This document discusses gateway reviews and how they can be adapted to assure agile projects. Traditionally, gateway reviews reinforce a waterfall approach with rigid phases and documentation requirements. However, agile projects utilize iterative development rather than waterfall phases. The document proposes using "outcome assurance" with a hybrid approach, focusing gateway reviews on assessing outcomes rather than processes. This allows agile and traditional projects to be assured together in a mixed "hybrid" program with flexibility depending on project type.

1. Brian Wernham
Gateway reviews:
Waterfall biased or Agile ready?
brian.wernham@gmail.com
@BrianUkulele
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2. Why are YOU here today?
What is
‘Agile’?
‘Agile’ only for
web
development?
‘Agile’ only for
tiny stuff?
‘Agile’ = loss of
‘Agile’ in
control?
mission critical
projects?
What is
‘DSDM’?
What is
‘Scrum’?
Gated assurance
processes for
agile projects?
http://bit.ly/About-Brian
@BrianUkulele
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3. This talk:
What are Gateway reviews?
What is ‘Agile’?
Can a Gated approach be used to assure
‘Agile’ projects?
… and what about complex change
programmes?
http://bit.ly/About-Brian
@BrianUkulele
3

4. Waterfall projects drive a waterfall
assurance approach…
Traditional
Project
Design
Build
Test
Deploy
White box
Assurance
‘P’ Level
Process
Assurance

5. Waterfall - Let’s dig deeper…
What is the waterfall approach?
Why does it often cause
problems on innovation projects?
What are Gateway Reviews?
Do Gateway reviews reinforce weaknesses
in the waterfall model?
http://bit.ly/About-Brian
@BrianUkulele
5

6. The “Big Design Up Front”
mind-set
I had better
ask for all
possible
features…
At last – a chance
to get what I
want!
http://bit.ly/About-Brian
@BrianUkulele
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7. The Big Design Up Front is born…
http://bit.ly/About-Brian
@BrianUkulele
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8. The result of Big Design Up
Front…
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9. http://bit.ly/About-Brian
@BrianUkulele
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10. As difficult as trying to swim up a
waterfall…
http://bit.ly/About-Brian
@BrianUkulele
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11. 11

12. 12

13. Gateway reviews – as interpreted
for waterfall projects
Source: Welsh Government 2012
http://bit.ly/About-Brian
@BrianUkulele
Acronyms:
- Strategic Outline Case (SOC)
- Outline Business Case (OBC)
- Full Business Case (FBC)
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14. What does an ‘Agile’ project look
like:
- a governance perspective
Innovation
project
P/type
P/type
P/type
P/type
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15. Examples of Agile Methods
- A project level method: ‘DSDM’
Source: DSDM Consortium (DSDM = Driving Strategy, Delivering More)
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16. Examples of Agile Methods
- A team level method: ‘Scrum’
Source: Mike Cohn
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17. ‘Agile’ projects invert the ‘irontriangle’:
Source: DSDM Consortium
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18. Don’t be slaves to process!
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19. Be outcome focussed:
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20. ‘O’ for Outcome Assurance…
‘P’ Level
Process
Assurance
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21. Taking an appropriate assurance
approach…
Traditional
Project
Innovation
project
Hybrid
Programme
Traditional
Project
Design
Build
P/type
Innovation
Project
P/type
Test
Deploy
Traditional
Project
P/type
Innovation
Project
White box
Assurance
Hybrid
Assurance
P/type
Black box
Assurance
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22. Annual ‘O’ Gates
Programme Gateway Reviews
Programme Close ‘O’ Gate
Project
Strategic
Assessment
Initial Gate ‘O’
Strategic Assessment
Hybrid Gate Assurance?
‘P’ level
Gates 1-5 repeated
Process
for each project
Assurance
‘O’ Level
Gate 0 repeated
Outcome
annually
Assurance
Source: Welsh Government 2012 – amended to correctly show iterative Gates O
http://bit.ly/About-Brian @BrianUkulele
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23. Managing and assuring agile/waterfall hybrid
change programmes – a recent article…
http://bit.ly/About-Brian
@BrianUkulele

24. Thanks for listening!
brian.wernham@gmail.com
Blog: brianwernham.wordpress.com
@BrianUkulele
http://bit.ly/About-Brian
Visit
bit.ly/agileassurance-offer
for delegates’ 50%
discount
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