The Everyday Agile Podcast

What does a Scrum Master actually do? And how can AI help Agile teams deliver better without losing the human side of the delivery process?
In this episode of the Everyday Agile Podcast**, Jac sits down with Andy Brown, also known as Agile Andy, a pragmatic career Scrum Master specialising in helping cloud, platform and development teams deliver complex work.
Andy shares his journey from the British Army and large corporate waterfall programmes into Agile delivery, explaining why he found a better fit working with teams that could turn ideas into working products quickly.
We explore the realities of Scrum Mastery, including why development teams often struggle because of organisational blockers rather than individual performance, how to create psychological safety, and why pragmatic Scrum Masters should focus on helping teams deliver rather than policing frameworks.
Andy also reveals how he built **Ask Andy**, a custom AI assistant connected to Jira, and how experimenting with AI tools helped him develop new technical skills, encourage collaboration and create more time for the human side of Scrum Mastery.
Whether you're an experienced Scrum Master, Agile Coach, Delivery Manager, Product Manager or someone working in software delivery, this conversation is packed with practical insights you can take back to your team.

▶︎We cover:

* What a Scrum Master's first 90 days should look like
* Why Agile delivery is about people, not just processes
* Using AI and Jira to build custom Scrum Master tools
* How to improve psychological safety in Agile teams
* Running retrospectives that uncover real problems
* Why team health checks don't always lead to meaningful change
* The difference between pragmatic Scrum and Scrum theatre
* Why delivery problems often originate outside the development team
* Finding Scrum Master contracts and standing out in the market
* Why the Scrum Master role remains relevant as AI evolves

▶︎About Andy
Andy Brown, known as Agile Andy, is a Northwest-based career Scrum Master helping teams deliver complex work through practical facilitation, collaboration and continuous improvement.

▶︎Connect with Andy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/agile-andy/?isSelfProfile=false

▶︎Tickets for Not Another Agile Conference (22 April 2027, Chester Zoo) are on sale now: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/notanotheragileconference/2178867

▶︎Our Newsletter:
https://substack.com/@betweenthestandups

Will AI replace UX designers? Or is the real challenge learning how to use AI without losing the human thinking that makes great products?

In this episode of the Everyday Agile Podcast, Jac is joined by Lee Jeffery, Design Lead, qualified Level 5 Coach and founder of NATA, a Manchester-based design and professional community.

Lee shares his experience navigating the changing world of UX and product design, leading teams through AI adoption, and building communities that help people learn, connect and grow.

We explore why AI-generated prototypes shouldn't automatically become the solution, how designers can maintain human-centred thinking, and why organisations need to create the right environment for experimentation.

We also get into the power of communities of practice, authentic leadership, coaching, and what it takes to build a thriving professional community.

▶︎In this episode:

* Is AI going to replace UX designers?
* How AI is changing product design and design workflows
* Why AI-generated prototypes still need to be challenged
* Keeping user needs at the centre of product development
* Design operations and scaling AI adoption
* Moving from designer to design leader
* Building communities of practice that people actually want to join
* Coaching, active listening and better one-to-ones
* How professional communities support career development
* Lessons from building NATA and organising a community conference

▶︎Find out more:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-jeffery/
https://www.natter.community/

▶︎Tickets for Not Another Agile Conference (22 April 2027, Chester Zoo) are on sale now:
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/notanotheragileconference/2178867

▶︎Our Newsletter:
https://substack.com/@betweenthestandups

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, leave a comment and share it with someone navigating the changing world of product and design.

▶︎Chapters
00:00 Welcome Lee Jeffery: Design Leadership & NATA Community
01:57 From Web Developer to Design Leader
03:30 How Communities Shape Design Teams
04:32 Human-Centred Leadership & Managing Different People
06:04 Will AI Replace UX Designers?
06:42 How AI Is Changing the Design Profession
07:13 AI Adoption: Experimentation vs Organisational Red Tape
08:39 AI Prototypes, Product Briefs & Solution-First Thinking
09:35 Why Designers Need to Understand AI Prompts
10:52 Design Operations: The Hidden Challenge of Scaling AI
11:40 Why User Needs Must Come Before AI Solutions
12:05 Human Control, Trust & AI in Accounting Software
14:05 What Design Leadership Actually Looks Like
15:19 The Power of Professional Communities
15:49 Building NATA: Manchester's Design Community
17:12 Organising a Community-Led Design Conference
18:00 Lessons from Running Events & Building Momentum
19:10 NATACon: AI, Design & Human Thinking
19:45 The North West Tech Community
20:53 Introducing Design to the Next Generation
22:59 Why NATA Is About More Than UX
24:03 Personal Routines, Reflection & Switching Off
27:25 Managing Volunteer Communities Without Burning Out
29:15 How to Start a Community of Practice
30:29 Should Communities of Practice Be Voluntary?
31:43 AI Communities: Learning Together Through Change
32:59 Why Human Thinking Still Matters in Design
34:20 How Coaching Transformed Lee's Leadership
35:27 Better One-to-Ones Through Coaching & Collaboration
36:39 Building a Supportive Design Culture at Auto Trader
37:53 Key Takeaways: Communities, Coaching & Career Growth
39:11 Where to Find NATA and Get Involved
39:56 Outro & Not Another Agile Conference

What does a fractional CTO actually do, and how is it different from being a contractor?

