Agile for project managers - a sailing analogy

Agile for Project Managers A sailors look at Agile John C Goodpasture, PMP Managing Principal Square Peg Consulting, LLC 1 A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

Agile and Sailing? Really?Ok, lets get started! Photo: US Navy 2 A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

Begin with Small Teams✦ Crew collaboration vital✦ Instinctive action without direct commands✦ Risks managed real- time Photo: US Navy 3 A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

About Scope✦Scope: ❖Every sailor tries to make the mark ❖Mark is a terminal point ❖Mark is the sailors objective ❖Mark is the sponsors expectation 4 A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

Lay-line is the back-log plan✦Most efficient course from start to mark✦Analogous to project planned value PV✦Sailing the lay line accumulates value✦The lay-line is the backlog 5 A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

Wind is a source of energy✦Motive energy for the boat [project]✦Source of risks and unknowns✦Represents [also] stakeholder biases, attitudes, and pressures✦Complex and unpredictable 6 A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

It all interacts✦Boat-sails-rigging: methodology and practices✦Wind: energy, risks✦‘Mark‘: scope and sponsor expectations✦Lay-line: back-log & plan to make the mark 7 A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

Benchmarks forecast velocity✦Velocity [through the water] creates throughput✦Throughput is "miles sailed" on the lay-line✦"Miles sailed" are like story points 8 A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

Tack to the mark✦Short performance increments [time box]✦Tactical response to circumstances✦ Some variance to the plan [lay-line] 9 A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

From energy to value✦Maximize energy from favorable wind✦Apply wind energy to create velocity✦Measure velocity along the lay-line✦Accumulate value by distance sailed on the lay-line 10 A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

Accumulate earned value✦The lay-line is the value plan ✦Multiple segments laid in tandem✦Sail as close to the line as possible✦All value is earned when the buoy is reached 11 A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

Benchmark units of performance ✦ Velocity x time = performance unit ❖ Example: 8 NM in 1 hour = 8 knots performance ❖1 hour is analogous to a Time Box ❖ Nautical mile [NM] analogous to a story pointPhoto: City of Baltimore 12 A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

3-point Estimate✦Most Optimistic Outlook: ✦Sail the lay-line✦Most Pessimistic Outlook: ✦Sail across the lay-line✦Most Likely Outcome: ✦Estimate real-time conditions 13 A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

Most Pessimistic Outlook✦Wind [risk] directly opposes the boat [project]✦Least energy available in the direction of the lay-line✦Strategy: ✦Find energy ‘off axis’ [evolution] ✦Tack [incremental performance] back and forth across the lay-line 14 A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

Progress on the lay-line✦ Most Pessimistic Outlook ❖2 units of input [time box increments] yield 1.4 units of output [requirements done] ❖Output / Input = 0.7 ❖Input / Output = 1.43 Input increments Output: 1.4 units projected along the lay-line 15 A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

What does it mean?✦Input not resulting in Output: ✦ Unmet requirements ✦ Effort [input] exceeds actual value delivered✦Unmet requirements addressed in next increment ✦ Backlog is dynamic✦Entire lay-line: all requirements are met 16 A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

Monte Carlo inputs✦Most Optimistic Outlook: 1✦Most Pessimistic Outlook: 1.43✦Most Likely Outlook: Real time estimate Photo: John Goodpasture 17 A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

Cost✦Expected number of performance units ❖From Monte Carlo✦Cost per performance unit ❖Crew and boat ❖Unit cost✦Expected cost = Expected units x Unit cost 18 A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

Schedule✦Expected performance units ❖Expected unit efficiency✦Effective time made along the lay-line ❖Units x unit efficiency ❖Hours per efficiency-weighted units Photo: US NIST 19 A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

Schedule ExamplePlanning metrics– 40 NM lay-line– 8 Knot performance unitMost pessimistic outlook:– Input = 1.43 x Output– Input = 57 NM– Time required = 57 / 8 = 7.2 hours A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

Manage Scale✦Managing scale is analogous to managing the fleet✦Each boat is a team✦Each boat is a node in a network✦Each boat maintains situational awarenessPhoto: Nicoyogui on flickr 21 A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

Rolling Wave✦Boats on the leading edge of the fleet relay over the horizon information to others✦Far out lay-lines planned as approached✦Adjustments made for obstructions and wind shifts 22 A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

Theres more✦A textbook for enterprise Agile ❖The business case ❖The plan ❖Earned Value ❖Teams ❖and more..... 23 A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

Thank you for viewing johngoodpasture.com sqpegconsulting.com 24 A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

❖John sailed with the Eau Gallie Yacht Club, Eau Gallie, FL A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

A production ofSquare Peg Consulting, LLC sqpegconsulting.com 26 A production of Square Peg Consulting, LLC

Agile for project managers - a sailing analogy

by John Goodpasture on Jan 16, 2011

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Agile for project managers - a sailing analogy — Webinar Transcript