#TechLeadership
Scott M. Graffius Recognized as a Top Thought Leader in Digital Disruption by Thinkers360
16 April 2025
BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com
Scott M. Graffius has been named a Top Thought Leader in Digital Disruption by Thinkers360. This prestigious recognition highlights his ongoing, impactful contributions to the rapidly evolving landscape of digital transformation, innovation, and future-focused leadership.
Digital Disruption and Its Impact
Digital disruption continues to reshape industries, business models, and customer expectations at unprecedented speed. Powered by breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), and blockchain, this transformation presents extraordinary challenges—and even greater opportunities—for organizations worldwide.
In this dynamic environment, thought leaders like Graffius play a vital role in providing clarity, strategic direction, and actionable insights to help businesses and leaders successfully navigate the accelerating pace of change.
Graffius' Ongoing Contributions
Scott M. Graffius has long been at the forefront of helping organizations thrive amidst digital disruption. His thought leadership spans AI, Agile, Project Management/PMO, innovation, and team development leadership—equipping companies with the tools, frameworks, and mindset needed to adapt and excel.
His written work is a testament to his influence:
Early reviews of Agile Protocol include, "Can’t believe no one’s done a satirical take on Agile before now. Glad Scott called out the madness and made it hilarious" and "A sharp, funny satire that sneaks legit Agile lessons into the hilarious story." Agile Protocol is a satirical adventure that doubles as a covert guide to Agile. It’s packed with insightful commentary on the misapplication of Agile, overcomplicated bureaucracy, and corporate cosplay—all wrapped in a fast-paced narrative that’s both entertaining and educational. It blends hilarious corporate parody with actionable Agile insights. It's a must-read for anyone interested or involved in Agile.
Thinkers360 Recognition and Continuing Leadership in Digital Innovation
The Thinkers360 recognition underscores Graffius’ growing influence as a thought leader in digital disruption and innovation. Through his speaking engagements, research, and writing—including Agile Protocol—Graffius continues to guide leaders and teams on how to embrace change, lead through disruption, and thrive in the future of work.
As organizations race to adapt to new technologies, shifting markets, and evolving cultural expectations, Graffius’ insights, resources, and sharp wit remain invaluable. His ability to make complex topics like Agile, AI, and transformation accessible, actionable, and even entertaining are some of the things that set him apart.
Read on for:
About Thinkers360
Thinkers360 is the world’s first, largest, and premier open platform for thought leaders and influencers. It covers academics, advisors, analysts, authors, consultants, executives, speakers, and others. Thinkers360’s patent-pending approach to rating thought leaders and influencers factors each candidate’s diverse contributions and content such as articles, books, media coverage, podcasts, social media, speaking events, videos, and more. Thinkers360’s reach includes over 100 million followers on social media combined.
About Scott M. Graffius
Scott M. Graffius sparks breakthroughs in AI, agile, and project management/PMO leadership as a globally recognized practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and international public speaker.
Graffius has generated more than USD $1.9 billion in business value for organizations served, including Fortune 500 companies. Businesses and industries range from technology (including R&D and AI) to entertainment, financial services, and healthcare, government, social media, and more.
Graffius leads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded talent, and consulting services to public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™. Graffius is a former vice president of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more. He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.
He is the author of three books.
Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have featured Graffius and his work including content from his books, talks, workshops, and more. Select examples include:
Graffius has been actively involved with the Project Management Institute (PMI) in the development of professional standards. He was a member of the team which produced the Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition. Graffius was a contributor and reviewer of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition, The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition, and The Practice Standard for Project Estimating—Second Edition. He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.
Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:
He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
He divides his time between Los Angeles and Paris, France.
Thought Leader | Public Speaker | Agile Protocol Book | Agile Scrum Book | Agile Transformation Book | Blog | Photo | X | LinkedIn | Email
How to Cite This Article
Graffius, Scott M. (2025, April 16). Scott M. Graffius Recognized as a Top Thought Leader in Digital Disruption by Thinkers360. Available at: https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/scott-m-graffius-recognized-as-a-thought-leader-in-digital-disruption-by-thinkers360-in-2025.html.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
DOI: (coming soon)
Content Acknowledgements
This article includes a brief excerpt from Thinkers360, attributed to Thinkers360 and used under fair use for news reporting and analysis.
Thinkers360 name and mark are the property of Thinkers360.
Copyright
Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.
Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Scott M. Graffius has been named a Top Thought Leader in Digital Disruption by Thinkers360. This prestigious recognition highlights his ongoing, impactful contributions to the rapidly evolving landscape of digital transformation, innovation, and future-focused leadership.
Digital Disruption and Its Impact
Digital disruption continues to reshape industries, business models, and customer expectations at unprecedented speed. Powered by breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), and blockchain, this transformation presents extraordinary challenges—and even greater opportunities—for organizations worldwide.
In this dynamic environment, thought leaders like Graffius play a vital role in providing clarity, strategic direction, and actionable insights to help businesses and leaders successfully navigate the accelerating pace of change.
Graffius' Ongoing Contributions
Scott M. Graffius has long been at the forefront of helping organizations thrive amidst digital disruption. His thought leadership spans AI, Agile, Project Management/PMO, innovation, and team development leadership—equipping companies with the tools, frameworks, and mindset needed to adapt and excel.
His written work is a testament to his influence:
- His first book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, received 17 awards for its clear, practical, and highly useful approach to Agile/Scrum.
- His second book, Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, was named by BookAuthority as one of the best Scrum books of all time.
- His newest release—and his first work of fiction—Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum was just released and is already creating buzz.
Early reviews of Agile Protocol include, "Can’t believe no one’s done a satirical take on Agile before now. Glad Scott called out the madness and made it hilarious" and "A sharp, funny satire that sneaks legit Agile lessons into the hilarious story." Agile Protocol is a satirical adventure that doubles as a covert guide to Agile. It’s packed with insightful commentary on the misapplication of Agile, overcomplicated bureaucracy, and corporate cosplay—all wrapped in a fast-paced narrative that’s both entertaining and educational. It blends hilarious corporate parody with actionable Agile insights. It's a must-read for anyone interested or involved in Agile.
