Working With the Unknown: What Agile Professionals Need to Know About Agentic AI

Agentic AI doesn’t just make our tools smarter—it introduces systems that can set goals, make decisions, and take initiative. When you’re working on one of these systems, you’re not just shipping features anymore. You’re building something that behaves more like a teammate. And that changes everything: how we plan, how we measure success, and how we think about our own roles.

In this candid, fast-moving talk, Erika Lenz opens up the emerging world of agentic AI—what it is, how it works, and why it asks something new of us as Agile professionals. Whether you’re technical or not, this session will give you a clear, grounded sense of what’s changing and how to find your footing.

You’ll explore:
• How agentic systems differ from traditional LLMs—and why that matters
• What’s missing from our current Agile toolkit when working with agentic projects
• How to shift your role to shape AI behavior, not just deliver features
• Where typical test cases and user stories fall short—and what to do instead

You don’t need to be an AI expert to help lead this shift. You just need to know where to look, what to listen for, and how to bring your full perspective to the table. Because when your next “feature” thinks for itself, your voice matters more than ever.

Who should attend this session? All Agilists interested in AI!

About Erika
Erika Lenz is a Denver-based innovator, product manager, and agile coach whose career reflects a deep commitment to personal growth, leadership development, and creative problem-solving. With a unique blend of expertise in the humanities, ecosystems, and technology, Erika thrives at the intersection of human behavior, organizational change, natural systems, and product innovation. She has presented at the Agile Alliance conference, Scrum Gathering, Mile High Agile, multiple meetups, and podcasts on topics like change leadership, systems thinking, conflict resolution, coaching, and flow. In her free time, she dances Argentinian tango, Lindy Hop, and barefoot ecstatic dance.
She also co-hosts the Agile Denver "AI for Agilists" SIG.

Schedule:
5:30 - 6:10 PM Snacks, drinks and networking.
6:10 - 6:15 PM Quick Announcements/sponsor recognition
6:15 - 7:15 PM Presentation and Discussion
7:15- 7:30 PM Final Questions and Wrap Up

Sponsored by Innovar Group IT staffing. https://innovargroup.com/