1-2 hour introduction to Agile that I made for students at Heriot-Watts University Dubai Campus. Updated it after doing it at UAE University in Al Ain, added a few slides.
5. Questions are more important than Answers
“The mere formulation of a
problem is often far more
essential than its solution which
may be merely a matter of
mathematical or experimental
skill.
To raise new questions, new
possibilities, to regard old
problems from a new angle
requires creative imagination
and marks real advances in
science.”
6. The problem
The CHAOS Manifesto, Standish Group 2012
29%
14%
57%
Waterfall development
Failed
Successful
Challenged
7. Just an example
Original budget
• Planned work from
February 2005 to
December 2008 (=34
months)
• Estimated cost: 876
Million USD
• Height: 728 m
8. Just an example
Original budget
• Planned work from
February 2005 to
December 2008 (=34
months)
• Estimated cost: 876
Million USD
• Height: 728 m
Actual Outcome
• Actual work from
September 2004 to
September 2009 (=60
months)
• Cost: 1.500 Million
USD
• Height: 828 m
10. Why?
• The requirements changes
• The environment changes
• The business changes
• The technology changes
• The competition changes
• The people changes
• The tool changes
• Experience grows
11. “At the end of the day, your job
isn’t to execute a plan or get
the requirements right—your
job is to change the world”
16. So, what is Agile?
Well...
• It’s not Happy Hacking
• It’s not unorganized
• It’s not unstructured
• It’s not unplanned
• It’s not undocumented
• It’s not undisciplined
Fact is – It’s extremely disciplined
20. Agile Principles
1. Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery
of valuable software.
2. Welcome changing requirements
3. Deliver working software frequently
4. Business & IT must work together daily
5. Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support
they need, and trust them to get the job done.
6. Face-to-face conversation is the most effective method of communicating
7. Working software is the primary measure of progress.
8. Sustainable development
9. Technical excellence
10. Simplicity--the art of maximizing the amount of work not done - is essential.
11. Self-organizing teams.
12. Reflect and adapt continuously
21. Key words
1. Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery
of valuable software.
2. Welcome changing requirements
3. Deliver working software frequently
4. Business & IT must work together daily
5. Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support
they need, and trust them to get the job done.
6. Face-to-face conversation is the most effective method of communicating
7. Working software is the primary measure of progress.
8. Sustainable development
9. Technical excellence
10. Simplicity--the art of maximizing the amount of work not done - is essential.
11. Self-organizing teams.
12. Reflect and adapt continuously
22. The Bottom Line
1. Continuous Improvement
2. Iterative Development
3. Respect
23. Framework for
Continuous Improvement
• Respect where you are
• Make work and problems visible
• Use empirical evidence as a basis for decisions
• Optimize the whole, not the parts (System’s
thinking)
Plan
Do
Check
Act
”Learning is not mandatory, neither is survival”
25. The Roots
• Toyota Production
System
• KaiZen & Lean
Management
• The New New Product
Development Game
• Principles of Flow
• The Goal
• Total Quality
Management
• Evo
• W Edwards Deming
• Taiichi Ohno
• Hirotaka Takeuchi
• Eliyahu M Goldratt
• Tom Gilb
• Don Reinertsen
32. When should I use Agile?
”You should only use Agile on Projects
you want to succeed”
33. When should I use Agile?
”You should only use Agile on Projects
you want to succeed”
9%
42%49%
Agile Development
Failed
Successful
Challenged
29%
14%
57%
Waterfall development
38. When a traditional manager goes
shopping...
Make
shopping
list
Estimate
costs
Plan
route
Set iron
triangle
Assign
resources
Shop
Deliver to
kitchen
Put in
fridge
Fetch
goods
Start
cooking
Manager
Purchaser
Chef
Hand-off
Hand-off
39. When a traditional manager goes
shopping...
Make
shopping
list
Estimate
costs
Plan
route
Set iron
triangle
Assign
resources
Shop
Deliver to
kitchen
Put in
fridge
Fetch
goods
Start
cooking
Manager
Purchaser
Chef
Hand-off
Hand-off
40. When a traditional manager goes
shopping...
Make
shopping
list
Estimate
costs
Plan
route
Set iron
triangle
Assign
resources
Shop
Deliver to
kitchen
Put in
fridge
Fetch
goods
Start
cooking
Manager
Purchaser
Chef
Hand-off
Hand-off
41. When the agile manager
goes shopping
Set
timebox
Fetch
credit
card
Go to
super-
market
Check
prices
and
supplies
Try
sample
food in
shop
Call
family
Shop
Rent a
movie
Deliver to
kitchen
Show
goods for
chef
Buy extra
items at
7-11
Cook
food
”As a loving father I want
to have a nice affordable
dinner with my family so
that I can go to bed feeling
good”
43. How to run an Agile Project
Identify the
business
opportunity
Prioritize
Self-organize
- Analyze
- Implement
- Refactor
- Test
- Deploy
Evaluate, Reflect
& Adapt
”As a loving father I want to
have a nice affordable dinner
with my family so that I can
go to bed feeling good”
”As a loving father I
want to have a nice
affordable dinner
with my family so
that I can go to bed
feeling good”
”As a loving father I
want to have a nice
affordable dinner
with my family so
that I can go to bed
feeling good”
”As a loving father I
want to have a nice
affordable dinner
with my family so
that I can go to bed
feeling good”
”As a loving father I
want to have a nice
affordable dinner
with my family so
that I can go to bed
feeling good”
”As a loving father I
want to have a nice
affordable dinner
with my family so
that I can go to bed
feeling good”
”As a loving father I
want to have a nice
affordable dinner
with my family so
that I can go to bed
feeling good”
Priority
Retrospect
Done
44. Traditional Employee
• Specialist (I-profile)
• Accountable for own
work
• Acts on instruction
Agile Employee
• General Specialist
(T-profile)
• Accountable for
team’s work
• Acts on needs
• Self-organizes
Competence
Competence
45. Management
Traditional Manager
• Decision maker
• Accountable for the
result
• Assigns tasks and roles
Managers in Agile organizations
• Servant Leader & Guide
• Accountable for the
environment the team
works within
• Setting goals
46. Project Teams
Agile Teams
• Self-organizes
• Network
• Team accountability
• Individual responsibility
Traditional Teams
• Predefined roles
• Hierarchy
• Individual accountability
47. Agile Planning ≠ WBS
Todo Doing Done Analy
sis
Prior
ity
Burnd
own
Cumul
ative
Flow
Deliver
ed
Value
1. Tasks are selected instead of assigned
2. Individuals are responsible for tasks they selected themselves
3. Team is accountable for delivery
4. Plan and analysis is visible for all
Ris
k
48. Declaration of interdependance
We are a community of project leaders that are highly successful at delivering
results. To achieve these results:
• We increase return on investment by making continuous flow of value our
focus.
• We deliver reliable results by engaging customers in frequent interactions
and shared ownership.
• We expect uncertainty and manage for it through iterations, anticipation,
and adaptation.
• We unleash creativity and innovation by recognizing that individuals are
the ultimate source of value, and creating an environment where they can
make a difference.
• We boost performance through group accountability for results and
shared responsibility for team effectiveness.
• We improve effectiveness and reliability through situationally specific
strategies, processes and practices.