development practices.

This session will be both informative and interactive, encouraging open discussion about the traditional object-oriented paradigm and how it may be limiting the way we think about software design. Come prepared to challenge your assumptions about object-orientation and explore a fresh perspective that could change the way you approach coding and system design.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from an experienced practitioner and delve into one of the most provocative ideas in software development!

2010 May Meetup

This talk will share an experience report from a team at Home Loan Management and their journey of introducing automated testing to data warehousing using Fitnesse and dbFit. It will highlight what has worked, what hasn’t, and the ongoing challenges they’ve faced, complete with live demos of the tools in action.

Automated Testing for Data Warehousing using Fitnesse and dbFit

A Journey from Google Sites to Ruby Micro-Applications

This will discuss risk management strategies inspired by Waltzing with Bears, focusing on how these methods were applied to a recent software project. Ashley will demonstrate how proactive risk identification, assessment, and mitigation helped ensure project success, leading to happy clients. The talk will cover practical techniques like risk prioritisation and contingency planning, offering valuable insights into how these strategies can improve project execution and client relationships. Whether you're new to risk management or looking to refine your approach, this session will provide practical, real-world examples.

Risk Management Ideas Drawn from Waltzing with Bears

Join us for an exciting evening at the Agile Yorkshire June Meetup. We’ll kick off with a main talk where Andy Barker will share an experience report from his work at HML in Skipton. Following that, we’ll have a series of short [Lightning Talks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightning_talk).

We’re also inviting more volunteers to present short talks (~10 minutes) on any cool technology, new approaches, or insights from your software development experience. If you’re interested let us know.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn, share, and connect with fellow Agile enthusiasts!

2010 June Meetup

Agile software development depends on close collaboration. If we don't trust our team mates or our managers, this can block collaboration on the team. Being able to build trust is an essential skill for agile coaches which is covered in Rachel's Agile Coaching book. Come along to this talk to find out some simple ways that you can start building trust on the teams you work with.

 Building Trust in Agile Teams

This July, we’re excited to welcome Rachel Davies for a session on one of the most crucial elements of successful Agile development: trust. As Agile relies on close collaboration, a lack of trust can severely hinder a team’s ability to work effectively together. Rachel will share simple yet powerful strategies that you can apply right away to build trust within your teams. Drawing from her extensive experience as an agile coach and insights from her book Agile Coaching, this session will offer practical tips that will help you foster stronger, more collaborative teams.

2010 July Meetup

Join us for an insightful session with Ralph Williams, where he’ll delve into some key testing techniques that often get overshadowed by the focus on tools. In this talk, Ralph will walk us through real-world examples and explain techniques such as Decision Tables, Business Process and Use Case Analysis, and Boundary Value Analysis. These methods, though vital to effective testing, are sometimes overlooked. Ralph will make these concepts engaging and accessible, showing how they can improve your testing practices and contribute to more reliable software. Whether you're new to testing or looking to deepen your knowledge, this session is a must-attend!

2010 August Meetup

Join us for a dynamic Open Spaces format evening, where the agenda will be shaped by YOU! We’ve already suggested a few topics like NoSQL and BDD experience reports, but the final discussions will be decided by the group on the night.

Bring along your curiosity, a topic you’re passionate about, a cool technology you want to share, or a burning question you want to explore with fellow Agile enthusiasts. We’ll split into small groups and make full use of the space at Old Broadcasting House, using whiteboards, flip-charts, and possibly a projector to facilitate lively discussions and idea sharing.

If you have any topic suggestions or ideas in advance, feel free to email us your ideas. This is your chance to shape the conversation and learn from the collective knowledge of the group!

2010 September Meetup

We’re excited to welcome BJSS, a leading IT Consultancy and Development firm based in Leeds, to our next Agile Yorkshire Meetup in October. They will be sending two of their Senior Technical Project Managers to give an honest, "warts and all" presentation on one of their current key projects.

