SAAS PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM-BASED BACKLOGS Glen Lipka http://www.commadot.com

Problem Statement Existing systems assume incorrectly : That all team members are interchangeable. That velocity remains the same week-to-week That projects have an END That emergencies bug/patches can not be inserted into a sprint That product management has time to rank EVERY work item completely That requirements are known in advance and are finite That CEOs don’t throw everyone for a loop with a new initiative Key questions cant be answered. What is everyone doing this week? Next week? When is that feature going to live? What is launching this weekend? What happens if I insert a big emergency into people’s schedule this week?

Existing systems assume incorrectly :

That all team members are interchangeable.

That velocity remains the same week-to-week

That projects have an END

That emergencies bug/patches can not be inserted into a sprint

That product management has time to rank EVERY work item completely

That requirements are known in advance and are finite

That CEOs don’t throw everyone for a loop with a new initiative

Key questions cant be answered.

What is everyone doing this week? Next week?

When is that feature going to live?

What is launching this weekend?

What happens if I insert a big emergency into people’s schedule this week?

Releases This is a container for looking at bigger themed periods. Helpful to bucket larger projects Release number: (Decimal System) Time: Number of iterations or Deadline Theme: Textarea Submit

This is a container for looking at bigger themed periods. Helpful to bucket larger projects

Iterations Short periods of time (1-4 weeks) Similar to an agile sprint You can insert a new period into the middle when a big distracting project comes on board. Default is one iteration per release, but expected to enter more. NEW ITERATION Iteration number: (Decimal System) Time: Number of available days or Deadline Submit

Short periods of time (1-4 weeks)

Similar to an agile sprint

You can insert a new period into the middle when a big distracting project comes on board.

Default is one iteration per release, but expected to enter more.

Calendar Group calendar Releases Iterations Patches Regular Pushes Other events Individual Calendar Availability

Group calendar

Releases

Iterations

Patches

Regular Pushes

Other events

Individual Calendar

Availability

Team Members Members NEW Team Member Name: Text Email: email Capacity per period: Based on points Permissions: TBD Team: multi-picker Submit

Members

Teams Teams can have one member or several A member can be on more than one team if needed Each team has its own sprint and backlog NEW Team Name: Text Description: textarea Distribution Email: if available Members: multi-picker Permissions: TBD Submit

Teams can have one member or several

A member can be on more than one team if needed

Each team has its own sprint and backlog

Work Item Work is assigned to one team only Work can be: Defining requirements Fixing a bug Enhancing a feature Building something new Configuration change Producing a plan for something Generally not assigned here. Backlog screens (see slides later on) Dependencies can be used to make “sub-work items”. NEW Work Item Name: Text ID #: dynamic Description: textarea Case #: if applicable Assigned to: single-picker Comments: Tags: Type: See list on left (configurable) Estimated finish: single picker (iterations) Status: Estimated size: (ideal hours or points) Business Priority: (Strategic A-F) Support Priority: P1-P5 Rank: 1-100, for drilling into A-F SVN Source: Dynamic from SVN checkins Dependancies: multi-picker Submit

Work is assigned to one team only

Work can be:

Defining requirements

Fixing a bug

Enhancing a feature

Building something new

Configuration change

Producing a plan for something

Generally not assigned here. Backlog screens (see slides later on)

Dependencies can be used to make “sub-work items”.

Work Viewer Team 1: Front End Team 2: Backend Team 4: Prod. Management Unassigned Iteration Name Iteration Name Iteration Name Iteration Name Iteration Name Iteration Name Filter Tools View Options “ New” Menu Show more Show more Show more Show more #13: Name #34: Name #35: Name #13: Name #34: Name #35: Name #13: Name #34: Name #35: Name #13: Name #34: Name #35: Name #35: Name #13: Name #34: Name #35: Name #35: Name #13: Name #34: Name #35: Name #35: Name #35: Name #34: Name

TODO Show interaction of “drag/drop” on work viewer Show view options Show Filter options Show how patches look Show how long running work items look Iterate lots of times

Show interaction of “drag/drop” on work viewer

Show view options

Show Filter options

Show how patches look

Show how long running work items look

Iterate lots of times

Summary Product, Program, Project and Engineering management don’t have a solid way of managing a never-ending product. (SaaS) People specialize on certain kinds of tasks. The key is to view each persons (or team of similar persons) backlog and prioritize them independantly

Product, Program, Project and Engineering management don’t have a solid way of managing a never-ending product. (SaaS)

People specialize on certain kinds of tasks.

The key is to view each persons (or team of similar persons) backlog and prioritize them independantly