This document provides an overview and introduction to agile concepts and Scrum. It begins with the objectives to provide a baseline understanding of agile and discusses why agile principles are needed in contrast to traditional predictive management. It then defines what agile and Scrum are, focusing on transparency, inspection and adaptation. Potential pitfalls of misapplying agile concepts are also covered. The document aims to educate practitioners on doing agile properly through mentored learning and finding the right approach for each situation.

1. Agile 101: Back to Basics
6th July 2016
@AucklandAgile
info@agileprofessionals.net

2. Vision: Connecting Auckland’s Agile
Community through Learning and
Sharing

3. Outcomes
1. Agile Speed Introductions
2. Enhance networking – try networking before the event
3. Open Evening type session

4. This event
• Restrooms
• Fire exits
• Timing
– Talk
– Open Space

5. Better education. By practitioners
Edwin Dando
+ GM Assurity Auckland
+ Helping re-wire how companies think
+ Professional Scrum Trainer with Scrum.org
+ Evidence Based Management™ Engagement Manager
+ PMP, CSP, PST
+ edwin.dando@assurity.co.nz
+ @edwindando
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6.  “Agile” is a term being used everywhere
 Manifesto is an abstract set of principles – it doesn’t tell you how agile
works
 Many misguided attempts that have damaged agile reputation
 Most people try to just read a book and do it. And then get in trouble.
 In order to get the most of out Agile Auckland it is a good idea to get a
bassline understanding in place!
Talk Objectives

7. Why agile?
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8. 20th century management
+ Plan to execute, execute the plan
+ Focus on
o removing variability
o economies of scale
+ Result
o Efficient mass production
o Inability to change
o Long lead times
o Business becomes predictable
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9. Adaptive thinking
 In warfare predictability = death
 It does in business too
 “If you are not moving at the speed of
the marketplace you’re already dead –
you just haven’t stopped breathing
yet.” Jack Welch
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10. Assurity Consulting Limited • Commercial in Confidence • Company Presentation Nov 2016
“More than one-third of businesses today will not survive the next 10
years. Companies should not miss the market transition or business
model nor underestimate your competitor of the future —not your
competitor of the past“
- Gartner

11. Remember these guys?
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12. Assurity Consulting Limited • Commercial in Confidence • © 2016

13. So just how manoeuvrable are you?
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14. What is agile?
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15. Assurity Consulting Limited • Commercial in Confidence • Company Presentation Nov 2016
The Roots of Agile
Jim Coplien - Developer Day Karlsruhe June 2016

16. Assurity Consulting Limited • Commercial in Confidence • Company Presentation Nov 2016
The Roots of Agile
Jim Coplien - Developer Day Karlsruhe June 2016

17. The Agile Manifesto
“We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others
do it. Through this work we have come to value:
That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the
left more”
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Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
Working software over comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Responding to change over following a plan
http://www.agilemanifesto.org

18. Agile is a
mindset, not a
process
Methods
Practices
Principles
Values
Mindset

19. SLIDE | 19

20. There is no methodology/framework called “Agile” and there is no “agile process”
The truth about “Agile”

21. Traditional thinking – relay race
Time
How are we
doing?
Analysis
Design
Code
Test

22. Agile thinking
Time
How are we
doing?
Analysis
Design
Code
Test
Small slices of
“done” software
5 things are 100%
done and can be
shipped. 10 things
are not done
That last feature
wasn’t well received.
We need to do
something differently

23. The Scrum Sandwich
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Large, up front plan
Fixed requirements
Fixed project budgets
Change discouraged
“No stuff-ups” culture
“Don’t challenge” culture
Minimise change
Break-fix culture
Cost centre culture
ITIL
Process in batches
Business CustomerDelivery Operations
ITIL/WaterfallScrumWaterfall
batch

24. An agile company
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Concept/Vision
Accept ambiguity
Strong customer focus
Incremental budget
Safe-to-fail culture
Quality infrastructure
Automation
Value centre
Flow driven delivery
Customer focus
Business CustomerDelivery Operations
Continuous DeliveryScrumLean Planning
Experiment
to validate
assumptions
& test market
Validated learning: reduced business risk, stronger customer focus
measureempirical business decisions

25.  Scrum (n): A lightweight framework within which people can address complex
problems, and productively and creatively deliver products of the highest
possible value.
 Has clearly defined roles – accountability is very specific
 Does not specify engineering or any other work practices
 Is brutally honest
 Simple to understand
 Difficult to master
Scrum

26. The three pillars of Scrum
Transparency
InspectionAdaption
Decisions are made based on the
perceived state of the artefacts.
When artefacts are transparent,
these decisions have a sound
basis.
When artefacts are incompletely
transparent, these decisions can
be flawed.

27. • Go watch this video
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BWbaZs1M_8 Mostly right but has bugs.
• All meetings in Scrum inspect and adapt based on transparency.
• Sprint Planning – inspect the Product Backlog, adapt a Goal + Sprint Backlog
• Daily Scrum/stand-up is NOT a commitment meeting, it is a daily planning
meeting. Inspect and the Sprint Backlog, adapt the Sprint Backlog. Based
on what we have done/learned in the last 24 hours, what is the most
valuable thing we should do next to progress towards the Sprint Goal?
• The Sprint Review is not a “show and tell” or “a demo”. Inspect the
increment, adapt the Product Backlog – based on what we have just done
(the demo part), what is the most sensible thing to do next?
• The Sprint Retrospective – we inspect and adapt the entire process
What Is Scrum?

28. What is Kanban?
A way of managing the flow of work through a system
 Go watch this video
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8dYLbJiTUE
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29.  Picking out the bits that suit you
 Doing mechanics without understanding philosophy
 Agile from the neck down
 Reading a book then just doing it
 Doing it without telling your manager
Common Failure Scenarios
Why?
An enterprise can use Scrum as a tool to become the best
product development and management organization in its
market. Scrum will highlight every deficiency and
impediment that the enterprise has so the enterprise can
fix them and change into such an organization.
- Ken Schwaber, Scrum is Hard and Disruptive, 2006
Why?
Scrum often results in a change in culture. It isn’t a
methodology. It is a philosophy and success requires a
deep understanding.
Why?
Agile delivery and predictive command & control
management/governance are incongruent and will result in
significant organisational tension.
Why?
Change requires a focused, company-wide change lead
from the top via appropriate behaviours. It is difficult to
master Scrum and change from a book.
Why?
Scrum is all about transparency and honesty. No manager
wants to look like they don’t know what is going on.

30. Our approach
+ Teaching others to do what we do
o Mentored learning & Coaching
+ Find the right approach for each unique situation
o An agile framework/approach
o Communication practices – how we achieve transparency
o Technical practices – quality, testable software
o Continuous deployment – frequent releases of valuable software
o Value management – shared understanding of what value means
o Kanban/Lean at portfolio level + operations
o Evidence Based Management™
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31. Questions – open space
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