This document discusses how geographic information systems (GIS) projects can adopt agile methodologies. It provides an overview of agile concepts like iterative development, self-organizing teams, and delivering working software frequently. The document explains how GIS projects involve similar elements to software projects like requirements, design, implementation, and maintenance. It then offers practical advice for implementing agile practices in a GIS context, such as defining user stories, estimating efforts, and tracking progress through burn down charts and velocity metrics. The goal is to help GIS teams work in a more iterative and collaborative way to continuously improve.

1. CAN GIS BE AGILE?
Tim Nolan, Collin County, Texas

2. WHAT IS AGILE?
2

3. AGILE 101
 Agile was coined in
2001 by software
development leaders
 Agile Manifesto
 Iterative & Incremental
 Light-weight
 People-based not plan-
based
 Popular Methodologies:
 Scrum, Extreme
Programming (XP), Lean
3

4. 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
4Source: AgileManifesto.org

5. 12 PRINCIPLES BEHIND THE MANIFESTO
1. Rapid delivery
2. Welcome changes
3. Working software is
delivered frequently
4. Working software is the
principal measure of
progress
5. Sustainable development
6. Daily co-operation between
business and developers
7. Face-to-face conversation (Co-
location)
8. Projects are built around
motivated individuals, who
should be trusted
9. Continuous attention to
technical excellence and good
design
10. Simplicity
11. Self-organizing teams
12. Regular adaptation
5Source: AgileManifesto.org

6. 12 PRINCIPLES BEHIND THE MANIFESTO
1. Rapid delivery
2. Welcome changes
3. Working software is
delivered frequently
4. Working software is the
principal measure of
progress
5. Sustainable development
6. Daily co-operation between
business and developers
7. Face-to-face conversation (Co-
location)
8. Projects are built around
motivated individuals, who
should be trusted
9. Continuous attention to
technical excellence and good
design
10. Simplicity
11. Self-organizing teams
12. Regular adaptation
6Source: AgileManifesto.org

7. SCRUM
7Source: IT-Xynergy.com

8. SCRUM
ROLESCEREMONIES
 Product Owner
 Scrum Master
 Development Team
 Sprint Planning
 Sprint Review
 Sprint Retrospective
 Daily Scrum
 Grooming Session
8
ARTIFACTS
 Product Backlog
 Sprint Backlog
 Sprint Burndown

9. 9

10. 10
What does this have to do with GIS?

11. PROJECTS ARE PROJECTS
 Requirements
 Design
 Implementation
 Testing
 Deployment
 Maintenance
 Agile = rapid delivery
 Loopy, not linear
 Often at the same time
11

12. 12

13. GETTING STARTED
PEOPLE OBJECTS
 Prioritized To-Do list
 Wall space
 Sprint Info
 Team name
 Duration
 Ceremonies
 Index cards
 Tacks …can’t for get tacks
13
 Identify roles
 Scrum Master
 Product Owner
 Scrum Team
 Schedule Ceremonies
 Daily Scrum
 Sprint Planning
 Sprint Review
 Sprint Retrospective
 Story Grooming

14. 14

15. 15
April 2013
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
1 2 3 4 5
Sprint 02 Grooming
Sprint 01 Review
Sprint 01 Retro
Sprint 02 Planning
Start Sprint 02
8 9 10 11 12
15 16 17 18 19
Sprint 03 Grooming Sprint 02 Ends
Sprint 02 Review
Sprint 02 Retro
Sprint 03 Planning
Start Sprint 03
22 23 24 25 26
29 30
Sprint 04 Grooming Sprint 03 Ends

16. 16

17. USER STORIES
 As a <role> I want <goal/desire> so that <value>
 As a GIS’r, I want to use the city boundaries and
roads to create the ESNs for the Service Area layer
so that our Service Area layer will be as accurate
as possible.
17

18. ESTIMATING EFFORT
 Planning poker
 Fibonacci sequence
18

19. SPRINT PLANNING
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• Prioritize Backlog
• Develop Stories/Tasks
• Acceptance Criteria
• Estimate Effort

20. TO DO, DOING, DONE
20

21. MUST ANSWER ME THESE QUESTIONS THREE
 What did I do yesterday?
 What am I doing today?
 What is in my way (impedences)?
21

22. SPRINT REVIEW
 Discuss Story Status
 Acceptance Criteria Met
 Close/Split/Bounce
Stories and Tasks
 Demos
 Quick Meeting
22

23. SPRINT RETROSPECTIVE
 Good, Bad, Ugly
 Sprint Starfish
 Keep doing
 Stop doing
 Start doing
 More of
 Less of
 Be Thorough
 No Management or
Customers!!!
23

24. OUR 1ST SPRINT
24

25. OUR 1ST SPRINT
 Stories Too Big  Epics
 Undersized
 Incomplete
 Not Enough Commitment
 Sprint vs Other Work
25

26. CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
26

27. CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
27

28. CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
28

29. METRICS – BURNDOWN CHARTS
29

30. METRICS – BURNDOWN CHARTS
30

31. METRICS - VELOCITY
31

32. PERSONALIZE
32

33. OBSERVATIONS
 Not as smooth as expected
 Many ways to do the same thing
 Trouble reaching consensus
 Too many Ad hoc requests
 Difficult to plan
 Culture
 Definition of done
33

34. ENCOURAGEMENT
 Don’t let perfection be
the enemy of good
 “Next Sprint”
 Clear & Concise
direction
 Daily praise &
gratification
 Completing work daily
 Daily progress
34

35. QUESTIONS?
35
Tim Nolan, Collin County
tnolan@co.collin.tx.us
972.548.4588
@plotboy
nolantim
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