michele sliger - stickyminds · better software conference & expo 5 2006 agile principles—the...

BIO PRESENTATION

Better Software Conference June 26 – 29, 2006 Las Vegas, NV USA

W3

6/28/2006 11:30 AM

RISK MANAGMENT ON AN AGILE

PROJECT

Michele Sliger Rally Software Development

Michele Sliger Michele Sliger has worked in software development for almost 20 years. Michele has extensive experience in agile methodologies, having employed agile practices as a founding member of the engineering teams at biotech start-ups UroCor and Genomica. At Genomica, Michele honed her Scrum and XP skills while working under Mike Cohn, a recognized founder of the Agile movement. She carried that experience forward into Qwest, where she served as an XP Coach on a team tasked with developing high-profile financial applications. She has an undergraduate degree in MIS and an MBA. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), a Certified Scrum Master (CSM) and an active member of the board of the Agile Denver chapter. Currently, Sliger works as an agile consultant at Rally Software Development, where she trains software development teams in agile methodologies. In addition to her work for Rally, Sliger is also an adjunct faculty member of the University of Colorado where she teaches Software Project Management to graduate engineering students. Throughout her career, she has performed the gamut of software development roles, including programmer, database administrator, quality assurance manager, process manager and project manager.

Better Software Conference & Expo 2006

Risk Management on an Agile Project

Presented by Michele Sliger Agile Coach and PMP

2Better Software Conference & Expo 2006

Background on Speaker

Michele Sliger15+ years software development experiencePMP (Project Management Professional)CSM (Certified Scrum Master)6 years experience on Agile teamsAgile Denver Board Member Currently an Agile consultant for Rally Software DevelopmentAdjunct instructor at the University of Colorado -Boulder


Objectives for Today

What you will learn:The differences between risk management in

traditional and agile environmentsWhere the project manager and the team fit in the

agile risk management processTypical risk management activities on an agile project


A Brief Agile Overview


Agile Principles—The Agile Manifesto

Individuals and interactions over processes and tools

Working software over comprehensive documentation

Customer collaboration over contract negotiation

Responding to change over following a plan

That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.”

“We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it. Through this work we have come to value:

-- http://www.agilemanifesto.org/


Agile — Project Vision Drives the Features

Constraints

Estimates

Features

ScheduleCost

ScheduleCost

Features

PlanDriven

Value / VisionDriven

The Plan createscost/schedule estimates

The Vision createsfeature estimates

Waterfall Agile


A Generalized Agile Process

Release

• Feature 1• Feature 2• Feature 3a

Release 1: Theme

Iteration 1 Iteration 2 Iteration 3 Iteration …• Story 1• Story 2

• Story 3• Story 4

• Story 5• Story 6• Story 7

• Story 8• Story 9• Story 10

R

Backlog Backlog• Story 1• Story 2• Story 3• Story …

• Story 11• Story 12• Story …


Measuring the Transition

Waterfall Iterative Iterative andIncremental Parallel Acceptance

Test Driven

Agile Development

Risks

Cycle Time

FeedbackDelays

DetailedInventory

Year +

Whole Project

2 weeks

Increment

Increase Throughput

Decrease Investment

$1,200,000 $50,000Decrease Risk!

Most Defects caught in system test

Most defects caught in the feature development

Decrease Operating Expense


The Agile Framework Addresses Core Risks

Intrinsic schedule flaw (estimates that are wrong and undoable from day one, often based on wishful thinking)A Detailed estimation is done at the beginning of each iterationSpecification breakdown (failure to achieve stakeholder consensus on what to build)A Assignment of a product owner who owns the backlog of workScope creep (additional requirements that inflate the initially accepted set)A Change is expected and welcome, at the beginning of each iterationPersonnel lossA Self-organizing teams experience greater job satisfactionProductivity variation (difference between assumed and actual performance)A Demos of working code every iteration

Core risks from Tom DeMarco and Tim Lister: “Risk Management During Requirements” IEEE Software


Relating traditional risk management activities to agile practices


Risk Management Planning

TraditionalPlanning meetings with managers and corporate representativesResulting in a formal document outlining the risk management processTell the team

AgileReview of corporate risk requirements and discussions of needLittle or no documentation on the processMerging corporate requirements into emergent team activities

The process of deciding how to approach and conduct risk management –


Risk Identification

TraditionalVia checklists, doc reviews, info gathering, assumption analysis, diagrammingIn limited meetingsFormally documented

AgileVia info gathering, assumption analysisIn every planning meeting with the whole teamInformally documented

Determining which risks might affect the project and documentingtheir characteristics –


Risk Analysis

TraditionalQualitative and QuantitativePrioritization (Probability and Impact)Risks to respond to and risks to watch

AgileQualitative

Prioritization (Probability and Impact)Risks to respond to and risks to watch

Analysis and prioritization, determining which risks warrant response –


Risk Response Planning

TraditionalOne or more people assigned to develop strategies:

AvoidMitigatePlan ContingencyTransferAccept

AgileThe team brainstorms strategies*:

AvoidMitigateContainEvade

Developing options and actions to reduce threats and increase opportunities –

*From “Waltzing with Bears” DeMarco & Lister


Risk Monitoring and Controlling

TraditionalRisk reassessmentRisk auditsVariance/trend analysisTechnical performance measurementReserve reviewStatus meetings

AgileRisk reassessment in planning meetingsReviews and RetrospectivesTask Boards and Burndown ChartsDaily Stand-up meetings

Watching for new risks, tracking and validity of identified risks, tracking and reviewing risk responses –


Risk Management Techniques for Agile Projects


Identifying Risks in Planning Meetings


Identification Daily

Daily Stand-up Meeting• Done since last meeting• Plan for today• Obstacles?

24 hours


Risk Analysis and Response Planning


Response Planning, Monitoring, Controlling


Monitoring


Summary

Risk management is owned by the teamThe project manager facilitates the process and makes the results visibleRisks are identified in all planning meetings: release, iteration, and dailyRisks are analyzed and addressed in iteration and release planning meetings – the focus is on qualitative analysis, not quantitativeRisks are monitored by the use of high visibility information radiators, daily stand-ups, and iteration reviews and retrospectives


The Art of the Possible

“People who don’t take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year.” –Peter Drucker


Thank You!

[email protected]


Additional Sources

Websites:http://www.agilemanifesto.org/http://www.agilealliance.comhttp://www.scrumalliance.orghttp://www.rallydev.com/agile_knowledge.jsp

Books:Waltzing with Bears by Tom DeMarco and Tim ListerAgile Project Management with Scrum by Ken SchwaberLean Software Development by Mary and Tom Poppendieck

michele sliger - stickyminds · better software conference & expo 5 2006 agile principles—the...

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