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The BA Guide | Jeremy Aschenbrenner and Vivek & Pabitra Khattri

Make yourself a more valuable member of the team by learning how to help organizations make changes faster and with less expense by using Agile approaches.

In nature, as in business – you adapt, or you die…

Read more

Make yourself a more valuable member of the team by learning how to help organizations make changes faster and with less expense by using Agile approaches.

In nature, as in business – you adapt, or you die…

And with over 70% of companies using Agile for their projects, not knowing the fundamental concepts, principles, and values just isn’t an option anymore.

This course will not only teach you the fundamentals of Agile to help you develop the adaptive mindset, but it will also break down the most popular Agile frameworks such as Scrum, Kanban, and Scrumban.

That includes:

- Agile Values- Agile Principles- Benefits of Agile- Challenges- Roles in Agile- User Stories- Scrum Framework- Sprints- Scrum Ceremonies- Product Backlog- Sprint Backlog- Estimation Techniques- Team Velocity- Burndown Charts- Burn Up Charts- Kanban Principles- Setting Work in Progress (WIP) Limits- Kanban Boards ...and more.

Taught with practicality and authenticity in mind, this to-the-point course brings you real-life work examples (both failures and successes) to make your learning stick.

Course enrollment grants you lifetime access, with no expiration, to all the course lectures, activities, handouts, and quizzes. In addition, you’ll also receive 1-on-1 support for any questions or uncertainties that come up. And this all comes with a money-back guarantee. You have nothing to lose and so much knowledge to gain.

Just ask the students who’ve already taken this course:

“This course is awesome. I am a beginner, I just started exploring Agile and Scrum, and after this course I feel like I'm ready to implement things. Thank you so much. Great work. ” – Dubravka

“The course structure is a lot more than I was expecting regarding features. I can also make notes during the video without pausing or falling behind. I'm […] impressed with how the sections are broken down and have been placed into chronological order to help with understanding.” – Laura

“Through my Agile journey, this is one of the top courses I have taken. Why? I enjoy this course because it goes over a large scheme of topics that are specific and useful, but also given to the learner in bite sized pieces.. This course is especially helpful if you are working in an Agile Team or looking to implement Agile into a team. I have a much clearer understanding on the ceremonies, structure of a team, team responsibilities and reasoning behind different pieces of software, such as Jira. I have gained a lot of knowledge from the course, quizzes, and activities that Jeremy and Vivek put together. I can absolutely see myself implementing what I have gained from this course into my team and future teams. Thanks for creating an easy to follow course. ” - Meghann

Learn how Agile works as well as how it fits into the world of Business Analysis

This course is taught by two instructors, to ensure you get total coverage of the subject.

Jeremy Aschenbrenner (The BA Guide) is an expert in the Business Analysis field who will help you understand the part Agile plays in the Business Analyst role…

Vivek Khattri (The Agile Coach) is a highly experienced Agile practitioner and trainer whose expertise will give you a comprehensive understanding of Agile, Agile Mindset, and different Agile frameworks and practices…

And together, not only will our varying perspectives give you a 360-degree understanding of Agile fundamentals, our varied content formats will enhance your learning experience and help you retain the concepts you learn.

Let’s hear from some more students:

“I was certified as a Scrum Master over a decade ago and had been away from using scrum in a product management role for several years. This course helped me quickly regain an overview of the key principles and remind me of all of the artifacts and other key practices to put scrum to use again. I highly recommend this course to anyone who wants to understand Scrum or Kanban.” – John

“Training by Jeremy and Vivek was awesome. They were able to explain in detail about all the concepts which will help anyone to understand and try to implement these practices. The good thing about Jeremy is his technique to break into pieces and explaining to avoid confusion. Look forward to learning more from you guys in the future lectures.” - Venkatesh

What’s included in the course?

- High-Quality Video Lectures break down the complex terms and confusing Agile jargon to ensure you get a concrete understanding of the items being discussed

- Downloadable Handouts help you to enhance your understanding and retention of the key concepts

- Quizzes and Activities validate your learning and help to point out areas that should be reviewed for full comprehension

- 1-on-1 Support means that any confusion or questions you have can be addressed and cleared up easily (no more frantically googling trying to figure out what your course instructor means).

