This seminar was presented to the IIBA Omaha group. My goal was to provide a quick overview of Agile and then dive into the role and skills needed for a BA on an Agile team. Let me know if you would like me to present this or a similar topic at your organization. sally@agiletransformation.com
What is 'Just Enough' Documentation in Agile?Sally Elatta
There are lots of misconceptions around what Agile says about documentation. One is that Agile has NO Documentation! That brings a smile to a few folks and drives others (like me) crazy! If you’ve read anything about Agile, you’ll hear that what it really preaches is ‘Just In Time’ or ‘Just Enough’ documentation. So what does that mean? Why aim for ‘Just Enough’ and not ‘Perfect’ Documentation? This seminar was presented at the IIBA group.
Want this seminar presented at YOUR organization? just email sally@agiletransformation.com
Top Ways Agile Adoption Fails, How to Avoid Them!Sally Elatta
This was a webinar I offered to discuss real world reasons behind Agile adoption failure and the success factors for avoiding them. You can watch the video of the webinar here:
Using Agile and Lean to Stay Ahead in a Tough EconomySally Elatta
This seminar was presented to a group of IT and Business managers and executives on the topic of how to use Agile and Lean methods to stay ahead in the current economic conditions.
Contact me if you would like this presented for your organization.
sally@agiletransformation.com
Real World Effective/Agile Requirements - IBM Innovate 2010 -sally elattaSally Elatta
This is the presentation I offered at the IBM 2010 conference around real world techniques and best practices for effective requirements gathering and release planning. Enjoy!
Yes, both of them are buzz words, but when you peel back the buzz, what is the true value that lies behind both of these methods? How do they compare and how do they differ? Most importantly, how can we bring about Agility to SOA projects and how can better architecture be applied to Agile projects? Me and Kyle also discussed some of the challenges with attempting iterative development on SOA projects and provided some ways both can leverage each other's strengths.
Want this seminar presented at YOUR organization? just email sally@agiletransformation.com
www.AgileTransformation.com
One of the values of the Agile manifesto is working software over comprehensive documentation. However many agile teams think that now we are Agile we don’t need to document. Come to this session to learn about lightweight documentation and how to strike a sensible balance between working software and documentation. Learn which documents are necessary and which documents you can do without as well. Learn about JIT lightweight alternatives to our tradition documentation set. Leave with specific techniques to evaluate the value of each document along with recommended alternatives.
National Society for Technical Communication (STC) web seminar presented in July, 2009. Presents a 2009 survey of over 50 information developers at Symantec. Gives an overview of recent trends in Agile documentation. Provides tips on documenting with more frequent deployment, working with distributed teams, increased accountability and transparency, and leveraging customer relationships.
What is 'Just Enough' Documentation in Agile?Sally Elatta
There are lots of misconceptions around what Agile says about documentation. One is that Agile has NO Documentation! That brings a smile to a few folks and drives others (like me) crazy! If you’ve read anything about Agile, you’ll hear that what it really preaches is ‘Just In Time’ or ‘Just Enough’ documentation. So what does that mean? Why aim for ‘Just Enough’ and not ‘Perfect’ Documentation? This seminar was presented at the IIBA group.
Want this seminar presented at YOUR organization? just email sally@agiletransformation.com
Top Ways Agile Adoption Fails, How to Avoid Them!Sally Elatta
This was a webinar I offered to discuss real world reasons behind Agile adoption failure and the success factors for avoiding them. You can watch the video of the webinar here:
Using Agile and Lean to Stay Ahead in a Tough EconomySally Elatta
This seminar was presented to a group of IT and Business managers and executives on the topic of how to use Agile and Lean methods to stay ahead in the current economic conditions.
Contact me if you would like this presented for your organization.
sally@agiletransformation.com
Real World Effective/Agile Requirements - IBM Innovate 2010 -sally elattaSally Elatta
This is the presentation I offered at the IBM 2010 conference around real world techniques and best practices for effective requirements gathering and release planning. Enjoy!
Yes, both of them are buzz words, but when you peel back the buzz, what is the true value that lies behind both of these methods? How do they compare and how do they differ? Most importantly, how can we bring about Agility to SOA projects and how can better architecture be applied to Agile projects? Me and Kyle also discussed some of the challenges with attempting iterative development on SOA projects and provided some ways both can leverage each other's strengths.
