Google Suites or Microsoft Office 365, are all you need to start your Agile Implementation! Senior Leaders and Staff are told they need to first buy or trial Tools to guide their Agile Implementation. This is bass-ackwards! Vendors and consultants drive Agile Implementations. They are paid by the number of seats you buy. Don’t buy into that! Use familiar tools to leverage hyperlinks and collaborations. Lay out, pilot, and implement Agile processes across at least a couple of teams. Tweak those processes over a couple of projects. Then track how much manual time you are spending, then consider Software Tools. Today we show how to use your free or low-cost productivity tools at your shop. You can start, pilot, and implement Agile without buying tools.

1. © 2019 All Rights Reserved
Agile Without Tools:
Get Started with MS Office or
Google Suite at Low Cost
Subtitle: Do NOT Buy Tools First!
Authored by Darrel Raynor, PMP, MBA
President/CEO & Founder, Data Analysis & Results, Inc.
Agile Transformation - Business Process Change Management
Interim, Fractional, Full-time COO/CIO, EVP/SVP
www.DataAnalysis.com | +1-512-850-4402 | Info@DataAnalysis.com

2. © 2019
Abstract
Google Suites or Microsoft Office 365, are all you need to
start your Agile Implementation! Senior Leaders and Staff are told they
need to first buy or trial Tools to guide their Agile Implementation.
This is bass-ackwards!
Vendors and consultants drive Agile Implementations. They are paid by
the number of seats you buy. Don’t buy into that! Use familiar tools to
leverage hyperlinks and collaborations.
Lay out, pilot, and implement Agile processes across at least a couple of
teams. Tweak those processes over a couple of projects. Then track how
much manual time you are spending, then consider Software Tools.
Today we show how to use your free or low-cost productivity tools at
your shop. You can start, pilot, and implement Agile without buying tools.
page 2

3. © 2019
Agenda
1. Why Use Agile Without Tools
2. Plan for Agile Without Tools
3. Collaboratively draft Agile processes
4. Pilot with a ‘Friendly’ team and Product Owner
5. Tweak Agile Processes over a couple of projects
6. Track how much Manual Time you are Spending
7. Then and only then, consider Software Tools
page 3

4. © 2019
Question Show of Hands
Agile Transformation
1. Have you participated in?
(Keep your hands up…)
2. How many bought tools 1st?
(How did that work?)
“...if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail”
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_the_instrument

5. © 2019
New Frontiers: Transforming to and Championing Agile
page 5
Moving to Agile is a large Business Transformation effort!

6. © 2018 All Rights Reserved
What Agile Transformation Means...

7. © 2019
Why Use Agile Without Tools
Reasons to Not Choose Tools
● Avoid or postpone time delay
and costs
○ Tool and vendor research
○ Bid request, evaluation, and
contract approval and negotiation
○ Tool purchase or subscription
○ Tool implementation, training,
configuration, consulting
page 7

8. © 2019
Why Use Agile Without Tools
Reasons to Not Choose Tools
● Change Saturation
○ Team already has lots of change
ahead…
○ Lose momentum as Leaders and Team
fool around with the Tool(s)
○ Suggestions abound on other systems
to bridge to, convert, and set standards
page 8
“Tool, Thy Name Is Distraction!” - Darrel Raynor on many engagements...

9. © 2019
Plan for Agile Without Tools
Use Project Management techniques
● Schedule - Practice Agile: Work estimates
● Resources Needed - Executives up to CxO, Internal Customers, Staff, Team(s)
● Executive Involvement - Regular Alignment Sessions
● Communications - Formal including Escalation, Informal Permission
● Ongoing Processes - To change habits you need 16 weeks of stability
Such as
● High-Level Planning & Expectations, formal Estimate Acceptance, Changes &
New Stories go in Product Backlog, and Retrospectives
page 9

10. © 2019
Collaboratively draft Agile processes
Use your Productivity Suite - MS Office or
preferrably Google Suites
● No new Tools to learn, just processes
● No new Costs, Evaluations, Training, etc.
● Team is already Setup…
● Linking is Critical
page 10
PROJECT
PROCESSES

11. © 2019
Collaboratively draft Agile processes
Bring in an Expert to Save Time Building
Processes
● Start with department or Team goals
● Adapt the expert’s processes to meet goals
(Example: Projects Always Slip - Timebox # Sprints)
● Collaborate with several Leaders and Team
● Quickly pilot Suite-Friendly processes
page 11
EXTENDED
TEAM
CORE TEAM

