How to use time in the agile field

1. LESSONS FROM THE FI ELDAGILE
ManagingTimeInAgile
PierreE.Neis|pierre@wecompany.me

2. The Scrum example
+ Time management in Scrum
+ Total time in meetings
+ The Scrum Flow
+ How to manage your time

3. TimeManagementInScrum1/2
3
SprintPlanning1SprintPlanning2
Sprint
Rétrospecti
Sprint
Review
DAI LY SCRUM EVERYDAY
Sprint
SPR INT MA NA GES T HE T IME IN SCRUM.
IT CONT ENTS A LL THE RE QUIRE D AND SUFFISA NT
ME ETI NGS F OR GOT SYNCHRONISATI ON OF T HE
DEVELOP MENT P ROGRESS.
ALL T HE ME ETI NGS B ESIDES OF THE SE B EYOND
AR E CONSI DE RE D AND TRA CKE D AS IM PEDIMENT S
OR DIST RACT IONS ( IE UNPLA NNE D WORK).
GROOM ING
ESTI MATI ON
FOR KANBAN…. WE USE S 1 WE EK
CYCLE TI ME I NST EAD OF SPRINT !
©PierreE.Neis

4. TimeManagementInScrum2/2
4
DAI LY S CR UM, 15 MI N EACH DAY, SAM E T IME,
SA ME LOCATION
SprintPlanning1
SPRI NT PLANNING PART 1: DEFI NI NG THE WHAT
(PURPOSE)
SprintPlanning2
SPRI NT PLANNING PART 2: DEFI NI NG THE HOW
(AUTONOMY)
⎬2 HOURS FOR A 2 WEE KS
SPR INT
GROOM ING, 1 HOUR / WEEK
ESTIMATION, 1 HOUR / WE EK
SprintReview
SPRI NT REVIEW WI TH T HE STAKE HOLDERS: 2
HOURS FOR A 2 WEEK SPRI NT
Rétrospective
RETROSPECTIVE, 1, 5 HOURS FOR A 2 WEE K
SPRI NT
©PierreE.Neis

5. TotalTimeInMeetings
5
M E E T I N G T O TA L T I M E S P E N D
Sprint 2 weeks or 10 days
Daily scrum (10x15 min) 2 h 30
Sprint Planning (1& 2) 2 h
Grooming 2 h
Estimation (Business, Customer, User & PO) 2 h
Sprint Review 2 h
Rétrospective 1 h 30
15%oftheallocatedtime
©PierreE.Neis

6. 6
Release
PRIORITISED
PRODUCT
BACKL OG
ESTIMATION
ESTIMATION
ESTIMATION
ESTIMATION
ESTIMATION
ESTIMATION
ESTIMATION
ESTIMATION
ESTIMATION
ESTIMATION
RELE ASEPLAN RELEASEPLAN - UP DATE
V0. 1 V 0. 2 V 0. 3 VX
Tactical
Strategical
SOUR CE : B . GLOGE R
©PierreE.Neis

7. HowToManageYourTime
7
MEETIN GS AR E
PLAN NED IN
ADVA NCE ( NEW
ROU TINE)
AGENDA I S G IVEN AT
INVITATI ON
ME ETI NGS STA RT
AND E ND ON T IME
MINUTE S OR
RE COR DS ARE
SHARE D ON A WIKI
BY E X.
©PierreE.Neis

8. Tactical meetings
+ Sprint Planning
+ Daily scrum
+ Sprint Review
+ Retrospective
+ Grooming

9. SprintPlanning
9
STATUS: PLANNED
PARTICIPANTS: USERS, CUST OME RS, M ANA GE MENT, DE VE LOP ME NT T EA M, SCR UM
MAST ER
FACI LI TATO R: PRODUCT OWNER
TIME: AT SPRI NT START
DURATIO N: 2 HOURS FOR A 2 WEE K SPRI NT
AGENDA: DEF INITI ON A ND PLANNING OF SPRINT ACTIV ITIE S
LikeSprintlengthremainsthesamethroughouttheproject,usuallythescrummasterrecordsinvitationsinOutlookfortheentireyearonceandchecktheconsistencywiththeworkingdays.
IF MORE TIME IS
NEEDED THEN ASK
YOURSELF IF YOU WERE
READY ENOUGH
©PierreE.Neis

10. DailyScrum
10
PLAN NED
DEVELOPM ENT TEAM, SCRUM M ASTER, PRODUCT OWNER , (SOME TIMES DE PE NDE NCY TEAM MEMBER, EX. DEVOPS)
EVERY DAY, SAME PLACE, SAME TI ME
15 MINUTES
PR OGRES SION OF SPRINT BACKLOG ACT IVITIES
ADailyscrumisaconversationbetweenthedoerstosynchronisetheirwork,revealingtheirdailyabilitytomanageitandidentify« theicebergs »floatingaroundtheirprogress.Statusis
justaconsequence,onlytransparenceanddiscussionmatters.
ALL THE PARTI CI PANT S IN A SE LF MANAGED MANNER
STATUS:
PARTIC IPANTS:
FA CIL ITAT OR:
TIME :
DURATI ON:
AGEND A:
©PierreE.Neis