In this session, BJSS will dive into the challenges they’ve faced while managing a large-scale project while striving to maintain agility. They will explore how to stay true to Agile principles in complex, large-scale environments where traditional methods often dominate. The discussion will cover key obstacles, lessons learned, and the creative solutions they implemented to keep the project moving forward without sacrificing agility.

This will be a highly interactive session, so come ready to engage with the speakers, ask questions, and share your own experiences. Whether you’re working on large projects or navigating the challenges of scaling Agile, this is a great opportunity to learn from professionals who have firsthand experience tackling these issues. Don’t miss out on what promises to be an insightful and engaging evening!

2010 October Meetup

Join us for an exciting case study session exploring how Agile methodologies were applied to revolutionise the way sports are traded at William Hill. This session will dive into the process of using Agile to drive significant change within a large enterprise, offering valuable insights into innovation at scale. Whether you're working in large organisations or looking to implement Agile practices in complex environments, this talk will provide practical examples and inspiring takeaways. More details to follow—don’t miss out!

2010 November Meetup

Come along and discuss what has made a difference to your year - either positive or negative. It can be technologies you have adopted, meetings you have been to, methodologies you have tried or books you have read.

This will be an evening of informal talks and reflections on the past year (thanks to Ashley and Robert for starting the ball rolling). For those who want to present then we'll make time. For those who'd rather not or who don't have time to prepare anything we will [run a park bench panel](http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?ParkBenchPanel) and see where it goes.

Please don't be put off that we don't have a named speaker or a fixed topic - these evenings often turn out to be some of our best!

2010 December Meetup

Join us at the January Agile Yorkshire Meetup for a unique blend of business and fun! This evening will include our Annual General Meeting (AGM), a Retrospective on 2010, and a chance to unwind and socialise with the community.

While we don’t have a fixed agenda, it’s an ideal time to reflect on the past year’s achievements and challenges. We’ll discuss what worked, what we can improve, and where we’d like to go as a community in the year ahead. We invite you to share your thoughts and ideas on how Agile Yorkshire can evolve, and expect some lively discussions around topics like Lean, Kanban, and Systems Thinking as we look back at what resonated with the group.

To wrap things up, we’ll continue the tradition with drinks at the German Christmas Market (yes, we’re still keeping the festive cheer going into January!)—a perfect chance to connect with like-minded individuals in a relaxed and informal setting. Let’s kick off the new year together, full of fresh ideas and excitement for what lies ahead. See you there!

2011 January Meetup

Most of the discussion on automated acceptance tests focuses on immediate benefits in development and defect detection or regression testing. But that's not nearly all you can get from your tests. While working on his new book, Gojko interviewed more than 50 teams that got big pay-offs from automated acceptance tests, including some that have been using agile acceptance testing for six or seven years. In the long term, most of these teams got quite unexpected benefits, such as being able to support their system easier, significantly change their business models or survive the absence of key business people. Gojko will talk about these long term benefits of acceptance tests and what you need to do to get them.

Long term value of acceptance tests

Join us this February for an eye-opening session with Gojko Adzic as he explores the long-term benefits of automated acceptance tests. While we often focus on their immediate advantages, such as defect detection and regression testing, Gojko will share insights from his interviews with over 50 teams that have experienced unexpected long-term payoffs. These teams have found that acceptance tests not only support easier system maintenance but also enable significant business model changes and help them thrive in the absence of key team members.
This session will provide you with a fresh perspective on how acceptance tests can deliver lasting value to your team and organisation. Whether you're just starting with acceptance testing or looking to maximize its impact, Gojko's insights will help you understand how to unlock its full potential. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of automated tests and how they can benefit your agile practices in the long run.

2011 February Meetup

An experience report of our teams journey with Kanban, Specification by Example and my attempts to introduce Ramones lyrics into the standup.