Thinkers360 Recognition and Continuing Leadership in Digital Innovation
The Thinkers360 recognition underscores Graffius’ growing influence as a thought leader in digital disruption and innovation. Through his speaking engagements, research, and writing—including Agile Protocol—Graffius continues to guide leaders and teams on how to embrace change, lead through disruption, and thrive in the future of work.
As organizations race to adapt to new technologies, shifting markets, and evolving cultural expectations, Graffius’ insights, resources, and sharp wit remain invaluable. His ability to make complex topics like Agile, AI, and transformation accessible, actionable, and even entertaining are some of the things that set him apart.
Read on for:
- About Thinkers360,
- About Scott M. Graffius,
- How to Cite This Article,
- and more.
About Thinkers360
Thinkers360 is the world’s first, largest, and premier open platform for thought leaders and influencers. It covers academics, advisors, analysts, authors, consultants, executives, speakers, and others. Thinkers360’s patent-pending approach to rating thought leaders and influencers factors each candidate’s diverse contributions and content such as articles, books, media coverage, podcasts, social media, speaking events, videos, and more. Thinkers360’s reach includes over 100 million followers on social media combined.
About Scott M. Graffius
Scott M. Graffius sparks breakthroughs in AI, agile, and project management/PMO leadership as a globally recognized practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and international public speaker.
Graffius has generated more than USD $1.9 billion in business value for organizations served, including Fortune 500 companies. Businesses and industries range from technology (including R&D and AI) to entertainment, financial services, and healthcare, government, social media, and more.
Graffius leads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded talent, and consulting services to public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™. Graffius is a former vice president of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more. He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.
He is the author of three books.
- Graffius' first book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions (paperback ISBN-13: 9781533370242) (Kindle ebook ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY), received 17 awards.
- His second book is Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change (paperback ISBN-13: 9781072447962) (Kindle ebook ASIN: B07R9LJLPJ). BookAuthority named it one of the best Scrum books of all time.
- His third book—his first work of fiction—is Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum (Kindle ebook ASIN: B0F2SJ83WT) (Audible audiobook ASIN: B0DJG163R5). This article shares the news of its release.
Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have featured Graffius and his work including content from his books, talks, workshops, and more. Select examples include:
- Adobe,
- American Management Association,
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
- Bayer,
- BMC Software,
- Boston University,
- Broadcom,
- Cisco,
- Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts Germany,
- Computer Weekly,
- Constructor University Germany,
- Data Governance Success,
- Deimos Aerospace,
- DevOps Institute,
- EU's European Commission,
- Ford Motor Company,
- GoDaddy,
- Harvard Medical School,
- Hasso Plattner Institute Germany,
- IEEE,
- Innovation Project Management,
- Johns Hopkins University,
- Journal of Neurosurgery,
- Lam Research (Semiconductors),
- Leadership Worthy,
- Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
- London South Bank University,
- Microsoft,
- NASSCOM,
- National Academy of Sciences,
- New Zealand Government,
- Oracle,
- Pinterest Inc.,
- Project Management Institute,
- SANS Institute,
- SBG Neumark Germany,
- Singapore Institute of Technology,
- Torrens University Australia,
- TBS Switzerland,
- Tufts University,
- UC San Diego,
- UK Sports Institute,
- University of Galway Ireland,
- US Department of Energy,
- US National Park Service,
- US Tennis Association,
- Veleučilište u Rijeci Croatia,
- Verizon,
- Virginia Tech,
- Warsaw University of Technology,
- Wrike,
- Yale University,
- and many others.
Graffius has been actively involved with the Project Management Institute (PMI) in the development of professional standards. He was a member of the team which produced the Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition. Graffius was a contributor and reviewer of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition, The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition, and The Practice Standard for Project Estimating—Second Edition. He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.
Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:
- Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
- Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
- Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
- Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
- Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
- Project Management Professional (PMP),
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
- IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).
He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
He divides his time between Los Angeles and Paris, France.
Thought Leader | Public Speaker | Agile Protocol Book | Agile Scrum Book | Agile Transformation Book | Blog | Photo | X | LinkedIn | Email
How to Cite This Article
Graffius, Scott M. (2025, April 16). Scott M. Graffius Recognized as a Top Thought Leader in Digital Disruption by Thinkers360. Available at: https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/scott-m-graffius-recognized-as-a-thought-leader-in-digital-disruption-by-thinkers360-in-2025.html.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
DOI: (coming soon)
Content Acknowledgements
This article includes a brief excerpt from Thinkers360, attributed to Thinkers360 and used under fair use for news reporting and analysis.
Thinkers360 name and mark are the property of Thinkers360.
Copyright
Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.
Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Scott M. Graffius Delivering $2.3 Billion in Value Through AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Leadership
13 May 2025
BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com
Introduction
Scott M. Graffius is an AI, Agile, and Project Management/PMO leader, researcher, author, and speaker. Along the way, he spearheaded initiatives that have generated over $2.3 billion in impact for organizations across tech, entertainment, finance, healthcare, and beyond. The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.
Experience
Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.
Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.
He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.
Award-Winning Author
Graffius has authored three books.
International Public Speaker
Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. To date, Graffius has conducted 93 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.
With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.
The speaker engagement request form is here.
Thought Leadership and Influence
Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:
Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:
Additional details are here.
He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.
Acclaimed Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft
Graffius is a renowned authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 100 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his 'Phases of Team Development' as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams. Its adoption by esteemed organizations such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others, highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence.
The 2025 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is here.
Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms
Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His 'Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts' research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems. Referenced and applied by leading entities such as the Center for Direct Marketing, Fast Company, GoDaddy, Pinterest Inc., and PNAS, among others, his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.
The 2025 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.
Education and Professional Certifications
Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:
He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Conclusion
Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management through his leadership, research, writing, and real-world impact. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.
More
Read on for…
About Scott M. Graffius
Scott M. Graffius sparks breakthroughs in AI, agile, and project management/PMO leadership as a globally recognized practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and international public speaker.
Graffius has generated more than USD $2.3 billion in business value for organizations served, including Fortune 500 companies. Businesses and industries range from technology (including R&D and AI) to entertainment, financial services, and healthcare, government, social media, and more.
Graffius leads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded talent, and consulting services to public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™. Graffius is a former vice president of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more. He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.
