Scrum, Kanban and other excellent methodologies are great but when it comes to agility I think cooking is where it’s at.

Here’s a collection of new agile team work methodologies inspired by the way chefs prepare vegetables.

This will help us all keep track of our beetroot velocity. Lets make sure we never burn down our roast potatos.

The Carrot

Cut 1 pound carrots into 1-inch pieces. Toss carrots with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and other seasonings, if desired. Cover pan with foil. Bake in a 425 degree F oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil; stir carrots. Bake, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes more or until carrots are tender.

  • Crescendo. It’s important not to get too many people involved at the beginning.

The Pumpkin

Move the pieces around twice during cooking. Cool, then scrape out the tender flesh with a spoon; discard rind. Method 4: Roast Whole: Follow the first two prep steps on page 81 to hollow out the pumpkin. Roast in a preheated 350° oven for 1 to 2 hours or until tender.

  • Start off and then figure it out along the way. No plan is a good plan. 

The Beetroot

Wash the beets gently, making sure that you don’t tear the skins, then place in a pan of warm water, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer until tender – around 20–30 minutes. Alternatively, you can steam whole beetroot or bake them in the oven for 2–3 hours at 150°C/gas mark 2.

  • This is all about politics. Technical precision is going to take a back seat on this one.

The Potato

Starting the potatoes in cold water helps them cook more evenly. Stir in a teaspoon of salt: Stir the salt into the water so that it dissolves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer: Set the pan over medium-high heat and bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a bare simmer to cook the potatoes.

  • Kick off is where it’s at. If we can’t get some hard line iteration done in the first few days then it ain’t happening.

The Spinach

Drain the spinach and then repeat soaking and draining. Put the spinach in a salad spinner to remove any excess moisture. 2 Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, until the garlic is just beginning to brown.

  • Cut the team down by half. Get to work

The Celery

Remove the leaves and trim the stalks. Wash and use as desired. To refresh celery, soak it in cold water for 5-10 minutes or until crisp.

  • The work is basically done. Just a snip around the edges and you’re done.

The Cabbage

Cut Cabbage into quarters, removing the hard stem. In a large pot, add butter, olive oil, salt, pepper, & cabbage. Add in chicken broth and toss. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until cabbage is tender.

  • Divide and conquer. Sparate the team into smaller grouos and encouraging a more defensive programming technique.

The Tomato

Add 1/4 cup finely chopped onion, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1 teaspoon snipped fresh thyme; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until onion is tender. Add tomatoes to skillet and season with salt and black pepper. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes or until tomatoes are just warmed. Remove from heat.

  • The most advanced of all techniques. A combination of experienced junior and senior developers. Multiple perspectives. With every iteration in 25 minute bursts using a red egg timer.

The Broccoli

Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Add a heaping tablespoon of salt. Add the broccoli florets and cook until crisp-tender, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and plunge immediately in the ice water.

  • Phone a friend. Phone a bunch of friends. This is going to require last minute help from a lot of people.

The Brussel Sprouts

Cut off the brown ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly

  • Lots of planning. Lots of preparation. Once we have our ducks in a line this will fall into place.

The Onion

First slice off the top of the onion (leave the root on for the moment), then remove the papery skin and any brown outer layers. To chop the onion, cut in half from top to bottom. Put the cut side down and make a number of horizontal cuts towards, but not quite reaching, the root.

  • Tears. This work will get done but people will be crying before it’s over.

The Kale

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place 2 cups torn kale leaves on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until crisp.

  • Outsource everything. No one wants to work on this thing. Do a shoddy job and don’t worry if it drags on for months.

The Iceberg Lettuce

To wash iceberg lettuce first remove the core with a paring knife. Then break it apart with your hands. (Some heads of iceberg are much firmer than others!) Fill a large bowl with cool water and gently place the lettuce leaves in the bowl giving them a gentle swish as you drop them in the bowl.

  • Deal with it from a UI / UX perspective. Change the way it looks and feels. A good wash. This is not going to require any functional change.

The Cucumber

Remove stems and slice off blossom ends. Cut cucumbers into thick slices (1/4 to 1/2 inch thick). In a large stainless steel, enameled, or nonstick saucepan, combine 4 cups water, 4 cups white vinegar, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/3 cup pickling salt. Bring to boiling.

  • Great for complex rule driven projects. TDD, BDD everything.