Using Agile Processes on Documentum Projects Michael Trafton Founder & Chief Architect

Blue Fish ECM Practices Content Migrations Focused on retaining the value of intellectual assets Attention to migration of regulatory docs in validated environments Web Content Management Focused on empowering business users Attention to ease of use and enforcing brand standards Custom ECM Solutions Focused on helping clients gain a competitive advantage Attention to supportability and upgradeability

Focused on retaining the value of intellectual assets

Attention to migration of regulatory docs in validated environments

Focused on empowering business users

Attention to ease of use and enforcing brand standards

Focused on helping clients gain a competitive advantage

Attention to supportability and upgradeability

Survey How many people work in a group that claims to have a well-defined software development process? How many follow it religiously? Is it a waterfall-style process? Is it an agile process?

How many people work in a group that claims to have a well-defined software development process?

How many follow it religiously?

Is it a waterfall-style process?

Is it an agile process?

Advent of Agile Processes

State of Software Development 31% Canceled 53% Over Budget, Over Schedule, Fewer Features Failed Projects Successful 84% 16% Delivered with only 42% of original features Source: “The CHAOS Report (1994)”, The Standish Group

31% Canceled

53% Over Budget, Over Schedule, Fewer Features

Delivered with only 42% of original features

What Is Wrong? Software Development is not a predictable process! Can run repeatedly with predictable results Performs best with little variation in inputs Defined Process Can not be defined so precisely that it can guarantee predictable results Empirical Control Model Frequent Inspections Adaptive Response Complex Process

Software Development is not a predictable process!

Can run repeatedly with predictable results

Performs best with little variation in inputs

Can not be defined so precisely that it can guarantee predictable results

Empirical Control Model

Frequent Inspections

Adaptive Response

1990s - Adaptive Software Development Frustrated software developers started experimenting with adaptive software development processes Extreme Programming (XP) Scrum Crystal Feature Driven Development (FDD) Adaptive Software Development (ASD) Lean Software Development Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM)

Frustrated software developers started experimenting with adaptive software development processes

Extreme Programming (XP)

Scrum

Crystal

Feature Driven Development (FDD)

Adaptive Software Development (ASD)

Lean Software Development

Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM)

What is an Agile Methodology? “Agile” is an umbrella term for software processes that use iterative development as a process control framework Agile methodologies are focused on Early and Continuous Delivery of Software Iterative Development Business User Involvement Building Effective Teams Welcoming Changing Requirements

“Agile” is an umbrella term for software processes that use iterative development as a process control framework

Agile methodologies are focused on

Early and Continuous Delivery of Software

Iterative Development

Business User Involvement

Building Effective Teams

Welcoming Changing Requirements

Agile Example: Extreme Programming

Cost of Change Based on the premise that changing software is not as expensive as we once thought Cost of Change Time Traditional Assumption XP Assumption

Based on the premise that changing software is not as expensive as we once thought

XP’s Big Picture Little or no requirements gathering No “Big Design Upfront” String together several time-boxed iterations Develop most important features first Stop when the features’ benefits aren’t worth the cost of an iteration

Little or no requirements gathering

No “Big Design Upfront”

String together several time-boxed iterations

Develop most important features first

Stop when the features’ benefits aren’t worth the cost of an iteration

Anatomy of an XP Iteration High-Discipline Development Customer Selects “Stories” Stories broken into tasks and estimated Planning Game Customer Runs Acceptance Tests Iteration Review

Customer Selects “Stories”

Stories broken into tasks and estimated

Customer Runs Acceptance Tests

High-Discipline Development Practices Pair Programming All code is written by two people at one computer Refactoring Code is constantly refactored as new features are added The internal structure of the code is changed without changing its external behavior Unit Tests All code must be accompanied by programmatic unit tests Unit tests are run whenever code is compiled

Pair Programming

All code is written by two people at one computer

Refactoring

Code is constantly refactored as new features are added

The internal structure of the code is changed without changing its external behavior

Unit Tests

All code must be accompanied by programmatic unit tests

Unit tests are run whenever code is compiled

XP Practices Pair Programming Testing Refactoring Continuous Integration Short Releases Simple Design Collective Ownership On-site Customer Planning Game 40 Hour Week Metaphor Coding Standards

Pair Programming

Testing

Refactoring

Continuous Integration

Short Releases

Simple Design

Collective Ownership

On-site Customer

Planning Game

40 Hour Week

Metaphor

Coding Standards

XP Practices

“Extreme” Programming Takes traditional software engineering practices to the “extreme” Continuous Integration Integration Testing Unit Testing Testing Pair Programming Code Reviews XP Implementation Common Sense Practice

Takes traditional software engineering practices to the “extreme”

Agile Documentum Projects

Enabling Factors Documentum projects are well suited to Agile Methodologies Small Teams Internal Projects Packaged Software

Documentum projects are well suited to Agile Methodologies

Packaged Software Business users unlikely to understand capabilities Leads to changes in requirements as they understand Developers likely to be inexperienced Leads to poor estimating and prediction Expensive Software Leads to desire to see ROI early Constantly evolving (patches, new versions, etc.) Leads to changes being introduced frequently Few books/other resources Experience is the main way to learn

Business users unlikely to understand capabilities

Leads to changes in requirements as they understand

Developers likely to be inexperienced

Leads to poor estimating and prediction

Expensive Software

Leads to desire to see ROI early

Constantly evolving (patches, new versions, etc.)