Tails from the Team

Agile development on the force.com platform (now salesforce.com) - a presentation expanding on the blog post Agile Development on the force.com platform he has recently published.



Agile Development on the force.com Platform

This March, join us for an engaging evening featuring two insightful sessions. Neil McLaughlin will share his team’s journey using Kanban and Specification by Example, along with a lighthearted look at his attempt to inject Ramones lyrics into standups, bringing a bit of fun and creativity to Agile practices. Next, Paul Battisson will dive into Agile Development on the Force.com platform, expanding on his recent blog post and providing valuable insights into implementing Agile methodologies within the Salesforce ecosystem. Whether you’re new to Agile or already using it, this session will offer practical takeaways for working with Agile on modern platforms. Come along for an evening of real-world experiences, practical advice, and a chance to connect with fellow Agile enthusiasts

2011 March Meetup

Iterative development methods are powered by a strong, positive feedback loop. This makes retrospectives an essential tool. Like any good tool, they can be used in a wide variety of ways - for example to bond teams, collect knowledge, generate insights or continuously improve process. But without good technique, these meetings can produce negative feedback - reinforcing failure and enculturising blame.

Why Retrospect?

Join us for an insightful evening as Robert Burrell Donkin and Mark van Harmelen explore the crucial role of retrospectives in Agile development. Retrospectives serve as a powerful feedback loop, driving continuous improvement, team bonding, and process refinement. However, without the right technique, these meetings can turn into negative feedback sessions, reinforcing failure and fostering blame. In this session, Robert and Mark will delve into why retrospectives are essential for successful iterative development and share insights into how to use them effectively. They’ll also discuss how to avoid the common pitfalls that can undermine their value. Whether you're new to retrospectives or looking to improve your approach, this meetup is a great opportunity to learn from experienced practitioners about getting the most out of these vital Agile ceremonies. Don’t miss this chance to enhance your team’s growth and performance!

2011 April Meetup

We will be running the meeting using an open spaces format (see here for a [nice description of the OpenSpace format](https://citconf.com/openspace.php)). The theme for the evening is "Agile Practices" with a sub theme of "Experiences and Blockers". The aim is to explore what practices are being used and, if not being used, the reasons why not. This should be a good opportunity to bring together more experienced practitioners and newcomers. Open spaces are an excellent opportunity to participate in (or observe) a structured conversation about issues which are directly affecting you. The meeting is at the usual time and location and pizza will be provided.

2011 May Meetup

Paul Hollingworth will be giving an introductory presentation on Systems Thinking. He will be talking about the principles that underly systems, which are independent of any individual Systems Thinking methodology. 

Systems Thinking 101

Join us this June for an insightful introduction to Systems Thinking with Paul Hollingworth, an experienced organisational development consultant and owner of 4GM Consulting. In this session, Paul will explore the fundamental principles of Systems Thinking—concepts that apply across various methodologies and can significantly enhance the way we approach problem-solving and complex systems in Agile development. Whether you're new to Systems Thinking or looking to deepen your understanding, this session will provide a solid foundation and practical insights into how Systems Thinking can improve decision-making and team collaboration. Don’t miss the chance to learn from Paul’s expertise and expand your toolkit with valuable concepts that can help you think holistically about challenges in your work.

2011 June Meetup

#### An Evening of Lightning Talks
Topics so far include:
- QUnit: the XUnit testing framework for JavaScript (Craig Norton)
- Raphaël: the JavaScript library for working with vector graphics (Mark Harrop)
- Bringing legacy code under control guided by Mr Feathers (Neil McLaughlin)
If you'd like a slot then drop an email to us.
The talks can be as informal and as long as you would like and are a great opportunity to present in front of a friendly audience.

2011 July Meetup

##### The Schedule
6:30 Lightning talk - Intro to TDD
6:45 Intro to Katas in general (inc. pair programming) and description of tonight's problem
7:00 Kata
7:45 Retrospective
8:00 Same Kata, different pair
8:45 Retrospective
9:00 Pub!
All hosted by Grant and Craig.

