The document discusses the importance of effective project management, highlighting the challenges faced in client interactions, such as unclear expectations and communication breakdowns. It outlines three methodologies—cowboy, waterfall, and agile—focusing on the benefits of the agile approach, which promotes iterative, collaborative, and flexible project development. The document also underscores the significance of proper planning, design, and team roles to ensure successful project outcomes.

1. Taming the Project
An Agile Approach
Matthew Saunders matthew@atendesigngroup.com
Monday, March 30, 15

2. Hi, I’m Matthew Saunders
atendesigngroup.com association.drupal.orgatendesigngroup.com @Creech
Aten Design Group, VP Project Management
Drupal Association, Board Member
Writer, dogstar.org
d.o, MatthewS
G+, saunderm
IRC, j_matthew_s
Monday, March 30, 15

3. atendesigngroup.com @atendesign
Monday, March 30, 15

4. atendesigngroup.com @atendesign
We design, build and support websites for organizations
doing good work all around the world.
Monday, March 30, 15

5. Monday, March 30, 15

6. Project Mangement
Why Do We Do What We Do?
Monday, March 30, 15

7. We NEED
Project
Management
for Successful
Outcomes.
b4b2
Monday, March 30, 15

8. I had a client...
Monday, March 30, 15

9. I had a client...
• a couple of months ago call me at 6:30 in the morning
yelling and screaming because his site had been down
for over an hour. I drag myself out of bed, get to the
computer and his site comes right up... I told him to try
to get on Google. Guess what? According to him
Google was down too. I politely told him to call his
internet provider because that was down and once his
internet came back up to use it to search for a new
developer.
Monday, March 30, 15

10. I had project...
Monday, March 30, 15

11. I had project...
• that had multiple decision makers. They wouldn't
move forward unless they all agreed on any one
point. And they couldn't agree on anything.
Monday, March 30, 15

12. I had a client...
Monday, March 30, 15

13. I had a client...
• who didn’t know what they wanted.
Monday, March 30, 15

14. I had a client...
• who didn’t know what they wanted.
• They spent endless hours in meetings with you "throwing
ideas around".
Monday, March 30, 15

15. I had a client...
• who didn’t know what they wanted.
• They spent endless hours in meetings with you "throwing
ideas around".
• Despite warnings that they were consuming their
contracted hours in this fashion, insist that they shouldn't
have to pay for the time because the site still hasn't been
built.
Monday, March 30, 15

16. I had a client...
• who didn’t know what they wanted.
Monday, March 30, 15

17. I had a client...
• who didn’t know what they wanted.
• They spent endless hours in meetings with you "throwing
ideas around".
Monday, March 30, 15

18. I had a client...
• who didn’t know what they wanted.
• They spent endless hours in meetings with you "throwing
ideas around".
• Despite warnings that they were consuming their
contracted hours in this fashion, insist that they shouldn't
have to pay for the time because the site still hasn't been
built.
Monday, March 30, 15

19. Lack of...
Monday, March 30, 15

20. Lack of...
• Planning
Monday, March 30, 15

21. Lack of...
• Planning
• Communication
Monday, March 30, 15

22. Lack of...
• Planning
• Communication
• Process
Monday, March 30, 15

23. Lack of...
• Planning
• Communication
• Process
• Focus
Monday, March 30, 15

24. and Cultural Differences
Monday, March 30, 15

25. make for poor outcomes
Monday, March 30, 15

26. ... the “Call of Druthuhlu”
by stevebkennedy on flickr
Monday, March 30, 15

27. Bring Calm from
Chaos.
Monday, March 30, 15

28. star5112
Monday, March 30, 15

29. Monday, March 30, 15

30. daveknapik on flickr
Monday, March 30, 15

31. 3 Methodologies
Monday, March 30, 15

32. anyjazz65 on flickr
Monday, March 30, 15

33. Cowboy or Extreme
• Highly informal
• Focuses on Stakeholders
• Can be used in very unpredictable projects
• Can be excellent for rapid prototyping
Roy Montgomery
on flickr
Monday, March 30, 15

34. n.hewson on Flickr
Monday, March 30, 15

35. Waterfall
• Highly Formalised
• Focuses on Requirements
• Inflexible
• Planning is Frontloaded
Monday, March 30, 15

36. Can Feel
Uncontrolled When
Inevitable Change
Occurs
Monday, March 30, 15

37. SheltieBoy
Monday, March 30, 15

38. Agile
• Defined Timeboxes
• Iterative Development Methods
• Incremental
• Collaborative Requirements and Solutions
• Rapid and Flexible Responsive to Change
• Self Organizing Teams
Monday, March 30, 15