11. SprintReview
11
STATUS: PLAN NED
PARTIC IPANTS: USER S, CUSTOM ERS, M ANAGEMENT, DEVELOPMENT T EA M, SCR UM M ASTE R
FA CIL ITAT OR: PR ODUCT OW NER
TIME : AT SP RINT END
DURATI ON: 2 HOUR S FOR A TW O WE EK SPRI NT F OR A WEEK SPRINT
AGEND A: DEMON STRATION OF « DONE » IT EM S, INSPECT & ADA P T OF THE STAKEHO LDERS
The« show-and-tell »isonlyasmallpartofthemeeting:ifyouneedtoshowhowbusyyouwas,toshow« daddyhowniceyouwas »thenbesurethatsomethingwentwrong.Heretheactors
areonlythestakeholders!
PRE -
REQUISITES:
DEMO IS READY, SPRI NT BACKLOG IS UPDATED, IMPE DIMENT S LIST S IS UPDATE D
©PierreE.Neis

12. Retrospective
12
PLAN NED
DEVELOPM ENT TEAM, SCRUM M ASTER, PRODUCT OWNER
SCR UM M ASTER
AT SP RINT END
90 MINUTES FOR A 2 WEEK SPRINT
REVIEW OF SPRINT ACTI VI TY, I MPE DI MENTS, LESSONS LEA RNE D, AM ELIOR ATION P LAN, TEAM BUILDING
Thisisateameventfortheteamandonlyforit.Scrummastercanreportofthismeetingbutwithteamagreements.
STATUS:
PARTIC IPANTS:
FA CIL ITAT OR:
TIME :
DURATI ON:
AGEND A:
©PierreE.Neis

13. Grooming
13
PLAN NED
DEVELOPM ENT TEAM, SCRUM M ASTER, PRODUCT OWNER + WHO EVE R CA N HELP TO CLARIFY
1 HOUR P ER WEEK
IT’S B ACKLOG REFINEMENT ( SPRINT OR PRODUCT)
1hourisaminimalsetofcourse.Pleaseavoidtomuchstopsandgoesduringasprint,itdoesn’tmatteriftheworkiscompletedatsprintend.Alltheleftitemsaregreatopportunitiesfor
improvement:someworkwasn’tnecessary,sometoobig,somedependencieshaven’tbeencleared,etc…
UP TO THE TEAM, AT LE AST SCRUM M ASTER’S
STATUS:
PARTIC IPANTS:
FA CIL ITAT OR:
TIME :
DURATI ON:
AGEND A:
IDEALLY IN THE MORNING
©PierreE.Neis

14. Strategical meetings
+ business value estimation
+ scrum-of-scrums

15. nofeet,nosweet
BusinessValueEstimation
15
PLAN NED
CUS TOM ER S, MANAGE MENT
PR ODUCT OW NER
ONCE A WEEK AND AT THE END OF EACH SPRINT
1 HOUR
TA KING CHANGES I NTO ACCOUNT, PRODUCT BACKLO G R E- PR IOR IT ISAT ION, RE LE ASE PLAN UPDATE
Theweeklymeetingallowstotransparencydemandsandfindanewdevelopmentstrategy. « NOfeet,nosweet »rulemeansthatonlypeopleattendingtheestimationhasavoice.
STATUS:
PARTIC IPANTS:
FA CIL ITAT OR:
TIME :
DURATI ON:
AGEND A:
©PierreE.Neis

16. synchronisation
Scrum-Of-Scrums
16
PLAN NED
THE P RODUCTS OWNE RS, CUSTOMERS, MANAGEMENT
CHIEF PRO DUCT OWNE R
ONCE A WEEK, SAME T IME, SAME PLACE
1 HOUR
THE P RODUCTS OWNE RS ANSWE R T HE 3 QUESTIONS:
• WHICH STORIES ARE DONE SI NCE LAST TI ME WE ME T?
• WHICH STORIES ARE IN-PROG RE SS?
• WHAT A RE THE DEPENDENCI ES I MPEDING THE PRO GRE SS?
Thismeetingisnecessarytosynchronisedifferentteams.It'snotastatusmeeting,butreallyasynchronisationmeetingtoknowwhenthesolutionwill"land"andhowtoanticipateproblems.
ThismeetingtakesplaceinfrontofthephysicalPortfolioboardcontainingallthestoriesindevelopment.
STATUS:
PARTIC IPANTS:
FA CIL ITAT OR:
TIME :
DURATI ON:
AGEND A:
©PierreE.Neis

