Dimitris Dimitrelos gave a very insightful presentation about the "agile" side of working with stakeholders, in an attempt to discover the benefits and pitfalls.

1. Dimitris Dimitrelos
Agile Coach
dimitris.dimitrelos@gmail.com
Working with Stakeholders
All photos by Christos Georgalas (christosg.org)

2. S/W projects fail…
44%
24%
32%
S/W Project Success
Challenged
Failed
Successful
Source: CHAOS MANIFESTO 2013, The Standish Group

3. …miserably
30%
50%
20%
% Features Used
Infrequently
Hardly
ever/never
Often
Source: CHAOS MANIFESTO 2013, The Standish Group

4. Waterfall: Build the product right?

5. Early decisions hurt!
Time
K
n
o
w
l
e
d
g
e
Decisions

6. Waterfall vs. Agile

7. Waterfall vs. Agile (2)

8. The Scrum Framework

9. The Rules
• Features are captured as items in a list of
“product backlog”.
• Product progresses in a series of 1-4 week
cycles called “sprints”.
• The business sets the priorities. Teams self-
organize.
• Every one week to a month anyone can see
real working software.

10. Scrum Roles
Product Owner
• Define the features of the product
• Decide on release date and content
• Be responsible for the profitability of the product (ROI)
• Prioritize features according to market value
• Adjust features and priority every iteration, as needed
• Accept or reject work results
Scrum Master
• Responsible for enacting Scrum values
and practices
• Remove impediments
• Ensure that the team is fully functional
and productive
• Enable close cooperation across all roles
and functions
• Shield the team from external
interferences
Development team
• 3-9 members
• Cross functional
• Self organized / self managed
• Decide how / how many
• Commit / Deliver
Agile coach
• Not a consultant
• Propose best practices
• Train, guide, mentor

11. The Product Owner as a HERO
Business Technical

12. Product Backlog
Ass’s
Req’s
Lim’s
The Product Owner as a FUNNEL

13. Who is the stakeholder?

14. Stakeholders are…
“Stakeholder: An individual, group or organization who
may affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be
affected by a decision, activity or outcome of the
project”
PMBOK, 5th Edition
“Stakeholders are the reason we develop Products in
the first place. ”
3Back Team

15. • Support
• Operations
• Legal / Regulatory
• Security
• Suppliers
• Competitors
• Family
• Society
Stakeholders are…
• Sponsors
• Customers
• Users
• Developers
• Testers
• Managers
• Marketers
• Salespeople

16. Factor Traditional Agile
Communicate at Project Start Throughout project
Medium Formal (written) Informal (oral)
Formal (written)
Team (co-work)
Interaction Defensive Inclusive
Acceptance Sign-off Buy-in
Feedback Progress Reports Sprint Review
Transparency
Agile vs. traditional

17. Power & Interest Levels
2-21
1. Monitor
2. Keep Informed
3. Keep Satisfied
4. Manage Closely

18. Engage
• Release Planning
• Formal set of Req’s / Reg’s
• Sprint Reviews
• Sprint Retro’s
• One on one’s
• E-mails

19. Enact
• User Stories
• Non-functional Req’s
• Definition of Done
• Direct involvement in team
• Updates / Progress Reports

20. Manage their
Expectations
Protect their rights
Right to KNOW
Right to CARE
Protect your stakeholders

21. Thank you
All photos by Christos Georgalas (christosg.org)