- Lifetime Access with NO Expiration so you can learn at your own pace, and come back at any time you feel unsure or are in need of a refresher

“Not only the theoretical part associated to the Scrum Framework is good, but Jeremy and Vivek's experience, that is invaluable, thanks for that guys. [...] Jeremy and Vivek explained the terms and concepts in a logical and simple order way so it was much much easy to me to catch on all these concepts once and for all. Congrats to both. ” – Silvia

“While not 100% new to Agile, it had been some time since I worked in the environment so as a refresher this course is perfect. I also feel this would be a great course for beginners. The videos are clear and easy to listen to, with a good pace. I like the inclusion of printable material as it is true, when you write something down, you remember it easier. Well done Vivek and Jeremy.” - Shelly

What ELSE is included in the course?

And of course, anyone who has studied one of Jeremy’s courses before will know, it simply wouldn’t be a course by The BA Guide if I didn’t include some value-packed bonus material.

Here’s what you get as complimentary extras with the Agile Fundamentals course:

- The Agile Principles Handout and Infographic- Sample User Stories- Scrum Terms Worksheet- Scrum Terms Retention Worksheet- Checklist for starting Kanban with your team- Digital Kanban board setup instructions- Agile Word Search- Agile Terms Crossword Puzzle

Still not convinced?

And if you’re still not sure – here’s my promise to you:

This course comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. That means, if you aren’t completely satisfied with your purchase, I’ll give you a refund – no questions asked.

By the end of this course, you’ll have a working understanding of the fundamentals of Agile as well as its most popular frameworks, setting you up to be the agile, adaptive Business Analyst every modern organization needs.

As one of my favorite ancient Chinese proverbs says, “when the winds of change blow, some build walls, others build windmills”.

With disruptive technology evolving at a faster rate than ever before, the winds of change are blowing.

Hard.

So, if you’re ready to build windmills, enroll today and get started learning the fundamentals of Agile.

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Learn how to get into the agile mindset and achieve success in helping organizations evolve
  • Command a strong focus on delivering customer value and exceeding expectations
  • Master popular agile frameworks scrum, kanban, and scrumban, enabling you to land and excel in any agile position
  • Explore fun, interactive, and highly effective lessons from best-selling instructors
  • Assist with your organization's current, or future, transformation to agile

Syllabus

Welcome to the Course!
Course Introduction

It is great to virtually meet you!

In this lecture, we provide you links to several critical items including a tour of Udemy's features, frequently asked questions, and more.

Read more

In this lecture, we provide you a ZIP file that contains all of the downloadable resources for the course. While those downloads are still available on appropriate lectures throughout the course, we're providing this ZIP file for convenience and to avoid some of the nuances and issues with downloading the files individually. It is our recommendation that you download this file now and then pull up the files as they are referenced within the course. Happy learning!

Understanding Agile

To start off the course, we explain the origins of Agile and gain an understanding of what Agile is all about.

Terms: Agile, Agile Manifesto, agile mindset

As some students like to learn at a faster pace, while others prefer slower, this lecture includes some simple instructions to adjust the playback rate of the course.

In this lecture, we discuss the four main Agile Values as described in the Agile Manifesto.

Terms: Agile Manifesto, agile values, stakeholder, agile mindset

This is a fun activity to get you familiar with some of the Agile terms that you will hear repeatedly throughout the course.

In this lecture, we break down the twelve Agile Principles as described in the Agile Manifesto and we provide our insight as to what makes the principles so important and how they can be applied to your projects.

Terms: Agile principles, self-organizing

Here we introduce you to some resources that you can download and print off to use a reference or study guide on the twelve Agile principles.

Udemy Review Prompt

In this activity, we challenge you to come up with your top 5 Agile principles are and share them and your reasoning with Jeremy, Vivek, and the other students of the course.

Here Jeremy works through his top 5 Agile principles and gives you his thoughts.

Here Vivek works through his top 5 Agile principles and gives you his thoughts.

Now that we've covered some of the important aspects of the Agile Manifesto, it is time we take a step back and talk about some of the benefits of using Agile over other more traditional project approaches.

Terms: Waterfall, agile

As with any project approach, there are challenges that come out of using it. In this lecture, we explore some of those challenges so we can understand why not all companies have switched over to using Agile.

Terms: Agile, agile mindset

This lecture helps us transition from talking about Agile in general to talking about various project frameworks that have Agile at their center.

Terms: Agile, scrum, kanban, scrumban

Validating the Agile concepts
Scrum Methodology: Overview, Values, and Roles

Scrum is the most popular Agile framework, so that is where we will start. In this lecture, you will learn about Scrum's terminology, ceremonies, and artifacts.

Terms: Scrum, product backlog, sprint backlog, sprint planning, retrospective, sprint review, daily standup, sprint, cross-functional, self-organizing, inspection, adaption, transparency

Scrum is built around five core values. In this lecture, we will explore and explain those values and why they are important.

