agile doesnt improve quality :-(. how do we release world class product?

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Agile doesn’t improve Quality Can we improve World Class Quality product?


Quality and Agile…

04/11/2023Learn about McAfee2

Can quality be improved just by transitioning from traditional model to Agile?

Does Quality improve the day team transition to agile?

Is Scrum responsible for not achieving quality?

How do we release high quality product then?


Quality and 4 phases…

• If product quality is not good, most probably the team is not performing. It is in storming or norming phase…

• What stops them from “PERFORMING”?



Can these be the reasons?


Roles clear / empowered ?

Are all fixed?

Increasing day-by-day?

Really?

Skill set?


DOD’s – Effective?

•DOD not defined in detail •Only basic ones are defined like coding, bug fixing•Few Items (review, static analysis, open defects, D

•DODs set with high standards, but not followed / tracked•No open defects as part of story – however it is not trackedO•DODs are executed, but not effectively•Code review of 4000+ lines of code done, but zero defects…N

•No sprint level DODs defined•No regression effort planned•Non-functional missed out…E



Done… Done… Done…



Technical Debt – Cleared effectively?

• Reviews– No Reviews– Review done with no defects– Review results in – low priority defects

• Static Analysis – not executed regularly• Testing

– Coverage reduced / missing – Overall regression, non-functional etc– Automation – identified, not automated

• Defects – found late (before the release)– not fixed – end sprint with open defects

• Clearing technical debts at the last minute



Skill Set – Still within boundaries?

• DEV / QA boundaries – not broken

• Team is not OR not willing to be cross-skilled

• Team members are NOT fully utilized due to skill availability vs. required



Roles clear / empowered?

• SM worries about the process but not the outcome of the process – ex., DOD

• Conflict between roles of engineering and Proxy PO roles

• Proxy PO not empowered – decisions made by PM, Proxy PO to execute


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The “Fixed” Game

Schedule ‘Fixed’

Scope ‘Fixed’

Resource ‘Fixed’

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The “Fixed” Game

Ok, lets release the product with open defects. They can be moved low priority bucket. We will fix in the next release.

What is variable here?

QUALITY


Without fixing these issue

QUALITY WILL NOT IMPROVE

Scrum is not the reason, but WE are.



What do we need?


Business Value Quality

Product Delivery


Is that enough?

Taking necessary steps in these areas, will definitely improve quality

Is it enough to release world class quality?

NO



Quality Goals

• Define CLEAR, Stretchable Engineering quality goals for the project

• Set these based on the pain points that doesn’t let you release world class

• Focus on only 3-5 goals that will make an impact



Quality Goals Template


Goal Target Control Limit

Goal A X% Y%

Goal B <N> <N-M> / <N+M>

Goal C 0 0

Target the team wants to achieve in quality.

The minimum quality number that the team needs to meet.


Sample “Quality Goals”



Automated Test Code Coverage 85% 70%

Early defects removed through peer reviews 60% 40%

Effort Reduction through automation (hrs) 40% 25%

Defects ‘OPEN’ 0 0

Basic Sanity Failures 0 2


Tracking of goals



Sprint 1 Sprint 2 Sprint 3 Consolidated

Automated Test Code Coverage 85% 70% 45% 80% 92% 72%

Early defects removed through peer reviews 60% 40% 20% 25% 35% 27%

Effort Reduction through automation 40% 25% 25% 35% 55% 37%

Defects ‘OPEN’ 0 0 5 2 0 0

Basic Sanity Failures 0 2 1 1 0

*Track as part of Sprint Review

Quality is above and beyond the target set.

Quality is above the control limit, but below target

Quality is below control limit. Needs immediate attention


Org Level Tracking of goals achievement


Goal Team 1 Team 2 Team 3 Team 4

Automated Test Code Coverage

Early defects removed through peer reviews

Effort Reduction through automation

Defects ‘OPEN’

Basic Sanity Failures

Overall Quality Achievement !? X? ! X

Team 3 has achieved all the quality goalsTeam 2 & 4 needs immediate attention


What is world class?


Goal Target

Control Limit

Sprint 1

Sprint 2

Sprint 3

Consolidated

World Class

Automated Test Code Coverage 85% 70% 45% 80% 92% 72% >90%

Early defects removed through peer reviews 60% 40% 20% 25% 35% 27% >90%

Effort Reduction through automation 40% 25% 25% 35% 55% 37% >90%

Defects ‘OPEN’ 0 0 5 2 0 0 Close to 0

Basic Sanity Failures 0 2 1 1 0 0


How is this appropriate for agile?

• Quality goals can be reviewed at the end of every sprint

• Any deviation can be discussed in retro and appropriate action can be taken

• Sprint goals / scope can be changed based on the quality goal achievement



Summary


Business Value

Quality

Product Owner

Define and measure quality goal


Acronyms

• DOD - Definition of Done• Dev – Development• QA – Quality Assurance• PO – Product Owner• SM – Scrum Master



References

• “Quality Goals” by McAfee


agile doesnt improve quality :-(. how do we release world class product?

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