He is the author of three books.
Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have featured Graffius and his work including content from his books, talks, workshops, and more. Select examples include:
Graffius has been actively involved with the Project Management Institute (PMI) in the development of professional standards. He was a member of the team which produced the Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition. Graffius was a contributor and reviewer of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition, The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition, and The Practice Standard for Project Estimating—Second Edition. He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.
Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:
He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
He divides his time between Los Angeles and Paris, France.
Thought Leader | Public Speaker | Agile Protocol Book | Agile Scrum Book | Agile Transformation Book | Blog | Photo | X | LinkedIn | Email
How to Cite This Article
Graffius, Scott M. (2025, May 13). Scott M. Graffius Delivering $2.3 Billion in Value Through AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Leadership. Available at: https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/scott-m-graffius-delivering-2-point-3-billion-dollars-in-impact-for-organizations.html.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
DOI: (coming soon)
Content Acknowledgements
Names and marks are the property of their respective owners.
Copyright
Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.
Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Introduction
Scott M. Graffius is an AI, Agile, and Project Management/PMO leader, researcher, author, and speaker. Along the way, he spearheaded initiatives that have generated over $2.3 billion in impact for organizations across tech, entertainment, finance, healthcare, and beyond. The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.
Experience
Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.
Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.
He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.
Award-Winning Author
Graffius has authored three books.
- Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
- Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
- Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube and below.
International Public Speaker
Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. To date, Graffius has conducted 93 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.
With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.
The speaker engagement request form is here.
Thought Leadership and Influence
Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:
- Adobe,
- American Management Association,
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
- Bayer,
- BMC Software,
- Boston University,
- Broadcom,
- Cisco,
- Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
- Computer Weekly,
- Constructor University - Germany,
- Data Governance Success,
- Deimos Aerospace,
- DevOps Institute,
- Dropbox,
- EU's European Commission,
- Ford Motor Company,
- Gartner,
- GoDaddy,
- Harvard Medical School,
- Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
- IEEE,
- Innovation Project Management,
- Johns Hopkins University,
- Journal of Neurosurgery,
- Lam Research (Semiconductors),
- Leadership Worthy,
- Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
- London South Bank University,
- Microsoft,
- NASSCOM,
- National Academy of Sciences,
- New Zealand Government,
- Oracle,
- Pinterest Inc.,
- Project Management Institute,
- Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
- SANS Institute,
- SBG Neumark - Germany,
- Singapore Institute of Technology,
- Torrens University - Australia,
- TBS Switzerland,
- Tufts University,
- UC San Diego,
- UK Sports Institute,
- University of Galway - Ireland,
- US Department of Energy,
- US National Park Service,
- US Soccer,
- US Tennis Association,
- Verizon,
- Wrike,
- Yale University,
- and many others.
Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:
- Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition.
- A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition.
- The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition.
- The Practice Standard for Project Estimating—Second Edition.
Additional details are here.
He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.
Acclaimed Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft
Graffius is a renowned authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 100 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his 'Phases of Team Development' as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams. Its adoption by esteemed organizations such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others, highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence.
The 2025 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is here.
Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms
Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His 'Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts' research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems. Referenced and applied by leading entities such as the Center for Direct Marketing, Fast Company, GoDaddy, Pinterest Inc., and PNAS, among others, his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.
The 2025 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.
Education and Professional Certifications
Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:
- Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
- Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
- Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
- Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
- Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
- Project Management Professional (PMP),
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
- IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).
He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Conclusion
Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management through his leadership, research, writing, and real-world impact. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.
More
Read on for…
- About Scott M. Graffius
- How to Cite This Article
- And more
About Scott M. Graffius
Scott M. Graffius sparks breakthroughs in AI, agile, and project management/PMO leadership as a globally recognized practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and international public speaker.
Graffius has generated more than USD $2.3 billion in business value for organizations served, including Fortune 500 companies. Businesses and industries range from technology (including R&D and AI) to entertainment, financial services, and healthcare, government, social media, and more.
Graffius leads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded talent, and consulting services to public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™. Graffius is a former vice president of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more. He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.
He is the author of three books.
- Graffius' first book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions (paperback ISBN-13: 9781533370242) (Kindle ebook ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY), received 17 awards.
- His second book is Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change (paperback ISBN-13: 9781072447962) (Kindle ebook ASIN: B07R9LJLPJ). BookAuthority named it one of the best Scrum books of all time.
- His third book—his first work of fiction—is Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum (Kindle ebook ASIN: B0F2SJ83WT) (Audible audiobook ASIN: B0DJG163R5).
Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have featured Graffius and his work including content from his books, talks, workshops, and more. Select examples include:
- Adobe,
- American Management Association,
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
- Bayer,
- BMC Software,
- Boston University,
- Broadcom,
- Cisco,
- Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts Germany,
- Computer Weekly,
- Constructor University Germany,
- Data Governance Success,
- Deimos Aerospace,
- DevOps Institute,
- EU's European Commission,
- Ford Motor Company,
- GoDaddy,
- Harvard Medical School,
- Hasso Plattner Institute Germany,
- IEEE,
- Innovation Project Management,
- Johns Hopkins University,
- Journal of Neurosurgery,
- Lam Research (Semiconductors),
- Leadership Worthy,
- Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
- London South Bank University,
- Microsoft,
- NASSCOM,
- National Academy of Sciences,
- New Zealand Government,
- Oracle,
- Pinterest Inc.,
- Project Management Institute,
- SANS Institute,
- SBG Neumark Germany,
- Singapore Institute of Technology,
- Torrens University Australia,
- TBS Switzerland,
- Tufts University,
- UC San Diego,
- UK Sports Institute,
- University of Galway Ireland,
- US Department of Energy,
- US National Park Service,
- US Tennis Association,
- Veleučilište u Rijeci Croatia,
- Verizon,
- Virginia Tech,
- Warsaw University of Technology,
- Wrike,
- Yale University,
- and many others.
Graffius has been actively involved with the Project Management Institute (PMI) in the development of professional standards. He was a member of the team which produced the Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition. Graffius was a contributor and reviewer of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition, The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition, and The Practice Standard for Project Estimating—Second Edition. He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.
Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:
- Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
- Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
- Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
- Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
- Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
- Project Management Professional (PMP),
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
- IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).
He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
He divides his time between Los Angeles and Paris, France.
Thought Leader | Public Speaker | Agile Protocol Book | Agile Scrum Book | Agile Transformation Book | Blog | Photo | X | LinkedIn | Email
How to Cite This Article
Graffius, Scott M. (2025, May 13). Scott M. Graffius Delivering $2.3 Billion in Value Through AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Leadership. Available at: https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/scott-m-graffius-delivering-2-point-3-billion-dollars-in-impact-for-organizations.html.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
DOI: (coming soon)
Content Acknowledgements
Names and marks are the property of their respective owners.
Copyright
Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.
Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Hostinger Highlights Scott M. Graffius’ “Agile Protocol” Book in Feature on Software Projects
24 May 2025
BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum by Scott M. Graffius was quoted by Hostinger—one of the world’s leading web hosting providers—in their 23 May 2025 feature article on software projects.
Here’s an excerpt from Hostinger's article:
A visual follows.
Hostinger's respective feature article is here.
Hostinger’s inclusion of Graffius' newly-released Agile Protocol demonstrates the book’s early impact and relevance in discussions around successful software delivery. It further affirms the book's dual role as a satirical adventure and a source of actionable insights for Agile practitioners and tech leaders.
About Hostinger
Hostinger, a leading web hosting provider founded in Lithuania in 2004, has grown into a global powerhouse, serving over 3 million clients and managing 5 million domains across 178 countries. Renowned for its affordable yet high-performing hosting solutions, the company has earned a spot on the Financial Times’ FT 1000 list of Europe’s fastest-growing companies for six consecutive years, with a 57% revenue surge in 2023, reaching €110 million, partly attributed to its innovative use of AI. With a client base that includes 29 million websites and a reputation for reliable, user-friendly services, Hostinger continues to solidify its prominence in the tech industry. To learn more, visit https://www.hostinger.com.
About Agile Protocol
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum is a wildly entertaining, high-stakes story that doubles as a stealth guide to Agile!
A tech company threatens to implode under the weight of its misapplication of Agile ("fake Agile"). That's when an elite crew intervenes to execute a daring rescue to save the day—and the business. Along the way, they navigate corporate Agile cosplay, sabotage, unhinged AI, executive meltdowns, an epic rage-quit via helicopter, and more.
Agile Protocol is hilarious satire packed with real insights. Through its wild ride, you’ll gain tools to understand what great Agile leadership looks like, spot and stop "fake Agile," and confidently apply Agile values and principles.
This entertaining and enlightening read is perfect for Scrum Masters, Product Owners, Agile Coaches, Agile Project Managers, Technology Managers, Founders, and others involved or interested in Agile. Available worldwide as an ebook and audiobook (paperback coming soon). Get your copy from Amazon or Audible.
If you want to watch the trailer first, it's here.
About Scott M. Graffius
Scott M. Graffius sparks breakthroughs in AI, Agile, and Project Management/PMO leadership as a globally recognized practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and international speaker. He’s delivered over $2.3 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other powerhouses in tech, entertainment, finance, government, healthcare, social media, and beyond. Innovators like Cisco, Microsoft, National Science Foundation LTER Network, Oracle, the US Department of Energy, and Yale University use his expertise to fuel their success. Explore https://www.scottgraffius.com to learn more.
Continue reading for:
(More) About Scott M. Graffius
Scott M. Graffius is an AI, Agile, and Project Management/PMO leader, researcher, author, and speaker. Along the way, he spearheaded initiatives that have generated over $2.3 billion in impact for organizations across tech, entertainment, finance, healthcare, and beyond. The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.
Experience
Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.
Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.
He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.
Award-Winning Author
Graffius has authored three books.
International Public Speaker
Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. To date, Graffius has conducted 93 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.
With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.
The speaker engagement request form is here.
Thought Leadership and Influence
Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:
Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:
Additional details are here.
He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.
Acclaimed Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft
Graffius is a renowned authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 100 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his 'Phases of Team Development' as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams. Its adoption by esteemed organizations such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others, highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence.
The 2025 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is here.
Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms
Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His 'Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts' research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems. Referenced and applied by leading entities such as the Center for Direct Marketing, Fast Company, GoDaddy, Pinterest Inc., and PNAS, among others, his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.
The 2025 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.
Education and Professional Certifications
Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:
He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Advancing AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management
Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management through his leadership, research, writing, and real-world impact. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.
Thought Leader | Public Speaker | Agile Protocol Book | Agile Scrum Book | Agile Transformation Book | Blog | Photo | X | LinkedIn | Email
How to Cite This Article
Graffius, Scott M. (2025, May 24). Hostinger Highlights Scott M. Graffius’ "Agile Protocol" Book in Feature on Software Projects. Available at: https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/hostinger-highlights-scott-m-graffius-agile-protocol-book-in-feature-on-software-projects.html.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
DOI: (coming soon)
Content Acknowledgements
This article includes brief excerpts from Hostinger, attributed and used under fair use for news reporting and analysis.
Hostinger name, mark, and content are the property of Hostinger.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum is copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.
Copyright
Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.
Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum by Scott M. Graffius was quoted by Hostinger—one of the world’s leading web hosting providers—in their 23 May 2025 feature article on software projects.
Here’s an excerpt from Hostinger's article:
A Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is essentially a stripped-down version of your product that tests core features and validates your assumptions early.
Or, as Scott M. Graffius, award-winning author and international speaker, cleverly puts it, ‘Let’s talk about Minimum Viable Product, or as I like to call it: the art of building just enough to find out you’re wrong.’
Without an MVP, you risk building a product that misses the mark or drains your budget before gaining traction. It also opens the door to feature creep, when extra features are added to the project over time, stretching the scope far beyond what was originally intended.
A visual follows.
Hostinger's respective feature article is here.
Hostinger’s inclusion of Graffius' newly-released Agile Protocol demonstrates the book’s early impact and relevance in discussions around successful software delivery. It further affirms the book's dual role as a satirical adventure and a source of actionable insights for Agile practitioners and tech leaders.
