Agile Planning and Project Management

In this session we will shatter the myth that agile teams can't plan. We'll start by looking at the benefits of the short cycles of iterative and incremental development. We'll then look at the six different levels of planning that occur in agile organizations. We'll see what user stories are and why they've become the preferred approach to planning and managing the work of an agile team. We'll look at how user stories are estimated with the popular Planning Poker technique. To do that we'll discuss the merits of relative estimating and abstract approaches such as story points and what a point really means. With an initial plan created, we'll look at how agile teams use the concept of velocity to measure and predict progress. We'll also look at information radiatiors such as task boards and burndown charts. We'll conclude by looking at how these concepts can be applied to complex situations such as fixed-date and fixed-scope projects.

Transcript

1. Agile Planning and Project Management Mike Cohn Agile 2013 August 5, 2013 1
2. ® • Founding member of Agile Alliance & Scrum Alliance • Founder of Mountain Goat Software • Doing Scrum since 1995 • Started my career as a programmer • VP Engineering in 4 companies Mike Cohn 2
3. © Copyright Mountain Goat Software ® Agenda • Iterative and incremental • User stories • Estimating • Planning 3
4. © Copyright Mountain Goat Software ® ® • Iterative and incremental • User stories • Estimating • Planning Agenda 4
5. © Copyright Mountain Goat Software ® Iterative • Revisit previously worked-on pieces © Copyright Mountain Goat Software ® 5
6. © Copyright Mountain Goat Software ® Incremental • Develop one piece at a time © Copyright Mountain Goat Software ® 6
7. © Copyright Mountain Goat Software ® Iterative & incremental • Do some of one part then some of the next © Copyright Mountain Goat Software ® 7
8. © Copyright Mountain Goat Software ® Daily Iteration Release Product Portfolio Strategy Team focuses here Team focuses here Team focuses here Six levels of planning 8
9. © Copyright Mountain Goat Software ® Iteration 2 Iteration 1 Iteration 3 Iterations 4–7 Code the … 8 Test the … 12 Design a … 8 Code the … 6 Iteration Plan Iteration Plan Code the … 6 Decide … 4 Test the … 6 Automate … 8 A release (or “long-term”) plan 9
10. © Copyright Mountain Goat Software ® Agenda • Iterative and incremental • User stories • Estimating • Planning 10
11. © Copyright Mountain Goat Software ® As a frequent flyer, I want to rebook a past trip As a user, I want to reserve a hotel room. As a vacation traveler, I want to see photos of the hotels. As a user, I can cancel a reservation. so that I save time booking trips I take often. 11
12. © Copyright Mountain Goat Software ® A template As a <user type>, I <want/need/can/etc.> some goal, [so that <reason>]. 12
13. © Copyright Mountain Goat Software ® Where are the details? As a user, I can cancel a reservation. • Does the user get a full or partial refund? • Is the refund to her credit card or is it site credit? • How far ahead must the reservation be cancelled? • Is that the same for all hotels? • For all site visitors? Can frequent travelers cancel later? • Is a confirmation provided to the user? How? 13
14. © Copyright Mountain Goat Software ® Add details as sub-stories As a user, I can cancel a reservation. As a premium site member, I can cancel up to the last minute. As a non-premium member, I need to cancel at least 24 hours in advance. As a member, I am emailed a confirmation when I cancel. 14
15. © Copyright Mountain Goat Software ® … or as Conditions of Satisfaction Verify that a premium member can cancel the same day without a fee. Verify that a non-premium member is charged 10% for a same-day cancellation. Verify that an email confirmation is sent. • Conditions of Satisfaction are essentially tests • Should come from the product owner As a user, I can cancel a reservation. 15
16. © Copyright Mountain Goat Software ® Time Legend Smaller Larger Size Detail Less More Epic Theme 16
17. © Copyright Mountain Goat Software ® As a VP Marketing, I can review the performance of historical ad campaigns so that I can identify and repeat profitable ones. As a VP Marketing, I can select the timeframe to use when reviewing the performance of past campaigns, so that … As a VP Marketing, I can select which type of campaigns (direct mail, TV, email, radio, etc.) to include when reviewing … An epic Epics? 17
18. © Copyright Mountain Goat Software ® As a VP Marketing, I want to see information on direct mailings when reviewing historical campaigns. As a VP Marketing, I want to see information on TV ads when reviewing historical campaigns. As a VP Marketing, I want to see information on TV ads when reviewing historical campaigns. As a VP Marketing, I want to see information on email ads when reviewing historical campaigns. 18
19. © Copyright Mountain Goat Software ® Agenda • Iterative and incremental • User stories • Estimating • Planning 19
20. © Copyright Mountain Goat Software ® ® • Iterative and incremental • User stories • Estimating • Planning Agenda 20
21. How long to… • Drive to Seattle • Read a…ahem… good book 21
22. © Copyright Mountain Goat Software ® Estimate size; derive duration 300 kilograms Size Calculation Duration Velocity= 20 300÷20= 15 iterations ➞ ➞ 22
23. © Copyright Mountain Goat Software ® Two Units For ESTIMATING 1 2 Ideal Time Story Points 23
24. © Copyright Mountain Goat Software ® Ideal time • How long a thing will take if: • it’s all you work on • no one interrupts you • everything you need is available 24