as coined by sanjiv augustine.)

www.ccpace.com Project World 2003 APM

Steering Projects with Agile Project

Management

Sanjiv AugustineOctober 02, 2003


About Me

Director, Technology at CC Pace in Fairfax, Virginia, U.S.A.Over 6 years of project management experience.Over 13 years of experience with IT applications ranging from

microcontroller-based systems to enterprise-class business applications.

Managed several Agile projects ranging in size from 3 to 120+

people.Industry involvement

Recent speaking engagementsAgile Development Conference 2002, Australia/NZSoftware Development Conference 2003, Australia/NZAgile Development Conference 2003, Salt Lake CityProject World 2003, Chicago

Book in progress: Managing Agile Projects; Prentice Hall 2004


About CC Pace

eXtreme Programming (XP) for 28 dog years10 successful XP projectsTeams ranging from 3-120+ peopleCatalyst™ methodology combines XP software

development with Agile Project Management (APM)

and Usage-Centered Design practices.Our solution to previously intractable problems with

software development in complex and unpredictable environmentsCost-competitive alternative to offshore outsourcing


Agenda

BackgroundXP OverviewThe Need for APMWhat is APM?Complexity Theory DistilledThe Chaordic ProjectAPM Practices

Wrapping XP with APMThe Big WrapCompetition and Collaboration

Practice #1: Guiding VisionPractice #2: Small, Networked Teams

Emergence and Self-OrganizationPractice #3: Simple RulesPractice #4: Open InformationPractice #5: Light Touch

Learning and AdaptationPractice #6: Adaptive Leadership

Discussion


XP Overview

Raison d’EtreReduce the cost of changeDeliver in complex and unpredictable environmentsInnovate rapidly and reliably

Practices: 100,000 Foot ViewIndividual: Test-driven Development, Refactoring, Pair Programming, Simple DesignDevelopment Team: Continuous integration, Collective ownership, Coding standard, Sustainable pace, MetaphorOrganization: Planning game, Customer tests, Small releases

ValuesSimplicity, Communication, Courage, Feedback


The Need for APM

Role of Project Manager in XP is UnclearNot enough: design, requirements, architecture?Too much: freedom, overhead, process?Too confusing: points, stories?

Fundamental assumptions of traditional management are mismatched with Agile

Predictability, Stability, Rigidity and Information Adequacy

Current management theory is mismatched with AgileAsset based Vs People and interaction basedProject Theory: Input-Process-Output Transformation viewManagement Theory: Predictive planning, job dispatching, thermostat model

Mechanistic management model is mismatched with humanistic agile model


What is APM?

For whom is it?Managers of product development and other innovative business solution delivery teams

What is their need?To lead highly skilled individuals in delivering business value rapidly and reliably

What is it?APM is a project management paradigm that provides core values, principles, practices and tools to energize, enable and empower project teams that work in close concert with customers to meet their business needs.

Why is it different?Unlike traditional mechanistic management approaches APM’s humanistic approach considers all members skilled and valuable stakeholders in team management, and hence uses complexity theory as a metaphor for embracing change and delivering results in extreme environments.


Complexity Theory Distilled

Living systems are complex, in that they consist of a great many autonomous agents interacting with each other in many ways.

The interaction of individual agents is governed by simple, localized rules and characterized by constant feedback.

Collective behavior is characterized by an overlaying order, self-organization, and a collective intelligence so unified that the group cannot be described as merely the sum of its parts.

Complex order, known as emergent order, arises from the system itself, rather than from an external dominating force.

These complex, self-organizing Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) are adaptive in that they react differently under different circumstances, and co-evolve with their environment.


The Chaordic Project

A chaordic project harmoniously blends characteristics of both chaos and order – freedom and control, optimization and exploration, competition and cooperation

The Agile project as a chaordic CASCompetition and Collaboration

Agents: IndividualsMental Models: Vision and AlignmentGroups: Project Teams

Emergence and Self-OrganizationInteractions/Feedback: Information exchange and relationships among individualsSimple Rules: XP/SCRUM/FDD Practices

Learning and AdaptationLearning: Observation, monitoring, measurement and reflectionAdaptation: Process changes, team adjustmentsEnvironment: Project Environment


APM Practices – Actualizing The Chaordic Project

Chaordic Characteristics APM Practice

Competition and Collaboration

#1: Guiding Vision. Recognizing and nurturing a shared project vision as an internal model translates it into a powerful influence on team behavior.

#2: Small, Networked Teams. Small, networked teams with empowered team members form the basis for rich interactions and cooperation between team members.

Emergence and Self-Organization

#3: Simple Rules. Simple Rules such as XP Practices support complex, overlaying team behavior.

#4: Open Information. Open information is an organizing force that allows teams to adapt and react to changing conditions in the environment.

#5: Light Touch. Intelligent control of teams requires a delicate mix of imposed and emergent order.

Learning and Adaptation #6: Adaptive Leadership. Visionary leadership requires continuous monitoring, learning and adaptation to the environment.


The Big Wrap


Competition and Collaboration: Practice #1 - Guiding Vision

Create a shared mental model for all team members:

Create shared expectations*Clearly delineate scope/objectives*Create an XP release plan

*Done in a RApid Planning (RAP) Session; The Thomsett Company. Used with permission.