About Hostinger
Hostinger, a leading web hosting provider founded in Lithuania in 2004, has grown into a global powerhouse, serving over 3 million clients and managing 5 million domains across 178 countries. Renowned for its affordable yet high-performing hosting solutions, the company has earned a spot on the Financial Times’ FT 1000 list of Europe’s fastest-growing companies for six consecutive years, with a 57% revenue surge in 2023, reaching €110 million, partly attributed to its innovative use of AI. With a client base that includes 29 million websites and a reputation for reliable, user-friendly services, Hostinger continues to solidify its prominence in the tech industry. To learn more, visit https://www.hostinger.com.
About Agile Protocol
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum is a wildly entertaining, high-stakes story that doubles as a stealth guide to Agile!
A tech company threatens to implode under the weight of its misapplication of Agile ("fake Agile"). That's when an elite crew intervenes to execute a daring rescue to save the day—and the business. Along the way, they navigate corporate Agile cosplay, sabotage, unhinged AI, executive meltdowns, an epic rage-quit via helicopter, and more.
Agile Protocol is hilarious satire packed with real insights. Through its wild ride, you’ll gain tools to understand what great Agile leadership looks like, spot and stop "fake Agile," and confidently apply Agile values and principles.
This entertaining and enlightening read is perfect for Scrum Masters, Product Owners, Agile Coaches, Agile Project Managers, Technology Managers, Founders, and others involved or interested in Agile. Available worldwide as an ebook and audiobook (paperback coming soon). Get your copy from Amazon or Audible.
If you want to watch the trailer first, it's here.
About Scott M. Graffius
Scott M. Graffius sparks breakthroughs in AI, Agile, and Project Management/PMO leadership as a globally recognized practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and international speaker. He’s delivered over $2.3 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other powerhouses in tech, entertainment, finance, government, healthcare, social media, and beyond. Innovators like Cisco, Microsoft, National Science Foundation LTER Network, Oracle, the US Department of Energy, and Yale University use his expertise to fuel their success. Explore https://www.scottgraffius.com to learn more.
Continue reading for:
- (More) About Scott M. Graffius,
- How to Cite This Article,
- and more.
(More) About Scott M. Graffius
Scott M. Graffius is an AI, Agile, and Project Management/PMO leader, researcher, author, and speaker. Along the way, he spearheaded initiatives that have generated over $2.3 billion in impact for organizations across tech, entertainment, finance, healthcare, and beyond. The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.
Experience
Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.
Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.
He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.
Award-Winning Author
Graffius has authored three books.
- Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
- Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
- Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.
International Public Speaker
Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. To date, Graffius has conducted 93 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.
With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.
The speaker engagement request form is here.
Thought Leadership and Influence
Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:
- Adobe,
- American Management Association,
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
- Bayer,
- BMC Software,
- Boston University,
- Broadcom,
- Cisco,
- Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
- Computer Weekly,
- Constructor University - Germany,
- Data Governance Success,
- Deimos Aerospace,
- DevOps Institute,
- Dropbox,
- EU's European Commission,
- Ford Motor Company,
- Gartner,
- GoDaddy,
- Harvard Medical School,
- Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
- IEEE,
- Innovation Project Management,
- Johns Hopkins University,
- Journal of Neurosurgery,
- Lam Research (Semiconductors),
- Leadership Worthy,
- Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
- London South Bank University,
- Microsoft,
- NASSCOM,
- National Academy of Sciences,
- New Zealand Government,
- Oracle,
- Pinterest Inc.,
- Project Management Institute,
- Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
- SANS Institute,
- SBG Neumark - Germany,
- Singapore Institute of Technology,
- Torrens University - Australia,
- TBS Switzerland,
- Tufts University,
- UC San Diego,
- UK Sports Institute,
- University of Galway - Ireland,
- US Department of Energy,
- US National Park Service,
- US Soccer,
- US Tennis Association,
- Verizon,
- Wrike,
- Yale University,
- and many others.
Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:
- Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition.
- A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition.
- The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition.
- The Practice Standard for Project Estimating—Second Edition.
Additional details are here.
He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.
Acclaimed Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft
Graffius is a renowned authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 100 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his 'Phases of Team Development' as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams. Its adoption by esteemed organizations such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others, highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence.
The 2025 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is here.
Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms
Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His 'Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts' research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems. Referenced and applied by leading entities such as the Center for Direct Marketing, Fast Company, GoDaddy, Pinterest Inc., and PNAS, among others, his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.
The 2025 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.
Education and Professional Certifications
Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:
- Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
- Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
- Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
- Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
- Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
- Project Management Professional (PMP),
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
- IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).
He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Advancing AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management
Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management through his leadership, research, writing, and real-world impact. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.
Thought Leader | Public Speaker | Agile Protocol Book | Agile Scrum Book | Agile Transformation Book | Blog | Photo | X | LinkedIn | Email
How to Cite This Article
Graffius, Scott M. (2025, May 24). Hostinger Highlights Scott M. Graffius’ "Agile Protocol" Book in Feature on Software Projects. Available at: https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/hostinger-highlights-scott-m-graffius-agile-protocol-book-in-feature-on-software-projects.html.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
DOI: (coming soon)
Content Acknowledgements
This article includes brief excerpts from Hostinger, attributed and used under fair use for news reporting and analysis.
Hostinger name, mark, and content are the property of Hostinger.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum is copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.
Copyright
Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.
Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Agile for Unicorns: 7 Keys to Thrive; Scott M. Graffius’ Workshop
16 June 2025
BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com
Introduction
Scott M. Graffius—a globally recognized technology leader, award-winning author, and sought-after international speaker—has inspired audiences at conferences and other events across 25 countries. In his 94th session, “Agile for Unicorns,” delivered on 16 June 2025, he unveiled powerful strategies for privately-held startups valued at $1 billion or more to thrive in high-stakes environments. This article shares select highlights from that transformative session, while the complete set of detailed strategies and actionable guidance is available through his workshop.
Unicorns—private startups valued at $1 billion or more—face unique challenges in applying Agile. While Agile’s core values remain essential, the high-stakes world of unicorns—characterized by rapid growth, constant change, and intense investor pressure—demands tailored approaches. To succeed, unicorns must adapt Agile principles to their dynamic environment without compromising its core values.
