Agile coaching, Scrum mastery and technical test assurance from a consultant who has spent a decade getting late, stuck and brand-new projects moving.
Whether a project is just starting or already behind, the aim is the same: a team that delivers steadily and enjoys the work.
Interim Scrum Master to stand up a new team, set its heartbeat and leave it self-sufficient.
Rescue projects stuck in “scrum-but” habits, slipping dates or stakeholder friction.
Practical ways of working for distributed teams, proven through the move out of, and back from, lockdown.
A network infrastructure project began already behind schedule and short on people. Introducing Scrum and iterating hard on scope delivered the MVP despite budget cuts.
On time, a delighted customer and two further projects won.
Employees, consultants and contractors were working in a “scrummerfall” pattern. A simple three-month look-ahead was split into three sprint goals, balanced against 30% tech debt and BAU work.
A product owner and team finally planning from the same page.
A new iOS app from Touch The Skies, built by JD in retirement with Claude Code. Details are being added as the app takes shape.
Hands-on delivery leadership, built on close to two decades in infrastructure, testing and Agile.
Starting teams from scratch or stepping into an in-flight project. Establishing sprint rhythm, healthy ceremonies and a backlog that people trust.
Coaching developers, testers and product owners in Agile values, and winning people over at every level, from the team room to senior stakeholders.
Moving co-located teams to remote, then to a hybrid model that keeps long-term value. Experienced with distributed teams across multiple sites and organisations.
No, a thousand times no. If you need a methodology to manage your Agility you’re not Agile. I have the scars from producing weekly Excel reports of points per person per sprint.
Infrastructure, security and platform testing for large estates, including a 2,000-seat Windows 10 upgrade. A tester's eye for risk that carries into Agile delivery.
Workshops and conference sessions that make Agile concrete, including “The 5 Levels of Agile”, a maturity model for teams weighing the cost and benefit of the next step.
Listen to the team, the product owner and the sponsors. Find what is really in the way.
Set up a light framework and the first sprint goals so work starts moving quickly.
Coach, remove blockers and step back so the team can deliver. Step in only when needed.
Train a successor or the team itself so the gains outlast the engagement.
Scrum Master, Agile Coach and former infrastructure engineer. Retired from IT consulting in April 2024, still building.
I came to Agile through infrastructure. After years in messaging, directory and security testing, I saw projects slipping because requirements and technology moved faster than delivery. Proposing an Agile approach brought one back on track, and I have been helping teams do the same ever since.
I have worked in central government, automotive and retail, with teams of six to fifteen people drawn from customers, consultancies and contractors. I coach, I put in a smart framework, and then I get out of the way.
Touch The Skies Ltd is my own company. It is also home to AfibSense, an iPhone app I am developing with Claude Code.
“The 5 Levels of Agile”, a capability maturity model for teams. “Agile Architecture with The Simpsons”, a series of half-day sessions on Agile and Scrum. Speaker at inter-organisation Testcon and Agile in the City, June 2016.
That Afib alert on my Apple watch finally had time to be looked at. But why are the relevant heart metrics so hard to track and understand? Maybe I can knock something up… coming soon, AfibSense.
Several client projects via a DevOps consultancy: start-ups, recoveries and a high-performing team scaling from 6 to 14. Interviewed and coached new Scrum Masters.
Three teams across three sites on highly technical IP projects (C++, Go, Docker, Kubernetes). Coached a project manager into the Scrum Master role and led the shift to home working.
Introduced Agile to slipping infrastructure and identity projects. Technical test lead on a 2,000-seat Windows 10 upgrade.
Security testing, VMware environments and laptop builds on a large government programme. Deputy Environments Manager.
Exchange and Active Directory migrations, including rescuing a failed in-house project and migrating 400 sites.
An iPhone app from Touch The Skies Ltd, currently being built and tested. Full details and a release date will appear here.
This space is reserved for the app's feature list, written once the first release is settled.
AfibSense is under development. Nothing on this site is medical advice, and the app is not a substitute for professional care. Anyone concerned about their heart health should speak to a doctor.
Enquiries about Agile coaching, Scrum mastery, testing or AfibSense are all welcome.
The address is an image to keep spam out, so please type it into your email app. Mention services or AfibSense updates in the subject line.
Touch The Skies Ltd · Manchester, United Kingdom
