Agile: Get Real Elisabeth Hendrickson

Quality Tree Software, Inc. www.qualitytree.com

esh@qualitytree.com

Last updated March 18, 2010 Copyright © 2010 Quality Tree Software, Inc.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License. View a copy of this license.

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Speculation and Reality

Stuff we believe that is not true.

Stuff we don’t believe

that is true, or that we’re

ignorant about.

Stuff we believe that actually is

true.

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Speculation Buildup Sp

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Time

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A Project Story: BringLight

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Themes

Feedback Loops

Customer Engagement

Status Visibility X

Incremental Delivery

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In Speculation Land…

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…or in Denial

I REJECT YOUR REALITY AND SUBSTITUTE

MY OWN!

Adam Savage

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Lessons from Schrödinger: The Probability Wave Form WILL Collapse

And then we will find out if the cat… er…project lived or died.

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Speculation about Usage Scenarios

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Customer Engagement

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Speculation about How Well It Will Work

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Incremental, Small Slices

Analyze Design Implement Test/Fix Big Bang Release

Less Speculation Buildup

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Multiple Feedback Loops

Local Unit Tests Secs- Mins

5-15 Mins

CI Build 15-90 Mins

System Regression

Few Hrs

Exploratory Testing

Few Days

User/Beta Testing

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Speculation about Progress & Productivity

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Status Meeting Ceremonies

Where are we? Started Where are

we? 80% Done

Where are we? 80% Done Where are

we? 80% Done

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Measuring Effort not Progress

Where are we?

40/160 hrs

Where are we?

120/160 hrs

Where are we?

200/160 hrs

Where are we?

N*40/160 hrs

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Don’t Confuse Speed with Progress

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Agile Status Visibility

Build Status (CI system)

Story Status

Demo/Delivery

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Eliminate Speculation Buildup Sp

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Time

Agile practices collapse the probability

waves, thereby reducing risk.

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Real Agile, Real Results

Agile software teams…

…Deliver value in the form of releasable software at frequent regular intervals (at least monthly)…

…At a sustainable pace…

…While adapting to the changing needs of the business.