Want this seminar presented at YOUR organization? just email sally@agiletransformation.com
www.AgileTransformation.com
One of the values of the Agile manifesto is working software over comprehensive documentation. However many agile teams think that now we are Agile we don’t need to document. Come to this session to learn about lightweight documentation and how to strike a sensible balance between working software and documentation. Learn which documents are necessary and which documents you can do without as well. Learn about JIT lightweight alternatives to our tradition documentation set. Leave with specific techniques to evaluate the value of each document along with recommended alternatives.
National Society for Technical Communication (STC) web seminar presented in July, 2009. Presents a 2009 survey of over 50 information developers at Symantec. Gives an overview of recent trends in Agile documentation. Provides tips on documenting with more frequent deployment, working with distributed teams, increased accountability and transparency, and leveraging customer relationships.
In the world of agile, there is theory and then there is practice. We like to talk about self-organizing teams, asynchronous execution, BDD, TDD, and emergent architecture. We also talk about cross-functional teams: how analysts, testers, architects, technical writers, and UX designers belong on the same team, right next to programmers. It all sounds nice in theory, but how does this work in reality? What do these people actually do? How do they interact? What does it look like? Is there really a pragmatic way to make this work?
In this simulation, a cross-functional team will actually build a piece of software. Every specialist will have a hand in the process. Every specialist will also act as a generalist. Everyone will add value. And as a team, we’ll get something DONE.
This is your opportunity to see agile development in practice, and to bridge the gap between what agilists say and what teams do. And it’s not as new or as difficult as you think – affinity between testers, BA’s, coders, and other team members has really been at the root of effective development practices all along. Let’s just finally acknowledge that it works, demonstrate its capabilities, and encourage it going forward.
This IS agile development.
Applying Organizational Change and Leadership in Agile TransformationsCprime
It is no secret that when an organization chooses to transition to Agile methodologies, it requires an enormous commitment to leadership and change management. Even in prescriptive methods of Agile transitions, such as SAFe, I have found this subject matter deficient, especially in the area of practical application. This presentation is based on a training class I developed and conducted with executive leadership at American Airlines. It focuses on how to apply Dr. John Kotter’s 8-step model of change management and leadership to help transition an organization to support an Agile transformation. I have been involved in large scale Agile Transformations at Nokia, AT&T, American Airlines, Telogical Systems and VCE. I have successfully applied the principles of this process at several companies, most recently at American Airlines IT division to train executives in Agile Change Management.
A showcase of gritty, warts-and-all stories about the transformation toward agility of some of Australia’s biggest companies.
From IIT Academy, Hong Kong - meetup.com/IITAcademyHK
· Learn about how a critical government data organisation achieved a 240%+ increase in productivity in just six weeks.
· Hear about the market transforming mobile payments app that reinvigorated one of Australia’s big four banks. Challenges involved resistance from the organisation from line staff through to senior sponsors.
· Hear about how a multi-year flagship project at one of Australia’s major home loan providers was rescued. Out of budget and under-featured, this project was reinvigorated in just 6 months. Complexities included offshore vendors, major time-differences in operations and multiple vendors involved in a complex build.
What is Agile & Agile Project Management?. Introduction to Plan-based vs value-driven development; Scrum framework and roles and ceremonies; self-organised team, agile values. and leadership
Facilitation Foundations - A Guide to Effective Agile MeetingsAgileDad
Facilitation Foundations is a presentation that has been given at multiple Agile Conferences. The focus of the presentation is improving the quality and effectiveness of Agile Meetings.
Many who have downloaded this deck have made it a standard for assisting organizations who are struggling with spending too much time and money on Agile Meetings.
I gave this presentation at the Lean Startup Meetup in Karlsruhe.
Follow my blog for updates: http://jan-koenig.com/blog/
Or Twitter: https://twitter.com/einkoenig
Two methods for innovation are Lean Startup and Design Thinking. So how do they work together? We look at when to use what and how to make this practically work.
In the world of agile, there is theory and then there is practice. We like to talk about self-organizing teams, asynchronous execution, BDD, TDD, and emergent architecture. We also talk about cross-functional teams: how analysts, testers, architects, technical writers, and UX designers belong on the same team, right next to programmers. It all sounds nice in theory, but how does this work in reality? What do these people actually do? How do they interact? What does it look like? Is there really a pragmatic way to make this work?
In this simulation, a cross-functional team will actually build a piece of software. Every specialist will have a hand in the process. Every specialist will also act as a generalist. Everyone will add value. And as a team, we’ll get something DONE.
This is your opportunity to see agile development in practice, and to bridge the gap between what agilists say and what teams do. And it’s not as new or as difficult as you think – affinity between testers, BA’s, coders, and other team members has really been at the root of effective development practices all along. Let’s just finally acknowledge that it works, demonstrate its capabilities, and encourage it going forward.
