PCA14: Accelerate Learning and Overcome the 6 Traps of Agile

Accelerate Learning
and Overcome the 6
Traps of Agile
David Hawks
@austinagile
Copyright @ 2014 Agile Velocity, LLC All Rights Reserved. Agile Velocity Proprietary

David Hawks
Agile Velocity
Agile Coach
david@agilevelocity.com
Role
Name
Company
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Years of AgileExperience(if any)
10 yrs
Email Address(If you would like a copy of the
slides & to receive periodic information about agile)

1"
Sponsors'
Diamond'
In'Kind'
Gold'
Pla2num'

45%$
19%$
16%$
13%$
7%$
Never$
Rarely$
Some5mes$
O8en$
Always$
From: A Standish Group study
What causes us to build features which
are rarely or never used?
Feature/function usage in the software industry
Find a Partner and Discuss the
following Question.

David Hawks
CEO of Agile Velocity
Agile Trainer and Coach
@austinagile
austinagile.com (blog)
david@agilevelocity.com
Deliver Innovative Products Faster

Problem #1
We make tough decisions
too early and lock them in
Image Credit: http://i.qkme.me/3unlv7.jpg

Smartest Point??Dumbest Point
Accelerate Learning
Defer Decisions to the
last Responsible Moment
x
z

Effective
Communication
Exercise

Problem #2
The team doesn’t have a Shared
Understanding of their purpose

User Story Mapping
Technique to Learn
about Customer Needs

A
sample
story
map:
E-‐commerce
site
Search
by

keyword
View
description

&
photo
Filter
by

price
Pay
by
credit

card
Select
item
for

purchase
Enter

shipping

info
Filter
by
brand
Decreasing
priority
Clear
search

criteria
MVP
1
above
this
line
Search

products
Shopping

cart
Create

account
Pay
&

Ship
Compare

products
Detailed

product

specs
Read
product

reviews
Facebook
for

login
Search
by
SKU
Persist

payment
info
Zoom
on

photos
Product-‐
specific

filters Side
by
side

comparison
Pay
by
PayPal
Update

profile
Order

status
View
open

orders
Confirm
payment

&
shipping
info
Remove
from

cart
Estimate
total

w/
tax
shipping
Modify
item

quantity
Select
multiple

items
for

purchase

Problem #3
Long/ No Feedback or Validation Cycles
http://www.skinit.com/assets/catalog/jumbo_shot/jumbo_shot57479340.jpg

Lean Startup/ Lean UX
Validated Learning
BuildLearn
Measure
Minimize time
thru the loop
1) What do we
need to
learn?
2) How can we measure it?
3) What is the
simplest thing
to build to
measure it?
(MVP)

Assume the team was working in value order,
when would you release this product?
What would be the benefit of releasing early?
45%$
19%$
16%$
13%$
7%$
Never$
Rarely$
Some5mes$
O8en$
Always$

What keeps us from delivering
products faster?
http://www.captivations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Fast-delivery.jpg

Problem #4
Drowning in a Sea of Opportunity

Numbers,
Fives,
Alphabet
1, 2, 3, … 15
5, 10, 15, … 50
A, B, C, … Z

Working
on many
items in
parallel
Working
on items
one at a
time
Lots of WIP slows things down
10 20 30 40

Problem #5
Not Getting to Done
Image Credit: http://files.smashingmagazine.com/wallpapers/april-13/images/its_not_done_until_it_ships__15.png

Sprint 1 Sprint 2 Sprint 3 Sprint 4 Hardening
20 Points 20 Points 20 Points 20 Points
}
8 Weeks
1 2 3 4 Hardening
}
8 Weeks
}2 Weeks
}
2 Weeks
}
2 Weeks
}
2 Weeks
}
2 Weeks
Done = Feature Complete and Feature Tested
*But defects were deferred to the end
The Plan:
10 Weeks to Deliver 80 Points
Reality:
16 Weeks to Deliver 80 Points (10 Points per 2 Weeks)

Done = Feature Complete, Feature Tested, and defects
fixed
Go Slow to Go Fast!
Sprint 1 Sprint 2 Sprint 3 Sprint 4
}
2 Weeks
15 Points 15 Points 15 Points 15 Points
}
2 Weeks
}
2 Weeks
}
2 Weeks
Sprint 5
}
2 Weeks
15 Points
We Delivered 75 Points in 10 Weeks
15 Points per 2 weeks

Working on
many items in
parallel
Working on
items in value
order
HighestValue
Impact of Change

Solution
Stop Starting, Start Finishing

Problem #6
Everything is Important
Image Credit: http://d.wildapricot.net/images/newsblog/bigstock-important-very-high-priority-i-46052392.jpg?sfvrsn=0

How we Normally
Assign Work
Project 1
Project 2
Project 3
Carter
Alex
James
Camryn
Janet
Will
All High Priority
How does Alex decide what to work on next?

How we should
prioritize work in Agile
Project 1
Project 2
Project 3
Carter
Alex
James
Camryn
Janet
Will
Agile Team
Prioritized
Team Backlog

The PSPI is the
Answer
It allows us to:
Deliver Often
Accelerate
Learning
Pivot
It requires:
Focus
Breaking Work
Down
Swarming

What can you change so your
product can deliver value faster?

PCA14: Accelerate Learning and Overcome the 6 Traps of Agile

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