AGILE REMEDIES FOR BLOCKED PROJECTS

www.webelieveit.co.ukcall 0800 228 9800

email sales@webelieveit.co.uk© Copyright We Believe IT Ltd 2013

Carl DaviesDirector at

We Believe IT (UK)

WE BELIEVE IT CAPABILITIES

Scrum mastering, Scrum coaching and training

Change management and project management

121 Leadership coaching

IT strategy delivery and interim senior IT leadership

Bespoke Software solution and reporting development (e.g. .NET, SQL Server, MVC, cloud, document Database)

CONTENTS

Myth Busting Agile

Recap on Agile: Fundamentals

3 Compelling facts about Agile

Agile Remedies: Case Studies

Conclusions

Agile 2: Everyone’s a Geek

VERY SPECIAL NATURE OF SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

How did we get into this fine mess?>>> We’re replacing manual systems that took decades to evolve !>>> We expect users to be expert process architects>>> We’re building a new production line….>>> Artists or engineers?

Recap on Agile Fundamentals

Many variations on Agile>>> XP, DSDM, Scrum etc>>> Scrum the most popular by far

Core Scrum Process

Core Agile Values

Process and toolsIndividuals andinteractions

over

Following a planResponding to change over

Comprehensivedocumentation

Working software over

Contract negotiationCustomer collaboration

over

Composition of Scrum

1. Behaviours2. Process and Procedure3. Roles and Rituals

Agile Behaviours (agilemanifesto.org)

Customer first >>> Satisfaction is highest priority

Close teamwork >>> All work together daily

Transparency >>> Accountability is high…must be open

Empowerment >>> You tell me the answer…

Self management >>> Pull from backlog, pull together

Reflectiveness >>> Team must continuously improve

Kindle high energy >>> Lets get everyone on full beam

Process and Procedures

Flow and Velocity>>> Stimulating maximum output

JIT Planning>>> Things change – so adapt at right time

Timeboxing >>> Strict adherence to schedules

Prioritisation >>> Strictly deliver business value only

Continuous improvement >>> Keep fine tuning approach

Release Planning >>> Chain of sprints to end game

Roles and RitualScrum Master >>> Removes impediments to keep flow

Product Owner >>> Prioritises content of sprints

Retrospective >>> Accountability is high…must be open

Daily Scrum >>> Stand up and be accountable!

Product Backlog>>> Bucket of all requirements

Sprint Planning >>> Sprint backlog and estimation

Pair programming, unit tests etc>>> Teccie stuff!

What do you think?

What’s your perception

of Agile?

Experiences to date?

3 Compelling facts about Agile

1. EVOLUTIONARY PRINCIPLES

1. Based on evolutionary principles>>> It takes trial and error to adapt creative solutions to the problem domain>>> The best ideas and innovations evolve>>> Complex systems cannot be designed 100% accurately up front

2. IT HAS DEEP ROOTS

2. Based Lean Engineering foundations>>> Lean roots in 1990’s…lead back to Henry Ford>>> Principles of waste reduction>>> Customer value, flow, pull approach, JIT plan

3. CUSTOMERS LOVE IT!

3. Yep…our business colleagues love it>>> “It feels so natural”>>> “I’m back in the driving seat”>>> “IS are listening to me”>>> “I’m feeling confident we’ll get this done”

GENUINE PERILS!

Sprint Burnout>>> High intensity exhaustion

Quality could suffer>>> Fast pace could lead to short cuts...

Too lean is not appealing >>> Stark results: over emphasis on function over form

Skinny on business analysis>>> In at the deep end could mean too much thinking on feet!

Agile Fundamentalism>>> Hard core fanatics and ‘Program de jour’ thinking

Case Studies

1. ASSET MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

SITUATION>>> 3000+ assets needed a tracking system>>> £3m overall project spend>>> Business case driven by compliance>>> Software critical to project success>>> 4 man project: BLOCKED after 9 months>>> Internal customer EXASPERATED!