Creating Shared Expectations

More to success than “on-time, within budget”

Understand stakeholders’ priorities

Facilitate stakeholder negotiation

Create a shared understanding/agreement of success

the thomsett company


Delineating Scope/Objectives

Scope is best defined by both what is IN as well as what is NOT

Stakeholders name things inside and outside project scope

Unresolved items go to sponsor for resolution

Everything outside scope is assigned to a stakeholder or other project.

IS IS-NOT [COULD BE]

UNRESOLVED

To automate loan underwriting process

To develop new process

To provide credit ratingTo obtain credit rating from Agency 1To obtain insurance rating from Agency 2

To provide insurance rating

the thomsett company


Creating a Release Plan

Identify major milestones Estimate initial team velocity (Points per iteration) based on resources Place user stories into iterations based on teams estimated velocity Pick release dates Prioritize stories to maximize value for each Release Link stories to business needs to ensure alignment with strategic plan

High Level User Story Title

User Story Description

Release Priority Estimate Iteration Business Need

Credit rating Procure credit rating from Agency

High 35 I3 Automated Loan Underwriting

Mortgage Insurance

Determine MI Rating

High 40 I3 Automated Loan Underwriting

Loan Screens Design/ Workflow

Design Loan Screens/ Workflow

Medium 45 I3 Customer Satisfaction

Regulatory Detail Enhancements

Add additional fields for regulatory requirements

Low 20 I4 Regulation Compliance

Portal Integration

Integrate into corporate portal

Low 5 I5 Branding/ Customer Retention


Competition and Collaboration: Practice #2 - Small, Networked Teams

Enable interactions and adaptation through close relationships on small, networked teams:

Keep interaction penalty low with 7 +or- 2 people to a team

Implement Collective Ownership so that you can move people around

Implement Pair Programming to improve interaction, while also improving your “bus” factor

Reorganize team to tackle new functionality

Ensure a diversity of skills on team


Emergence and Self-Organization: Practice #3 - Simple Rules

Implement iterative, incremental delivery:Schedule small releases (1 – 2 months) with fixed-length iterations (1, 2 or 3 weeks in duration)

Iteration PlanningDesign and DevelopmentAcceptance Testing

Implement XP Development Practices. Provide Training and Mentoring.Manifest XP Values. Empower the Process Coach to Continuously Reinforce XP Values.

SimplicityCommunicationFeedbackCourage


Emergence and Self-Organization: Practice #4 - Open Information

Provide free and open Access to Information:

Hold daily standup meetings Practice whole team Facilitate co-location with caves and commons Implement on-site customer Install information radiators

WhiteboardsPostersBulletin Boards


Emergence and Self-Organization: Practice #5 - Light Touch

Practice ‘intelligent’ controlUnderstand the difference between control and orderManage the project context, not the content

Lighten up!Practice accepted responsibility to reduce command-controlMaintain sustainable pace for a productive teamEncourage collective problem solving for self-organizationEncourage questioning, analysis and feedback to nurture autonomy


Learning and Adaptation: Practice #6 - Adaptive Leadership

Tune to the ‘edge of chaos’Track and report iteration status 2-3 times an iterationTrack and manage risksConduct periodic process reflections to adapt your approachUse scenario planning to prepare for different outcomes



Track and Report Iteration Status

Developers estimate points for each story (1 Point = 1 Ideal Engineering Day) Team “Velocity” is number of points/iterationYesterday’s Weather dictates that next iteration’s estimated velocity is the same as that completed in lastMap stories back to Release Plan

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0

Process Response

Number Validation

Import Overwrite

Print Summary

Loan Summary

Submit Request

Iteration 5 Status

Complete Remaining



Track and manage risksList risks by impact (High/Medium/Low) and probability (High/Medium/Low)Provide a mitigation plan with clear responsibility

Risk ImpactProbabilityMitigation Plan

Key employee dependency

HIGH MEDIUM

Process Implementation • Pair Programming(Jones)• Rotation (Augustine)Agency

dependencies

HIGH HIGH Agency Liaisons• Agency 1: Smith• Agency 2: Patel



Process reflectionGranular (In Iteration, Short) AND Coarse (Every Few Iterations, Longer)What’s Working (+)What’s Not ( )

+

RefactoringSimple design

Communication

Unit testing

Acceptance testing

XP:

Other:

Hardware procurement

Software procurement



Scenario Planning‘Memory’ of the futureDon’t try to predict outcomeInstead, prepare the team for different possible outcomes

SCENARIOS1. Bleak Week - Client Down, Agency Down

- Documentation

2. Client Up, Agency 1 Down- Integration/Release- Data Map- Screen Layouts- Load Testing

3. Client Down, Agency Up- Polling Request- Loan Transfer

4. Client Down, Agency Sort of Up- Polling Request

5. Great Week - Client Up, Agency Up- Everything!

6. Client Sort of Up, Agency Sort of Up- Polling Request- Integration/Release


“Intelligent control appears as uncontrol or freedom.And for that reason it is genuinely intelligent control.Unintelligent control appears as external domination.And for that reason it is really unintelligent control.Intelligent control exerts influence without appearing to do so.

Unintelligent control tries to influence by making a show of force.”

-- Lao Tzu, Book of Ethics

Contact Information:[email protected]://www.ccpace.com[1] (703) 631 6600

Discussion…