Do you have Microsoft Project 2010/13, and are using an Agile or Hybrid Agile method and can’t figure out how to build an Agile Microsoft Project schedule? This dynamic webinar will help, by first contrasting plan-driven or waterfall and agile methods of scheduling. This will then be followed by demonstrating, using a unique Microsoft Project template, how to build and effectively communicate your Agile Microsoft Project Schedule.

1. © International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved. 1Intelligence, Integrity and Innovation© International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
Thank you for joining us today.
This webinar is brought to you by IIL – a global leader in:
Project, Program and Portfolio Management
Microsoft® Project and Project Server
Lean Six Sigma | Business Analysis
Agile | PRINCE2® | ITIL®
Leadership and Interpersonal Skills
Developing an Agile Schedule
in Microsoft® Project –
It is Possible!

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What is a Project?

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A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique
product, service, or result
What is a Project?
G – Goal Oriented
U – Unique
F – Finite
I – Interdependent Activities

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Project Management Knowledge
Areas and Constraints

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Waterfall

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Key characteristics of the Waterfall (classic)
method:
A development method that is:
Linear
Sequential
It has distinct goals for each phase of
development.
Once a phase is completed, there is no
turning back.
Waterfall – Key Characteristics

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Key stages / phases of development:
Waterfall – Diagrammatic Representation
Requirements
Design
Implementation
Verification
Maintenance

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Waterfall Projects – The V Diagram
Key stages / phases of development:
Concept
Requirements
System
Requirements
High level
Design
Detail
Design
System
Development
Unit
Test
Sub-System
Verification
System
Verification
System
Validation
Unit
Test Plan
Sub-System
Verification Plan
System Verification Plan
System Validation Plan
Strategic
need
Benefits
recovery

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Waterfall Project Management
Diagrammatic view of the Waterfall approach to parameters:
Features
Quality?
Time Cost
Fixed
Variable
Plan driven
Derives and delivers to a
specification
Produces a plan from the
specification
The plan indicates likely time and
cost
Change is a distraction

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Delivers everything needed
Regulatory compliance projects
Governance procedures
Documentation
Known / repeatable process
Unified planning
Significance of Project Manager
Delegation to and by Project Manager
The Strengths of Waterfall
Strengths of Waterfall / PMIBoK

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Demo

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What do we mean by “Agile”?

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Key characteristics of the Agile method:
A development method that is:
Iterative
Incremental
Embraces change
Delivers deployable product
early for ROI
Delivers a Minimum Usable
Sub-seT (MUST) to time
Agile – Key Characteristics

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Agile – Diagrammatic Representation
Key aspects of development:
Requirements
Design
Implementation
Verification
Maintenance
Iterative –
from
anywhere to
anywhere

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Agile Project Management
Diagrammatic view of the Agile approach to parameters:
Fixed
Variable
Value driven
Understands and delivers to a
business value
Produces to agreed and fixed
time (and cost)
Does not compromise quality
Change is embraced
Features
Quality
Time Cost

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Strengths agile:
Delivers minimum usable subset
Delivers on time and to cost
Iterative development for evolving solution
Economical on documentation
High degree of empowerment
Flexible processes
Collaboration of whole team
The Strengths of Agile

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Plan vs. Value Driven
Source: Ryan Matena, “Ready for Agile,” Projects@Work.com, 9/28/06

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Plan-Driven Methods
All requirements are detailed
and approved before
development.
Changes are approved
through a formal change
control process.
Emphasis is placed on
documents as deliverables.
Stakeholders see the product
at the end of the lifecycle.
Agile Methods
Requirements are detailed just
before they are developed.
Requirements changes are
integrated into plans.
Emphasis is placed on working
software over documentation.
Stakeholders see the evolving
product at the end of every
iteration.
Contrasting Plan-Driven and Agile Methods

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Plan-Driven Methods
Detailed plans are created at
the start of the project.
Plans are typically activity-
based, and not based on
feature priority.
Testing and integration are
performed at the end of the
lifecycle.
Agile Methods
Plans are built iteratively to
incorporate new knowledge
and changes.
Plans are feature-based.
Features are developed
based on priority.
Testing and integration are
performed in every iteration.
Contrasting Plan-Driven and Agile Methods

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The Scrum Process
Product
Backlog
Product
Backlog
Sprint Planning
Meeting
Sprint
1-4 weeks
Daily Scrum
Every 24 hours
Potentially
Releasable
Product
Increment
Sprint Review
Meeting

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Release planning involves selecting features
from the Product Backlog based on priority or the selected
themes for a release.
Themes are groups of features that provide discrete sets of user
or customer-valued functionality.
The release plan answers the question “When will you be
done (or partially done)?”
The release is accomplished through a series of iterations.
Release Planning

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The Product Backlog is a list of features prioritized by
business value.
Detailed requirements in the backlog are often written as
user stories.
User story format: As a <user role>, I want to <achieve some
goal> so that I can <receive some benefit>.
The Product Backlog

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Example User Story
As a book author, I want to be able to add search
keywords and categories to my book details so that
customers can easily find my book on the site.

