I am a committed generalist, holistic thinker, problem solver, product manager, Certified Scrum Professional-ScrumMaster (CSP-SM), Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), and Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP). I have a background in humanities, social sciences and interdisciplinary media studies. When developing products and building high-performing teams, I am constantly looking for new ways to jointly make better decisions. I consider myself a servant leader helping others do what they are best at. I can give advice about how to get started in agile environments and how to handle difficult day-to-day situations. Additionally I love to share how to successfully build a bridge between people and technology. I never had a mentor I could get in touch with regularly, so I want to contribute on my own and share my knowledge and experiences with others.
My Mentoring Topics
- Agile
- Scrum
- Kanban
- Product Owner
- ScrumMaster
- Product Management
- Introversion in Leadership
- Generalists and humanists in technology
C.
27.July 2023I had a fantastique mentoring with Marco! He is a very good listner and gave me the trust to tell him about my present situation. Thanks to his experience and ease he reasured me to be on a good way. I enjoyed having an experienced Agile Master to discuss ways forward and even receiving some helpful links and tools. Perfect! Marco, thank you verry, very much for your time and sharing your experienece with me!! I do recommend Marco very much! I defenitly will ask Marco for further mentoring. All the best, Corinna
E.
8.May 2023Marco is a very nice and calm person, I could immediately see his willingness to help, and I felt comfortable from the beginning to open up and ask him questions. He shared his personal experience and gave me some advice on how I could achieve my goals given my previous work experiences. We ended our conversation with a couple of actionable points which I found very nice ideas and of which I hadn't thought myself. I would recommend Marco as a mentor and I will be happy to stay in touch with him for future sessions. Thanks a lot!
T.
1.December 2022Marco was very friendly, patient and knowledgeable. I left learning so much more about scrum. For example he explained how my background in psychology would be useful in the field. He also reminded me of the stances of a scrum master and was able to link this to teaching. Marco took his time to explain the difference between product manager and product owner, as I was getting the two confused. He explained that with a lot of things context plays a big role and when on to say that the job is interesting and is all about working with different people and understanding them. He also sent me links to help with further learning. Thank you for giving up your time Marco, people like you are rare and I will definitely keep you posted with my journey.
M.
24.October 2022Thank you very much for the session Marco! I really appreciate your help during and after the session. I really liked how you tried to help me find the right solutions for my job search in scrum and how you reassured me it is a good path- by asking questions and getting to know me, not just because I told you about my plan. I also appreciate that you shared your story with me. I got lots of nots from our session, got a different angle when looking for a job in new industry and also a lot of motivation and inspiration. Thanks for also staying in touch with me afterwords and helping me to prepare for my 1st scrum master interview. Keep it up!!!
C.
10.September 2022The session was really helpful. Marco has a very optimistic and motivate vision. He gave me very important tips and I can’t wait to book the second one. Thank you Marco!
J.
6.May 2022This was a wonderful session. I learned about your background and got perspective on agile from a lens outside of the US. You were also able to assist with interview prep and advise to write down scenarios and potentially complete a retrospective on my experiences. Looking forward to speaking in the future.
J.
6.April 2022Thanks, was a good session. I always enjoy discussing various topics with you.
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The Lean Product Playbook
Dan Olsen
Key Insights from The Lean Product Playbook The Lean Product Playbook is about applying the principles of Lean Startup to product development, focusing on finding the product-market fit, and understanding customer needs. The book introduces the Product-Market Pyramid, a five-layered framework designed to guide the product development process from target market identification to feature prioritization. Dan Olsen emphasizes the importance of conducting problem interviews to understand the needs of the customers and validate the problem you're trying to solve. A key concept in the book is the Minimum Viable Product (MVP), which is used to validate assumptions and learn from customer feedback. The book advises on iterative product development, encouraging constant feedback loops with customers to improve the product. Olsen underlines the importance of actionable metrics over vanity metrics to measure true business value. It stresses on the value of a good UX design in product success and advocates for integrating UX principles into product design. The book also provides practical tools and templates for implementing Lean product development principles, like the Lean Product Process™ and the Kano model. Olsen