39. Some Terms
Monday, March 30, 15

40. Time BoxMonday, March 30, 15

41. Sprint Stuart Grout
Monday, March 30, 15

42. Epic mendhak
Monday, March 30, 15

43. User StoryMonday, March 30, 15

44. Scrum
Eoin Gardiner
Monday, March 30, 15

45. Client Check In
dmosiondz
Monday, March 30, 15

46. Roles
Monday, March 30, 15

47. Project Manager
Monday, March 30, 15

48. Project Manager
• Scrum Master
Monday, March 30, 15

49. Project Manager
• Scrum Master
• Lead Pointing
Monday, March 30, 15

50. Project Manager
• Scrum Master
• Lead Pointing
• Defense from Distractions
Monday, March 30, 15

51. Project Manager
• Scrum Master
• Lead Pointing
• Defense from Distractions
• Helps team avoid mistakes
Monday, March 30, 15

52. Project Manager
• Scrum Master
• Lead Pointing
• Defense from Distractions
• Helps team avoid mistakes
• Manages Schedule
Monday, March 30, 15

53. Product or UX
Monday, March 30, 15

54. Product or UX
• Backlog
Monday, March 30, 15

55. Product or UX
• Backlog
• Personas, Epics, Stories
Monday, March 30, 15

56. Product or UX
• Backlog
• Personas, Epics, Stories
• Clarify Business Needs
Monday, March 30, 15

57. Product or UX
• Backlog
• Personas, Epics, Stories
• Clarify Business Needs
• Demos
Monday, March 30, 15

58. Developers
Monday, March 30, 15

59. Developers
• Self Organize Stories
Monday, March 30, 15

60. Developers
• Self Organize Stories
• Communicates expecations of what
can be completed in a sprint
Monday, March 30, 15

61. Developers
• Self Organize Stories
• Communicates expecations of what
can be completed in a sprint
• Defines how business needs should
be architected and executed
Monday, March 30, 15

62. Developers
• Self Organize Stories
• Communicates expecations of what
can be completed in a sprint
• Defines how business needs should
be architected and executed
• Executes
Monday, March 30, 15

63. IA/UX/Stories
Setting up the project for success
Monday, March 30, 15

64. Information Architecture
Monday, March 30, 15

65. Information Architecture
• Content Audit
Monday, March 30, 15

66. Information Architecture
• Content Audit
• Content Map
Monday, March 30, 15

67. Information Architecture
• Content Audit
• Content Map
• Site Map
Monday, March 30, 15

68. Information Architecture
• Content Audit
• Content Map
• Site Map
• Wireframes
Monday, March 30, 15

69. Information Architecture
• Content Audit
• Content Map
• Site Map
• Wireframes
• User Stories
Monday, March 30, 15

70. Information Architecture
• Content Audit
• Content Map
• Site Map
• Wireframes
• User Stories
• Drupal Architecture
Monday, March 30, 15

71. Information Architecture
• Content Audit
• Content Map
• Site Map
• Wireframes
• User Stories
• Drupal Architecture
Monday, March 30, 15

72. Design
Monday, March 30, 15

73. Design
• Design Studio
Monday, March 30, 15

74. Design
• Design Studio
• Mood Boards or
Monday, March 30, 15

75. Design
• Design Studio
• Mood Boards or
• Element Collage
Monday, March 30, 15

76. Design
• Design Studio
• Mood Boards or
• Element Collage
• Comps/Mockups
Monday, March 30, 15

77. A Sprint Model
Monday, March 30, 15

78. The Breakdown
Monday, March 30, 15

79. The Breakdown
• 1 Week of Planning and Organizing
Monday, March 30, 15

80. The Breakdown
• 1 Week of Planning and Organizing
• 2 Weeks of Development
Monday, March 30, 15

81. The Breakdown
• 1 Week of Planning and Organizing
• 2 Weeks of Development
• 1 Week of User Acceptance
Monday, March 30, 15

82. Aten Small Teams
Monday, March 30, 15

83. Aten Small Teams
• Team Lead/Developer
Monday, March 30, 15

84. Aten Small Teams
• Team Lead/Developer
• Back End Developer
Monday, March 30, 15

85. Aten Small Teams
• Team Lead/Developer
• Back End Developer
• Front End Developer
Monday, March 30, 15

86. Monday, March 30, 15

87. Monday, March 30, 15

88. Well Oiled Machines
Monday, March 30, 15

89. IRC
Monday, March 30, 15

90. Google Docs
Monday, March 30, 15

91. Jira Workboard
Monday, March 30, 15

92. Basecamp
Monday, March 30, 15

93. Axure
Monday, March 30, 15

94. Harvest
Monday, March 30, 15

95. Harvest
• We book our time in Harvest against
tasks that match our epics
Monday, March 30, 15

96. Monday, March 30, 15

97. Monday, March 30, 15

98. Great Process
Faster
Better
Awesome
Monday, March 30, 15

99. Thanks!
Matthew Saunders @CreechMatthewS
Monday, March 30, 15