Agile 101

Agile 101

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  Agile 101 John Valentino
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  What is it? 1.Individuals and interactions over processes and tools 2. Working software over comprehensive documentation 3. Customer collaboration over contract negotiation 4. Responding to change over following a plan https://agilemanifesto.org/
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  Why does itmatter? • Superior quality project – integrated testing, client involvement, continuous improvement • Customer satisfaction – customer integration, feedback loop, reduced go-to-market time • Better control – transparency, daily reporting, advanced tooling and analytics • Improved project predictability – better visibility, and analytics can be used for risk prediction • Reduced risks – Something is always delivered • Increased flexibility – Small iterations, and feedback loop directs • Continuous improvement – self-reflection, self-correction, and constant collaboration • Improved team morale – self-organizing, self-managing, increased autonomy, and shielded • More relevant metrics – Burndown, Burnup, MTTR, Lead Time, Cycle Time, Velocity https://kissflow.com/project/agile/benefits-of-agile/
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  What not understandingAgile looks like Agile A cargo cult is a millenarian belief system in which adherents perform rituals which they believe will cause a more technologically advanced society to deliver goods. These cults were first described in Melanesia in the wake of contact with allied military forces during the Second World War. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_cult
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  What it isn’t Processesand tools over individuals and interactions • It takes 6 people to grant access to a repository • “X is the Agile tool, and using it makes us Agile” • “We need all these meetings because it is in the process” • “Having these Agile meetings makes us Agile” Comprehensive documentation over working software • “Every line of code needs to be described” • A 100-slide long release plan • “Every user story needs to result in a doc update” • There is no new working software at the Sprint end Contract negotiation over customer collaboration • “It isn’t in the SOW, so we aren’t discussing it” • “The plan says 8 BAs, so we can’t trade them for Devs” • “We need to renegotiate and re-baseline the entire plan” • ”Don’t ask, and just stick to the requirements” Following a plan over responding to change • The customer validation is 2-weeks prior to go-live • “Scope is non-negotiable; do what it takes!” • No date can change, for any reason • If one date changes, they entire plan falls apart
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  What it is Individualsand interactions over processes and tools • Access is just one person away • “X is a tool that helps us organize our Agile practice” • “If this meeting isn’t valuable, we stop having it” • “Our principles make us Agile” Working software over comprehensive documentation • Use a doc tool, output the API automatically • A 1-slide long release plan, because it was automated • Only user facing changes needs customer doc updates • Working software is demonstrated every Sprint Customer collaboration over contract negotiation • “It isn’t in the SOW, let’s discuss trading scope” • “If we don’t need 8 BAs, then don’t use onboard them” • Features and their scope are easily managed • ”Make sure to bring this up in the stand-up” Responding to change over following a plan • Customer validation occurs every day and/or every Sprint • “If we want this date, we need to focus on these features” • The only date that matters in the intended delivery date • Features and scope are tied to projected dates using metrics
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  How? The 12 Principles
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  (1) Our highestpriority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software. https://agilemanifesto.org/principles.html • Earlier delivery = earlier feedback • Continuous delivery = continuous feedback • Continual and early feedback = more valuable software • Value is defined and verified by the customer
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  (2) Welcome changingrequirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer's competitive advantage. https://agilemanifesto.org/principles.html • Change is a matter of scope • Scope is quantified in features • Features can be traded* • Earlier course correction = better product
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  (3) Deliver workingsoftware frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter timescale. https://agilemanifesto.org/principles.html • Working software = tangible value • Frequent delivery = frequent feedback • A couple of weeks to a couple of months equates to Sprints • Shorter time scales = mitigating directed risks
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  (4) Business peopleand developers must work together daily throughout the project. https://agilemanifesto.org/principles.html • The developers must understand the problem • Direct communication is key • Collaboration is conversation, demonstration, and validation • Interactions is daily so question don’t take a week (or more)
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  (5) Build projectsaround motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done. https://agilemanifesto.org/principles.html • I would rather have 1 person that wants to be here versus 10 that don’t • It is better to have no one than the wrong someone • “The the Ship Around!” • If you don’t trust your developers, get ones you do
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  (6) The mostefficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation. https://agilemanifesto.org/principles.html • “I didn’t have time to write you a short letter, so I wrote you a long one.” – Twain • Text is a difficult medium for communicating emotion, and we are emotional • Team cohesion is key to productivity • It can become a matter of time efficiency
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  (7) Working softwareis the primary measure of progress. https://agilemanifesto.org/principles.html • Don’t tell me, show me • Working software beats unproven theory
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  (8) Agile processespromote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely. https://agilemanifesto.org/principles.html • “For you [this] was the most important day of your life. But for me, it was Tuesday.” – Street Fighter, The Movie • Burnout is real • The cost of replacing teams every 6-12 months is higher than keeping them
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  (9) Continuous attentionto technical excellence and good design enhances agility. https://agilemanifesto.org/principles.html • Software standards = less technical debt and defects • Good design is flexible (within reason) • Most of the time will be spent in maintenance, take care to reduce costs
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  (10) Simplicity--the artof maximizing the amount of work not done--is essential. https://agilemanifesto.org/principles.html • You can’t do everything, so spend the time where it matters • That means you are explicitly picking what you are not doing • Expectations become reality; communicate intention and prioritize
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  (11) The bestarchitectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams. https://agilemanifesto.org/principles.html • No one knows more than the people closest to the work • Shift left
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  (12) At regularintervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly. https://agilemanifesto.org/principles.html • The origin of the retrospective • The origin of Sprint Planning • Key to self improvement • If it doesn’t work, stop doing it
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  More Questions?