This IS agile development.
Applying Organizational Change and Leadership in Agile TransformationsCprime
It is no secret that when an organization chooses to transition to Agile methodologies, it requires an enormous commitment to leadership and change management. Even in prescriptive methods of Agile transitions, such as SAFe, I have found this subject matter deficient, especially in the area of practical application. This presentation is based on a training class I developed and conducted with executive leadership at American Airlines. It focuses on how to apply Dr. John Kotter’s 8-step model of change management and leadership to help transition an organization to support an Agile transformation. I have been involved in large scale Agile Transformations at Nokia, AT&T, American Airlines, Telogical Systems and VCE. I have successfully applied the principles of this process at several companies, most recently at American Airlines IT division to train executives in Agile Change Management.
A showcase of gritty, warts-and-all stories about the transformation toward agility of some of Australia’s biggest companies.
From IIT Academy, Hong Kong - meetup.com/IITAcademyHK
· Learn about how a critical government data organisation achieved a 240%+ increase in productivity in just six weeks.
· Hear about the market transforming mobile payments app that reinvigorated one of Australia’s big four banks. Challenges involved resistance from the organisation from line staff through to senior sponsors.
· Hear about how a multi-year flagship project at one of Australia’s major home loan providers was rescued. Out of budget and under-featured, this project was reinvigorated in just 6 months. Complexities included offshore vendors, major time-differences in operations and multiple vendors involved in a complex build.
What is Agile & Agile Project Management?. Introduction to Plan-based vs value-driven development; Scrum framework and roles and ceremonies; self-organised team, agile values. and leadership
Facilitation Foundations - A Guide to Effective Agile MeetingsAgileDad
Facilitation Foundations is a presentation that has been given at multiple Agile Conferences. The focus of the presentation is improving the quality and effectiveness of Agile Meetings.
Many who have downloaded this deck have made it a standard for assisting organizations who are struggling with spending too much time and money on Agile Meetings.
I gave this presentation at the Lean Startup Meetup in Karlsruhe.
Follow my blog for updates: http://jan-koenig.com/blog/
Or Twitter: https://twitter.com/einkoenig
Two methods for innovation are Lean Startup and Design Thinking. So how do they work together? We look at when to use what and how to make this practically work.
As with everything else related to agile, the nature of the Product Owner role, and whether it is needed at all, depends a great deal on context. As teams discover this, it leads to some common questions:
What do Product Owners Really Do?
Do we even need Product Owners?
Join Kent to examine the Product Owner role and attempt to answer the above questions. He’ll share his experiences and give you a chance to share your perspectives with each other.
By the end of the session, you'll have more insight into the Product Owner role and how it applies (or not) to your situation. This includes an understanding of common organizational models for product owners (including what part of the organization they fit in), how to determine appropriate product ownership responsibilities for your situation, and whether you need Product Owners to have successful product ownership.
Why Scaling Agile Doesn't Work (and What to Do About It)Jez Humble
There are now several frameworks designed to address the demand for "big agile."
In this talk Jez will explain the flaws in such frameworks, why they so often fail to produce the desired effects, and what we should do instead. He will also address some common organizational obstacles to moving fast at scale: governance, budgeting, and the project paradigm - and discuss how to address them. Warning: this talk will include liberal use of real, statistically sound data.
Agile India 2017 Conference is Asia's Largest and Premier Conference on Agile, Scrum, eXtreme Programming, Lean, Kanban, DevOps, Enterprise Agile, Lean Startup, Continuous Delivery, Research and Patterns. Get to meet pioneers and expert practitioners from around the world on Agile Mindset, Scaling Agility, Lean Product Discovery, Continuous Delivery and DevOps. 6 - 12 March 2017 at ITC Gardenia, Bangalore. More details: http://2017.agileindia.org
Lean Product Management for Enterprises: The Art of Known Unknowns Thoughtworks
Natalie Hollier presentation was given at the Lean Strategy + Design Salon meetup in New York: http://www.meetup.com/LeanStrategyPlusDesign/events/200913392/
Check out Natalie's website: http://www.nataliehollier.com/
Continuous Delivery Sounds Great but it Won't Work HereJez Humble
Since the Continuous Delivery book came out in 2010, it's gone from being a controversial idea to a commonplace... until you consider that many people who say they are doing it aren't really, and there are still plenty of places that consider it crazy talk.