explains the role of competitive analysis in identifying opportunities in the market and positioning your product. The Lean Product Playbook promotes a culture of continuous learning and experimentation, which is the core of Lean Startup methodology. The Lean Product Playbook: An In-depth Analysis The Lean Product Playbook, penned by Dan Olsen, serves as a comprehensive guide for product managers and innovators in the modern business landscape. Olsen, with his extensive experience as a product manager and consultant, presents actionable strategies for implementing the Lean Startup principles into product development to achieve a successful product-market fit. The book's main framework, the Product-Market Pyramid, is a five-layer model that provides a structured approach to product development. The bottom layer represents the target market, followed by the underserved needs, value proposition, feature set, and finally, the user experience at the top. This pyramid acts as a roadmap, guiding product teams from understanding their market to defining the specific features that would meet their customer needs. One of the key techniques Olsen proposes is conducting problem interviews. These interviews help identify and validate the problem a product aims to solve by directly understanding the pain points of the potential customers. This user-centric approach significantly reduces the risk of product failure, as it ensures the product is being developed with a clear understanding of the customer's needs. The concept of the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is given significant importance in the book. An MVP, as per Olsen, is the smallest version of the product that can be released to gather valuable customer feedback. This feedback loop allows product teams to learn from their customers and iteratively improve their product, thus reducing waste and increasing efficiency in the development process. Actionable metrics are another vital aspect of Lean product development. Olsen warns against relying on vanity metrics, which might look good on paper but don't provide any actionable insights. Instead, he encourages focusing on the metrics that truly reflect the business value and help in making informed decisions. Emphasizing the importance of good UX design, Olsen advocates for integrating UX principles into product design. He asserts that a product's success is not just determined by its functionality but also by its usability and desirability, which are the hallmarks of a good UX design. The Lean Product Process™ and the Kano model are among the practical tools suggested by Olsen for implementing the principles of Lean product development. The Lean Product Process™ is a six-step process that guides teams on how to apply Lean principles to their product development process. On the other hand, the Kano model is a useful tool for prioritizing product features based on customer satisfaction. Competitive analysis is another significant process discussed in the book. It entails understanding the competitive landscape to identify market opportunities and differentiate your product. This analysis, combined with the insights from customer interviews, helps in positioning your product effectively in the market. The book strongly promotes a culture of continuous learning and experimentation, which is at the heart of the Lean Startup methodology. It emphasizes that learning from failures, iterating on feedback, and continuously improving the product are the keys to achieving a successful product-market fit. In conclusion, The Lean Product Playbook provides a detailed, actionable guide for applying Lean Startup principles to product development. Its emphasis on customer-centric design, iterative development, actionable metrics, and continuous learning makes it an invaluable resource for product managers and innovators striving to build successful products in today's rapidly changing business environment.
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Hooked
Nire Edal
'A must-read for everyone who cares about driving customer engagement' Eric Ries, author of The Lean Startup 'The most high bandwidth, high octane, and valuable presentation I have ever seen on this subject' Rory Sutherland, vice chairman, Ogilvy & Mather Nir Eyal reveals how successful companies create products people can't put down - and how you can too Why do some products capture our attention while others flop? What makes us engage with certain things out of sheer habit? Is there an underlying pattern to how technologies hook us? Nir Eyal answers these questions (and many more) with the Hook Model - a four-step process that, when embedded into products, subtly encourages customer behaviour. Through consecutive "hook cycles," these products bring people back again and again without depending on costly advertising or aggressive messaging. Hooked is based on Eyal's years of research, consulting, and practical experience. He wrote the book he wished had been available to him as a start-up founder - not abstract theory, but a how-to guide for building better products. Hooked is written for product managers, designers, marketers, start-up founders, and anyone who seeks to understand how products influence our behaviour. Eyal provides readers with practical insights to create user habits that stick; actionable steps for building products people love; and riveting examples from the iPhone to Twitter, Pinterest and the Bible App.