Since we are going to be using [the "Glaswegian" dojo model](https://code.joejag.com/2009/the-coding-dojo.html) we will need at least one laptop per pair so people will need to bring laptops with an IDE which supports testing installed. Feel free to code in the language of your choice but we may struggle to offer "expert assistance" for some languages!
Let me us know if any of these points cause you a problem and we will try to find a solution.
More details to follow in the next few days.

2011 August Meetup

##### Working With Legacy Code Workshop
For next weeks meetup we'll be doing a hands on session looking at techniques for working with legacy code.

The workshop will require us to have enough laptops for everyone to pair and a development IDE such as Visual Studio or Eclipse - so if you have a laptop then bring it along. The material will be language agnostic but with my background in static typed languages I would be interested to see how the exercises work in a dynamic language. The exercises won't tax the knowledge of the syntax of the language you choose to use so don't be put off if your coding is a little rusty :) 

Also, I'm aware that we have lurched towards the developer end of the spectrum for the last couple of meetings and in a few conversations with members of the QA/PM community they have expressed concern at this. There is some initial interest in running a parallel session to discuss agile processes and documentation in a highly regulated environment. Keep an eye on the mailing list to see how this evolves .

We have plenty of space at Old Broadcasting House and could easily run parallel sessions if anyone wanted to do something around other areas of agile software development. Feel free to kick off an idea - even if it is just a discussion you want to have. I think it would be great if we could be a forum for various disciplines to come together but not to be reduced to talking just about the common denominators of agile.

Please post any thoughts to the mailing list?

2011 October Meetup

The
Pomodoro Technique is a deceptively simple - but subtle - way of improving personal focus and concentration. Pomodoro shares much with Agile: timeboxing, iterative improvement and empiricism but is backed by psychological and biology mind science. What can Agile developers learn from Pomodoro?

An Introduction to Timeboxing and Pomodoro

There has been a noticeable shift recently towards functional
programming. But what is functional programming, and what does it mean for us? Is it a code style, paradigm shift, or just a popular
buzzword? Aaron will give a brief introduction into functional programming: what it is, why it is a viable alternative to object-oriented and imperative programming, and how it can be used to write simpler, decoupled and more testable software. Following this there will be a brief introduction to the Scala programming language, and why it is in fact the bees knees.

Functional Programming & Scala

Join us this November for a evening featuring a dive into timeboxing and the Pomodoro Technique, two essential tools for improving focus and efficiency—core concepts in Agile development. Plus a technical session on Functional Programming & Scala, presented by Aaron Pritzlaff. Whether you're interested in learning the fundamentals of functional programming or learning some time management strategies that align with Agile principles, this meetup has something for everyone. Stick around afterwards for drinks at the pub to continue the conversation. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to explore new ideas and connect with fellow Agile enthusiasts!

2011 November Meetup

In this session, Paul will demonstrate how these "tools for numerical naivety" fail to provide meaningful insights and often distort the reality of team and organizational performance. Through the Red Bead Experiment, we’ll gain a deeper understanding of how to recognise and avoid common traps when analyzing data, and how to focus on the true insights that drive improvement.

This talk will challenge the way we approach performance measurement and help you rethink how you assess and improve processes in your team or organization. It’s a must-attend for anyone interested in metrics, performance analysis, or improving decision-making practices. Don’t miss this chance to learn from Paul’s expertise and gain valuable insights into better, more meaningful ways to measure success!

The Red Bead Experiment

If you want to find out why most  management information is worse than useless and what you can do about it, then come the the Agile Yorkshire meeting on 13th December. This will be a rare opportunity to experience Dr W Edwards Deming’s famous ‘Experiment with Red Beads’, with someone who first did this experiment with Dr Deming over 20 years ago and has run it many times since then. This is a classic exercise that highlights the dangers of relying on arbitrary targets and performance comparisons in business metrics. Paul will explore how practices such as setting unrealistic KPIs, comparing performance across different time periods (this month vs last month, or this year vs last year), and using misleading metrics like league tables and traffic lights can lead to flawed decision-making.

