Mike Hall

About Mike Hall

Enterprise Agile Coach & Transformation Leader specializing in the fusion of scaled Agile, AI, Lean, and the Product Operating Model - equally at home mentoring empowered teams on CI/CD, building program “team of teams” aligned to the flow of value, or guiding executives on AI-enabled workflows and Lean portfolio strategy.My career began writing embedded software for defense systems and wireless cell phone systems, which led to 10 issued U.S. patents in AI, pattern recognition, predictive systems, and mobile telecommunications. That technical foundation remains central to everything I do - it’s why I can credibly mentor engineers on trunk-based branching strategies one day and guide executives on program/team topology changes the next. Over the past 15 years I have led 8 enterprise-scale Lean-Agile transformations, consistently delivering 60–80% reductions in cycle time, shifting organizations from 9–18-month release cycles to weekly (or better) value delivery, and generating hundreds of millions in validated business impact. I’ve implemented Agile at scale, Flow-based systems, and Lean Portfolio Management - always choosing the fit-for-purpose path rather than defaulting to a single framework or methodology.Currently at Southwest Airlines, I am introducing continuous improvement and Product Operating Model principles into one of the most complex and highly regulated product environments in the industry.Certifications (all actively applied in the field): SAFe: Advanced-SPC, SPC, LPM, SDP, POPM, SASM, SSM, SA, SP, Remote Trainer. Scrum Alliance / Scrum.org: CSP-SM, CSP-PO, CSM, CSPO, Scrum Foundations Instructor, PSM-I, LeSS Practitioner, ICP-ATF.I integrate modern AI tools (Copilot, Claude, and Grok) to accelerate coaching, training design, and obstacle removal.My approach starts with empathy and trust, then layers in the right practices from Lean, Flow Engineering, TameFlow, Team Topologies, Lean Startup, Product Operating Model, and contemporary Agile thinking. The result: sustainable speed, higher quality, and empowered teams that actually enjoy the work.I am available for strategic coaching engagements—short-term advisory, long-term transformation leadership, or targeted training—either independently, through Agile Authority, LLC or via your preferred consulting partner.If your organization needs to dramatically improve flow, break chronic dependencies, or replace your current Feature Factory with a truly empowered team approach, let’s connect. I welcome the opportunity to explore how I can help!

Experience

1. Agile Transformation Lead Product Coach

   Southwest Airlines

   Jun 2018 — Present · Dallas, TX, US

   Accelerating flow of value in highly regulated product suites by introducing continuous improvement techniques and Product Operating Model principles, targeting substantial cycle time reduction across multiple products• Coached Lean Portfolio Management (LPM), Value Management Office (VMO), and programs using SAFe, Flow Metrics, and DevOps practices as a member of the Lean-Agile Center of Excellence• Designed and delivered 9 proprietary Flow-based training modules now used enterprise-wide to teach value-stream acceleration• Coach #1 on-the-ground for Southwest Airlines’ award-winning SAFe transformation (featured case study: scaledagile.com/case_study/southwest-airlines)Note: a COVID 1-year hiatus occurred in 2020. During that time, I worked at Lockheed Martin as a Portfolio/Program Agile Coach (see below).

Education

• University of North Texas

  BS, Computer Science

• University of North Texas

  MS, Computer Science

Skills

• Object Oriented Design
• Mobile Devices
• Embedded Software
• Ipad
• Iphone
• Product Management
• User Interface
• Software Project Management
• Ios
• Sqlite
• Integration
• Telecommunications
• Objective-C
• Embedded Systems
• Mobile Applications
• Agile Methodologies
• Management
• Java Enterprise Edition
• Javascript
• Subversion
• Mysql
• Linux
• Service-Oriented Architecture (Soa)
• Eclipse
• Testing
• Soa
• Software Engineering
• Ooad
• C#
• .net
• Oop
• Software Development
• Scrum
• Android
• C++
• Xml
• Java
• Symbian
• Wireless
• Leadership