ViewAtomic Habits - the life-changing million-copy #1 bestseller
James Clear
The book "Atomic Habits" by James Clear is a must-read guide for anyone seeking to cultivate good habits, break bad ones and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results. As a professor with many years of experience in the field of behavior change and habit formation, I find Clear’s work an insightful and practical contribution to the growing body of literature on the subject. Key Facts and Insights Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement: The smallest habits, when consistently practiced, can lead to significant transformations over time. Focus on systems, not goals: Clear argues that the system of actions we follow is more important than the goal we are striving for. The Four Laws of Behavior Change: Clear presents the laws of Cue, Craving, Response, and Reward as the fundamental process of habit formation. Environment matters: Our surroundings play a massive role in shaping our habits and behaviors. Identity-based habits: The most effective way to change your habits is to focus on who you wish to become, not what you want to achieve. Making habits attractive: The more appealing the habit, the more likely it is to become ingrained. Use habit stacking: Pairing a new habit with an existing one can make it easier to adopt. Make habits easy: The easier a habit is to start, the more likely it is to stick. Immediate rewards: Habits are more likely to become ingrained if they are immediately rewarding. Continuous improvement: Focusing on getting 1% better each day can lead to significant growth over time. Tracking habits: Keeping track of habits helps maintain consistency and creates a visual cue to prompt action. In-Depth Analysis 1. The Power of Atomic Habits: The book begins by introducing the concept of atomic habits, which are small, routine behaviors that, when practiced consistently, can lead to significant changes in our lives. This concept is reminiscent of the Kaizen approach in Japanese management theory, which emphasizes continuous improvement through small, incremental changes. 2. Systems vs Goals: Clear posits that focusing on systems rather than goals is more beneficial to long-term success. This echoes Peter Drucker's management by objectives (MBO) approach, which emphasizes the importance of process over outcome. While goals are about the results we want to achieve, systems are about the processes that lead to those results. 3. The Four Laws of Behavior Change: Clear presents the Four Laws of Behavior Change - Cue, Craving, Response, and Reward - as the basis of habit formation and modification. This model is similar to B.F. Skinner's Operant Conditioning theory, which also uses cues (antecedents) and rewards (consequences) to shape behavior. 4. Environment and Habits: Clear emphasizes the importance of environment in shaping our habits, an idea supported by numerous studies in environmental psychology. By manipulating our environment to make good habits easier and bad habits harder, we can influence our behaviors more effectively. 5. Identity-Based Habits: Clear suggests that habits are more likely to stick when they align with our self-identity. This is consistent with the Self-Perception Theory by Daryl Bem, which posits that people infer their attitudes and beliefs from observing their own behavior. 6. Making Habits Attractive and Easy: Clear suggests making habits attractive and easy to start. He advises to use 'temptation bundling' and 'habit stacking' to make new habits more appealing. This is in line with the Premack's Principle, a psychological concept that suggests more probable behaviors will reinforce less probable behaviors. 7. Immediate Rewards and Habit Tracking: Clear stresses the importance of immediate gratification in habit formation. This is consistent with the concept of 'delay discounting' in behavioral economics, which suggests that people are more likely to choose immediate rewards over delayed ones. Habit tracking is recommended as a method to provide this immediate gratification and visually cue action. In conclusion, "Atomic Habits" offers a comprehensive, evidence-based framework for understanding and shaping our habits. It serves as a bridge between academic research and practical application, offering readers actionable strategies to transform their habits and, thereby, their lives.
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Start with Why
Simon Sinek
Key Insights from "Start with Why" The Golden Circle: A model for inspirational leadership that's divided into three parts: 'why', 'how', and 'what'. Starting with 'Why': Businesses should start by identifying their purpose or belief before defining their processes or products. The Role of Leaders: Leaders should inspire action by communicating their 'why'. Trust and Loyalty: Organizations that communicate their 'why' effectively build trust and loyalty among customers and employees. The Law of Diffusion of Innovation: Explains how ideas and products gain momentum and penetrate the market. Manipulation vs Inspiration: The difference between short-term manipulations (like price, promotions, fear, etc.) and long-term inspirations. The Power of 'Why': Companies that operate from their 'why' are more innovative and successful. Clarity, Discipline and Consistency: The three principles that guide successful organizations. The Split: The difference between what companies do and why they do it. Authenticity: Being genuine in expressing and living your 'why'. In-Depth Summary and Analysis "Start with Why" is a seminal work by Simon Sinek that provides valuable insights into the art of inspiring leadership. It introduces a simple but transformative concept, known as the Golden Circle. This model, consisting of 'why', 'how', and 'what', suggests that organizations and leaders should start with identifying their purpose or belief, before moving on to how they do it and what they do. The central premise of Sinek's argument is that the most successful organizations and leaders are those that start with 'why'. They are able to articulate their purpose, cause or belief that inspires them to do what they do. This 'why' is not about making a profit – that's a result. It's about providing a clear answer to the question: why does your organization exist, why does it matter? Leadership, according to Sinek, is not about being in charge; it's about taking care of those in your charge. The role of leaders is to inspire action, not to manipulate. They should be able to clearly communicate their 'why' to inspire employees and customers. This creates a sense of trust and loyalty, which are the foundations of any successful organization. Sinek uses the Law of Diffusion of Innovation to explain how ideas and products gain momentum and penetrate the market. Innovators and early adopters are attracted by the 'why', while the early majority wait for proof before they buy into an idea or product. Organizations that communicate their 'why' effectively can cross this chasm and reach the mass market. The book also contrasts manipulation with inspiration. Manipulations like price reductions, promotions, fear, and aspirational messages can drive transactions, but they are short-lived and do not nurture loyalty. Inspiration, on the other hand, is a more sustainable way to drive progress and build a loyal customer base. Companies that operate from their 'why' are more innovative and successful. They have a clear sense of why they exist, which guides their decisions and actions. This gives them an edge over their competition. Sinek uses Apple as a prime example of a company that operates from its 'why'. Clarity, discipline, and consistency are the three principles that guide successful organizations, according to Sinek. Clarity of 'why', discipline of 'how', and consistency of 'what' ensure that the entire organization aligns around the same belief and purpose. Sinek also introduces the concept of 'the split', which often happens when companies grow. The split is the difference between what companies do and why they do it. It happens when companies lose sight of their 'why' and focus solely on 'what'. This leads to a loss of uniqueness and value. Finally, the book emphasizes the importance of authenticity. Being genuine in expressing and living your 'why' is vital. Authenticity is about actions, not words. It's about fact, not perception. When an organization's behavior aligns with its beliefs, trust is formed, and that's when loyalty is fostered. In conclusion, "Start with Why" offers profound insights into how organizations and leaders can inspire action and build trust and loyalty. By starting with 'why', they can create a strong foundation for sustainable success.