Terms: Scrum values, openness, focus, courage, commitment, respect

Within Scrum, there are three main prescribed roles - Scrum Master, Product Owner, Development team. In this lecture, we explore these roles and discuss their core responsibilities.

Terms: Product owner, scrum master, development team, user story, product increment

In this lecture, we further explore the responsibilities of a Scrum Master, and Vivek discusses his recent experience in the Scrum Master role.

Terms: Scrum master, sprint, daily standup, sprint review, sprint retrospective

The role of the Product Owner is very important to explore and understand the vision of the business and then deliver that vision to the strategists (the Development Team) who can make it come to reality.

Terms: Product owner, user story, MVP, scrum master

The Development Team is a cluster of all of the other folks on the project team besides the Scrum Master and Product Owner. This includes Business Analysts, Quality Analysts, Developers, Architects, etc.

Terms: Development team, business analyst, developer, product owner

Updates to Scrum Standards
Verifying your Scrum Knowledge
Scrum Methodology: Scrum Ceremonies and Events

Backlog Refinement is where the team ensures the user stories in the Product Backlog are accurate and contain enough details for them to be worked. When they find high-priority stories that don't have enough details, the team works to get those details identified and added to the story.

Terms: Backlog grooming, backlog refinement, sprint, sprint backlog, product backlog

All of these ceremonies are great, but sometimes they can be confusing until they are put into context. In this lecture, we walk through some examples of what your calendar could look like if your project had a one-week Sprint versus the two-week variety.

Terms: Sprint, sprint planning, daily standup, backlog refinement, backlog grooming, sprint review, sprint retrospective, user story

Confirming your learning on ceremonies
Scrum Methodology: Scrum Terms and Artifacts

This lecture kicks off our section on Scrum Terms and Artifacts and where better to start, User Stories. Come explore what User Stories are and why they are used.

Terms: user story, product increment

One important aspect to gain more details about the User Story is Acceptance Criteria. In this lecture, we will explore what Acceptance Criteria are and how they can be used to bring additional value to your requirements.

Terms: acceptance criteria, user story

Great User Stories follow the INVEST principle. In this lecture, we will break down the acronym INVEST and teach you what it is important.

Terms: INVEST, user story

Attached to this lecture is a downloadable resource to give you some examples of how User Stories and their Acceptance Criteria could appear in projects.

Terms: user story, acceptance criteria, wireframe

The Product Backlog and the Sprint Backlog are two key artifacts within Agile Scrum. In this lecture, we explain how they are used to help understand the work yet to be done, as well as the stories that are committed to within this iteration.

Terms: product backlog, sprint backlog, sprint planning, priority, sprint

Projects are multiplayer games, so it is important to have an agreement on rules, expectations, and procedures that govern the team. And those are handled by Working Agreements, which we will discuss within this lecture.

Terms: working agreement

In this lecture, you will learn about how the Definition of Ready (DoR) helps the team to understand when a User Story contains enough details to be worked.

Terms: Definition of ready, working agreement, user story

The Definition of Done (DoD) is an agreement that ensures the team has a clear understanding of when a User Story can be considered done or complete. In this lecture, we explore the document and understand what having a common understanding of done is so important.

Terms: Definition of Done, user story, acceptance criteria

In this lecture, Vivek and Jeremy sit down and discuss the Definition of Ready and the Definition of Done to help bring some context to the artifacts.

Terms: definition of ready, definition of done

In this lecture, you'll learn about how Product Increments are used in Agile Scrum to help deliver value after each iteration.

Terms: Product increment, Scrum, Waterfall

More Scrum Knowledge Validation
Estimating in Agile

In this lecture, we explain the concept of estimating and how teams come up with their estimates.

Terms: agile, estimate

Now that you understand what estimating is, let's compare the difference between estimating in a Traditional project versus those done in Agile.

Terms: agile, estimate, agile, waterfall

This lecture explores why estimating is important, regardless of the project approach that you are using.

Terms: agile, estimate

While there are quite a few different estimation techniques that can be used within projects, we explore three of the most popular. (part 1 of 2)

Terms: estimate, BUS, t-shirt sizes

While there are quite a few different estimation techniques that can be used within projects, we explore three of the most popular. (part 2 of 2)

Terms: estimate, fibonacci

Estimation Quiz
Other Agile Roles

Even though Agile only really recognizes three main roles, there are other roles that are equally as important to understand. In this lecture, we will explore those roles at a high level and then dig further into them throughout the remainder of the section.

