being agile while standing in a waterfall pm connect

Copyright 2013 - Lean PM Solutions Inc

Being agile while standing in a Waterfall

Mike Edwards

PMConnectFebruary 15, 2013

[email protected]: @mikeeedwards

LinkedIn: http://ca.linkedin.com/in/mikeeedwards/

Saturday, 16 February, 13

mailto:[email protected]


http://ca.linkedin.com/in/mikeeedwards/

http://ca.linkedin.com/in/mikeeedwards/


Agenda

• Stories

• The solution

• Practical views

• What now



Introductions

Mike Edwards PMP, PgMP, PMI-ACP

• Project, Program, Portfolio Manager• Agile & Lean Independent Coach and Consultant• Speaker & Teacher

• 25 Years in IT & Business roles• 15 Years with Project-Portfolio Management• 5 Years with Agile & Lean

Who are you?



The story of a project!



The situation

• Final component of a larger program

• Estimated at 1200 days

• Drop dead date of 3.5 months

• Highly visible if we failed

• Core team assigned of 5 IT people

• Waterfall was all we knew



Go!

• 15 contractors in the door within 2 weeks

• Secured a war room

• Broke the work out into projects

• Developed a vision

• “Failure is not an option”

• Strong executive sponsorship



The Result!

• Delivered on the date we said we would

• Actuals came in $8000 under budget

• Delivered all key scope items

• No significant quality issues after go-live

• Happy customer!



Another story!



The situation

• Towards end of a larger troubled project (we kept dropping scope)

• Team only available for 3 more months

• Budget set by available people and time

• Low key enhancement project

• Waterfall was best described as a religion



Go!

• Secured a war ‘area’

• Given free reign to ‘try something different’

• Simple one sentence scope statement

• No authority to not do something in the department’s process

• Executive sponsorship watched closely



The Result!

• Finished early

• Finished slightly under budget

• Features delivered exceeded customer expectation

• No quality issues after go-live

• Happy customer!



What made these projects successful?



Saying you do one of these ...

AgileLean

ScrumXP

Kanban

DAD

RUPFDD

DSDM

Crystal

AUP



... is like carrying one of these



“Agile” is used as an excuse



Start with theAgile Manifesto

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

Individuals and interactions over processes and toolsWorking software over comprehensive documentation

Customer collaboration over contract negotiationResponding to change over following a plan

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



First thing to focus on ...



People

• Focus on those who deliver value

• Become a servant leader

• Create environments for people to succeed

• Reduce the work in progress



Foster collaboration

• Examine the value of weekly status meetings

• Don’t exclude team members from discussions

• Tear down the walls!

• Eliminate the hierarchy



Why do we need Change Management?

Decisions are made prematurely!

Our customers cannot possibly know what they want in detail at the start of a project



What can you do about change?

Embrace it!

Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for

the customer's competitive advantage.(Agile Manifesto - Principle #2)

Caution! Manage the change!



Embracing Change:Scope

In Scope Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah

Out of Scope Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah

OSaturday, 16 February, 13



Scope Statement

In Scope Create a tracking indicator and supporting

functionality

Out of Scope



Scope Management

Front Burner

Back Burner

Fridge Freezer

User Stories


Scope Statement: Create a tracking indicator and supporting functionality



What to do with Change Requests?



Why do we schedule?



An effective schedule?An ineffective schedule



Schedule



Tracking Progress



Tracking Progress

aka: Navigating

through the rear window

When reporting

on progressfocus on what is

valuable to the

audience



Tracking Progress

0

4

8

11

15

8-Mar 15-Mar 22-Mar 29-Mar 5-Apr 12-Apr 19-Apr

Critical Path Actual vs Target Hours

Hou

rs

0

150

300

450

600

8-Mar9-Mar10-Mar11-Mar12-Mar13-Mar14-Mar15-Mar16-Mar17-Mar18-Mar19-Mar20-Mar21-Mar22-Mar23-Mar24-Mar25-Mar26-Mar27-Mar28-Mar29-Mar30-Mar31-Mar1-Apr2-Apr3-Apr4-Apr5-Apr6-Apr7-Apr8-Apr9-Apr10-Apr11-Apr12-Apr13-Apr14-Apr15-Apr16-Apr17-Apr18-Apr19-Apr20-Apr21-Apr22-Apr23-Apr

Actual vs projected total

Daily burn

Burn up



Be careful what you measure ...

You might just get it!

MeasurementsTime sheets

OPM3

CMMI ITIL

COBIT



Why do we document “Lessons Learned”?

Hermann Ebbinghaus



Learn to Improve

• Conduct regular retrospectives throughout the project

• Empower teams to improve within constraints

• Make room for ongoing improvements

• Make it an objective for teams



Some words of wisdoma.k.a. Things I’ve learned the hard way



Things I’ve learned

• Culture cannot be changed - change how the work is done and culture will follow

• Start from where you are today

• Improve the whole

• Improve one step at a time

• Iterate (Build Measure Learn)

• Have fun!



Thanks!

For more Information:http://leanpmsolutions.ca/being-agile-while-standing-in-a-waterfall/

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http://leanpmsolutions.ca/being-agile-while-standing-in-a-waterfall/



