Massimo Azzolini is the founder and project manager of RedTurtle, an Italian software development company based in Ferrara that uses Plone. He discusses how RedTurtle is transitioning to more agile methods and values. RedTurtle has 15 employees and works on many projects at once. Azzolini reviews the agile manifesto, scrum methodology, and challenges of implementing agile practices at RedTurtle, such as involving customers and using kanban boards. He asks for suggestions on project management roles and tools to aid the transition to more agile work.

1. Agile values, methods and software agile.open.connected
how RedTurtle is moving into
this exciting world Massimo Azzolini

2. Massimo Azzolini
Founder - Project manager
RedTurtle - Ferrara - Italy
massimo@redturtle.it
@massimoazzolini
www.redturtle.it
Massimo Azzolini

3. How are we made?
Started in 1999, Ferrara - Italy
A snapshot:
• 15 people
• 2 designer
• 9 developer
• 2 (+2) project manager
• 1 biz admin
• 1 seller
• 4 freelancer (not in RT)
• 4 partner involved in 2012
• We use Plone to rule the world
Massimo Azzolini

4. How are we made?
in 2012
• 77 projects
• 347 customer requests
• 1943 tickets solved
• 20K+ worked hours
• 3 teams
• (too) many “uncloseable” projects
• “hurry” projects
Massimo Azzolini

5. ISO 9001

6. so, agile..

7. 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
Massimo Azzolini

8. 12 principles 1/3
➡ Satisfy the customer
➡ Welcome changing
requirements
➡ deliver working software
frequently
➡ Business people and
developers work together
➡ Build projects around motivated
individuals.
Massimo Azzolini

9. 12 principles 2/3
➡ Face-to-face conversation
➡ Working software is the primary
measure of progress
➡ Agile processes promote
sustainable development
➡ Attention to technical and design
excellence
Massimo Azzolini

10. 12 principles 3/3
➡ Simplicity is essential
‣ it’s the art of maximizing the
amount of work not done
➡ The best architectures,
requirements, and designs
emerge from self-organizing
teams
➡ Retrospective
Massimo Azzolini

11. Scrum

12. Scrum doesn’t
completely fit to us
➡ at lease 5 people in a team
➡ on demand activities
➡ customer not completely involved
‣ “I’ll send you an email”
➡ we can steal values:
‣ respect, commitment, focus,
courage, openness,...
➡ ..and practice/tools:
‣ backlog, sprint, retrospective,
standup meeting, iteration,
release
Massimo Azzolini

13. Kanban

14. yo man,
Plone..
XPUG @ziobrando
Bologna!!
@gaunilone @bettazzoni
@nusco
Meet your local Agile UG

15. trainings and conferences

16. the path
➡ Teams
➡ Iterations
➡ Sprints
➡ Agile team to embrace the verb
➡ Involve the customers
‣ time and material
‣ fixed price
➡ Introduce 1-2 new tools/methods
after every agile meeting, misure
it, refactor it.
Massimo Azzolini

17. Changes, problems
and drawbacks
➡ fit customer into the iteration logic
‣ agile contracts
➡ kanban board
‣ personal vs group vs project
‣ online tool or wall?
‣ how to share it
‣ too verbose
➡ Stand up meetings
➡ WIP limit and customers’ delays
Massimo Azzolini

18. PM, SM or PO?
➡ one role to rule them all
‣ contract, team selection, startup,
analysis, scheduling, team support,
quality assurance, meet the customer,
budget, deadlines, close the project
➡ do only things that value
‣ kickoff, consultancy, prioritize things,
team works with customer?, remove
obstacles, motivate team, manage
budget, check deadlines
➡ “I don’t want to close your tickets”
‣ I hate the tester role
‣ code review, pair programming
Massimo Azzolini

19. other “amenities”
➡ meetings time boxed and pre-
organized (SM rulez)
➡ value your time
‣ prioritize your work
‣ use pomodoro technique
➡ alerts/write everything
➡ pair programming/code review
‣ not as often as we would
Massimo Azzolini

20. Which tools?
➡ Email?!
➡ Share Documents
‣ Google Drive
‣ Dropbox
➡ Organize tasks
‣ Trello o Kanbanery
‣ Simple management
(or other plone based
solutions)
‣ Basecamp
Massimo Azzolini

21. getpenelope.github.com
Penelope

22. Questions ?
Massimo Azzolini
RedTurtle’s co-founder
and project manager
massimo@redturtle.it
tw: @massimoazzolini