In this Scrum.org Community Podcast episode, host Dave West speaks with Nathaniel Davis, CEO of Barrel One Collective, and PST Yuval Yeret about applying Agile principles beyond software — into the heart of business operations.

Nathaniel shares his journey from working in a large brewing company to leading Barrel One Collective, a brewing group where he’s working to make Agile the foundation for innovation and entrepreneurialism. Together, they explore how Agile thinking can balance experimentation and consistency, drive outcome-oriented leadership, and shape company culture as a product.

Tune in to hear how organizations can expand their definition of “product” — from beverages to behaviors — and how agility helps leaders continuously learn, adapt, and deliver value.

In this episode, Dave West sits down with Darrell Fernandes, executive advisor at Scrum.org to explore the The AI Teammate Framework: A Four-Step Framework for Product Teams, featured in a new whitepaper. They discuss how to treat AI like a true teammate—onboarding it with context, guiding interactions through user stories, and establishing governance to manage performance.

Darrell emphasizes the importance of structured AI adoption, comparing it to onboarding human team members, and highlights how a disciplined approach can improve efficiency, reduce costs, and even protect jobs. From writing AI job descriptions to building prompt libraries and governance strategies, this episode offers actionable insights for teams navigating the evolving AI landscape.

Listen now to learn how to bring AI onboard as a true teammate.

For more, there is a live webcast coming up next week that will also be available as a recording. Learn more.

Topics covered:

Introduction to the AI Teammate Framework

• Why a framework?
• The need for a structured, holistic approach to AI in teams

AI as a Team Member

• Treating AI like a teammate rather than a tool
• The importance of onboarding and providing context
• Comparing AI onboarding to human onboarding

The Four Steps of the Framework

1. Identify AI’s Role – defining the problem and writing an AI “job description”
2. Onboard with Context Management – giving AI access to product, customer, and process context
3. Interact Using User Stories – structuring collaboration through clear, outcome-based interactions
4. Governance and Performance Management – ensuring accountability, compliance, and efficiency

Challenges of Working with AI

• Context management and maintaining prompt libraries
• Balancing AI experimentation with structure
• Cost, scalability, and efficiency concerns

Lessons from the Early Days of Cloud Computing

• Parallels between the AI adoption curve and cloud evolution
• The shift from unregulated enthusiasm to disciplined governance

Future of AI in Product Teams

• The importance of a disciplined, thoughtful approach
• How structured AI collaboration can enhance — not replace — human work

Actionable Next Steps for Teams

• Read the white paper
• Assess current onboarding and management practices
• Apply the four-step framework to integrate AI effectively

On this episode of the Scrum.org Community Podcast, Dave West welcomes Professional Scrum Trainer Bogdan Onyshchenko to explore the Agile Product Operating Model (APOM). They discuss how APOM offers a holistic, principle-based approach for product organizations—going beyond Scrum to address team motivation, vendor management, strategic decision-making, and more.

Bogdan shares insights on the importance of transparency, frequent delivery, and self-organization. The episode also gets into balancing prescriptive advice with flexible principles, understanding the “why” behind agile practices, and using APOM as a practical tool for improving outcomes and value delivery.

Listeners will gain practical guidance on applying APOM in their own organizations and learn how this evolving model continues to support teams and leaders in delivering value effectively.

Learn more about APOM.

Topics covered:

Defining the Agile Product Operating Model (APOM)

Practical Applications of APOM

Balancing Prescriptive and Principle-Based Approaches

The Importance of Understanding the "Why"

Operating Models vs. Frameworks