Terms: Product owner, development team, scrum master, project sponsor, SME, technology leaders, business leaders, business users

The Project Sponsor is the person who has approved the project and is often putting forth the funding/budget to be used to pay for it. In this lecture, we dig more into the Project Sponsor role.

Terms: Project sponsor, sprint review

Business Leaders also play an important role in every Agile project. In this lecture, we will dig into how they provide value and how value is provided back to them.

Terms: Business leaders, sprint review

While the Technology Leaders aren't often engaged directly in projects, they are important in driving the project's success. In this lecture, we will dig more into the Technology Leaders role.

Terms: Technology leaders, sprint review, organizational standards

While effective leadership can bring significant value to projects, ineffective leadership can unravel even the most successful teams. In this lecture, we will explore some of the most common leadership detractors that often hinder and derail otherwise successful projects.

Terms: Agile mindset

Those senior users that are the go-to people when there are questions with that process or software are often called Subject Matter Experts. Come learn more about their role and how they provide value to your projects.

Terms: SME, sprint review

As most projects are created to drive value and efficiencies to the Business Users, let's dig into their project roles a bit deeper.

Terms: Business user

Often times, when organizations are trying to implement Agile, they use an Agile Coach. In this lecture, we explore the reasons how an Agile Coach can bring value to the project and the company.

Terms; Agile coach, agile values

In this lecture, we discuss how these other Agile roles can be utilized in all Agile approaches, not just those that follow Scrum.

Terms: Agile, Project Sponsor, Product Owner, Scrum

Scrum Methodology: Digging Deeper

Team Velocity is an important element in Agile projects as it gives an idea of how much work a team can complete in each iteration. In this lecture, we will explore Team Velocity in more detail.

Terms: Team velocity, story point, product backlog, sprint backlog, sprint, estimate, Fibonacci, scrum

Burndown charts visually show work being completed in comparison to work that still needs to be done. By creating this visual diagram, you can more easily see how the team's work is trending and if they are on target with goals that may have been set for an expected number of sprints or an MVP launch.

Terms: Burndown chart, sprint, scrum, estimate, story point

A Burn Up chart is similar to a burndown chart, but instead of counting down to the end of the project, it counts up to complete the number of story points. This allows it to better show the amount of work added or removed from the full project. In this lecture, we will further explain the Burn Up chart and show you a real-world example comparison to the Burndown chart.

Terms: burn up chart, burndown chart, sprint, user story, estimate, story point

While our examples in the Burndown and Burn Up charts are being shown with the Fibonacci estimations, this lecture will help explain how they can also be used if you are using a different estimation technique.

Terms: Fibonacci, burndown charts, burn up charts, story point, user story

Now that you understand what the burndown and burn up charts are and how they are used, it is time to understand who usually creates them.

Terms: Scrum master, burndown charts, burn up charts, user story

ACTIVITY: Scrum Terms Worksheet

In this lecture, we will review the Scrum Terms Worksheet you completed in the previous lecture.

ACTIVITY: Scrum Terms Retention Worksheet
Kanban Methodology
Intro to Kanban & Four Basic Principles
Kanban Board
Kanban Cards
Six General Practices of Kanban
Kanban Key Metrics
Kanban Metrics Based on Board Type
Kanban Demo: Trello
ACTIVITY: Setup Trello
ACTIVITY: Follow along with Trello demo #2
Kanban Demo: JIRA
Kanban Board Statuses
Kanban Swimlanes
Steps to Implement Kanban
A Casual Conversation about Kanban
Concluding Kanban
Getting Started with a Kanban Checklist
Checking your Kanban Knowledge
Scrumban Methodology
Scrumban Overview
Scrumban Debate: Sprint
Scrumban: Continuous Flow
Scrumban: Timebox
Scrumban: Feature Freeze
Scrumban: Target Audience
A Casual Conversation about Scrumban
ACTIVITY: Agile Terms Crossword Puzzle
ACTIVITY: Agile Terms Crossword Puzzle - Answer Key
Wrapping Things Up

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Teaches foundational Agile and Scrum principles and operations, which are essential for Business Analysts
Taught by two instructors who are recognized for their work in Business Analysis and Agile
Instructional media consist of high-quality videos, downloadable handouts, quizzes, and activities
Covers Agile principles associated with the Agile Manifesto
Explores a range of Agile frameworks and practices, including Scrum, Kanban, and Scrumban
Provides practical and authentic work examples (both failures and successes)