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Thinking, Fast and Slow
Daniel Kahneman
Key Insights from "Thinking, Fast and Slow" Our mind operates using two different systems, System 1 (fast and intuitive) and System 2 (slow and deliberate). The Anchoring Effect: We rely too heavily on the first piece of information (the "anchor") when making decisions. Overconfidence: We often overestimate our abilities and the accuracy of our beliefs. Availability Heuristic: We judge the probability of events by how quickly examples come to mind. Loss Aversion: We feel the pain of losing more acutely than the pleasure of gaining. Endowment Effect: Once we own something, we value it more than before we owned it. Hindsight Bias: Once an event occurs, we tend to see it as predictable, even when it wasn't. Framing: The way information is presented can significantly influence our decisions. Prospect Theory: We make decisions based on the potential value of losses and gains, not the final outcome. Base-Rate Neglect: We tend to ignore general information and focus on specific cases. An In-Depth Summary and Analysis "Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman is a seminal work that delves into the two systems that drive the way we think—System 1, which is fast and intuitive, and System 2, which is slow and deliberate. Kahneman, a Nobel laureate, uses these systems to frame human thinking and decision-making. The first system is automatic, instinctive, and emotional. It's what we use for basic, everyday tasks, like driving a car on an empty road or interpreting facial expressions. The second system, on the other hand, is deliberate, analytical, and takes more effort. It's what we use for complex tasks, like solving difficult mathematical problems or making major decisions. Kahneman discusses several heuristics and biases that affect our thinking. The anchoring effect, for instance, refers to our tendency to rely too heavily on the first piece of information we receive when making decisions. This can lead to skewed decision-making, as subsequent information is interpreted in light of the initial "anchor". Another key concept is the availability heuristic, which suggests that we base our assessment of the probability of an event on how easily instances or occurrences can be brought to mind. In other words, if something can be recalled it must be important, or at least more important than alternative solutions which are not as readily recalled. The book also addresses overconfidence, a bias where we overestimate our abilities and the accuracy of our beliefs. Overconfidence often leads to poor decisions because it blinds us to the potential risks and pitfalls of our choices. Loss aversion and the endowment effect are two other biases that Kahneman explains. We tend to prefer avoiding losses to acquiring equivalent gains, and once we own something, we value it more than before we owned it. These tendencies can lead to irrational decisions, like holding onto a losing stock because we can't bear to acknowledge the loss. Hindsight bias is another fascinating concept. It's the tendency to believe, after an event has occurred, that we predicted or could have predicted the event. This bias can lead to overconfidence in our predictive abilities and prevent us from learning from our mistakes. Kahneman also discusses the impact of framing on decision-making. How information is presented can significantly influence our decisions. For instance, people will respond differently to information about a disease outbreak if it's presented in terms of survival rates versus mortality rates. Prospect theory is one of the most significant ideas presented in the book. It's a theory of decision-making under risk, which suggests that we make decisions based on the potential value of losses and gains rather than the final outcome. This explains why people might turn down a gamble that offers a 50% chance of losing $1000 and a 50% chance of winning $1100, even though the expected value of the gamble is positive. Finally, Kahneman discusses base-rate neglect, where we tend to ignore general information and focus on specific cases when making decisions. This can lead to erroneous conclusions because we're not considering all the relevant data. In conclusion, "Thinking, Fast and Slow" offers deep insights into the workings of the human mind. Kahneman's exploration of cognitive biases and heuristics is both comprehensive and accessible, making the book an invaluable resource for those interested in understanding how we think and make decisions.
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S.
27.October 2023I really appreciated my session with Marco! He was able to answer all of my questions and assist me with navigating the next steps for my career path. He provided great feedback and shared some resources to help me along the way. I felt more confident and ready to put my plans into motion after speaking with Marco. He was also friendly and easy to speak with so I would definitely book with him again!