Agile Awareness in Pakistan
Pakistan is a wonderfully vibrant country with many hidden treasures from Hunza valley in the north to sandy beaches in the south. It has a host of tourist attractions, and many international travel bloggers have cited Pakistan as their most favourite country. Despite this, due to much negative press, agile certification, training and coaching have been undersupported in Pakistan. On running my first ever certified ScrumMaster class in Lahore, I witnessed a group of people far advanced in their knowledge of agile than I had expected. Steadfast and resourceful in their ability to apply agile principles and values, they very much delighted me with their experience and a mature attitude to business agility. And all this with very little external support. To say I was impressed is an understatement.
Growing the Agile Mindset
I was delighted to meet so many budding and experienced agile coaches, incredibly passionate about change!
Over the years, I have kept a close eye on the agile community in Pakistan. In so doing, I have been delighted that, despite the lack of interest of overseas investors, agile teachers and coaches, the groups are vibrantly active and Immensely knowledgeable. Their passion has lead to the growth of agile community groups such as pasé (Pakistan Agile Scrum Exchange), Pakistan Agile Education and the like, who have been super active in creating awareness about agile across Pakistan. Explore my list of agile community groups below.
When I decided to support agile awareness in Pakistan a few years earlier, in August 2018, Zeshan Ilyas approached me. Zeshan is a very passionate and focused agile coach who was keen to share how much need there is for agile education in Pakistan. Zeshan and I ran the very first Certified ScrumMaster Class in Lahore on 11th August 2019 to great success. This event catalysed the agile movement in Pakistan. The word was out, and people realised this wasn’t another empty promise. It happened.
The delegates were amazing fun, in each and every class. They wholeheartedly participated in every single exercise, game and discussion which makes these classes all the more fun and engaging.
During the certified ScrumMaster class in Lahore, I met Mohsin Shahzad, a professional and determined agilest. Mohsin, equally as passionate, wanted to work with Zeshan to accelerate the agile awareness drive in Pakistan. With demand growing, in April 2019, we brought two more training sessions to Pakistan, One in Karachi and the other in Islamabad. The momentum was growing fast, and people are now aware that agile education is a real possibility in Pakistan. Since then we have run more than five Scrum Alliance certified training in Pakistan, and we have more training up and coming in October.
The delegates were fantastic fun in every class. They wholeheartedly participated in every single exercise, game and discussion, which made these classes all the more fun and engaging. The professionalism and calibre of all the delegates was nothing short of mind-blowing. Everyone was very well experienced in agile and scrum and had great insights when discussing stories and critical concepts. I was delighted to meet so many budding and experienced agile coaches, incredibly passionate about change and took to concepts such as the agile coaches growth wheel brilliantly.
The Diverse Agile Community
Another notable fact is there is a real balance between both men and women in classes and actively working in the community. In many ways superseding the split within western countries, In which I have trained. Many of the agile community drivers and innovators in Pakistan are women who are actively working to transform the world of work. I had the privilege of working with many passionate men and women in the agile community (too many to name in one blog!). They are all working tirelessly to promote agile ways of working across the country. You know who you are – thank you!
Pakistan needs agile and has consumed everything I have been able to share, but they’re hungry to learn and to grow. I met with so many young entrepreneurs and leaders whose enthusiasm was contagious. It’s incredible how much they know not only about agile but business agility in this ever-changing, sophisticated world. They all need our help to grow agile in Pakistan, and in-turn transform the world of work.
So go ahead, visit Pakistan and see the fantastic sights! And while you’re there, reach out to the agile community who will make you feel welcome and will undoubtedly surprise you with their passion.