In this session Jez will present some of the highlights and lowlights of the past six years listening to people explain why continuous delivery won't work, and what he learned in the process.
Design Thinking vs. Lean Startup: Friends or Foes?Tathagat Varma
My talk at #AgileIndia2017 on what are the similarities and strengths of Design Thinking and Lean Startup, and where and how we could use them more effectively.
Agile2009 - How to sell a traditional client on an Agile project planOpenSource Connections
12 suggestions for how to convince traditional clients to agree to an Agile project plan. Presented by Arin Sime of OpenSource Connections at Agile 2009 in Chicago.
Beyond the Scrum: Implementing Lean Software Practices in Your OrganizationThoughtWorks Studios
This was a presentation made at the Better Software Conference in June 2009 at Las Vegas. This presentation talks about how you can maximize your team’s throughput, reduce cycle time in your release management process and improve product quality.
Learn and Grow:
We give trainings for following courses:
Selenium with Java Online Training
Selenium with C# Online Training
JMeter Online Training
CodedUI Online Training
QTP Online Training
Manual Testing Online Training
ISTQB Certification Training
Scrum Master Training
Website : http://globalsqa.com/onlineTrainings.html
Email : contact@globalsqa.com
Agile is just a fad. Don't adopt agile because the world is. Adopt agile if it solves your problem. For which you need to know your real problems.
When you are new follow them as-is. But don't stay new too long.
Question everything. See beyond methodologies and manifestos. These are not perfect. There is scope of improvement in them too. Challenge them. Seek beyond and deeper.
Best of luck!
Introduction to Scrum - An Agile FrameworksAMJAD SHAIKH
Introduction to Scrum - is one of the most popular frameworks for implementing agile. The presentation in quick overview to introduce readers with terms used in scrum & process itself.
From Waterfall to Agile: A ScrumMaster’s ViewTechWell
In less than one year, a leading software company's product team transitioned from a twenty-five year history of waterfall development to using agile methodologies. They had produced software the old-fashioned way—sequentially, firmly entrenched in the process and procedure of pure waterfall. Long release cycles, a mature code base, and an ingrained development model prevented their rapid response to the needs of their customers. The “rush for the finish line” left schedules and deadlines shredded, quality and development staff exhausted, and management frustrated. Andrew Montcrieff describes the processes, challenges, and lessons learned while moving from waterfall to agile. He provides insight on how they dealt with the problems encountered along the way. Andrew will make you feel more comfortable with moving a legacy waterfall product to a more predictable, reliable, agile methodology-driven product by learning what to expect and how to deal with the obstacles you’ll likely encounter along the way.
Agile Training improves your cognizance of scaling and scrum methodology. In these training you can learn
about the agile skills to improve your organization performance.These training give you information on how agileteams estimate, track and plan their work.Visit http://agiletraining.com/
Why You Should Replace Windows 11 with Nitrux Linux 3.5.0 for enhanced perfor...SOFTTECHHUB
The choice of an operating system plays a pivotal role in shaping our computing experience. For decades, Microsoft's Windows has dominated the market, offering a familiar and widely adopted platform for personal and professional use. However, as technological advancements continue to push the boundaries of innovation, alternative operating systems have emerged, challenging the status quo and offering users a fresh perspective on computing.
One such alternative that has garnered significant attention and acclaim is Nitrux Linux 3.5.0, a sleek, powerful, and user-friendly Linux distribution that promises to redefine the way we interact with our devices. With its focus on performance, security, and customization, Nitrux Linux presents a compelling case for those seeking to break free from the constraints of proprietary software and embrace the freedom and flexibility of open-source computing.
Threats to mobile devices are more prevalent and increasing in scope and complexity. Users of mobile devices desire to take full advantage of the features
available on those devices, but many of the features provide convenience and capability but sacrifice security. This best practices guide outlines steps the users can take to better protect personal devices and information.
20 Comprehensive Checklist of Designing and Developing a WebsitePixlogix Infotech
Dive into the world of Website Designing and Developing with Pixlogix! Looking to create a stunning online presence? Look no further! Our comprehensive checklist covers everything you need to know to craft a website that stands out. From user-friendly design to seamless functionality, we've got you covered. Don't miss out on this invaluable resource! Check out our checklist now at Pixlogix and start your journey towards a captivating online presence today.
In the rapidly evolving landscape of technologies, XML continues to play a vital role in structuring, storing, and transporting data across diverse systems. The recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) present new methodologies for enhancing XML development workflows, introducing efficiency, automation, and intelligent capabilities. This presentation will outline the scope and perspective of utilizing AI in XML development. The potential benefits and the possible pitfalls will be highlighted, providing a balanced view of the subject.
