This document outlines a process for rapid release planning using 5 key pieces of information: time, capacity/velocity, size, priority, and dependencies. It describes the order of steps to take which are: figure out the timeframe, "right-size" the backlog, figure out capacity from past velocity, assign sizes to stories, assign priorities, generate a release schedule accounting for dependencies, and then use a "one in - one out" approach for future changes. The goal is to efficiently plan releases using representative story sizing and past velocity data to determine capacity.

1. Larry Apke
Agile Expert
www.agile-doctor.com
larry@agile-doctor.com

2. Standing on the Shoulders
Presented by Lee Henson
Part of his CSM training
http://blog.agiledad.com/
http://www.slideshare.net/agiledad/rapid-release-plannin
I have tweaked Lee’s methods some, but the
underlying concepts remain the same.

3. The 5 Things I Need to Know
Time
Capacity/Velocity
Size
Priority
Dependencies

4. The Order to Do Things
Figure out timeframe
“Right-size” the backlog – make sure all stories are
there (including technical debt, defects, etc.) and
remove what does not need to be there
Figure out capacity from velocity
Assign every story a relative size
Assign every story a relative priority
Figure out dependencies among stories

5. Figure out timeframe
Sprint?
Release?
Plan Window?
For example, 2 week sprints, 3 month release. Or 2 week
sprints, 4 month “rolling release” plan, release every
month.

6. “Right-size” the backlog
If you haven’t done the work in the last ____ months,
should it still be on the active backlog?
Make sure that known defects are included
Solicit stories for technical debt

7. Figure out capacity from velocity
Velocity – past, Capacity – future
Need to have a quick way to size stories –
representative stories (S, M, L, XL – 1 each that
everyone can agree on).
Use the representative stories to use past history to
determine past velocity and extrapolate future
capacity

8. Figure out capacity from velocity
Send out spreadsheet of past stories and have team
members assign sizes based on representative story
sizes
Knee jerk reaction (100 stories – 15-20 minutes – XS,
S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL)
Stories with agreement are assigned numbers based
on the results
Any major disagreements will be hashed out in a
meeting

9. Figure out capacity from velocity
Team gives you sizes (easier than planning poker),
you convert to points
Take all their responses and add to a spreadsheet
XS – 1, S – 2, M – 3, L – 5, XL – 8, XXL – 13, XXXL – 20
From these you will get velocity – project that
forward for future sprint capacity

10. Assign every story a relative size
Do the same thing with future backlog items that you
did with past backlog items
One exception- any story that is given XXL needs to
be broken down into stories that fit into XS-XL.
Send out spreadsheet and only discuss those items
where there is disagreement

11. Assign every story a relative priority
Once information on relative sizing has been
completed, all the information needed for relative
priority should be complete
Every story should have a priority – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 … 100

12. Generate release schedule
You will want to plan as if dependencies do not
matter
In the real world they do so realign your plan as
necessary to adjust for such things
Make sure that dependent stories are scheduled with
or after the stories they depend on

13. Moving Forward
Once you have release plan then the rule is “one in –
one out”
You can handle any new story or story change as long
as the story has priority, size and dependency (time
and capacity should have been previously
determined)
Keep in mind that capacity can change as well –
determine a rough points/person and use it to
estimate increases/decreases in team size