Breakout session at MERL Tech 2018. Agile - commonly used in the tech community - offers a number of sticky ideas and principles we can adapt in international development and MERL to improve how we work and support adaptive management. In this breakout, we focus on three sticky ideas: creating and being guided by user stories, prioritization, and limiting WIP.

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souktel.org | @souktel
Adapting Agile
for MERL
Gina Assaf, Trent Hone, and
Amanda Makulec

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What is Agile?
• From the 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
• Agile is a set of principles that manifest as specific
practices
Cycles of
Inspection
and
Adaptation
Time

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• User Stories – to better identify value
• Prioritization – to focus on the most valuable
• Limiting Work in Progress (WIP) – to ensure delivery
“Sticky” Agile Practices

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User Stories
Create Dialog to Identify Value

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What is a User Story?
• A user story provides an clear understanding of the
value the feature or function will bring to a stakeholder
Example: As a participant at MERL Tech DC, I want
to connect with others in the field so that I can
learn the latest techniques
• Initiates a conversation to create shared
understanding

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User Story Template
As a [type of user], I can [goal] so that
[value]
Title:
Notes:
Assumptions:
Estimate:
Constraints:
As an [actor],
I want [capability],
so that [value].

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“Three Cs” of User Stories*
• Card – Fit it on a note card
• Conversation – Talk about the story as a group
• Confirmation – Define acceptance criteria
* - Credit to Ron Jeffries
As an [actor],
I want [capability],
so that [value].

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INVEST Model for User Stories
• Independent - stands alone
• Negotiable - not fixed; allows for innovation
• Valuable - brings value to the stakeholder
• Estimable - able to be estimated and prioritized
• Small - just a few days of work
• Testable - clear acceptance criteria

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“Goldilocks” Approach to Stories
• Not too big
• Not too small
• Just right
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/The_three_bears_pg_11.jpg

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“Too Big” User Story Example
As a Donor,
I want to know your impact,
so that I can tell Congress.

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“Too Small” User Story Example
As a Field-Based Program
Manager, I want a button,
so that I can run a report.

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“Just Right” User Story Example
As a Field-Based Program Manager, I
want to know which clinics have low
stock levels for antimalarials so that I
can plan next week’s deliveries.

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Writing
User Stories
Work in teams to define user
stories for your dashboard.
Using the example case study:
• Focus on one stakeholder group
at a time.
• Write between 5 and 7 new user
stories based on your perception
of the stakeholders’ needs.
• Discuss these user stories with
your teammates.
Exercise:

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Prioritization
Focus on the Most Valuable

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An Agile “Backlog”
• A prioritized list of all potential work
• Single source of requirements
• Ordered list of user stories, features, enhancements, fixes, etc…
• Refined over time
• Dynamic
• Frequently re-ordered
• Transparent, visible

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A Backlog Visualized
Next batch
of stories
Future
Features
Future
Releases
Priority
Order
Granularity
Fine
CoarseLower
Higher

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Planning Releases with a Backlog
I
Iteration 1
Your Dashboard Backlog
Iteration 2
Iteration 3
Release 2
Release 3
Release 1Granularity
Fine
Coarse

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Prioritization
Work in teams to prioritize the user
stories for your dashboard.
Using your user stories:
• Collaboratively stack rank them
(most important on top, least
important on bottom).
Think about:
• Who is your audience?
• What is most important to them?
• What criteria are you using to
prioritize?
Exercise:

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Limit WIP
Focus and Finish
Inspect and Adapt

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All Agile Approaches Limit WIP
• Why?
• Because smaller amounts of work:
• Provide faster feedback
• Improve predictability
• Accelerate the delivery of value
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ramp_meter_from_Miller_Park_Way_to_I-94_east_in_Milwaukee.jpg

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Lower WIP Allows Faster Delivery
High WIP: Work 8 jobs in
parallel, with 4 team members
splitting their time among them.
Low WIP: Focus 2 team members
on each job, complete it, then move
to the next.
Team Spread: Team Focused:
Days Days
Jobs
Jobs

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Agile Supports Adaptive Management
• A structured, iterative process
of robust decision making in
the face of uncertainty
• Reduce uncertainty over time
through feedback and
monitoring
Cycles of
Inspection
and
Adaptation

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MVP = Minimum Viable Product
• Minimum set of important information
• What can you release to your stakeholders (or most
important stakeholder) to provide value?
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:From_minimum_viable_product_to_more_complex_product.png

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Selecting an
MVP
Work in teams to define an
MVP for your dashboard.
Using your prioritized list of
user stories:
• Identify the 3 most important
to place in your MVP.
Does the need to pick just 3
change your prioritization?
Exercise:

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Questions?
Thank you!