In this episode of the Everyday Agile Podcast, Jac sits down with Rob Fawcett to discuss AI strategy, AI compliance, technology leadership, product development, software delivery, and what it really takes to create value from technology.

Rob shares his journey from project manager and operations leader to CTO, why he chose the fractional CTO model, and why he believes businesses increasingly need experienced technology leadership without necessarily needing a full-time CTO.

We also get into the reality of AI adoption.

The AI hype may be settling down, but organisations now face a different problem: how do they actually govern, manage and embed AI into their businesses?

Rob explains how he turned an AI compliance framework into a SaaS product, why AI needs to be connected to real applications, and why technology should always be designed around the people who use it.

And that's where the conversation moves into product and Agile.

What's the difference between shipping software and creating value?

Why should developers understand the people they're building for?

Why do so many organisations spend thousands on values, principles and transformation programmes but struggle to speak to their actual customers?

And why does Rob believe you should take the technology to the people rather than make the people adapt to the technology?

We also talk about:
• Fractional CTO vs contracting
• AI strategy and AI governance
• AI compliance
• Building AI into products
• SaaS product development
• Product teams and customer empathy
• Software delivery and creating value
• Leadership lessons from good and bad bosses
• Communicating strategy effectively
• Digital transformation
• User research and product discovery
• Technology leadership
• Keeping technology simple
• Connecting strategy, outcomes and outputs
• The difference between shipping and value

Rob also shares two brilliant real-world examples: developing blood-tracking software where usability could literally become a matter of life and death, and a cruise company sending its team onto a ship to watch real customers use its app.

▶︎Connect With Rob
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rfawcett/
https://thehumancto.co.uk
https://www.quantisys.co.uk/
https://aicompliance.uk/

▶︎Tickets for Not Another Agile Conference (22 April 2027, Chester Zoo) are on sale.
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/notanotheragileconference/2178867..

▶︎Our Newsletter:
https://substack.com/@betweenthestandups

⏱️ Chapters
00:00 Meet Rob Fawcett
03:22 From Contractor to Business Owner
04:43 Fractional CTO vs Contractor
05:49 What Does a Fractional CTO Actually Do?
07:22 How to Become a CTO
09:11 AI Strategy & AI Compliance
10:35 Building AI Into Real Products
12:31 Turning AI Compliance Into SaaS
16:07 The AI Hype Is Over
16:52 Lessons From Bad Leaders
21:32 The Real Problem Behind Poor Communication
29:21 Shipping Software vs Creating Value
30:34 Why Product Teams Need Customer Empathy
31:23 What Makes a Great Software Developer?
34:59 The Blood Tracking Software Story
36:42 Stop Making Humans Adapt to Technology
37:12 What Product Teams Can Learn From Cruise Passengers
38:03 Why Companies Overcomplicate Everything
44:04 Rob's Quickfire Business Takes
44:19 The Most Overused Business Phrase
44:35 Take Technology to the People
46:40 The One Thing Every Team Should Know
47:18 Connecting Strategy, Outcomes, Outputs & Problems
48:14 Where to Find Rob

If you work in technology, product, Agile, project management, software delivery, digital transformation or technology leadership, this conversation is for you.

What happens when Agile scales?

According to Agile transformation consultant Martin Schellert, the answer shouldn't be to simply add more process, more frameworks and more bureaucracy.

In this episode of the Everyday Agile Podcast, Martin joins us to talk about what happens when Agile transformations go wrong ,and why organisations often lose the things that made Agile teams effective in the first place.

We get into some big Agile and product management questions:
• Why does scaling Agile often mean scaling process?
• Why is comparing team velocity between teams such a bad idea?
• Do teams actually need story points or estimation?
• What is an MVP really supposed to achieve?
• How should leaders create genuine ownership in product teams?
• What is "decision distance" and why does Martin call it a silent killer of agility?
• Can you build Agile teams inside a traditional organisation?
• How can you use AI without losing your own voice?
• Why is so much LinkedIn content starting to sound exactly the same?
• What is the most overlooked principle in the Agile Manifesto?
• Why should Agile practitioners be pragmatic rather than dogmatic?

Martin also shares how he got into Agile, how he prepares conference talks, how he uses AI as part of his workflow, and what he has learned from speaking at Agile conferences.

One of the biggest themes throughout the conversation is simple. Agile isn't about following a framework perfectly.

It's about finding the practices that work for your team, organisation, customers, culture and context.