We will explore the capabilities of AI in understanding XML markup languages and autonomously creating structured XML content. Additionally, we will examine the capacity of AI to enrich plain text with appropriate XML markup. Practical examples and methodological guidelines will be provided to elucidate how AI can be effectively prompted to interpret and generate accurate XML markup.
Further emphasis will be placed on the role of AI in developing XSLT, or schemas such as XSD and Schematron. We will address the techniques and strategies adopted to create prompts for generating code, explaining code, or refactoring the code, and the results achieved.
The discussion will extend to how AI can be used to transform XML content. In particular, the focus will be on the use of AI XPath extension functions in XSLT, Schematron, Schematron Quick Fixes, or for XML content refactoring.
The presentation aims to deliver a comprehensive overview of AI usage in XML development, providing attendees with the necessary knowledge to make informed decisions. Whether you’re at the early stages of adopting AI or considering integrating it in advanced XML development, this presentation will cover all levels of expertise.
By highlighting the potential advantages and challenges of integrating AI with XML development tools and languages, the presentation seeks to inspire thoughtful conversation around the future of XML development. We’ll not only delve into the technical aspects of AI-powered XML development but also discuss practical implications and possible future directions.
Sudheer Mechineni, Head of Application Frameworks, Standard Chartered Bank
Discover how Standard Chartered Bank harnessed the power of Neo4j to transform complex data access challenges into a dynamic, scalable graph database solution. This keynote will cover their journey from initial adoption to deploying a fully automated, enterprise-grade causal cluster, highlighting key strategies for modelling organisational changes and ensuring robust disaster recovery. Learn how these innovations have not only enhanced Standard Chartered Bank’s data infrastructure but also positioned them as pioneers in the banking sector’s adoption of graph technology.
Full-RAG: A modern architecture for hyper-personalizationZilliz
Mike Del Balso, CEO & Co-Founder at Tecton, presents "Full RAG," a novel approach to AI recommendation systems, aiming to push beyond the limitations of traditional models through a deep integration of contextual insights and real-time data, leveraging the Retrieval-Augmented Generation architecture. This talk will outline Full RAG's potential to significantly enhance personalization, address engineering challenges such as data management and model training, and introduce data enrichment with reranking as a key solution. Attendees will gain crucial insights into the importance of hyperpersonalization in AI, the capabilities of Full RAG for advanced personalization, and strategies for managing complex data integrations for deploying cutting-edge AI solutions.
Unlocking Productivity: Leveraging the Potential of Copilot in Microsoft 365, a presentation by Christoforos Vlachos, Senior Solutions Manager – Modern Workplace, Uni Systems
UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series, part 6DianaGray10
Welcome to UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series part 6. In this session, we will cover Test Automation with generative AI and Open AI.
UiPath Test Automation with generative AI and Open AI webinar offers an in-depth exploration of leveraging cutting-edge technologies for test automation within the UiPath platform. Attendees will delve into the integration of generative AI, a test automation solution, with Open AI advanced natural language processing capabilities.
Throughout the session, participants will discover how this synergy empowers testers to automate repetitive tasks, enhance testing accuracy, and expedite the software testing life cycle. Topics covered include the seamless integration process, practical use cases, and the benefits of harnessing AI-driven automation for UiPath testing initiatives. By attending this webinar, testers, and automation professionals can gain valuable insights into harnessing the power of AI to optimize their test automation workflows within the UiPath ecosystem, ultimately driving efficiency and quality in software development processes.
What will you get from this session?
1. Insights into integrating generative AI.
2. Understanding how this integration enhances test automation within the UiPath platform
3. Practical demonstrations
4. Exploration of real-world use cases illustrating the benefits of AI-driven test automation for UiPath
Topics covered:
What is generative AI
Test Automation with generative AI and Open AI.
UiPath integration with generative AI
Speaker:
Deepak Rai, Automation Practice Lead, Boundaryless Group and UiPath MVP
Maruthi Prithivirajan, Head of ASEAN & IN Solution Architecture, Neo4j
Get an inside look at the latest Neo4j innovations that enable relationship-driven intelligence at scale. Learn more about the newest cloud integrations and product enhancements that make Neo4j an essential choice for developers building apps with interconnected data and generative AI.
Pushing the limits of ePRTC: 100ns holdover for 100 daysAdtran
At WSTS 2024, Alon Stern explored the topic of parametric holdover and explained how recent research findings can be implemented in real-world PNT networks to achieve 100 nanoseconds of accuracy for up to 100 days.
