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The Rise of the Agile Analyst
Christian Antoine, CSP
Mike Stuedemann, PMP, PMI-ACP, CSP
http://collaborativeleadershipteam.com
Who are these guys?
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Source: “Fargo” http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116282/?ref_=nv_sr_2
Christian Antoine
CSP
• 18+ years Information
Technology, systems
development, project
management/business analysis
• Practicing Agile since 2008
• Certified ScrumMaster since
2009
• Certified Scrum Professional
2014
• Personal: Married with 2 girls and
a boy, reside in Robbinsdale
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Mike Stuedemann PMP, PMI-ACP, CSP
• 17+ years Information Technology -
traditional SDLC and Scrum/Agile
• Practicing Agile since 2007
• Certified Scrum Professional
• Active member in the Scrum Alliance and the
PMI-MN Agile Practitioner Community
• Married with 3 Boys
• Based in Andover, MN
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What is this about …
Why no BA role in Agile?
Value of software
Building the right product
Building the product right
Where do BA’s fit in this …
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What this is not …
Back to basics – requirements gathering
How to write good user stories
How to workshop for iterative development
A means to get you to buy our book …
We haven’t written one
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Good News and Different News
There is a role for Business Analysts in
an Agile world…
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But that role is remarkably different
than the role they play in a traditional
organization….
Why the Myth?
Agile Software Development Manifesto
We are uncovering better ways of developing software 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 on the right, we value the items on the left more.
http://agilemanifesto.org
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Why the Myth? – “Me” can’t out perform “We”
• All Agile approaches emphasize Team
• Teams are accountable to themselves
• Need for “T-shaped” individuals
• Specialties are important but secondary to the Team
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Where is the “beef” in software?
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Challenge for Software Teams
Building the right product
Building the product right
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What Does It Mean to Develop Software?
• Solving a problem, that you don’t understand, and keeps
changing
• Creating a solution, that you don’t understand, and
keeps changing
• Expressing ideas in a language, that you don’t
understand, and keeps changing
• Using an interpreter with unforgiving error
• Making decisions with limited resources
Reference: “Software Engineering in the 21st Century” Alistair Cockburn,
http://alistair.cockburn.us/Software+engineering+in+the+21st+century
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Building the Right Product – Have a Vision
FOR <target customer>WHO <statement of the need>THE <product name> IS A <product category>THAT <key benefit>UNLIKE <primary competitor>OUR PRODUCT <further differentiation>
From Geoffrey Moore, Crossing the Chasm
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Building the Right Product – Make A Case
Key Equation:
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Revenue – Costs = ProfitProfit should increase over time
Key Questions:
1.) How will developing this product allow us to make money?2.) How will developing this product allow us to spend less money?
If you can’t answer these questions,
Your Organization Does Not Have the Right
Name
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Source: www.ted.com
One Organization is Doing It…
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So is another…
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Active Participant
• Advisor vs. Analyst
• Voice of Customer
• Increased Collaboration on all aspects of prior
tasks
– Triad – Ken Pugh
– 3 Amigos – George Dinwiddie
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Business Analysts in Iterative world
• Increased need to coach/educate/mentor
‘Get comfortable with being uncomfortable’
• Used to tell business to leave us to our work ….
now we are asking to be in the room
• Are the right conversations happening between:
you and client (management and users)?
You and developer and tester?
you and your management?
Summary
• There is a role for Business Analysts in an Agile World,
but its different
• The Value in Software comes from its use
• Business Analysts can help ensure that the Teams they
serve are building the right product by:
– Ensuring that there is a vision for the Product
– Ensuring that the vision will lead to increased profit for the
organization
– Spending time with real users in their real environment
• Active Participant in an incremental and iterative world
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Questions
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Want to engage in Witty Banter? Provide
Feedback (Accusations, Insults)?…
• Contact us at:
– Email: [email protected] or
– Twitter: @StuedeSpeaks or @Cantoine_Collab
• On the web at:
– www.collaborativeleadershipteam.com
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References
• Alistair Cockburn – Agile Software Development, 2001.
• Ken Schwaber – Agile Project Management with Scrum,
2004.
• Simon Sinek – Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire
Everyone to Take Action, 2009.
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