building cross-functional scrum-teams in a hardware project
DESCRIPTION
Presentation on Building Cross-Functional Scrum-Teams in a Hardware Project. Variations of this presentation were held at the conferences Global Scrum Gathering Berlin 2014 and Agile Bodensee 2014.TRANSCRIPT
Building cross-functional Scrum-Teams
Stephanie Gasche
How Electricians, Mechanics, and (Embedded) Software Engineers
went T-shaped
or
Who am I?
⟩ Management Consultant at Boris Gloger Consulting ⟩ studied English, History and International Business
Management in the UK and France ⟩ assists Agile Organisations and Scrum-Team
members during the change ⟩ founded her own start-up www.fleissigebiene.com
in 2013 ⟩ blogs about Agility at http://borisgloger.com/author/stephanie-gasche/
Stephanie Gasche
Welcome to the Medical Technology Sector
The Company ⟩ German SME ⟩ specialised in
laboratory automation ⟩ recent take-over by
large pharmaceutical company
Welcome to the Medical Technology Sector
The Product ⟩ highly innovative ⟩ hardware product ⟩ started in 2011
Welcome to the Medical Technology Sector
The People ⟩ ca. 35 people involved
incl. several consulting and body-leasing companies
⟩ spread across 3 locations in Germany and Switzerland
Welcome to the Medical Technology Sector
The Process ⟩ working with Scrum
since early 2013 ⟩ 3-week sprints ⟩ embedded in
traditional product development process
⟩ highly regulated environment
Why use Scrum to build Hardware?
What the top management wants... ⟩ improved communication ⟩ shorter feedback cycles ⟩ transparency of product status ⟩ transparency of problems ⟩ clear roles and responsibilities ⟩ focus on delivery ⟩ know-how transfer through teamwork
Using Scrum to build Hardware
How is it different? ⟩ longer feedback cycles ⟩ keep suppliers close ⟩ ...and procurement even closer ⟩ rapid prototyping ⟩ think in results, not product increments
Today‘s Fairy Tale
How to turn disciplinary teams into interdisciplinary teams in 3 steps?
... And back again.
Learning from my mistakes...
Cross-Functionality
What is it? Why would you want it? ⟩ team of generalising specialists ⟩ fosters explicit know-how transfer ⟩ work on different layers at the same time to
enable iterative delivery ⟩ easier integration ⟩ optimisation of whole product ⟩ less coordination, fewer queues at hand-overs
Once upon a time...
Feasibility ! ⟩ topped expected outcome ⟩ first major milestone reached ⟩ 24h Party with 150+ people
Hello Feasibility ⟩ different product backlogs full of ad-hoc stories ⟩ every team working on different parts ⟩ large dependencies between disciplines
(visualisation in Scrum Arena) ⟩ high fluctuation, little know-how transfer ⟩ inefficient Scrum Day ⟩ one main location ⟩ Major speed decrease within 1 week ⟩ team members actively urging for cross-
functionality!
„Let‘s do it properly“
Sprint #1 on the Journey to Cross-Functionality
“The Creative Sprint“
Creative Sprint Why? What? ⟩ fun and something different ⟩ perhaps make new discoveries ⟩ official cut between development process steps ⟩ Product Owners find time to write backlog ⟩ first informal feeling for cross-functionality ⟩ constellations working together for the first time ⟩ How To: selection of ideas " Sprint Plannings " Daily Scrum " delivery
Sprint #2 on the Journey to Cross-Functionality
“Chaos“
BILD TEAMKONSTELLATION
Chaos Why? What? ⟩ constraint: only two teams (10+ people each) ⟩ home location for team members ⟩ Product Owner Team: Daily Scrum, product
backlog blockers (shared product backlog), CPO and CSM
⟩ ScrumMaster Team: Daily Scrum, CSM ⟩ How To: shared backlog " team division in
Sprint Planning 1
Sprint #3 on the Journey to Cross-Functionality
“Taking A Step Back“
BILD TEAMKONSTELLATION
Taking A Step Back
Why? What? ⟩ three teams
⟩ 2x interdisciplinary ⟩ 1x software
⟩ two locations ⟩ Quarterly Milestones as short-term goals ⟩ changing of roles ⟩ SoS for Firmware & Software and Electronics ⟩ one Product Owner & ScrumMaster Team ⟩ active team building
Fotocollage einfügen
Learning for the Future
Taking A Closer Look Small attempts in smaller settings ⟩ 100 % Product Owner and ScrumMaster a must ⟩ each discipline must have at least one sparring
partner of same discipline ⟩ varied Backlog Groomings ⟩ create awareness of tractor factor ⟩ be firm about prioritisation of stories & tasks ⟩ feature-driven, cross-functional backlog ⟩ ask questions & be honest ⟩ play the Market of Skills game
And Now? Yes, but no. We still have a long way to go... ⟩ build a feature-driven product backlog ⟩ create a shared product vision ⟩ show benefits of t-shape ⟩ roles are work in progress
⟩ support & schooling for Product Owners ⟩ find ScrumMasters
⟩ establish a strategy for scaling the teams ⟩ use my team as ambassador for interdisciplinarity ⟩ go fully cross-functional
Lessons Learned Cross-Functionality in Hardware
⟩ communication & alignment (get everyone on board)
⟩ cross-functionality is a shared goal to work towards
⟩ take one step after another (don‘t try everything at once)
⟩ keep the team small ⟩ limit the locations ⟩ be actively aware of each step ⟩ cross-functionality follows
feature-driven product backlog ⟩ work with a pilot team
Building cross-functional Scrum-Teams
Stephanie Gasche
How Electricians, Mechanics, and (Embedded) Software Engineers
went T-shaped
or