- Digite Inc. implemented Scrum but faced challenges with daily scrums, interruptions throwing off iterations, and not allowing backlog changes or defect fixes within sprints. - They then introduced Kanban principles like work visualization, work-in-process limits, and focusing on smooth flow. This became their "Scrumban" approach. - With Scrumban they saw benefits like better value delivery, much better visibility, ability to make releases whenever needed mainly for bug fixes, and happier customers. - They recommend organizations make their own customized "cocktails" of Scrum and Kanban principles based on their needs.

1. Implementing Scrumban- Story so farMay 21st ,2011- Scrum Bangalore “PechaKucha” PresentationBy Nitin Ramrakhyani, Sr. Product Manager, Digite Inc.

2. Background ContextDigite Inc, valley based product company, pioneer in Web-based Collaborative Products/ Solutions for Geographically Distributed TeamsOver 75 customers/ 250,000 users in North America, Europe, Asia/ Pacific.Two products, Quarterly releases30+ dev team size, 5-8 QA, 1 PO, distributed across three locations.

3. What we did earlier?

4. ChallengesHigh Impact AnalysisIncreasing Defect rateIncreasing CompetitionComplex Requirements

5. Enter ScrumImgSrc: Scrum Primer by Pete Deemer

6. How much we Scrummed?Release Planning – Backlog Prioritization, estimationMultiple iterations in each releaseIteration demosFeature Teams – For better impact analysisEarly QA involvementIncreased Automation, Daily buildsDaily scrumsRetrospectives

7. What Worked, for us ?Iteration demos – Early feedback, to make early correctionEarly involvement of QAFeature teamsRetrospectives, allowing team to reflect and make improvements. Lead to lower defect rate, better quality….more happiness. 

8. What didn’t work, for us?Daily scrum  Weekly Status CallsStill needed Usecases, stories couldn’t help.Interruptions threw off Iteration plans, often.Tough to do iteration planning multiple times, gather all stakeholders.Backlog changes within a sprint not allowed in scrum, but needed for business.Needed quicker defect-fix deployment, hence Release(minor or Hotfix as we call) WITHIN Iterations

9. What next?

10. Enter KanbanDerived from the combination of two Japanese words, kan ("visual") and ban ("card" or "board"), kanban roughly translates to sign board or signal board.

11. Kanban – Key PrinciplesVisualize your WorkLimit Work in Process (WIP)Remove bottlenecks and improve the flowIncrease throughput

12. Kanban Introduction

13. Who doesn’t like cocktails?Scrum + Kanban = Scrumban

14. Shaken, not Stirred….Our mixScrum Release Planning – remained same at high levelIteration Planning and fixed iteration scopeDaily Standup - within smaller teamsRetrospectivesAgile Engg practices – daily builds, test automation etc.KanbanWork Visualization ( different than Agile task boards)WIP Limits, to discourage multi-taskingTest as soon as “done”Dealing with bottlenecks asapFocus on smooth “flow”

15. Visibility Was the Key

16. Late Scope Additions - Allowed

17. What we measure?

18. BenefitsBetter/ “Value” deliveryCan make releases “Whenever(almost, bug-fixes mainly)Much better visibilityHappy customers/ users. 

19. RecommendationMake your own Cocktails.….

20. Referenceswww.goodagile.comhttp://www.infoq.com/minibooks/kanbanscrum-minibookwww.limitedwipsociety.comKanbandev - Yahoo groupwww.swift-kanban.comwww.digite/swift/community