12. © 2019
Collaboratively draft Agile processes
Agile Documents & Their Processes
● Project Logs (SS, Update during project then archive,
example name: Logs-[projectname]Project) w/tabs
○ ProductBacklog, EverGreen (Queue of Product Features not yet Dispositioned)
○ TaskBacklog (used to negotiate all tasks in and out of Sprints)
Pre-, During, & Post-Sprint Tasks
○ DefectsLog (negotiate anything that is out of plan)
○ Question-->Assumption-->Fact Log (used to record and track items for clarification)
○ RiskLog (houses Risk Analysis output)
○ DecisionLog (used to negotiate & document decisions as they are found & decided)
page 12
LOGS &
DOCS

13. © 2019
Collaboratively draft Agile processes
Agile (Project) Meetings & Their Processes
● Project [Project Name] Planning - 2 hours
(likely 2 or several as needed)
● Project [Project Name] Kickoff - 2 hours (once)
● Project [Project Name] Status & Risk - 1 hour (once at start & recurs at
agreed intervals & on demand)
● Project [Project Name] Test - 1 hour (on demand, driven by complete code)
● Project [Project Name] Retrospective - 1 hour
page 13
EXTENDED
TEAM
CORE TEAM

14. © 2019
Collaboratively draft Agile processes
Agile (Sprint) Meetings & Their Processes
● Project [Project Name] Sprint Planning (1st Half) - 2.5hr
● Project [Project Name] Sprint Planning (2nd Half) - 2.5hr
● Project [Project Name] Sprint Standup - ~15 minutes (recurs at agreed
intervals & on demand)
● Project [Project Name] Sprint Pre-Planning - .5hr
● Project [Project Name] Sprint Demo - ~1 hour
● Project [Project Name] Sprint Retrospective - 1 hour
page 14
EXTENDED
TEAM
CORE TEAM

15. © 2019
Pilot with a ‘Friendly’ team and Product Owner
Much Smoother to Pilot with Those Who
● Want Agile Benefits
● Trust the Agile Coach
● Embrace (or at least tolerate…) Change
● Want Their Project Work To Start Now
page 15
CORE TEAM
PRODUCT
OWNER

16. © 2019
Tweak Agile Processes over a couple of projects
Lead By Example
● Ask for Feedback
Early & Often
● Hold Retrospectives
Every Sprint
● Act on Feedback and
Acknowledge Team
● Edit Docs in all Meetings
page 16
PROJECT
PROCESSES

17. © 2019
Track how much Manual Time you are Spending
Track Your Staff Time Before Considering Tools
● How much time does it really take to use manual tools?
● How much time would it really save to use Vendor
Tools?
● Compare - it may be that Vendor Tools never have a
positive ROI, especially considering the Apps and other
work your team could be cranking out...
page 17

18. © 2019
Then and only then, consider Software Tools
Vendor Software Tools Have Many Costs
● Research, Evaluation, Vendor Negotiation, Contracts
● Purchase or Ongoing License
● Implementation
● Training – Initial and Ongoing
● Adding to Disaster Recovery, Backups, and more…
● Ongoing Support and Vendor Management & Interaction
page 18

19. © 2019 All Rights Reserved
Summary for
Agile Without Tools:
Get Started with Office or
Google Suite at Low Cost
Subtitle: Do NOT Buy Tools First!
Authored by Darrel Raynor, PMP, MBA
President/CEO & Founder, Data Analysis & Results, Inc.
Agile Transformation - Business Process Change Management
Interim, Fractional, Full-time COO/CIO, EVP/SVP
www.DataAnalysis.com | +1-512-850-4402 | Info@DataAnalysis.com

20. © 2019 All Rights Reserved
Data Analysis & Results, Inc. Firm Profile
DA&R is a boutique Management Consulting firm providing Advisory
and Implementation Consulting and other services to Leaders.
Our focus is your improvement using our proven integrated methods to measure and
optimize your areas such as strategy, projects, hiring, costs/expense reviews,
turnaround and interim management, speaking, training, and staffing.

21. © 2019 All Rights Reserved
TRAINING
01 CONSULTING
02 STAFFING
03 SPEAKING
04
Proven Custom and
Off-the-shelf
Training Courses
Flexible Services to
drive Process
Improvement
Project Staff, Interim
Executives, Contract
to Perm
Motivational, Strong
Message Speaking
DA&R Four Service Areas

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TRAINING
01 CONSULTING
02 STAFFING
03 SPEAKING
04
DA&R Serves All Organizations
SMBs
Foun
ders
Publi
c
Enter
prise
s
Innovators, Startups,
Entrepreneurs
Enterprises
across the globe
Public Sector &
Nonprofits
Small/Medium
Businesses

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Your people need to improve their
performance and learn new processes.
Tired of off-the-shelf courses and
consulting that do not impact your
peoples' work?
DA&R's consultants have built dozens of custom
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improve their performance immediately.

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You have a problem to solve or an
opportunity to harness! WE’RE PACKED -
We can have one or more consultants on your site
usually in 48-72 hours. Almost all engagements can
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Just a Few of the Many DA&R Clients

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Just a Few of the Many DA&R Testimonials

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