For many years IT personnel have sought a better way to manage very complicated systems with an eye on schedule, scope, and budget. Agile methods have been found to be a very successful approach for handling these complex projects. But, why is it beneficial to switch to an agile methodology, and what are the practical implications for you and your staff? Join us to learn about the agile framework and why to adopt agile methodologies in your workplace to increase the effectiveness of your programs and processes.

1. Agile Approach: How to Identify
Requirements, Contain Scope
and Manage Budget
Confidential – Do Not Distribute

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Yeah…We are an Agile shop.

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“The scope is undefined, we
have no idea where we are
going, or how much this will
cost, or how long this will
take!”
Every CIO Ever

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“The scope is undefined, we
have no idea where we are
going, or how much this will
cost, or how long this will take!”

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What is the Scope?
Where we are going?
How much?
How long?

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What is the Scope?

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Scope Lives in the Backlog
• A backlog is a list of
all user stories/tasks
to be completed
during the project
- Standard
Implementation
Backlog (SIB)
• Describes all the
work to be done
• Used to forecast the
project
• Groom the backlog
daily

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Scope Lives in the Backlog
• Visible
• Constantly Updated
• Flexible
• Develops over the life of the Project
- Grows organically
- Gateway for Change
• Source for developing real documentation

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A Reusable Backlog?
• Unorthodox practice of following an Agile pattern for “assembly
line” projects
- Very complex
- How do we respond to the client learning along the way?
- How do we facilitate the client to learn?
• Standardizing a backlog around repeatable process
- Allows us to track and measure
- Still gives us the flexibility for change
◦ And an ability to estimate the impact of the change to the project based on data

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User Stories
• Starting from a set of core stories
when ever possible
- Core Stories are written as tasks
• Discovered scope developed into
more traditional stories
- Follow tradition User Story title
format
◦ As a <user> I can <verb> because/so
that/in support of <business
justification>
- Need to have acceptance criteria
- Need to be weighed
- Might need a wireframe
• Share and validate the stories with
the client

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Where are we going?

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Sprints
A Sprint is a specific, fixed period of time, consistent
through the project which act as mileposts for the project
team.
• Time Box not Feature Box
• Starts with a planning meeting
- Team Reviews the backlog and commits to work
• Sprint 0
- Initial sprint planning for the entire project
- Groom the backlog
◦ Remove tasks that are not applicable
◦ Add tasks that are specific to this project
◦ Update weights of tasks based on complexity

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From Sprint to Sprint
• Look for ‘Use Cases’ to develop
• Looks for themes from sprint to sprint that work to build a
Feature
• Review the backlog to ensure it
- Aligns to your vision
- Has high priority items at the top
- User Stories are mature

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Demo
The sprint builds to the demo. At the demo the team will
present all of the user stories/tasks and demonstrate how
they were completed.
• Interactive
• No Surprises
- During the sprint the team should be checking in with you to validate
that assumptions, wireframes, prototypes are correct.
• After the demo your team should be ready to put your hands on
the solutions

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Retrospective
• Occurs at the end of a sprint
- Typically as part of the demo
• We need to set some time aside to talk about the process
• Opening this up to the client to share
• The team meets privately for their retrospective
• Implement common sense recommendations ASAP
- Tune and Tweak the process and test it out
- If it doesn’t work back it out
- Avoid analysis paralysis

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How much?

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Dealing with Change or Unknowns
• Story Coverage
- The team’s confidence with how well the backlog
covers the work to be done and the associated
risks
- The team should review and rate story coverage
at regular intervals
• Ghost Stories
- Building a reserve for unknowns that come up on
the project
- Based on the story coverage it is a calculated
points
- Not to be used for out of scope requirements

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Dealing with Unknowns

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Dealing with Unknowns

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Dealing with Unknowns

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Cost Estimation
• Estimation Summary
- Description
- Definition of Done
- Features
• Start with what you know
• Consistent Estimation Process
• Realize the Impact of Change

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Requirement Analysis
Description
Definition
of Done
Features
List
Project
Summary
• Similar to an Executive
Summary
• Business Justification
• Summary of what the
enhancement should
accomplish
• Used to validate user stories
• The first break down of
the larger requirement

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How long?

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Developing a model and forecast
• Data flows in from the team
• Avoid pushing project tasks
• Realize that we are always learning
• The backlog is designed to flex
• Sprints give us a “measured
mile” so how do we leverage
that data to develop a model
or forecast

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Project Burnup (or Burndown!)
• Collecting data from each sprint
• Allows us to visualize the
progress of the project
• Over time we gain confidence on
when the project will complete
• Let’s look at the layers of data…

28. Burnup Chart

29. Burnup Chart

30. Burnup Chart

31. Burnup Chart

32. Burnup Chart

33. Burnup Chart

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Now Let’s Get Agile!

35. Thank You!
For questions, reach out to the Marketing Department
info@personifycorp.com
Confidential – Do Not Distribute