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Demo

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Steps in release planning:
1. Estimate and prioritize user
stories and themes.
2. Select an iteration length.
3. Estimate the number of user
stories the team can complete in
an iteration (aka velocity).
4. Select a release date.
Planning a Release

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Since cost is factored into the prioritization and planning
processes, the team must estimate the effort involved in
completing each user story.
Two user story estimation techniques:
1. Story points, which are a measure of relative size
2. Ideal days, which is the amount of time a story takes to develop
with no interruptions
Estimating Story Cost

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Story points are relative values based on the size or difficulty
of a user story relative to other stories.
Can be numbers – e.g., 1, 2, 5, 8
Or other size measures, such as t-shirt sizes – e.g., XXS, XS, S, M,
L, XL, XXL
When you estimate using story points, you estimate the
“bigness” of a user story compared to other stories.
Story Points

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Velocity is a measure of the team’s rate of progress
calculated by summing the size of the user stories that the
team can complete during an iteration.
The team’s velocity = the number of story points (or ideal days)
completed during an iteration
Velocity can be based on observed velocity or a forecast based
on the team’s capacity
Velocity

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Velocity x Number of iterations in a release = the number of story
points that can be completed in the release
Example:
For the next release, two themes have been selected
The total story point estimates for the themes = 80
The team’s velocity is forecast at 10 story points per 2-week
iteration
The release will be complete in 8, 2-week iterations, or 3
months
If the release date is already set, velocity can be used to
determine the number of stories that can be completed in the
release.
Velocity and Release Planning

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A user
can…
A user
can…
A user
can…
A user
can…
A user
can…
A user
can…
A user
can…
A user
can…
A user
can…
A user
can…
A user
can…
A user
can…
A user
can…
Example Release Plan
Iteration #1 Iteration #2 Iterations #3-5
A user
can…
6
A user
can…
4
2
2
4
3
3
6
6
4
3
6
4
3
4

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During the iteration planning meeting, user stories are selected
for an iteration based on the release plan, business value, and
the size of the stories.
Each story is discussed and decomposed into the tasks that
need to be done to complete it.
Tasks are estimated using ideal days or hours.
Task estimates are done collaboratively with the whole team.
Iteration Planning

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TASKS:
Create entries in the UI for
search keywords
Create entries in the UI for
search categories
Integrate keywords
and categories into site
search capabilities
Write unit tests
Execute unit tests
…
Example: User Stories to Tasks
As a book author, I want to be
able to add search keywords
and categories to my book
details so that customers can
easily find my book on the site.
USER STORY:

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The iteration plan contains:
The iteration goal and target velocity
The user stories selected for the iteration
The tasks needed to build the stories
The estimates for the tasks in ideal days or hours
The Iteration Plan

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Code
the…4 ME
Code
the…4 ME
Test
the…4
Code
the…6
Code
the…4
Code
the…4
Test
the…4
Code
the…2
Test
the…1
Code
the…2
Test
the…1
Code
the…6
Test
the…3
A user
can…
Example Iteration Plan (aka Team Board)
6
Code
the…4
Test
the…4 ME
YU
TY
User Stories Tasks In Progress Done
A user
can…
6
Test
the…4 ME
Code
the…4 YU
Code
the…4 TY
Test
the…4 TY

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Stories, Tasks, and Assignments
Code
the…4 ME
Code
the…4 ME
Test
the…4
Code
the…6
Code
the…4
Code
the…2
Test
the…1
Code
the…6
Test
the…3
A user
can…
6
Code
the…4
Test
the…4 ME
YU
TY
User Stories Tasks In Progress Done
Test
the…4 ME
Story
estimated in
story points
Tasks estimated in
ideal days/hours
Tasks
selected by a
team
member to
work on

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Demo

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A burndown chart is a simple way to track progress during an
iteration.
To create a burndown chart, sum the task hours remaining
once a day and plot it.
Using Burndown Charts to Track Progress

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Example Burndown Chart
TaskHours
Days in Iteration
180
160
100
120
140
80
60
40
20

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Demo

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