A tale of scale & speed: How the US Navy is enabling software delivery from l...sonjaschweigert1
Rapid and secure feature delivery is a goal across every application team and every branch of the DoD. The Navy’s DevSecOps platform, Party Barge, has achieved:
- Reduction in onboarding time from 5 weeks to 1 day
- Improved developer experience and productivity through actionable findings and reduction of false positives
- Maintenance of superior security standards and inherent policy enforcement with Authorization to Operate (ATO)
Development teams can ship efficiently and ensure applications are cyber ready for Navy Authorizing Officials (AOs). In this webinar, Sigma Defense and Anchore will give attendees a look behind the scenes and demo secure pipeline automation and security artifacts that speed up application ATO and time to production.
We will cover:
- How to remove silos in DevSecOps
- How to build efficient development pipeline roles and component templates
- How to deliver security artifacts that matter for ATO’s (SBOMs, vulnerability reports, and policy evidence)
- How to streamline operations with automated policy checks on container images
Generative AI Deep Dive: Advancing from Proof of Concept to ProductionAggregage
Join Maher Hanafi, VP of Engineering at Betterworks, in this new session where he'll share a practical framework to transform Gen AI prototypes into impactful products! He'll delve into the complexities of data collection and management, model selection and optimization, and ensuring security, scalability, and responsible use.
Essentials of Automations: The Art of Triggers and Actions in FMESafe Software
In this second installment of our Essentials of Automations webinar series, we’ll explore the landscape of triggers and actions, guiding you through the nuances of authoring and adapting workspaces for seamless automations. Gain an understanding of the full spectrum of triggers and actions available in FME, empowering you to enhance your workspaces for efficient automation.
We’ll kick things off by showcasing the most commonly used event-based triggers, introducing you to various automation workflows like manual triggers, schedules, directory watchers, and more. Plus, see how these elements play out in real scenarios.
Whether you’re tweaking your current setup or building from the ground up, this session will arm you with the tools and insights needed to transform your FME usage into a powerhouse of productivity. Join us to discover effective strategies that simplify complex processes, enhancing your productivity and transforming your data management practices with FME. Let’s turn complexity into clarity and make your workspaces work wonders!
UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series, part 5DianaGray10
Welcome to UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series part 5. In this session, we will cover CI/CD with devops.
Topics covered:
CI/CD with in UiPath
End-to-end overview of CI/CD pipeline with Azure devops
Speaker:
Lyndsey Byblow, Test Suite Sales Engineer @ UiPath, Inc.
UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series, part 5
Overview of Agile for Business Analysts
1. Overview of Agile & Scrum
For Business Analysts
Presenter: Sally Elatta
1
2. About the Speaker
• Sally Elatta
• Founder of AgileTransformation.com
• Enterprise Process Improvement Coach, Architect, Trainer
• Coached over 18 teams on adopting Agile methods.
• Taught over 600+ students on Agile
• Certified ScrumMaster, Scrum Practitioner, IBM, Sun, and
Microsoft Certifications.
• Sally@AgileTransformation.com
• 402 212-3211
2
Copyright(c) Sally Elatta 2009 www.AgileTransformation.com
3. Session Goals
• Quick overview of Traditional Development
• Provide an overview of Agile, Scrum
• Overview of the Agile Roles
• Focus on the BA Role
• Overview of the basic process
• Why it‟s being adopted
• Resources
3
Copyright(c) Sally Elatta 2009 www.AgileTransformation.com
6. The Agile Values
The manifesto‟s shared value statement:
“We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and
helping others do it. Through this work we have come to value:
Individuals & interactions Over Processes & Tools
Working Software Over Comprehensive Documentation
Customer Collaboration Over Contract Negotiation
Responding to Change Over Following a Plan
“That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items
on the left more.”
7
Copyright(c) Sally Elatta 2009 www.AgileTransformation.com
10. Who is the Product Owner?
1 Person in charge of the backlog!
Prioritizes the backlog stories for highest ROI.
Most likely from the business. Has the most Product
to loose/gain from project outcome. Backlog
Accepts or rejects work completed.
Knowledgeable, Empowered, Engaged
Only one who can add or remove
stories from the backlog.
The Captain of the Ship!
Owns final success or failure
of project.
Can stop the project if no ROI is
being delivered.
