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DOMAIN VII
Continuous Improvement
(version 2.2)
MSc. PMP. Nguyen Thanh Phuoc
phuocnt@gmail.com
Key Topics
⢠Agile hybrid models
⢠Approved iterations
⢠Continuous improvement
⢠Feedback methods
⢠Learning cycle
⢠Process analysis
â Anti-patterns
â Success criteria
â Success patterns
⢠Process Tailoring
â Risks
â Recommendations
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⢠Product feedback loop
⢠Project pre-mortems
⢠Retrospectives
(introspective)
â Five-step process
â Three problem solving steps
⢠Reviews
⢠Self-assessment tools and
techniques
⢠Systems thinking
⢠Value stream mapping
â Non value-added time
â Process cycle efficiency
â Total cycle time
â Value-added time
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Tasks TO DO
1. Periodically review and tailor the process
2. Improve team processes through retrospectives
3. Seek product feedback via frequent demonstrations
4. Create an environment for continued learning
5. Use value stream analysis to improve processes
6. Spread improvements to other groups in the
organization
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Continuous Improvement - Non-Agile
⢠Most traditional projects capture the majority of their lessons learned
at the end of the project. The intent behind capturing these lessons is
to allow the organization to apply them to future projects with a similar
business or technical domain, or to projects that have similar team
dynamics.
⢠This approach, frankly, is too little, too late. We need to apply the
benefits of learning as we go on our current project, and as soon as
possible.
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5
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Continuous Improvement
⢠The agile approach to lessons learned is deliberate and frequent,
and it helps ensure that the team regularly considers adaptation
and improvement to the point where it becomes habitual and
part of their normal way of working.
⢠We will look at the T&T and K&S that are part of this âLearnâ step:
o Retrospectives; Process Tailoring
o Principles of Systems Thinking (Complex, Adaptive, Chaos)
o Process Analysis
o Self Assessment
> Agile Cycle vs PDCA
⢠The agile cycle employs a continuous cycle of Plan, Develop, Evaluate,
and LEARN. This cycle is very similar to Demingâs âPlan, Do, Check, Actâ
cycle
Agile Cycle
Plan
Do
Check
Act
Plan, Do, Check, Act Cycle
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> Process Tailoring
⢠Amend the methodology to better fit the project environment.
⢠Create process-per-project approach.
⢠Process tailoring can be effective and productive, but that we
should be aware of the risks involved in this practice.
⢠Removing or augmenting any of these elements in process without
understanding the relationships among them can lead to problems
⢠Examples about Tailoring
⢠Scrum BUT
⢠XP minus TDD practice, Pair Programming.
> [K&S] Hybrid Models
â Might be a combination of two (or more) agile methods, or an
agile methodology and (heaven forbid!) a traditional approach
â Letâs look at examples of both an agile-agile and an agile-
traditional hybrid model
⢠Agile-Agile Hybrid: Scrum-XP
⢠Agile-Traditional Hybrid
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> [K&S] System Thinking
⢠One part of the systems-
thinking approach
involves classifying
projects in terms of their
complexity (i.e., level of
uncertainty) in two areas:
the project requirements
and the technological
approach
⢠Tailoring our process, itâs
helpful to consider the
project environment from
this systems - level
perspective.
Simple
Low
Complexity
Low
Complexity
Chaos
Complex
Close to
certainty
Far from
certainty
Technology
Close to
agreement
Far from
agreement
Requirement
Agile works
well here
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> [K&S] Process Analysis
⢠Process analysis is closely related to process tailoring and
systems thinking.
⢠Process analysis involves reviewing and diagnosing issues with a
team's agile methods. This analysis can help us reach a decision
about whether to tailor the process.
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> [K&S] Process Analysis
⢠Methodology Anti-Patterns Alistair Cockburn provides the
following list of anti-patterns (bad or unhelpful attributes) to watch
out for in our methodologies:
â One size for all projects (máťt cho tẼt cả)
⢠It isnât possible to create one optimal methodology for all types of
projects, all technologies, and all team sizes.
â Intolerant (khĂ´ng khoan dung)
⢠A methodology can be like a straight jacket, in the sense that it is
a set of conventions and policies that we agree to follow and use.
⢠The size and shape of the straight jacket should be chosen by the
team and should not be made any tighter than necessary, to give
people a little wiggle room in their choices
> [K&S] Process Analysis
⢠Methodology Anti-Patterns (cont.)
â Heavy (nạng náť)
⢠There is a common but incorrect belief that the heavier a
methodology is, the safer it is. However, adding weight to a
methodology is not likely to improve our chance of delivering
the project successfully. Instead, its imply diverts our
attention from the real goal of the project
â Embellished (tân trang)
⢠All methods tend to get embellished (decorate) over time.
Teams tend to add things that they think they âshouldâ be
doingâbut that way of thinking usually just leads to
potentially expensive, error- prone add-ons to the process
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> [K&S] Process Analysis (cont.)
⢠Methodology Anti-Patterns (cont.)
â Untried (chĆ°a tháť qua)
⢠Instead of creating a complicated new theoretical methodology, it
is better to reuse, adjust, tune, and create just what is needed
â Used once (sáť dung máťt lần)
⢠A methodology that is used once is a little better than one that is
untried, but it is still no recipe for success è not sure for success
with your project
> [K&S] Process Analysis (cont.)
