Slicing for Organisational Agility - A #NoEstimates Method

1. Neil Killick, Portfolio Manager neilkillick.com neil2killick@gmail.com @neil_killick Slicing for Organisational Agility using The Slicing Heuristic A #NoEstimates Method for Faster & More Predictable Delivery Copyright Neil Killick, 2015

2. Not another story slicing talk!

3. FAST Shinkansen trains can reach speeds of up to 320km/h PREDICTABLE 13 trains per hour between Tokyo & Osaka (train every 3-5 mins) In 2014, avg delay was 54 seconds, including uncontrollable causes such as natural disasters RELIABLE 5 billion passengers, 150 million per year

4. How did they do it? ❏ Built dedicated lines for high speed rail, so not slowed down by slower trains ❏ No road crossings ❏ Specially designed tracks

5. You can’t just make a train faster or more reliable. You must create a network for fast, reliable trains.

6. Agile is ordering tapas til you’re full, not ordering a 10-course meal.

7. Is Agile Estimation really helping us? ❏ Predictive ❏ Optimised for speed ❏ Points are abstract ❏ Focused on cost ❏ Developer-centric ❏ False sense of security

8. So, What is a Slicing Heuristic? ❏ An explicit policy that describes how to "slice" work to help us achieve: ❏ Faster time to market* ❏ Better predictability** ❏ How? ❏ Define work with a consistent & shared language ❏ Replace deterministic estimation rituals with: ❏ Slicing rituals ❏ Empirical measurement of actual cycle times for all work types

9. slicing …[creating] relatively thin, broad piece[s] cut from an object having some bulk or volume… [ref: yourdictionary.com] heuristic ...any approach to problem solving, learning, or discovery that employs a practical methodology not guaranteed to be optimal or perfect, but sufficient for the immediate goals. [ref: Wikipedia]

10. How To: 5-step cycle 1. Define & agree work types 2. Agree slicing policy for each work type 3. Slice work, Just-In-Time 4. Do work + measure cycle times 5. Inspect & adapt policies Initiative Capability Feature Story Build Slice Measure Learn

11. 1. Define & agree work types - An example ❏ Initiative - Strategic theme, likely to last several months or longer ❏ Capability - Desired customer outcome, likely to last several iterations ❏ Feature - Proposed solution to deliver a capability, likely to last a few weeks ❏ Story - User capability needed to make a feature, likely to last a few days

12. 2. Agree slicing policy for each work type ❏ Define when to stop slicing ❏ State desired cycle time & variation ❏ Make policies explicit & visible (HT Kanban Method) Initiative Capability Feature Story ❏ Max 3 Capabilities ❏ Cycle time < 6 months ❏ Std dev < 3 weeks ❏ Max 2 Features ❏ Cycle time < 2 months ❏ Std dev < 6 days ❏ Max 4 Stories ❏ Cycle time < 2 weeks ❏ Std dev < 3.5 days ❏ 1 Acceptance Test ❏ Cycle time < 3 days ❏ Std dev < 0.5 days

13. 3. Slice work Just-In-Time ❏ 1 card for each work item coming into the system ❏ Conversations between appropriate people at appropriate cadence for each work type ❏ Remove/de-prioritise options ❏ Organise remaining options into appropriate work types e.g. push things back upstream

14. Initiative Capability 1 Capability 2 Capability 3 Feature 1 Feature 2 Feature 1 Feature 2 Feature 1 Feature 2 Story 1 Story 2 Story 3 Story 4 Story 1 Story 2 Story 1 Story 3 Story 2 Story 2 Story 1 Story 1 Story 3 Story 2 Story 4 Story 1 Story 3 Story 2

15. To Do Doing Done = 1 elapsed day Easy to add a dot at daily standup, or just update the data daily in a spreadsheet Story 1 Story 2 Story 3 Story 4 Story 5 Elapsed days 2 3 1 1 2 Days Stories We need this data! 4. Do work + measure cycle times

16. 5. Inspect & adapt policies ❏ How long is it taking to deliver work? ❏ Analyse statistical patterns for work types ❏ Do we have desired speed to market? ❏ Do we have desired level of predictability?

17. What might happen? 1. Work takes longer than desired (high cycle time) 2. Work is unpredictable overall (high variation) 3. Work is unpredictable within a work type 4. New work types emerge ❏ e.g. MVP/MMF 5. Work type is retired ❏ e.g. move to FDD, no more stories

18. High Cycle Time We can try... ❏ Creating clearer story definition &/or acceptance criteria (Definitions of Ready & Done) ❏ Better acceptance tests upstream to clarify all user scenarios, e.g. 3 Amigos ❏ Slicing work more ruthlessly for simplicity and unambiguity ❏ Reducing WIP at one or more levels Leading to: ❏ Simpler stories, more options & lower risk ❏ Shorter feedback loops for faster learning & delivery of customer value ❏ Reduced delays such as hand-offs, story defects, other queues & dependencies on people outside of the team

19. Variable Cycle Time We can try... ❏ Being more consistent in the way work is defined & broken down ❏ Keeping WIP consistent ❏ Minimising distractions Leading to… ❏ Managers can use empirical data for more predictable delivery forecasting, rather than relying on crystal ball gazing by the team ❏ Reduced stress on the team ❏ Increased transparency & trust with stakeholders

20. Benefits ❏ Empirical ❏ Optimised for conversations ❏ Time is a universal unit ❏ Promotes collaboration “up the chain” ❏ Build the right thing (right solution for right problem) ❏ Control risk (cost/schedule) Initiative Capability Feature Story ❏ Max 3 Capabilities ❏ Cycle time < 6 months ❏ Std dev < 3 weeks ❏ Max 2 Features ❏ Cycle time < 2 months ❏ Std dev < 6 days ❏ Max 4 Stories ❏ Cycle time < 2 weeks ❏ Std dev < 3.5 days ❏ 1 Acceptance Test ❏ Cycle time < 3 days ❏ Std dev < 0.5 days

21. *Faster time to market ❏ Slicing makes work simple & unambiguous - naturally leads to “small” ❏ Slicing reduces risk ❏ Slicing exposes options that we can throw away or delay So, making slicing an explicit, measurable activity across our portfolio is likely to increase speed to market.

22. **Better predictability ❏ Work at all levels can be forecast using empirical data ❏ Makes portfolio views extremely useful ❏ Instantly know that e.g. a feature is 2-4 weeks ❏ Collaboration & quality of conversations are improved So, making slicing an explicit, measurable activity across our portfolio is likely to increase predictability.

23. All we need is a continuous improvement mindset. And a method.

24. Build Slice Measure Learn 1. Define & agree work types 2. Agree slicing policy for each work type 3. Slice work, Just-In-Time 4. Do work + measure cycle times 5. Inspect & adapt policies

25. DISCLAIMER This will only work if you try it.

26. Neil Killick, Portfolio Manager neilkillick.com neil2killick@gmail.com @neil_killick Copyright Neil Killick, 2015

Slicing for Organisational Agility - A #NoEstimates Method

Killick Agile Consulting Services

Slicing for Organisational Agility - A #NoEstimates Method