bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw @wakaleo @janmolak
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Agile Product Planning
A different perspective on features, budgets and estimates
John Ferguson Smart
“I help teams of smart people 

learn to work together more efficiently, 

to deliver better software sooner”
wakaleo john@johnfergusonsmart.com
Jan Molak
“Having great ideas is not enough, 

it’s the execution that matters”
JanMolak jan.molak@smartcodeltd.co.uk
Peter Merel
“Agile isn’t just building products the right way. 

It’s building the right products at the right time.”
xscale.wiki peter.merel@mac.com
X S A L E
bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw
bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw @wakaleo @janmolak
bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw @wakaleo @janmolak
Are you seeing the bigger picture?
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Tell me about your feature investment portfolio?
bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw @wakaleo @janmolak
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Time Cost
Scope
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Time Investment
Scope
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Time Investment
Return
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Investment
Return
Cost of Delay
bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw @wakaleo @janmolak
Time for a practical example
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Image copyright Warner Bros.
The movie is coming out
on the 5th of August
A new movie is coming out
and we have secured the
rights to develop the game
We work for a games
studio
The opportunity
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Image copyright Warner Bros.
11Bit Studios
What should we build first?How much bang for our
buck do we get from each
feature
What features can help us
achieve our business
goals?
“Riddle me this”
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“Riddle me this”
DC Comics
What should we build first?How much bang for our
buck do we get from each
feature
What features can help
us achieve our business
goals?
“Riddle me this”
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“Riddle me this”
DC Comics
bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw @wakaleo @janmolak
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https://www.impactmapping.org
Impact Mapping
Practice #1
bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw @wakaleo @janmolak
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https://www.impactmapping.org
bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw @wakaleo @janmolak
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Goal Actor Impact Deliverable
Convert moviegoers
to gamers
Convert gamers
playing other games
bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw @wakaleo @janmolak
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Goal Actor Impact Deliverable
Convert moviegoers
to gamers
Convert gamers
playing other games
Novice
gamers
Casual
gamers
Cinemas
Kids
Genre fans
bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw @wakaleo @janmolak
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Goal Actor Impact Deliverable
Convert moviegoers
to gamers
Convert gamers
playing other games
Novice
gamers
Casual
gamers
Cinemas Get the game
Keep playing
Tell your friends
Kids
Genre fans
Crowdsource
production 

of in-game
content
bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw @wakaleo @janmolak
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Goal Actor Impact Deliverable
Convert moviegoers
to gamers
Convert gamers
playing other games
Novice
gamers
Casual
gamers
Cinemas Get the game
Keep playing
Tell your friends
Kids
Genre fans
Crowdsource
production 

of in-game
content
Buying a movie ticket

unlocks extra content
Themes and wallpapers
Integrate with social media
Customisable characters
Achievements and rewards
Level editor
Notify friends about
your progress on
social media
Deliverables, capabilities and features
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Integrate with social media
Deliverable (capabilities)
Features support capabilities
What should we build first?How much bang for our
buck do we get from
each feature
What features can help us
achieve our business
goals?
“Riddle me this”
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“Riddle me this”
DC Comics
bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw @wakaleo @janmolak
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Business Bingo
Practice #2
bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw @wakaleo @janmolak
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Relative estimates trump absolute ones
bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw @wakaleo @janmolak
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Business Bingo
Using conversations and comparisons
To determine relative investment
needed for each feature
And to determine the relative
return for each feature
Business Bingo in 7 steps
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Step 1 - Lay out some Planning Poker cards in a row across a large table
1 2 3 5 8 13 20 40 100
Business Bingo in 7 steps
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Step 2 - Find three “Investment Bears” features: one small, one medium, and
one large

1 2 3 5 8 13 20 40 100
Investment Bears represent the investment
needed in terms of effort and complexity
Business Bingo in 7 steps
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Step 3 - Place the Bears

1 2 3 5 8 13 20 40 100
“Feature Points”
Business Bingo in 7 steps
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Step 4 - Sort the remaining features by required investment relative to the Bears
1 2 3 5 8 13 20 40 100
Business Bingo in 7 steps
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Step 5 - Write down the relative investment for each feature on its card
1 2 3 5 8 13 20 40 100
1
3
3
3
8
8 20
Business Bingo in 7 steps
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Step 5 - We measure relative required investment in “Feature Points”.
3Investment
[Feature Points]
Business Bingo in 7 steps
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Step 6 - Identify three “Value Bear” features and repeat the process for
business value
1 2 3 5 8 13 20 40 100
1
3
3
3
8 8
20
Business Bingo in 7 steps
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Step 6 - Identify three Value Bears and repeat the process for business
value
1 2 3 5 8 13 20 40 100
1
3
3
3
8
8
20 1
1
3
5
13
13
13
Business Bingo in 7 steps
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Step 6 - We record the relative return on investment in “Value Points”
3Investment
[Feature Points]
13 Return
[Value Points]
Business Bingo in 7 steps
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Step 7 - Calculate the relative ROI for each feature
3 13Investment Return
Relative ROI = (Return - Investment) / Investment
ROI = 3
Feature Points and budget
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££££
££
£
bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw @wakaleo @janmolak
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Goal Actor Impact Deliverable
Convert moviegoers
to gamers
Convert gamers
playing other games
Novice
gamers
Casual
gamers
Cinemas Get the game
Keep playing
Tell your friends
Kids
Genre fans
Crowdsource
production 