Leads to changes being introduced frequently

Few books/other resources

Experience is the main way to learn

Internal Projects Trust Enables schedule ambiguity User Availability Close proximity to users Resource Inflexibility You have to go to war with the army you have Multiple Projects/Responsibilities Impossible to predict availability

Trust

Enables schedule ambiguity

User Availability

Close proximity to users

Resource Inflexibility

You have to go to war with the army you have

Multiple Projects/Responsibilities

Impossible to predict availability

Case Study: Blue Fish Agile Process

History Used a Waterfall methodology for 4 years Switched to Agile 2 years ago after experimenting with it on various projects Primary Drivers for Change Heavy documentation wasn’t adding value Wanted teams more invested in client success Needed less reliance on “heroic efforts of individuals”

Used a Waterfall methodology for 4 years

Switched to Agile 2 years ago after experimenting with it on various projects

Primary Drivers for Change

Heavy documentation wasn’t adding value

Wanted teams more invested in client success

Needed less reliance on “heroic efforts of individuals”

Overview Elements from multiple methodologies Rational Unified Process (RUP) Extreme Programming Scrum Crystal Clear

Elements from multiple methodologies

Rational Unified Process (RUP)

Extreme Programming

Scrum

Crystal Clear

RUP Phases… Elaboration Construction Transition Inception Project Lifecycle Understand Business Problem Envision Solution Identify Risks Design Prototype Prepare for Construction Iterate Test Frequent Releases User Adoption Documentation Training Hand-Off Project Management

Understand Business Problem

Envision Solution

Identify Risks

Design

Prototype

Prepare for Construction

Iterate

Test

Frequent Releases

User Adoption

Documentation

Training

Hand-Off

…with Agile Practices Planning Game (XP) Frequent Releases (XP) Testing (XP) Refactoring (XP) Frequent Integration (XP) Active Customer (XP) Coding Standards (XP) Daily Stand-Up Meeting (Scrum) Osmotic Communication (Crystal Clear)

Planning Game (XP)

Frequent Releases (XP)

Testing (XP)

Refactoring (XP)

Frequent Integration (XP)

Active Customer (XP)

Coding Standards (XP)

Daily Stand-Up Meeting (Scrum)

Osmotic Communication (Crystal Clear)

Other Blue Fish Practices Ideal Hours and Velocity Management through Systems

Ideal Hours and Velocity

Management through Systems

Internal Systems

Lessons Learned

Positive Effects Higher User Adoption/Fewer Missed Requirements User Involvement Things Get Done Sooner Iterations and Daily Stand-Up Meetings Increased Management Confidence Early and Frequent Releases Improved Assimilation of New Team Members Pair Programming Reduced Defects 10 month project generated only 40 hrs. of bug fixes

Higher User Adoption/Fewer Missed Requirements

User Involvement

Things Get Done Sooner

Iterations and Daily Stand-Up Meetings

Increased Management Confidence

Early and Frequent Releases

Improved Assimilation of New Team Members

Pair Programming

Reduced Defects

10 month project generated only 40 hrs. of bug fixes

Other Lessons Learned Methodology is not a replacement for a strong Project Manager and strong Technical Lead Have flexibility on long-term commitments, but hold accountable to short-term commitments It is better to complete a few deliverables 100% than to be 90% on all deliverables

Methodology is not a replacement for a strong Project Manager and strong Technical Lead

Have flexibility on long-term commitments, but hold accountable to short-term commitments

It is better to complete a few deliverables 100% than to be 90% on all deliverables

Frequently Asked Questions How do you meet clients’ needs for documentation? How do you meet clients’ needs for certainty?

How do you meet clients’ needs for documentation?

How do you meet clients’ needs for certainty?

For More Information “ Whatever process you start with will not be the process that'll really work for you. You have to take charge of your process, monitor it and adapt it to your circumstances. In the end it must become your process, any other labels are secondary.” – Martin Fowler www.bluefishgroup.com

“ Whatever process you start with will not be the process that'll really work for you. You have to take charge of your process, monitor it and adapt it to your circumstances. In the end it must become your process, any other labels are secondary.”

– Martin Fowler