11 11
Copyright(c) Sally Elatta 2009 www.AgileTransformation.com
11. BA and Product Owner Collaboration
• Much of our project 'Waste' is a result of :
– Missing stories
– Mis-understood stories
– Team working on non-valuable stories
– Business changing their mind on what
they want in a story
• The BA‟s role is to address all these issues by
engaging the product owner early and often.
12
Copyright(c) Sally Elatta 2009 www.AgileTransformation.com
12. The ScrumMaster
• Is the owner of the “Process”.
• Attacks impediments like a hawk!
• Makes sure the team is getting the
business collaboration needed for success.
• Helps build teamwork, motivation and
create self organizing teams.
• Prepares 'visual' reports that represents the
teams progress.
13
Copyright(c) Sally Elatta 2009 www.AgileTransformation.com
13. The Team
• Small, cross-functional group of people that work
together daily. Size is 7 (+- 2)
• Team is made up of developers, analysts,
testers, business users, data and systems folks
..etc.
• Some members are dedicated (75%+) and
some are shared with other projects.
• Each member attends all the core meetings,
breaks down and estimates tasks.
14
Copyright(c) Sally Elatta 2009 www.AgileTransformation.com
14. Business Users and SMEs
• Help Product Owner and Team by:
Identify User Acceptance Test cases ahead of each
planning meeting.
Answering team questions and being a business
SME.
Help define priority and work that will provide most
value.
Perform user acceptance testing and recommend
acceptance or rejection of work.
Provide positive and constructive feedback to the
team.
So how is different from their role today?
15
Copyright(c) Sally Elatta 2009 www.AgileTransformation.com
16. The Business Analyst
• During the iteration, the BA works on making sure the
requirements and test cases are understood by
developers for all stories. (Not just documented well!)
• They chase down answers to questions, help
facilitate meetings and help make sure each
developer has what they need.
• They work ahead with the product owner to define
stories and test cases for the next iteration.
• The work closely with testers (IT or business) to track
testing progress.
• A strong BA is usually the ScrumMaster‟s right hand
person and their backup.
17. BA Role ..
• The BA is also in charge of making sure the
backlog and project workbook is updated.
• Make their artifacts and documentation easy to
read and find by people who need them.
• Makes sure the right SMEs are attending any
team sessions that need them.
• A strong BA is the „glue‟ that helps tie everything
together during the iteration.
• Results driven, focused, energetic, positive,
collaborative, strong facilitator, willing to do
„whatever it takes‟ to help the team succeed.
These are the qualities of a strong agile BA.
18
Copyright(c) Sally Elatta 2009 www.AgileTransformation.com
19. Release Planning
• What are the top priority items we need to
deliver in this release?
• How Big/Small is each one? What is the
dependency between them?
• How much can the team handle each
iteration? Pencil in the next several
iterations.
• What are our „Conditions of Satisfaction‟
for this release? When are we „Done‟?
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Copyright(c) Sally Elatta 2009 www.AgileTransformation.com
21. Product
Sprint
Product Backlog
Backlog Tasks
Owner Each story is broken
Sprint 1
thinks of down into tasks. Each
New Idea team member signs up
Sprint 2
for tasks and provides
estimates of effort.
Sprint 3
Sprint 4
Each Iteration is 1 – 4
weeks in length.
Multiple iterations
Sprint N
make up a Release.
Features/Stories Small Stories 22
Copyright(c) Sally Elatta 2009 www.AgileTransformation.com
22. The Backlog Hierarchy
Business Domain
Theme/Feature/Epic Feature2
Story1 Story2 Story3
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Copyright(c) Sally Elatta 2009 www.AgileTransformation.com
24. Agile Requirements
• Stories: Light weight description of a small
valuable business deliverable.
• Details of a story can be extracted using:
– Acceptance Test Cases
– Business Rules
– Business Process /Activity Diagrams
– User Interface Prototypes
• All documentation must be valuable and
actually consumed by someone!
• More on this in August!
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Copyright(c) Sally Elatta 2009 www.AgileTransformation.com
25. Release Planning Meetings
• Here are some common meetings during
Release Planning:
– Resource Planning Meeting ( who do we
need?)
– Story Identification, Breakdown and
Prioritization
– Story sizing and dependency.
– Building the Release Plan
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Copyright(c) Sally Elatta 2009 www.AgileTransformation.com
26. Iteration Pre-Planning
• The BA along with the product owner should
spend some time each iteration pre-planning
for the next iteration. This involves:
– Identifying the top priority stories the team needs
to work on next.
– Identifying and writing acceptance test cases for
each.
– Identifying any upfront design or testing work that
needs to be done.