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Agile Fundamentals: Including Scrum & Kanban with these activities:
Join an Agile Scrum study group
Engage with fellow learners and exchange knowledge, ideas, and experiences related to Agile Scrum.
Browse courses on Peer Support
Show steps
  • Find or create an Agile Scrum study group online or in your local area.
  • Participate in regular meetings or discussions.
  • Contribute to group projects or activities.
  • Share resources and support each other's learning.
Review 'Agile Software Development with Scrum
Review core Agile principles, values, and terminology to build a solid knowledge foundation.
View Software in 30 Days on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read the introduction and Chapter 1 to understand the fundamentals of Agile and Scrum.
  • Take notes on key concepts and terminology.
  • Create a mind map or summary of the main ideas.
Read 'Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time'
Gain insights into the Agile Scrum methodology and its practical implementation, enhancing your knowledge of the framework.
Show steps
  • Read the book, focusing on the key principles and practices of Scrum.
  • Highlight important passages and take notes.
  • Reflect on how the concepts can be applied to your own projects.
Two other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all five activities
Complete Agile Scrum practice exercises
Reinforce understanding of Scrum ceremonies, estimation techniques, and other practical aspects of Agile Scrum.
Browse courses on Agile Scrum
Show steps
  • Access online Scrum practice exercises (e.g., Scrum Simulator, Agile Velocity Calculator).
  • Simulate Scrum ceremonies (e.g., sprint planning, sprint review).
  • Practice estimating story points using different techniques.
  • Review solutions and reflect on the application of Agile Scrum principles.
Develop an Agile Scrum case study
Apply Agile Scrum knowledge to a real-world scenario, demonstrating understanding of its implementation and benefits.
Show steps
  • Choose a project or situation to apply Agile Scrum.
  • Define the project scope, goals, and stakeholders.
  • Develop a detailed Scrum implementation plan, including sprint structure, ceremonies, and roles.
  • Simulate the implementation, tracking progress and adapting as needed.
  • Create a written or video presentation summarizing the case study, highlighting key learnings and outcomes.

Career center

Learners who complete Agile Fundamentals: Including Scrum & Kanban will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Project Manager
As a Project Manager, you will collaborate with teams of developers to plan, execute, and ensure project goals are met. This course teaches the fundamentals of Agile project management and popular frameworks like Scrum and Kanban. You will learn essential skills like user story mapping, sprint planning, and team velocity analysis. Whether you aspire to become a Project Manager or enhance your existing skills, this course provides a strong foundation in Agile principles and best practices.
Business Analyst
Business Analysts play a crucial role in bridging the gap between business needs and technical solutions. This course teaches Agile fundamentals, including Scrum and Kanban. You will gain expertise in gathering and analyzing requirements, creating user stories, and prioritizing tasks. The knowledge and skills acquired in this course will help you succeed as a Business Analyst in an Agile environment.
Scrum Master
A Scrum Master is responsible for facilitating and guiding Agile teams. This course provides a comprehensive overview of Scrum, including its principles, ceremonies, and artifacts. You will gain insights into the role of a Scrum Master in planning sprints, conducting retrospectives, and resolving impediments. By understanding Scrum and Agile practices, you can excel as a Scrum Master and effectively lead your team towards project success.
Software Developer
As a Software Developer, you will work on developing and maintaining software applications. This course introduces Agile principles and popular frameworks like Scrum and Kanban. You will learn about user story mapping, sprint planning, and team velocity analysis. This knowledge will help you integrate Agile practices into your development process, enabling you to deliver high-quality software on time.

Reading list

We've selected eight books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Agile Fundamentals: Including Scrum & Kanban.
Concise guide to Scrum, one of the most popular Agile frameworks. It provides a clear and concise overview of Scrum's principles and practices, and it great resource for anyone who wants to learn more about Scrum.
Provides a comprehensive overview of Agile principles, patterns, and practices in the context of C# development. It valuable resource for developers who want to learn more about Agile development and how to apply it to their own projects.
Provides a comprehensive overview of Agile software development principles, patterns, and practices. It valuable resource for developers who want to learn more about Agile development and how to apply it to their own projects.
Novel that tells the story of a team of IT professionals who are trying to improve their Agile development process. It great resource for anyone who wants to learn more about Agile development and how to apply it to their own projects.
Provides a practical guide to using Kanban and Scrum together. It great resource for teams who are looking to improve their Agile development process.
Provides a practical guide to the Lean Startup methodology, a process for developing and validating new products and services. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn more about the Lean Startup methodology and how to use it to improve their Agile development process.
Provides a practical guide to user story mapping, a technique for gathering and organizing user stories. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn more about user story mapping and how to use it to improve their Agile development process.

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