I am a Kanban Coaching Professional
I’m officially a Kanban Coaching Professional (KCP) now.
While I have always been a bit skeptical about certification, I am myself a certified CSP and PMI-ACP.
After all, there’s no better way to know something than to experience it first hand :)
So let’s focus on KCP.
I am lucky to know most of the bright and open people in the Kanban community.
I had many chances to experience their steady experimenting, learning and sharing attitude.
This implies questioning everything :)
So, there’s been some debate when the KCP program has been announced by LKU.
On one hand there were concerns about dysfunctions typical of any certification, on the other hand there were doubts about the nature of both Kanban and coaching themselves.
There are no predefined roles, ceremonies and the like in Kanban, There are no predefined rules/prescriptions. Kanban is not a process. Kanban is about change, continuos change, and it is itself constantly evolving. So what could be certified? And how could a coach, a “change agent” be certified?
Well, for sure you need to understand the above. You obviously need to know the principles and the core practices. Then you need to understand what Kanban is not. You need to get rid of the idea that you can just apply a predefined set of tools, practices and tricks. You need to adapt to the context and not the opposite. That’s tough. This can be learned though, put in practice and verified.
To become a KCP, beside attending a masterclass, you need to prove that you have developed field experience working with Kanban in one or more organizations and you must submit to a peer review process.
Last element is key. I think it will make the difference in avoiding KCP to become yet another useless/meaningless acronym.
Kanban is gaining more and more traction and this is good, but we have already seen it misinterpreted and misapplied many times.
KCP certification will help organizations willing to change to identify people with proper knowledge and experience.
On a personal level, being a KCP will allow (and force :)) me to stay in touch and in sync with all the brilliant people in the Kanban community and keep contributing with my experiences as well. This means being constantly up to date to provide the best service to people and organizations I am working with.
As for agile42 this means further expanding its breadth and expertise in Kanban and being able to offer an even more complete spectrum of coaching/transitioning opportunities/services.
In closing let me point to Pawel Brodzinski’s thoughts about KCP certification [check them here http://blog.brodzinski.com/2012/09/kanban-coaching-professional.html] I second most of what he wrote and yes I have been grandfathered too.
Be like water, do Kanban and always remember to ask the lightbulb if it really wants to change!