As Martin puts it: be pragmatic, never dogmatic.

If you're interested in Agile transformation, product management, software delivery, Agile leadership, team performance, project management or better ways of working, there's plenty here to disagree with, steal and take back to your organisation.

▶︎ Connect with Martin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/schellert/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtf8TKCQfB3siec1cDB1Log

▶︎Tickets for Not Another Agile Conference (22 April 2027, Chester Zoo) are on sale.
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/notanotheragileconference/2178867

▶︎Our Newsletter:
https://substack.com/@betweenthestandups

⏱️ Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:14 How Martin Got Into Agile Conferences
02:22 Scaling Agile Without Scaling Process
03:20 Creating Conference Talks Using AI
05:12 How to Practice for a Conference Talk
06:19 Does Speaking Generate Business?
08:18 Martin's Journey Into Agile
10:27 Why Agile Still Matters
11:22 Do We Rely Too Much on the Agile Manifesto?
13:18 Why Agile Should Evolve
14:31 Finding the Root Cause of Agile Problems
15:39 What Agile Problems Do Organisations Really Have?
17:48 Why Comparing Team Velocity Is a Bad Idea
18:40 Should Teams Stop Using Story Points?
19:23 A Better Alternative to Story Points
20:04 What an MVP Actually Means
20:40 What Makes a Good MVP?
21:37 Leadership and Agile Teams
22:36 Building Agile Islands
23:20 Creating Team Ownership
24:24 When Empowerment Becomes a Poison Chalice
25:12 Decision Distance: The Silent Killer of Agility
26:12 What Agile Advice Doesn't Work?
26:18 Is AI Killing Authenticity on LinkedIn?
28:17 Using AI Without Losing Your Voice
29:30 Stop Turning Everything Into a LinkedIn Business Lesson
32:14 You Don't Have to Post 3 Times a Week
33:08 ADHD, Business & Burnout
34:48 Practical Productivity Strategies
36:20 The Quickfire Agile Round
37:28 What Should Every Team Stop Doing?
37:41 Get Closer to Your Customers
37:52 The Most Overlooked Agile Principle
38:35 What Gives Martin Hope for Agile?
39:05 Why Agile Certification Isn't Enough
40:16 Why Organisations Still Need Agile
40:48 Be Pragmatic, Never Dogmatic

Subscribe to Everyday Agile for conversations about Agile, product management, project management, software delivery, leadership, organisational change and the reality of making Agile work in the real world.

Diana Matei has spent 10+ years building and launching B2C and B2B products across e-commerce, fintech, marketplaces, and subscriptions. Work that's helped increase app downloads by 35%, boost app revenue by 15%, and take app ratings from 2 stars to 4.7 stars. In this episode, she breaks down how AI is reshaping product management, why brand often beats "the best product," and the retention framework she now builds with every client.

We cover:
✅ Why AI is making tech a commodity, and what that means for product strategy
✅ The difference between lagging and leading metrics (and why most teams track the wrong ones)
✅ How to build a "metric tree" to connect daily work to revenue
✅ Her honest take on OKRs and how to stop them dying after week one
✅ The biggest agile/product myth: "build it, and they will come"
✅ Why post-purchase experience is the next big product battleground
✅ Her daily routines as a product consultant and founder of her own practice

If you're a founder, product manager, or work in marketing or sales and want to understand how great product thinking drives retention and revenue, this conversation is for you.

📌 Connect with Diana:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-eugenia-matei/
https://dmthepm.com/

▶︎Tickets for Not Another Agile Conference (22 April 2027, Chester Zoo) are on sale.
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/notanotheragileconference/2178867

▶︎Our Newsletter:
https://substack.com/@betweenthestandups

🎧 Subscribe for more conversations on agile, product management, and building products people actually stick with.

▶︎Chapters
0:00 – Welcome & introducing Diana
0:12 – Diana's background: 10+ years across Tesco, fintech, marketplaces
2:00 – The problem she's obsessed with: AI's impact on product management
4:24 – Brand vs product: why the best product doesn't always win
7:03 – Rolling out product frameworks without the jargon (200-year-old client)
9:57 – The metrics teams measure that are actually unhelpful
13:02 – Shipping fast vs creating real value
16:12 – What is a "metric tree"?
18:04 – Diana's honest take on OKRs
20:26 – Habits that create momentum instead of one-off workshops
23:40 – Why product managers get lost in the backlog
26:08 – When the cheapest option wins (car insurance, commoditised markets)
27:53 – Her theory: B2B is becoming B2C in disguise
29:12 – The loyalty problem with new-customer-only offers
34:26 – Biggest agile/product myth: "build it, and they will come"
36:45 – Morning routines and habits that keep her thinking clearly
38:44 – What going freelance actually feels like
42:53 – Quickfire round: worst advice, overused phrases, hills to die on
44:37 – What's next for Diana and her retention scorecard
45:50 – Where to find and work with Diana