House of Agile Quality

Thomas and Nico developed the House of Agile Quality (HOAQ) concept as part of a joint training course. Typically for big ideas, it came about rather by chance in a hotel lobby over a beer. In the spirit of quality transformation, the concept is wide-ranging and can be applied to a wide variety of teams. Thomas provides insights into the book and is already flirting with another volume…and another…and another 😉

“Out of the euphoria, the idea was born: Oh come on, if we already have the concept, let’s write a book straight away” - Thomas Karl

Thomas is a Lean-Agile-QMS pioneer and Enterprise Agile Coach. He helps clients harness the power of disruption with lean quality management and agile methods. He is a C-Level Coach, SAFe® Summit and KeyNote speaker and co-founder of the “House of Agile Quality HoaQ” concept. He supports leading companies in agile transformations and process improvement projects. As a trainer, he uses his expertise to support people on their way to becoming successful lean-agile leaders. He is driven by the development of people, ideas and organizations and believes in transformation through education, innovation and open-minded change management. Openness, mental agility and lifelong learning are his keys to success in our interconnected world.

Highlights of this episode:

• Thomas Kahl is co-author of the book “House of Agile Quality”, which provides a comprehensive insight into agile quality
• The book offers practical tips and methods for implementing quality in agile projects, including test automation, test data management and lean quality engineering
• It uses the metaphor of a house to explain different aspects of agile quality, including foundation, pillars and roof
• The book is divided into two parts: The first chapter introduces the concept, while the second chapter provides a deeper dive into specific topics such as performance engineering
• Thomas and his co-author plan to release further publications on individual aspects of the book to dive even deeper into the subject matter
• There are plans to further explore topics such as AI tools and test data management in future publications
• Five copies will be raffled off to the audience to mark the book’s anniversary

House of agile quality - agile quality principles

In the podcast episode ‘House of Agile Quality’, we discuss how agile quality can be achieved in software projects. Guest Thomas Kahl provides insights into the creation of the book of the same name and shares practical tips for implementing agile quality principles.

The relevance of agile quality management

In today’s world, where software development is becoming faster and more complex, the implementation of agile quality principles has become essential. In the latest podcast episode ‘House of Agile Quality’, I welcomed Thomas Karl, an expert in this field.

How the book came about

The initial spark for the book ‘House of Agile Quality’ came at a hotel bar in Vienna. After an exhausting day of training, Thomas and his co-author Nico Liedl sat together and thought about how they could optimize their workshop the next day. This discussion not only gave rise to the idea for a new concept, but also the decision to write a book about it. This decision marked the beginning of an intensive writing phase, which was characterized by numerous project experiences and feedback from workshops.

The foundation of the house: basics of agile quality

The concept of the book is based on the metaphor of a house, which enables a simple understanding of the components that are necessary to ensure quality in agile projects. The ‘foundation’ consists of classic methods and maturity models. Three pillars rest on this foundation: role allocation in the agile process, methodological approaches and tools, and supporting measures.

Application of the concept

Thomas emphasizes the importance of practical experience in the development of the concept. By working on various large projects, the team behind ‘House of Agile Quality’ was able to gather valuable feedback and constantly improve the concept. The importance of correct test data and environments and effective management of these resources is also emphasized.

The next steps: consolidation and outlook

Future plans for ‘House of Agile Quality’ include a deeper exploration of individual components of the concept as well as the publication of further materials and blogs. Particular attention will be paid to the use of AI tools in the context of agile software development and an even more specific examination of the topic of test data management.

The path to agile quality

Agile quality is not just a question of the right tools or methods - it is a holistic approach that requires in-depth knowledge of processes, roles and technologies. The book ‘House of Agile Quality’ offers a comprehensive insight into this topic and shows ways in which teams can improve the way they work. Agility and quality are two sides of the same coin - both are required to be successful in modern software development.