– Developing any UI sketches or business activity
diagrams.
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Copyright(c) Sally Elatta 2009 www.AgileTransformation.com
27. Iteration Planning
• Half day or full day meeting to answer the
following:
• What are the top stories we need to get done this
iteration?
• Discuss how will we know when each story is „Done‟,
review and contribute to the acceptance test cases?
• What tasks do we need to get each story done?
• Who will signup, commit and provide an ETA for each
task?
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Copyright(c) Sally Elatta 2009 www.AgileTransformation.com
29. Story Points
• We simply use relative complexity buckets
to size each story.
20+
Smallest Small Medium Med-large Large Very Large EPIC!
How many stories a team gets ‘Done’ each
iteration is their Velocity
Copyright(c) Sally Elatta 2009
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www.AgileTransformation.com
30. BA Iteration Check List
Help setup task board
Get acceptance test cases to each
developer
Update workbook & backlog
Pre-Planning for next iteration
Test data setup coordination
Coordinate user testing
Coordinate final demo and retrospective
Glue everything together!
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Copyright(c) Sally Elatta 2009 www.AgileTransformation.com
31. Daily Tracking
• What did you do yesterday?
• What will you do today?
• Any Impediments?
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Copyright(c) Sally Elatta 2009 www.AgileTransformation.com
32. Iteration Review
• Product owner and team show off what the team got
done in the last iteration and discuss impediments.
• Get feedback from other users
and stakeholders and discuss
plan for next iteration.
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Copyright(c) Sally Elatta 2009 www.AgileTransformation.com
33. Iteration Retrospective
What Worked What Needs
Well? Improvement?
• Impediments were • Prioritize stories
removed quickly before team meeting
• Team collaborated well • Identify acceptance
to solve problems. tests before meeting
• Business users • Begin using TDD
attended standups
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Copyright(c) Sally Elatta 2009 www.AgileTransformation.com
34. New BA Skills Needed
• Facilitation and Controlling Meetings.
• Flexibility, being a Generalizing Specialist.
• Requirements Gathering Skills are different.
• Working on a cross functional team.
• Measurement of Success is based on team
delivery of actual points not documentation
signoffs.
• What else?
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Copyright(c) Sally Elatta 2009 www.AgileTransformation.com
35. New Skills Are Needed!
• Business:
Leadership, Teamwork and Collaboration
Ability to define stories and user test cases
Ability to perform acceptance testing
Ability to truly prioritize what is needed now and
what provides value.
Better understanding of the technical world
Time management and commitment.
Support and stay positive
Understand ROI and when we‟re „Done‟
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Copyright(c) Sally Elatta 2009 www.AgileTransformation.com
36. New Skills Are Needed!
• IT:
Facilitation, Leadership, Teamwork and Collaboration.
Ability to breakdown stories into small manageable
tasks.
Ability to focus on getting stories completed
Ability to work and collaborate within the IT department
(cross functional).
Communication, synchronization between multiple
teams.
Focus more on business value (ROI) than technical
implementation.
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Copyright(c) Sally Elatta 2009 www.AgileTransformation.com
37. So Why is Agile Being Adopted?
Seeing working software each demo.
High visibility into project progress.
Early and continuous customer feedback results in
delivery of software they want and will use.
Product Owner is empowered to make decisions.
Customer can get what has been completed on the
release date if they choose.
Agile change management is more welcoming to
change than traditional change management.
Highest Priority Items delivered first.
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Copyright(c) Sally Elatta 2009 www.AgileTransformation.com
39. How Agile Can Fail!
No top level management commitment and support
No customer commitment to collaboration
Inexperienced Scrum Masters leading the effort
Reverting to form due to no agile evangelist
Ineffective or no release planning
Skipping Iteration 0
Ineffective use of retrospectives (or no
retrospectives)
A culture not open to change
Not comfortable dealing with what Agile exposes
A culture of command and control
40. How We Can Help
Training Coaching & Consulting
• Executive and Business • Troubled Project
Overview of Agile/Lean Assessment &
• Real World Agile and Recovery
Scrum team training + • Agile Project Initiation
Project Jump Start and Planning
• Effective Facilitation & • End to End Project
Requirements Gathering Execution
• Servant Leadership • Organizational
• SOA Assessments
• … More! • Process Improvement
Roadmap Execution
41. Resources
• My Article: http://tinyurl.com/6h5mam
• Watch the 10 minute video intro to
Scrum: http://tinyurl.com/5py7ct
• www.AgileAlliance.org
• Questions? Sally@AgileTransformation.com
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