In the last week, I’ve shared how I wrapped up 2017 intentionally using the Scrum review and retrospective meetings and how I’m using the software development user story format to frame my goals for the first part of 2018 (now through the end of the Spring semester in May). Because I don’t start teaching the second pilot of our Design Thinking Studio in Social Innovation immersive semester pilot program until January 29th, now is the perfect time to get granular on my writing pipeline epic and complete several writing projects that have been hanging out on my backlog for too long.

So I’m kicking off the first Agile Faculty Sprint Challenge!

Over the next three weeks, starting today, January 3rd, I’ll be working on the following writing projects:

• Completing team teaching essay revise and resubmit
• Completing goal setting article revise and resubmit
• Completing full draft of identity article, and submitting to journal (after a spin through my writing group, of course)
• [Stretch goal: Drafting Agile Faculty companion proposal OR 1-2 essays for possible publication in the Chronicle of Higher Education or Inside Higher Ed.]

That seems like a lot, but I already have everything I need to complete these projects ready to go and I know my personal velocity when I have time to dedicate to writing like this. Here’s the Scrum board for the Sprint:

How will the Sprint Challenge work?

Every weekday afternoon around 3pm for the next three weeks and using the hashtag #AFSprint, I’ll post my answers to the daily Scrum questions to review what I accomplished that day and to set up my work for the next day. I’ll also post a picture of my updated Scrum board every morning. During the day, I’ll dedicate at least three full hours to writing. I’ll pop onto Twitter occasionally during the day to share insights, accomplishments, and blockers. I’ll also blog here at the end of each week to share my overall progress toward meeting my sprint goals. I hope you’ll follow along and find some tips and inspiration!

Do you have writing goals you want to tackle in January?

Interested in some social accountability and encouragement? Tweet me that you want to join the Sprint Challenge, share your writing goals, make your Scrum board (I’m available to coach you in that process!), and join me in tweeting about progress using the daily Scrum questions and hashtag #AFSprint!