Unicorns Must Tailor Their Agile Implementation Across Seven Areas for Maximum Impact
✅ 1. Hypergrowth Dynamics
Unicorns typically operate in a hypergrowth environment, where:
Why it matters: Agile implementations can falter under rapid expansion. For example, a unicorn doubling its engineering team in six months may outgrow Scrum. To stay effective, Agile must scale quickly—using frameworks like Scrum of Scrums, SAFe, or other models—while avoiding bureaucracy that stifles innovation.
✅ 2. Innovation vs. Execution Balance
Agile prioritizes iterative delivery, but unicorns must balance relentless innovation with:
Why it matters: Unicorns often need hybrid approaches—blending Agile with Lean Startup or Design Thinking—to balance creativity with consistent execution. Innovation cannot come at the cost of stability, and vice versa.
✅ 3. Distributed and Multidisciplinary Teams
As unicorns grow, they often become globally distributed with cross-functional teams spanning:
Why it matters: Agile ceremonies and tools must adapt to and support distributed teams. Implement asynchronous standups, timezone-aware planning, and collaborative virtual kanban boards to stay aligned. Prioritize culture, trust, and clarity to bridge distances.
✅ 4. Founder-Driven Culture
Many unicorns are deeply influenced by their founders, who may be visionary but resistant to processes.
Why it matters: Agile must resonate with the founder’s vision. Agile isn’t about enforcing processes; it’s about amplifying innovation and customer focus. Leaders and coaches must frame Agile as a catalyst for speed and creativity, or it risks being dismissed as bureaucratic red tape.
✅ 5. Technical Debt Accumulation
Speed often wins in the early days. But fast delivery can leave behind a trail of:
Why it matters: Teams must integrate regular refactoring, solid Definition of Done criteria, and other best practices to maintain sustainable velocity. Agile isn't just about just speed; it's about sustaining a good pace and going far.
✅ 6. Constant Change (Teams, Tools, Markets)
High turnover, rapid team scaling, evolving markets, and tool churn can mean:
Why it matters: Agile frameworks must be resilient to flux. Use modular team structures, continuous backlog refinement, and flexible planning cadences. The goal is stability within change, not avoidance of change.
✅ 7. Metrics and Outcomes Obsession
Unicorns are usually data-obsessed and under constant pressure to demonstrate business impact.
Why it matters: Agile teams should align sprint goals with measurable outcomes—not just story points. Track metrics like:
Delivering business value must become a shared goal across all Agile teams.
Conclusion
Agile isn’t just possible in unicorns—it’s essential. But thriving at scale requires a tailored and evolved approach for:
Unicorns should be resilient, adaptable, and strong enough to withstand storms while supporting rapid, towering growth. Want to supercharge your unicorn’s agility? Bring in Scott M. Graffius for his “Agile for Unicorns” interactive workshop and unlock:
Complete a speaker engagement request form or email Graffius.
More
Continue reading for:
Scott M. Graffius has Delivered Talks and Workshops at 84 Conferences and Other Events Across 25 Countries
Scott M. Graffius—a globally recognized technology leader, award-winning author, and sought-after international speaker—has inspired audiences at conferences and other events. Including his “Agile for Unicorns” workshop on 16 June 2025, he's delivered 94 sessions across 25 countries.
The 25 countries include: Armenia, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States.
His 94 sessions are detailed here and summarized next (most recent shown first).
Graffius uses everyday language and vibrant custom content to make complex topics clear and understandable, and he provides audiences with practical information they can use. His sessions are highly rated by attendees and organizers alike.
Committed to giving back, Graffius delivers a set amount of work pro bono (no charge) to non-profits and charities.
Visit https://scottgraffius.com/publicspeaker.html for details, including a listing of prior and upcoming engagements, testimonials, his rate card, booking information, and more.
Booking inquiries: Complete a speaker engagement request form or email Graffius.
About Scott M. Graffius
Scott M. Graffius is an AI, Agile, and Project Management/PMO leader, researcher, author, and speaker. Along the way, he spearheaded initiatives that have generated over $2.3 billion in impact for organizations across tech, entertainment, finance, healthcare, and beyond. The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.
Experience
Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.
Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.
He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.
Award-Winning Author
Graffius has authored three books.
International Public Speaker
Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. To date, Graffius has conducted 94 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.
With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.
The speaker engagement request form is here.
Thought Leadership and Influence
Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:
Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:
Additional details are here.
He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.
Acclaimed Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft
Graffius is a renowned authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 100 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his 'Phases of Team Development' as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams. Its adoption by esteemed organizations such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others, highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence.
The 2025 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is here.
Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms
Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His 'Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts' research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems. Referenced and applied by leading entities such as the Center for Direct Marketing, Fast Company, GoDaddy, Pinterest Inc., and PNAS, among others, his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.
The 2025 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.
Education and Professional Certifications
Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:
He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Advancing AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management
Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management through his leadership, research, writing, and real-world impact. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.
Thought Leader | Public Speaker | Agile Protocol Book | Agile Scrum Book | Agile Transformation Book | Blog | Photo | X | LinkedIn | Email
How to Cite This Article
Graffius, Scott M. (2025, June 16). Agile for Unicorns: 7 Keys to Thrive; Scott M. Graffius’ Workshop. Available at: https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/agile-for-unicorns---7-keys-to-thrive---scott-m-graffius-workshop.html.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
DOI: (coming soon)
Content Acknowledgements
"Agile for Unicorns" is ™️ and © Scott M. Graffius.
Names, marks, and content are the property of their respective owners.
Copyright
Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.
Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Introduction
Scott M. Graffius—a globally recognized technology leader, award-winning author, and sought-after international speaker—has inspired audiences at conferences and other events across 25 countries. In his 94th session, “Agile for Unicorns,” delivered on 16 June 2025, he unveiled powerful strategies for privately-held startups valued at $1 billion or more to thrive in high-stakes environments. This article shares select highlights from that transformative session, while the complete set of detailed strategies and actionable guidance is available through his workshop.
Unicorns—private startups valued at $1 billion or more—face unique challenges in applying Agile. While Agile’s core values remain essential, the high-stakes world of unicorns—characterized by rapid growth, constant change, and intense investor pressure—demands tailored approaches. To succeed, unicorns must adapt Agile principles to their dynamic environment without compromising its core values.