of in-game
content
Buying a movie ticket

unlocks extra content
Themes and wallpapers
Integrate with social media
Customisable characters
Achievements and rewards
Level editor
Buying a movie ticket unlocks a free level
Investment: Medium
Return: High
bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw @wakaleo @janmolak
40
Goal Actor Impact Deliverable
Convert moviegoers
to gamers
Convert gamers
playing other games
Novice
gamers
Casual
gamers
Cinemas Get the game
Keep playing
Tell your friends
Kids
Genre fans
Crowdsource
production 

of in-game
content
Buying a movie ticket

unlocks extra content
Themes and wallpapers
Integrate with social media
Customisable characters
Achievements and rewards
Level editor
Buying a movie ticket unlocks a free level
Complexity: Medium
Value: High
Movie-themed downloadable ring-tone
Investment: Low
Return: Low
bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw @wakaleo @janmolak
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Goal Actor Impact Deliverable
Convert moviegoers
to gamers
Convert gamers
playing other games
Novice
gamers
Casual
gamers
Cinemas Get the game
Keep playing
Tell your friends
Kids
Genre fans
Crowdsource
production 

of in-game
content
Buying a movie ticket

unlocks extra content
Themes and wallpapers
Integrate with social media
Customisable characters
Achievements and rewards
Level editor
Buying a movie ticket unlocks a free level
Complexity: Medium
Value: High
Movie-themed downloadable dial-tone
Complexity: Low
Value: Low
A stand-alone level editor app
Investment: High
Return: Medium
What should we build first?How much bang for our
buck do we get from each
feature
What features can help us
achieve our business
goals?
“Riddle me this”
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“Riddle me this”
DC Comics
Factor in the Cost of DelayPrioritise ROIDeliver features, not stories
What should we build first?
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bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw @wakaleo @janmolak
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Cost of Delay trumps Return on Investment
Return on Investment (ROI) and Cost of Delay (COD) make…
“Royal Cod”
bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw @wakaleo @janmolak
45
Goal Actor Impact Deliverable
Convert moviegoers
to gamers
Convert gamers
playing other games
Novice
gamers
Casual
gamers
Cinemas Get the game
Keep playing
Tell your friends
Kids
Genre fans
Crowdsource
production 

of in-game
content
Buying a movie ticket

unlocks extra content
Themes and wallpapers
Integrate with social media
Customisable characters
Achievements and rewards
Level editor
Buying a movie ticket unlocks extra content
Investment: Medium
Return: High
Cost of delay: High
bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw @wakaleo @janmolak
46
Goal Actor Impact Deliverable
Convert moviegoers
to gamers
Convert gamers
playing other games
Novice
gamers
Casual
gamers
Cinemas Get the game
Keep playing
Tell your friends
Kids
Genre fans
Crowdsource
production 

of in-game
content
Buying a movie ticket

unlocks extra content
Themes and wallpapers
Integrate with social media
Customisable characters
Achievements and rewards
Level editor
Buying a movie ticket unlocks extra content
Complexity: Medium
Value: High
Themes and wallpapers
Investment: Low
Return: Low
Cost of delay: Medium
bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw @wakaleo @janmolak
47
Goal Actor Impact Deliverable
Convert moviegoers
to gamers
Convert gamers
playing other games
Novice
gamers
Casual
gamers
Cinemas Get the game
Keep playing
Tell your friends
Kids
Genre fans
Crowdsource
production 

of in-game
content
Buying a movie ticket

unlocks extra content
Themes and wallpapers
Integrate with social media
Customisable characters
Achievements and rewards
Level editor
Buying a movie ticket unlocks extra content
Complexity: Medium
Value: High
Themes and wallpapers
Complexity: Low
Value: Low
Level editor
Investment: High
Return: Medium
Cost of delay: Low
bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw @wakaleo @janmolak
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Release Refactoring
Practice #3
“No battle plan ever survives contact with the enemy.”
- Helmuth von Moltke
bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw @wakaleo @janmolak
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Release Refactoring
Practice #3
Which features must be
released or the capability is
compromised
Which have concrete
quantifiable benefit across
the board
Which are just “nice to have”
bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw @wakaleo @janmolak
ROI 2
FP: 8
ROI 0.7
FP: 5
ROI 14
FP: 11
ROI 3
FP: 8
ROI -6
FP: 3
ROI 15
FP: 11
ROI 5.9
FP: 13ROI 14
FP: 11
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Buying a movie ticket

unlocks extra content
Themes and wallpapers Level editor
Capabilities
ROI 9
FP: 8
ROI 5
FP: 3
ROI 1.7
FP: 21
ROI -0.7
FP: 5
ROI 5.9
FP: 13
ROI 3
FP: 8
ROI 2
FP: 8
ROI 9
FP: 5
ROI 7.2
FP: 3
ROI -0.7
FP: 3
ROI -6
FP: 3
Must Have Should Have Nice to Have
bit.ly/agile-product-planning-draw @wakaleo @janmolak
Thank you!
John Ferguson Smart and Jan Molak
john@johnfergusonsmart.com
http://www.wakaleo.com
X S A L E
http://xscale.wiki
jan.molak@smartcodeltd.co.uk

CukeUp 2016 Agile Product Planning Workshop