⢠Success Patterns: Cock burn also lists seven principles that tells us
if the methodology tend to success criteria:
1. Interactive, face-to-face communication is the cheapest and fastest
channel for exchanging information
2. Excess (dư thᝍa) methodology weight is costly: we want to minimize
such documentation to a barely sufficient level
3. Larger teams need heavier methodologies
4. Greater ceremony is appropriate for projects with greater criticality
5. Increasing feedback and communication reduces the need for
intermediate deliverables
6. Discipline, skills, and understanding counter process, formality, and
documentation
7. Efficiency is expendable in non-bottleneck activities.
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Continuous Improvement - Product
⢠Iterative and incremental development is a form of
continuous improvement, with customer feedback
steering us toward the final solution
> [T&T] Product Feedback Loops and Learning Cycles
⢠[T&T] Product Feedback Loops and Learning Cycles
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> [T&T] Retrospectives
Ă Retrospectives are the primary learning, reflection, and
readjustment events on agile projects.
Ă A retrospective is a special meeting that takes place after each
iteration, in which the team members gather to inspect and
improve their methods and teamwork.
Ă Retrospectives offer a number of benefits for teams, including the
following types of improvements:
⢠Improved productivity
⢠Improved capability
⢠Improved quality
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> [T&T] Retrospectives (cont.)
Ă The retrospective process goes through the following five steps:
The typical time is 2 hours (timebox: 2 hours)
1. Set Stage (5%)
2. Gather Data(30-50%)
3. Generate Insights(20-30%)
4. Decide what to do(15-20%)
5. Close the Retrospective (10-15%)
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> [T&T] Retrospectives (cont.)
1. Set Stage
2. GatherData
3. GenerateInsights
4. Decide what to do
5. Close the
Retrospective
3. Deliver completed user
stories for evaluation
2. Build and test selected
user stories
1. Plan the iteration,
incorporating
improvements and
experiments identified in
the retrospective
Retrospective
Iteration
These steps operate
in an ongoing cycle
that is synchronized
with the iterations
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[T&T] Retrospectives (cont.)
Ă Step 1: Set the Stage:
Ă At the start of the retrospective, we need to set the stage to
help people focus on the task at hand of reflecting on how
things went.
Ă In setting the stage, we aim to create an atmosphere where
people feel comfortable speaking about things that may not
have gone so well on the project.
Ă Activities to help set the stage include:
⢠Check-in
⢠Focus on/ Focus off
ĂWorking agreements
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[T&T] Retrospectives (cont.)
Ă Step 2: Gather Data:
Ă In the gathering data phase, we create a shared picture of what
happened during the iteration (or release or project, depending on the
focus of the retrospective).
Ă Without a common vision for what occurred, the team will simply be
speculating on what changes or improvements to make and may
actually be addressing different issues or concerns without realizing it.
Ă There are several team-based activates that can be used to gather
data:
Ă Timeline; Triple nickels; Color code dots.
Ă Mad, sad, glad; Locate strengths.
Ă Satisfaction histogram; Team radar; Like tolike.
Ă When we are finished with this step in the process, we should have a
comprehensive collection of observations, facts, and findings, all of
which have a shared understanding by the team.
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[T&T] Retrospectives (cont.)
Ă Step 3: Generate Insights:
Ă This stage gives the team time to evaluate the data that was gathered in
the previous step and derive meaningful insights from it.
Ă The goal of the generating insights stage is to help team members
understand the implications of their findings and discussions.
Ă There are several team-based activates that can be used to gather data:
ĂBrainstorming
ĂFive whys (5WHY)
ĂFishbone
ĂPrioritize with dots
ĂIdentify themes (topics)
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[T&T] Retrospectives (cont.)
Ă Step 3: Generate Insights (cont.)
Ă Brainstorming
Ă Five whys
Ă Fishbone
Ă Prioritize with dots
⢠To determine their priorities, the team members use the dot
voting technique
Ă Identify themes (topics)
⢠The participants identify recurring patterns in the strengths
[T&T] Retrospectives
Step 4: Decide What to Do:
Ă The activities involved in the "decide what to do" step move the
team from thinking about the iteration they just completed into
thinking about the next iteration, including what they will change
and how they will behave differently.
Ă In this step, the team identifies the highest-priority action items,
creates detailed plans for experiments, and sets measurable goals to
achieve the desired results.
Ă There are several activities that can be used to help the team
decide on an action plan:
Ă Short subjects.
Ă SMART goals.
Ă Retrospective planning
game.
Ă Circle of questions.
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[T&T] Retrospectives (cont.)
Step 5: Close the Retrospective:
Ă The final step is closing the retrospective. We provide the team members
opportunities to reflect on what happened during the retrospective and
to express appreciation to each other
Ă Activities that summarize what the team decided to keep and what to
change, what we are thankful for, and where we can make the best
use of our time going forward, help round out the retrospective and
reinforce its value to the project.
Ă There are several team-based activities that can be used in this final
stage:
Ă Plus/Delta.
Ă Helped, Hindered, Hypothesis.
Ă Return on Time Invested (ROTI).
Ă Appreciations.
> [K&S] Team Self Assessments (by James Shore)
Ă âJames Shoreâ offers a self-assessment quiz and scoring model that is
focused on XP practices, teams can use this model to gauge their
performance.
Ă The quiz and scoring graph measures how teams perform within the
following categories:
⢠Thinking
⢠Collaborating
⢠Releasing
⢠Planning
⢠Developing
Ă The quiz is completed by answering questions within each category and
scoring the answers on a 0-100 scale.
80
60
40
20
0
100
Thinking
Collaborating
Releasing
Planning
Developing