Unicorns Must Tailor Their Agile Implementation Across Seven Areas for Maximum Impact
✅ 1. Hypergrowth Dynamics
Unicorns typically operate in a hypergrowth environment, where:
- Teams scale rapidly,
- Product lines expand quickly, and
- Market demands shift frequently.
Why it matters: Agile implementations can falter under rapid expansion. For example, a unicorn doubling its engineering team in six months may outgrow Scrum. To stay effective, Agile must scale quickly—using frameworks like Scrum of Scrums, SAFe, or other models—while avoiding bureaucracy that stifles innovation.
✅ 2. Innovation vs. Execution Balance
Agile prioritizes iterative delivery, but unicorns must balance relentless innovation with:
- Delivering reliable product updates, and
- Meeting board and investor expectations for growth and stability.
Why it matters: Unicorns often need hybrid approaches—blending Agile with Lean Startup or Design Thinking—to balance creativity with consistent execution. Innovation cannot come at the cost of stability, and vice versa.
✅ 3. Distributed and Multidisciplinary Teams
As unicorns grow, they often become globally distributed with cross-functional teams spanning:
- Engineering,
- Product, and
- Marketing,
- And more.
Why it matters: Agile ceremonies and tools must adapt to and support distributed teams. Implement asynchronous standups, timezone-aware planning, and collaborative virtual kanban boards to stay aligned. Prioritize culture, trust, and clarity to bridge distances.
✅ 4. Founder-Driven Culture
Many unicorns are deeply influenced by their founders, who may be visionary but resistant to processes.
Why it matters: Agile must resonate with the founder’s vision. Agile isn’t about enforcing processes; it’s about amplifying innovation and customer focus. Leaders and coaches must frame Agile as a catalyst for speed and creativity, or it risks being dismissed as bureaucratic red tape.
✅ 5. Technical Debt Accumulation
Speed often wins in the early days. But fast delivery can leave behind a trail of:
- Technical debt,
- Fragile architectures, and
- Lack of scalability.
Why it matters: Teams must integrate regular refactoring, solid Definition of Done criteria, and other best practices to maintain sustainable velocity. Agile isn't just about just speed; it's about sustaining a good pace and going far.
✅ 6. Constant Change (Teams, Tools, Markets)
High turnover, rapid team scaling, evolving markets, and tool churn can mean:
- Frequent reorganizations,
- Goal pivots, and
- Shifting team dynamics.
Why it matters: Agile frameworks must be resilient to flux. Use modular team structures, continuous backlog refinement, and flexible planning cadences. The goal is stability within change, not avoidance of change.
✅ 7. Metrics and Outcomes Obsession
Unicorns are usually data-obsessed and under constant pressure to demonstrate business impact.
Why it matters: Agile teams should align sprint goals with measurable outcomes—not just story points. Track metrics like:
- Experimentation velocity (e.g., A/B test frequency),
- Conversion uplift (e.g., user sign-up rates),
- Time-to-market (e.g., feature release cycles), and
- Customer retention (e.g., churn rate).
Delivering business value must become a shared goal across all Agile teams.
Conclusion
Agile isn’t just possible in unicorns—it’s essential. But thriving at scale requires a tailored and evolved approach for:
- Scale without rigidity;
- Fast without chaos;
- Vision-aligned, yet customer-driven; and
- Disciplined, but never at the expense of innovation.
Unicorns should be resilient, adaptable, and strong enough to withstand storms while supporting rapid, towering growth. Want to supercharge your unicorn’s agility? Bring in Scott M. Graffius for his “Agile for Unicorns” interactive workshop and unlock:
- Actionable insights to enhance team performance;
- Tailored tools for sustainable, scalable agility; and
- A visionary roadmap to align strategy and innovation with execution.
Complete a speaker engagement request form or email Graffius.
More
Continue reading for:
- Scott M. Graffius has Delivered Talks and Workshops at 84 Conferences and Other Events Across 25 Countries,
- About Scott M. Graffius,
- How to Cite This Article,
- and more.
Scott M. Graffius has Delivered Talks and Workshops at 84 Conferences and Other Events Across 25 Countries
Scott M. Graffius—a globally recognized technology leader, award-winning author, and sought-after international speaker—has inspired audiences at conferences and other events. Including his “Agile for Unicorns” workshop on 16 June 2025, he's delivered 94 sessions across 25 countries.
The 25 countries include: Armenia, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States.
His 94 sessions are detailed here and summarized next (most recent shown first).