2011 December Meetup

Our first Agile Yorkshire of 2012 focusses on Extreme Programming (XP). Thanks, yet again, to NTI Leeds for lending us the space at Old Broadcasting House.
##### Schedule
 18:30 Networking And Lightning Talks - starting with XP in 10 Slides
 19:00 Kick Start Briefing
 19:30 Extreme Hour: GO!
 20:30 Retrospective
 21:00 Discussions@thepub

Kent Beck published Extreme Programming Explained over a decade ago but - reading the book again - it still seems fresh. [Extreme Programming (XP)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extreme_programming) is an incremental [agile method](https://martinfowler.com/articles/newMethodology.html), lighter than Scrum or DSDM and with less ceremony, most useful for teams towards the smaller end of the spectrum. In his 2009 book, Software Engineering Best Practices, Capers Jones found XP to be one of the key factors for success for projects in the 1000 Function Point scale (with Agile and contemporary high-level languages). Time to take a look again at XP, and dissect why and when it works.

##### An Extreme Hour: A One Hour Process Miniature
In this hands-on exercise, small teams will use XP to develop paper prototypes for a mystery product. No coding experience need, just a steady hand with pen and scissors. An introduction to XP will be provided. The evening will end with discussion reflecting on our experiences.

Something for everyone and all welcome. Hosted by Grant Crofton and Robert Burrell Donkin.

2012 January Meetup

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Tonight we will be reflecting in the pub on how the group did in 2011 and what we can do going forward. 


2012 February Meetup

In this talk, we will explore the challenges and best practices for delivering high-quality testing within the context of large-scale, enterprise-level Agile projects. As organisations scale Agile methodologies to manage more complex systems, ensuring effective testing becomes crucial to maintain quality and meet tight deadlines. The session will cover strategies for integrating testing into the Agile delivery pipeline, aligning testing efforts with business goals, and adapting traditional testing approaches to fit Agile frameworks.

Effective Test Management in The Agile Arena

Exercise/discussion suggested by Paul Hollingworth following up from the mailing list thread around how much the Deming Red Bead Experiment relates to knowledge work.

A Systems Thinking Exercise

Join us for an evening of learning and interaction at the Agile Yorkshire Meetup. The night will kick off with a main presentation on Effective Test Management in Agile, followed by Lightning Talks featuring a Systems Thinking Exercise and an engaging Kanban Game. This is a great opportunity to dive into important Agile topics, challenge your thinking, and participate in hands-on activities that will sharpen your skills. Whether you're looking to improve your testing practices, explore new concepts in systems thinking, or have fun with Kanban, this meetup offers something for everyone!

2012 March Meetup

Experiences with Unit Testing, Integration Testing and GUI Testing

At a previous Chris Moran’s talk on Test Management there was a glimpse of the old ‘why do we need specialist testers’ argument. The standard response is, ‘because testers have a different mindset.’  But rarely have I heard an explanation of what that mindset is.
Over approx 45 minutes I hope to give some insight into the testers mindset, do a 10 minute exercise about testing and offer some suggestions on how requirements can be tested.

Testing For Everyone

Join us for an engaging evening at the Agile Yorkshire Meetup! We’ll enjoy a series of testing talks with the main presentation from Ady Stokes, where we’ll explore the concept of Testing for Everyone. This session will focus on the mindset of testers and how adopting this perspective can improve testing practices across teams, with practical insights and strategies for enhancing your approach to testing. If you’re interested in sharing your experiences or insights, we’re also inviting short Lightning Talks on any topics related to Agile or testing. It’s a great opportunity to learn, share, and network with fellow Agile enthusiasts! Don’t miss out!

