This document discusses how agile principles and frameworks can be applied beyond software development to other exploratory disciplines like science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). It argues that STEM research shares characteristics with software development that make agile approaches beneficial, such as being iterative processes that require collaboration and responding quickly to new findings. The document provides examples of how agile ceremonies, roles, and frameworks could map to STEM research and help improve outcomes through practices like tracking progress frequently, welcoming changing requirements, and delivering results on a predictable cadence. It concludes that the STEM field is ripe for adopting agile approaches to positively disrupt traditional project management methods.

1. Agility Beyond Software
Agile as a Catalyst for All Exploratory Disciplines
Chris Mundt 2015

2. Who am I?
 Former Chemical Engineer with experience in R&D
 15 years in Software Engineering
 Lean Six Sigma Blackbelt
 Former PMP turned Agile Enthusiast
 ScrumMaster and SAFe Agilist
 Transformed 3 large organizations from Waterfall to Agile

3. Topics to be Covered
 The Necessity of Waterfall
 Agile for Software
 The Agile Manifesto
 Comparison to Science
 Statistics for failed science?
 Benefits to Science
 SAFe concepts in Science

4. The Necessity of Waterfall
 Waterfall is often used when the cost of failure
exceeds the cost of architecture and planning
 Waterfall works best when a plan can and should remain
relatively static and the work is highly sequential
 In a Waterfall industry, the desired outcome is well-known
and prior projects either match the outcome of inform a
step-by-step process (e.g. construction, civil engineering)
 Waterfall can be a security blanket for
companies that are unfamiliar or
uncomfortable with Agile

5. Agile for Software
 Agile can track and predict progress better than heavier,
waterfall methods
The Agile Manifesto helped to free Software Development from the dangers and restrictions of
traditional, waterfall project management. Why does Agile fit Software Development so well?
Why do over 80% of IT organizations use or plan to use Agile?
 Agile supports a fail-fast mentality which acknowledges the creative
and relatively unpredictable nature of software development
 Agile encourages collaboration and a sense of team
commitment and success
 Agile shortens the product lifecycle by avoiding
rework with frequent affirmations
(demonstrations)

6. The Agile Manifesto
 Individuals and interactions over
Processes and tools
 Working software over
Comprehensive documentation
 Customer collaboration over
Contract negotiation
 Responding to change over
Following a plan
 Customer satisfaction by rapid delivery of useful software
 Welcome changing requirements, even late in development
 Working software is delivered frequently (weeks rather than months)
 Close, daily cooperation between business people and developers
 Projects are built around motivated individuals, who should be trusted
 Face-to-face conversation is the best form of communication (co-location)
 Working software is the principal measure of progress
 Sustainable development, able to maintain a constant pace
 Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design
 Simplicity—the art of maximizing the amount of work not done—is
essential
 Self-organizing teams
 Regular adaptation to changing circumstance

7. Science, Technology, and Engineering Share Many of the Same Needs
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) are exploratory endeavors that require trial
and error guided by theory and prior findings. Research required by STEM industries is naturally
iterative, but has been forced into a traditional waterfall project
structure. STEM would stand to gain many of the same benefits
as software development by adopting Agile:
 STEM would benefit from additional collaboration and a sense
of team commitment and success (many recent advances have
come from cross-discipline teams)
 Agile can track and predict progress better than heavier,
waterfall methods
 Organizations would benefit from a predictable cadence that
build from prior iterations

8. Why Isn’t STEM Agile???

9. The Agile Manifesto Rewritten for R&D
 Individuals and interactions over
Processes and tools
 Data and Models over
Comprehensive documentation
 Customer collaboration over
Contract negotiation
 Responding to change over
Following a plan
 Customer satisfaction by rapid delivery of useful software solutions
 Welcome changing requirements and findings, even late in development
 Working software is delivered Results are presented frequently (weeks rather than
months)
 Close, daily cooperation between business people and developers researchers
 Projects are built around motivated individuals, who should be trusted
 Face-to-face conversation is the best form of communication (co-location)
 Working Software Repeatable conclusions are the principal measures of progress
 Sustainable development, able to maintain a constant pace
 Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design
 Simplicity—the art of maximizing the amount of work not done—is essential
 Self-organizing teams
 Regular adaptation to changing circumstance

10. Scrum Ceremonies Applies to STEM Industries
Ceremony Drives…
Grooming & Planning Alignment on the goal and agreement on approach
Sprint Commit Accountability, commitment, and collaboration
Daily Standup (Scrum) Accountability, collaboration, and quick clearing of roadblocks
Demonstration Becomes a sharing (or presentation) of findings - driving
accountability, collaboration, and affirmation of direction
Retrospective Kaizen – continuous improvement and learning

11. Agile Artifacts Applies to STEM Industries
Artifact Analog
Epic/Themes The problem statement or theory driving the research
User Story User Story or Postulate
Acceptance Criteria Expected data or result along with acceptable deviation
Backlog Remains a list of prioritized work/outcomes

12. SAFe – Scaled Agile Framework
 SAFe encourages solving common problems for the benefit of multiple teams
 SAFe supports the business need of predicting market delivery through
coordinated PI (Product Increment) planning
 SAFe provides tools for ensuring the right
prioritization at an enterprise level
 SAFe acknowledges cross-team
dependencies and assists with recording
dependencies and providing a common
cadence

13. Agile and SAFe ARE Better
In R&D, roles do not translate 1:1 and not all artifacts and ceremonies will carry the same benefit
as to Software Development. Even with diminished value and use of analogs, Agile and SAFe fit
exploratory research far better than traditional project management methods.
The STEM space is ripe for positive disruption and transformation!
 Sales & Marketing to expose the market to the concepts and benefits
 Training and consulting to assist with education and transformation
 ALM systems to provide STEM verticals with familiar roles, nomenclature, and patent-worthy
artifacts

14. Q&A