17. Stephen Covey’s time
management Grid

18. 18
URG ENT NOT URGENT
IMPORTANTNOTIMPORTANT
NECESSI TY QU AL ITY & PERSONAL L EADERSHIP
DECEPTIO N WASTE
your key action: manage your key action: focus
your key action: caution, avoid your key action: avoid
Activities:
• crises
• deadline activities
• emergencies
• pressing problems
• last minute
preparation
Activities:
• preparation &
planning
• clarification of the
value
• autonomisation
• consolidation of
relations
• playtime
Activities:
• follow the priorities
and expectations of
others
• frequent
interruptions
• too many
messages, too
many phone calls
• masked importance
emergency
Activities:
• Activities leakage
• distractions
• over-producing
• procrastination
emails
• some mails
• some phone calls
©PierreE.Neis

19. Softskills applied to
non-violent
communication

20. 20
Hand Head Heart
HAVE RULES AN D
PR OCED UR ES
KNOWING RULES AND
PROCEDURES
ADHER E T O
RULES A ND PROCEDURES
©PierreE.Neis

21. TheBasicQuestionsForSoftControls:
21
The8SoftControls Explanation
1. CLARITY
The extent to which ethical expecta7ons, such as values, norms, policies & procedures, and principles are concrete
and understandable to employees. Is it clear for employees how they should act and what the standards are?
2. CONGRUENCE OF MANAGEMENT / TONE AT THE TOP /
CONSISTENCY
The extent to which managers (and employees) apply organiza7onal standards to their own behaviour.
3. DISCUSSABILITY The extent to which issues and dilemmas can be discussed internally.
4. FEASIBILITY / ACHIEVABILITY The extent to which organisa7onal goals are aligned with values and principles. Do employees have enough 7me,
means, authority and informa7on to realize their responsibili7es?
5. SUPPORTABILITY The extent to which the organiza7on s7mulates iden7fica7on with the ethics of the organiza7on among employees
and employees ac7vely endorse the values and principles.
6. TRANSPARENCY
The degree to which management and staff have a view on each others behaviour.
7. ACCOUNTABILITY The extent to which managers and employees can confront each other with their conduct or issues.
8. SANCTIONABILITY
The extent to which employees believe that unethical or noncompliant behaviour will be punished and ethical or
compliant behaviour will be rewarded.
©PierreE.Neis

22. Example of large
organisation

23. DAILY MEETINGS
• DAILY STAND UP
• Attendees: Scrum Team (Development Team, Scrum Master, Product Owner)
• Moderation: Scrum Team (self organised)
• Purpose: status meeting, highlight impediments
• Duration: 15 minutes
• When: each day, same time, same location
WEEKLY MEETINGS
• REFINEMENT MEETINGS
• Attendees: Scrum Team (Development Team, Scrum Master, Product Owner) + people to respond on team issues
• Moderation: Scrum Master
• Purpose: grooming both Sprint and Product Backlog in Development perspective, Planning Poker (effort estimation),
collaborative solution focused meeting
• Duration: 45 minutes
• When: once a week
• SCRUM-OF-SCRUMS
• Attendees: Product Owners, Management (passive) & Customers (passive)
• Moderation: Chief Product Owner
• Purpose: status meeting on development, identify and respond on overlaps and hints
• Duration: 45 minutes
• When: once a week, same day, same place
• GROOMING
• Attendees: Product Owners,& Customers (passive)
• Moderation: Product Owner
• Purpose: user stories and product backlog grooming, set up business values on user stories
• Duration: 45 minutes
• When: once a week, same day, same place
BI-WEEKLY MEETINGS
• SPRINT PLANNING
• Attendees: Management & Customers (on-demand), Scrum Team
• Moderation: Product Owner
• Purpose: defining Sprint Objective and Sprint Backlog
• Duration: 45 minutes
• When: at Sprint start
• SPRINT REVIEW
• Attendees: Management & Customers (active), Scrum Team
• Moderation: Product Owner
• Purpose: show and tell of sprint outcomes, inspect/adapt from the stakeholders
• Duration: 45 minutes
• When: at the end of the Sprint
• SPRINT RETROSPECTIVE
• Attendees: Scrum Team
• Moderation: Scrum Master
• Purpose: inspect/adapt from the development process,
• Duration: 45 minutes
• When: after Sprint Review
• ROADMAP UPDATE
• Attendees: Management, Customer, RUN (HB Operations), Users
• Moderation: Chief Product Owner
• Purpose: Update the roadmap according to Sprint outcomes
• Duration: 45 minutes
• When: after Sprint Review
MONTHLY MEETINGS
• RELEASE MEETING
• Attendees: Management & Customers (active), PO Team
• Moderation: Chief Product Owner
• Purpose: show and tell of sprint outcomes, inspect/adapt from the stakeholders
• Duration: 45 minutes
• When: at the end of the Release
Project Level
©PierreE.Neis

24. Conclusion
• Referring to the scrum framework, all the
meetings outside the « ceremonies » are
considered as « impediments » or « distractions »
and fosters confusion.
• In large project or programs, a couple of new
meetings to synchronise the effort, like scrum-of-
scrums and delivery meetings, can be added in
the global time constraint of 15% of time.
• Product Owners and Scrum Masters do have
beside meetings and these should not impact the
self organised cycle of development teams. These
meetings should provide matter for the project/
program.
24
Pierre Neis
pierre@wecompany.me|@elpedromajor