how to talk agile with a procurement department

Simon Bates How to talk Agile with a procurement department28th January 2016

2 / How to talk Agile with a procurement department

Manifesto Digital

We’re an award winning London based digital agency that loves ideas, design and technology.

We aim to make people’s lives better, easier, fairer, more interesting or fun with great strategy, engaging campaigns and rock solid technology.


Simon Bates• COO and co-founder, Manifesto Digital

• University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology Beng Software engineering.

• 17 Years IT experience, working mainly in web-based technologies and frameworks

• Wrote first Java application in 1997


Who are procurement?


Procurement are people too…

What you’re taught in procurement school is quite a ‘widget based’ approach.


Scrum


Product owner


Introduction to Contracts


• The only skill you need to understand a contract is the ability to read

• Defined terms are an important concept to understand - they can be thought of as like a sub- routine in a computer program

• Ambiguity is a bad thing - if something’s ambiguous the contract can be rendered invalid – not always the case when it comes to proposals!

• Important case law Raffles v Wichelhaus involving a ship named The Peeless decided in 1864


Agile Contracts


• Our Agile contract runs to 32 pages

• Agile is about each party committing to promise – agile contracts set these promises out in black & white

• Be prepared to have to explain Agile – lawyers/procurement departments tend not to think that iteratively

• Agile contracts are a contract to collaborate


Defined terms


Daily Scrum Meeting

A meeting of the Development Team on each Business Day during the Project Term (except during any period of leave agreed by the parties) to discuss:

(a) Tasks completed on the previous Business Day;

(b) Tasks to be completed on the current Business Day; and

(c) Any impediments potentially affecting attainment of the Sprint Goal, including the status of any disputes.


Definition of Done

The definition set out in Schedule 2, as amended from time to time under paragraph 5.5 of the Applicable Terms.


Product Backlog

The current version of the document from time to time, based on the Product Vision and kept up to date by the Product Owner in accordance with paragraph 4.2 of the Applicable Terms, that comprises:

(a) The Requirements to be completed, sorted in terms of priority by the Product Owner and any further details of these Requirements provided by the Product Owner from time to time under the Statement of Work;

(b) The Results and Delivered Results to date

(c) The estimated business value of each Requirement; and

(d) The Resource Points for each Requirement, determined in accordance with paragraphs 4.4 and 5.8.2 of the Applicable Terms From time to time.


Initial Product Backlog

The Product Backlog as set out in the relevant Statement of Work.


Product Owner

The person described in Part 3 of Schedule 3 and any replacement from time to time.


Plus lots more…

• Development Team

• Resource Points

• Scrum Master

• Sprint Planning Meeting

• Sprint Retrospective Meeting

• Sprint Review Meeting

• User Story


The role of risk


• Risk costs money

• Agile allows us to share risk

• By committing to an initial backlog and allowing this to flex, we’re transparent about progress and can take action quickly to mitigate risks as they arise.


Be prepared to explain a lot


Don’t think an agile contract will look any different


Ensure procurement are clear on roles & responsibilities

Thanks!Simon [email protected]@simonbates@manifestovstech