2012 May Meetup

When you come to a meetup like Agile Yorkshire, you pick up new ideas that you'd like to try when you get back to work. However, you may feel like you hit a brick wall when it comes persuading your team to try the idea out. Resistance is very common in organisations large and small. As an agile coach, I've learned that forcing adoption of new practice results in minimal compliance. Teams who don't want to be try the new approach often fall back to old ways of doing things. Come to get some tips for getting to the heart of resistance and how to dissolve barriers to adopting new working practices. We'll also do some practical exercises in Force-Field Analysis to generate ideas that get your team moving in the right direction.

Coaching Teams Through Change

This June, come along to an evening designed to inspire and empower you in your journey as an agile practitioner. Rachel Davies, a leading expert in agile coaching, will share practical strategies for overcoming resistance to change within teams. If you’ve ever struggled to get your team on board with new ideas, Rachel will provide insights and tools, like Force-Field Analysis, to help break down barriers and encourage adoption of new practices.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the best in the field and walk away with actionable advice to guide your teams through meaningful change. Whether you're a coach, team lead, or simply passionate about fostering growth, this session will give you the tools to make a real impact!

2012 June Meetup

How to Eat an Elephant. Or, how to architect a codebase wide refactoring project. In this advanced refactoring session, we’ll look at such things as functional decomposition, code criticality, the correctness continuum, sub-tree refactoring index and prioritisation. All these terms will be defined, explained and demonstrated, so that by the end of this presentation you’ll have the knowledge and confidence to architect such a refactoring project… or eat an elephant, whichever you prefer.

How to Eat an Elephant 

Join us this September for a deep dive into the world of large-scale refactoring with Gary Short. In this session, Gary will share advanced techniques for tackling massive codebase refactoring projects. Whether you’re facing a daunting overhaul or simply looking to level up your refactoring skills, you’ll gain the tools and strategies to approach these challenges with confidence.

2012 September Meetup

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In this talk I examine the powerful reasons why most projects are perceived to be late and over-budget and suggest, possibly controversially, that this is probably going to be the default state for most software projects for a long time to come. I then go on to suggest some strategies for continuing to deliver value to customers on late and over-budget projects whilst at the same time easing the stresses and pressures on developers and project managers and allowing them to feel they are doing a good job.

Overtime and Overbudget

Agile project management methodologies and agile project management books give the impression that if you follow their recommendations and implement their practices your projects will be on-time and to budget. However, my own experience is that most projects, even if they are good examples of Agile project management practice, are still perceived by most of the people involved, and especially by customers and stakeholders, to be late and over budget. Why should this be? Why does being late and over-budget feel so bad? What can we as developers, project managers and even customers do to make the situation better? 

2012 November Meetup

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Join us for the inaugural Agile Yorkshire Christmas Lightning Talks Competition! This fun and fast-paced event will feature quick, 5-minute presentations from community members on a variety of Agile-related topics. Whether it's a clever tip, a lesson learned, or a new perspective, each talk promises to be engaging and thought-provoking. It’s a great opportunity to share your insights, learn from others, and celebrate the festive season with fellow Agile enthusiasts. Come for the inspiration, stay for the community spirit! Afterwards we will adjourn to the German Market for beer and bratwurst.
## Lightning topics will be drawn from:
- Radar Love - Assessing agile adoption.
- Something about Continuous Integration
- Something about Agile Interviewing
- Difficult Conversations: What is a difficult conversation? We all have conversations that we dread and find unpleasant. But can we develop the skills to make such situations less stressful and more productive? (Neil McLaughlin)
- Ady’s top time tips - Time Management (Ady Stokes)
- Refactoring using the Mikado Method
- PowerShell 101 - Introduction to PowerShell
- Something about Agile testing
- Burn it up! - Burnup charts, and how to use them
- Multi-team setups and what multiple kanban boards can (fail to) reveal (Ash Moran)

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