EXTERNAL INTERVENTION: TASKS FOR WE BELIEVE IT>>> 4 months left to complete>>> UNBLOCK>>> Take leadership>>> Deliver project objectives>>> Perform Scrum Master and Scrum Coach roles

ACTION>>> Re-forged communications and trust>>> Strongly recommended Scrum approach>>> Diplomatically reconfigured team>>> SCRUM SOLD! Adopted in 1 week>>> Revisited technology & architecture>>> Backlog and release plan>>> 1-2 week sprints, fully joined team

RESULTS>>> Customer confidence 100% recovered>>> Project went live flawlessly>>> Fully bonded team>>> Energy levels boosted>>> ‘Rumour mill’ – good word spread>>> A member of staff moved on…

2. ASSET PLANNING SOFTWARE

SITUATION>>> Stop start project for 2 years>>> £1m overall project spend: v. complex>>> Team abandoned previous month>>> 3 months till critical compliance/audit>>> Smouldering IT/Business relationship>>> Internal customer NOWHERE TO TURN!

EXTERNAL INTERVENTION: TASKS FOR WE BELIEVE IT>>> 3 months left to complete>>> UNBLOCK and GET BACK ON TRACK (XMAS!)>>> Sort ‘crisis’ in relationship>>> Determine technical platform>>> Perform Facilitator and Scrum Coach roles

ACTION>>> Reduce expectations/ pragmatic solution>>> Strongly recommend Scrum approach>>> Advocate/ support team reconfiguration>>> SCRUM SOLD! Adopted rapidly>>> Demonstrate impeccable comms>>> Listen hard, can do attitude!>>> 1 week sprints, fully joined team

RESULTS>>> Customer confidence 75% recovered>>> Sense of crisis averted>>> Fully bonded team>>> Expectations simmered>>> Clarity on technical solution, de-mystified>>> Normalised relationship with IS

RETROSPECTIVE: CUSTOMER FEEDBACK

RETROSPECTIVE: CUSTOMER FEEDBACK>>> Brave, great teamwork, matched expectations>>> ‘Astonished at level of work completed’>>> ‘Product better than expected’, ‘fun’>>> ‘Product owner highly inflencial’>>> Scrum and coaching right choice>>> Quick failures, IS won confidence back>>> Fully working DEFRA compliant application

Conclusions

CAREFUL: DON’T MISATTRUBUTE>>> Scrum vital but not the only cause of success>>> Good leadership and technical decisions>>> ‘Right people on the bus’ – agile folk>>> External intervention broke the impasse>>> Tough decisions>>> Waterfall could have worked!!

FORMULA FOR UNBLOCKING>>> Apply Scrum>>> URGENT LEADERSHIP, SET EXAMPLE>>> External help to break impasse>>> ‘Weed out’ performance issues >>> Reconfigure team>>> Increased resources, shorter duration>>> Love up the customer

GENUINE CHALLENGES TO AGILE ADOPTION>>> Real dedication across whole team>>> F2F environment optimal – but unrealistic>>> Physically and mentally exhausting>>> Raised accountability tough for many folk>>> Need all IS support>>> Many people won’t adapt…tough decisions!

THE CHALLENGE– AGILE HYPE OR FOR REAL???

HYPE OR REALITY? FAD?>>> Agile based on 3 key, enduring foundations>>> Watch out for hype – Team is the critical factorBREAK THE RULES?>>> Nope, coding the same under the bonnetCOMPROMISE QUALITY FOR SPEED?>>> Potentially – be careful…

AGILE V2 – EVERYONE JOIN THE GEEK CLUB…

AGILE V2>>> Address organizational context: readiness>>> Pervasive agile, most projects, most depts>>> New roles: coaching and teambuilding>>> Structures for managing fallout!>>> Genuine alternatives to F2F>>> Managing distributed teams effectively>>> Ultimately realms of HR dept or CEO

PERVASIVE AGILE:WHO WILL DRIVE IT?

AGILE REMEDIES FOR BLOCKED PROJECTS

www.webelieveit.co.ukcall 0800 228 9800

email sales@webelieveit.co.uk© Copyright We Believe IT Ltd 2013

>>> Big thanks for listening>>> Big thanks to Sam!>>> Talk to us any time!