ALE Gathering at XP2011

Two weeks ago, in London, I discussed some ideas for Europe with four other people. We were five Agile/Lean guys from Ireland, UK, Latvia, Israel, and Holland. In just an hour we generated the craziest ideas for collaboration in Europe. It involved a caravan. And speakers. And alcohol.

We’re going to do that again. But on a bigger scale…

Announcement

At the XP 2011 conference in Madrid, on Wednesday 11 May 2011, we are going to discuss ideas and plans for the ALE network. The organization has graciously provided me with a 1-hour time slot. And I intend to use that time slot for a world café session about the ALE network. And everyone is invited… You too!

I also intend to organize a pre-conference session about the vision and purpose of Agile Lean Europe. Preferably this should take place with a small selection of people from all over Europe. (Maybe one person per country?) This small pre-conference session is intended to allow a clear direction to emerge for the network. (It will be useful for people in the world café session the next day.)

Do You Want to Participate?

Before we can discuss things on a pan-European scale, we must understand the concerns of the local communities (countries). That’s where you come in. We need communities to discuss what they want from Europe. Here are some suggestions of questions to be answered:

1. How can we help other European countries with Agile & Lean adoptions?
2. How can other European countries help us with Agile & Lean adoptions?
3. What is needed to make Agile & Lean people collaborate better across Europe?
4. How can we create a European community of Agile/Lean practitioners that shares knowledge and experience regularly?
5. How can we energize/facilitate a diverse and dispersed network of thinkers to help improve the European software industry?
6. How can your local community benefit from an Europe-wide network?
7. How can we create a network that helps all European practitioners to learn more then they would do separately?
8. How can we create a network across Europe that can help local Agile companies have an international presence?

Next Step… Self-Organize!

I will contact a few people in every country and ask them to self-organize. (Do you want to volunteer and organize this in your country? Email me!) Basically, from each country I want answers to these two questions:

1. Who will you send as “representatives” to XP2011?
2. What is important for your country (in relation to Europe)?

I will ask each country to prepare for XP 2011. I’m sure we will have an awesome pan-European gathering at Madrid. It will be like a Eurovision Songfestival, but without the singing! (Or maybe we can even do that a little…)

Do you want to be part of this gathering? Add your comment to the ALE group (not here please!) Will you organize a session in your country to gather input? Let me know! I will keep track of who-is-doing-what-and-where, and will keep people updated in the LinkedIn group.

Hope to see you at XP 2011!

Les Pays Bas, douze points!