- 🇺🇸 Private event
- 🇺🇸 Private event
- 🇺🇸 Private event
- 🇱🇹 DevDays Europe 2024 Conference
- 🇦🇪 Private event
- 🇫🇷 Private event
- 🇫🇮 W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference - Helsinki
- 🇬🇧 Conf42 Quantum Computing Conference
- 🇺🇸 Private event
- 🇺🇸 DevOps Institute's SKILup Day
- 🇳🇴 Private event
- 🇦🇺 Private event
- 🇺🇸 Private event
- 🇷🇴 Private event
- 🇦🇺 Private event
- 🇺🇸 Private event
- 🇺🇸 Private event
- 🇨🇭 DevOpsDays Geneva Conference
- 🇺🇸 Private event
- 🇺🇸 Microsoft 365 Virtual Marathon Conference
- 🇨🇦 BSides Vancouver Cybersecurity Conference
- 🇺🇸 Private event
- 🇳🇵 Agile Nepal Conference
- 🇺🇸 D.C. Cybersecurity Professionals
- 🇮🇪 Ireland Chapter of PMI
- 🇬🇷 Greece Chapter of PMI
- 🇺🇸 California Inland Empire Chapter of PMI
- 🇬🇧 Private event
- 🇭🇺 Budapest Chapter of PMI
- 🇦🇺 Private event
- 🇺🇸 Private event
- 🇩🇪 Microsoft Teams Community Day
- 🇺🇸 Delaware Valley Chapter of PMI
- 🇦🇪 UAE Chapter of PMI
- 🇺🇸 Private event
- 🇺🇸 Private event
- 🇺🇸 DevOps Experience Conference
- 🇦🇲 Frug'Agile Conference Armenia
- 🇺🇸 Private event
- 🇺🇸 IEEE Day
- 🇧🇷 Private event
- 🇬🇧 BSides Newcastle England InfoSec Conference
- 🇺🇸 Private event
- 🇧🇷 Agile Trends Gov Conference
- 🇺🇸 Private event
- 🇭🇰 Private event
- 🇺🇸 Florida Suncoast Chapter of PMI
- 🇺🇸 Private event
- 🇺🇸 Central Virginia Chapter of PMI
- 🇸🇪 Private event
- 🇱🇹 DevOps Pro Europe Conference
- 🇺🇸 Southwest Virginia Chapter of PMI
- 🇬🇧 Private event
- 🇱🇺 Luxembourg Chapter of the Project Management Institute
- 🇬🇧 Private event
- 🇺🇸 Monterey Bay Chapter of PMI
- 🇦🇺 Private event
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand Chapter of PMI
- 🇮🇪 Private event
- 🇺🇸 Southern Nevada Chapter of PMI
- 🇺🇸 California Institute of Advanced Management
- 🇦🇺 Private event
- 🇬🇧 Scottish Summit
- 🇫🇮 Finland Chapter of PMI
- 🇨🇦 ConFoo Developer Conference
- 🇺🇸 Private event
- 🇨🇿 DevConf.CZ Conference
- 🇺🇸 Private event
- 🇺🇸 California Inland Empire Chapter of PMI
- 🇺🇸 Private event
- 🇩🇪 Private event
- 🇺🇸 Alaska Chapter of the PMI
- 🇺🇸 North Alabama Chapter of PMI
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands Chapter of PMI
- 🇺🇸 Private event
- 🇮🇳 Microsoft M365 Saturday Coimbatore Conference
- 🇬🇷 IT Pro Dev Connections Conference
- 🇮🇳 Microsoft Azure Community Conference
- 🇺🇸 Private event
- 🇫🇷 Private event
- 🇺🇸 Los Angeles Chapter of PMI
- 🇺🇸 Private event
- 🇬🇧 Private event
- 🇬🇧 Private event
- 🇨🇦 Project World / Business Analyst World
- 🇺🇸 Private event
- 🇺🇸 California Inland Empire Chapter of PMI
- 🇺🇸 Techstars Startup Week Conference
- 🇺🇸 California Central Valley Chapter of PMI
- 🇺🇸 Private event
- 🇺🇸 California Inland Empire Chapter of PMI
- 🇺🇸 California Central Coast Chapter of PMI
- 🇺🇸 Los Angeles Chapter of PMI
- 🇬🇧 Private event
Graffius uses everyday language and vibrant custom content to make complex topics clear and understandable, and he provides audiences with practical information they can use. His sessions are highly rated by attendees and organizers alike.
Committed to giving back, Graffius delivers a set amount of work pro bono (no charge) to non-profits and charities.
Visit https://scottgraffius.com/publicspeaker.html for details, including a listing of prior and upcoming engagements, testimonials, his rate card, booking information, and more.
Booking inquiries: Complete a speaker engagement request form or email Graffius.
About Scott M. Graffius
Scott M. Graffius is an AI, Agile, and Project Management/PMO leader, researcher, author, and speaker. Along the way, he spearheaded initiatives that have generated over $2.3 billion in impact for organizations across tech, entertainment, finance, healthcare, and beyond. The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.
Experience
Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.
Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.
He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.
Award-Winning Author
Graffius has authored three books.
- Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
- Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
- Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.
International Public Speaker
Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. To date, Graffius has conducted 94 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.
With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.
The speaker engagement request form is here.
Thought Leadership and Influence
Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:
- Adobe,
- American Management Association,
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
- Bayer,
- BMC Software,
- Boston University,
- Broadcom,
- Cisco,
- Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
- Computer Weekly,
- Constructor University - Germany,
- Data Governance Success,
- Deimos Aerospace,
- DevOps Institute,
- Dropbox,
- EU's European Commission,
- Ford Motor Company,
- Gartner,
- GoDaddy,
- Harvard Medical School,
- Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
- IEEE,
- Innovation Project Management,
- Johns Hopkins University,
- Journal of Neurosurgery,
- Lam Research (Semiconductors),
- Leadership Worthy,
- Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
- London South Bank University,
- Microsoft,
- NASSCOM,
- National Academy of Sciences,
- New Zealand Government,
- Oracle,
- Pinterest Inc.,
- Project Management Institute,
- Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
- SANS Institute,
- SBG Neumark - Germany,
- Singapore Institute of Technology,
- Torrens University - Australia,
- TBS Switzerland,
- Tufts University,
- UC San Diego,
- UK Sports Institute,
- University of Galway - Ireland,
- US Department of Energy,
- US National Park Service,
- US Soccer,
- US Tennis Association,
- Verizon,
- Wrike,
- Yale University,
- and many others.
Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:
- Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition.
- A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition.
- The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition.
- The Practice Standard for Project Estimating—Second Edition.
Additional details are here.
He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.
Acclaimed Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft
Graffius is a renowned authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 100 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his 'Phases of Team Development' as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams. Its adoption by esteemed organizations such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others, highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence.
The 2025 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is here.
Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms
Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His 'Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts' research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems. Referenced and applied by leading entities such as the Center for Direct Marketing, Fast Company, GoDaddy, Pinterest Inc., and PNAS, among others, his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.
The 2025 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.
Education and Professional Certifications
Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:
- Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
- Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
- Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
- Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
- Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
- Project Management Professional (PMP),
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
- IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).
He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Advancing AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management
Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management through his leadership, research, writing, and real-world impact. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.
Thought Leader | Public Speaker | Agile Protocol Book | Agile Scrum Book | Agile Transformation Book | Blog | Photo | X | LinkedIn | Email
How to Cite This Article
Graffius, Scott M. (2025, June 16). Agile for Unicorns: 7 Keys to Thrive; Scott M. Graffius’ Workshop. Available at: https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/agile-for-unicorns---7-keys-to-thrive---scott-m-graffius-workshop.html.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
DOI: (coming soon)
Content Acknowledgements
"Agile for Unicorns" is ™️ and © Scott M. Graffius.
Names, marks, and content are the property of their respective owners.
Copyright
Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.
Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.