lean business analysis and ux runway: managing value by reducing waste (natalie warnert product...

Lean Business Analysis and UX Runway

Managing value by reducing waste

Natalie WarnertIT Arena – Lviv, Ukraine

October 3, 2015

Agenda

• Natalie’s background• Define roles of BA and UX in Agile• Understand Agile role integration• Show example of how this can be done via

Runway process (Best Buy example)• Benefits and risks

You will leave knowing how to help BAs and UX collaborate to learn quickly

Natalie Warnert

• Agile Coach, Project Delivery Mgr• MA, CSP, CSM, PSM

Web: www.nataliewarnert.comTwitter: @nataliewarnertEmail: info@nataliewarnert.com

Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

BestBuy.com

What is a BA?

Business AnalystsAct as a liaison between

Business and ITWork on requirements

for projectsSolve problemsBuild specifications for

how solutions will workDefine As-Is and To-Be

states of the business

User Experience Professionals• User Researcher• Information Architect• Visual Designer• Accessibility Specialist

• [insert verb here] how a person

interacts with a system

– Flow

– Perception

– Ease of use

– Understanding

What is UX?

*Content from Leslie J. Morse

Why is it so hard for UX, analysts and Agile to play nicely?

Image source: http://static.comicvine.com/

Agile Manifesto

We are uncovering better ways of developingsoftware by doing it and helping others do it.Through this work we have come to value:

Individuals and interactions over processes and toolsWorking software over comprehensive documentation

Customer collaboration over contract negotiationResponding to change over following a plan

That is, while there is value in the items onthe right, we value the items on the left more

Source: agilemanifesto.org

Agile Manifesto

We are uncovering better ways of developingsoftware by doing it and helping others do it.Through this work we have come to value:

Individuals and interactions over processes and toolsWorking software over comprehensive documentation

Customer collaboration over contract negotiationResponding to change over following a plan

That is, while there is value in the items onthe right, we value the items on the left more

But comprehensive documentation is my JOB!

Agile Manifesto

We are uncovering better ways of developingsoftware by doing it and helping others do it.Through this work we have come to value:

Individuals and interactions over processes and toolsWorking software over comprehensive documentation

Customer collaboration over contract negotiationResponding to change over following a plan

That is, while there is value in the items onthe right, we value the items on the left more

Both of these are important

Agile Manifesto

We are uncovering better ways of developingsoftware by doing it and helping others do it.Through this work we have come to value:

Individuals and interactions over processes and toolsWorking software over comprehensive documentation

Customer collaboration over contract negotiationResponding to change over following a plan

That is, while there is value in the items onthe right, we value the items on the left more

We can’t just keep changing things ALL THE TIME! Change request?

That big design up front is an important plan!

But what about Lean?

Eliminate wasteSmall batch sizesOnly deliver valueShorten the feedback loop

Build > Measure > Learn

Wait…

Eliminate wasteSmall batch sizesOnly deliver valueShorten the feedback loop

Is what I produce waste?

But…

Eliminate wasteSmall batch sizesOnly deliver valueShorten the feedback loop

It does not make sense in small pieces!

I do not understand…

Eliminate wasteSmall batch sizesOnly deliver valueShorten the feedback loop

What is not value? All of this is valuable!

I do not understand…

Eliminate wasteSmall batch sizesOnly deliver valueShorten the feedback loop

Does that mean I have to work faster? Quality takes time!

It’s a balance!

Key integration and engagement at all levels of planning, development, implementation, and

feedback to understand and respond to customer desires

Image source: worldofDTCmarketing.com

But how?

• Shorten development lifecycles• Business hypothesis driven experimentation• Validated learning

Source: The Lean Startup – Eric Ries

BA’s can analyze and create

But how?

• Shorten development lifecycles• Business hypothesis driven experimentation• Validated learning

But how?

• Shorten development lifecycles• Business hypothesis driven experimentation• Validated learning

ResearchPrototyping

A/B TestsEtc.

But how?

• Shorten development lifecycles• Business hypothesis driven experimentation• Validated learning

At all levels: portfolio, product, team

Analyst and UX Runway

Continuously assessing what needs to be donefirst

second

just in time (JIT)

or not at all (waste)

to find the Minimum Viable Product (MVP)MVP = ‘just enough’ to learn

Analyst and UX Runway

Big Design up Front to Just in Time to adjust to feedback and improve cycle time

Broad requirements to pieces of value and function to learn

Focus and detail

Time to development and delivery

Analyst and UX Runway

+5 +4 +3 +2 +1 Dev Starts

Analyst and UX Runway

+5 +4 +3 +2 +1 Dev Starts

User Research (A/B tests, BDUF, Studies, hypothesis validation)

Focus to integrate learning and investigate new hypotheses

Analyst and UX Runway

Information Architecture and Visual Design (wireframes &

images)

Focus for Grooming

+5 +4 +3 +2 +1 Dev Starts

User Research (A/B tests, BDUF, Studies, hypothesis validation)

Focus to integrate learning and investigate new hypotheses

Analyst and UX Runway

Information Architecture and Visual Design (wireframes &

images)

Focus for Grooming

+5 +4 +3 +2 +1 Dev Starts

User Research (A/B tests, BDUF, Studies, hypothesis validation)

Focus to integrate learning and investigate new hypotheses

Focus for story

review

10% overlapIntegration capacity

Any last details

Cart, Fulfillment, Checkout, Payment

How does it actually work?

• Story mapping• Value mapping• Backlog/requirements grooming• Internal reviews and collaboration with

entire team (at multiple engagement levels)• Demos of designs, results of research,

describing business hypotheses and value learning

Story Mapping

Attach

Product recommendations

Warranty plans

Recommend for you

Complete your

purchaseApple Care Geek Squad

ProtectionRequired

Accessories

Value Mapping

Attach

Product recommendations

Warranty plans

Recommend for you

Complete your

purchaseApple Care Geek Squad

ProtectionRequired

Accessories

What will bring more value?

To business? To customer?

User Research, existing metrics, new metrics, developmental complexity

Backlog Grooming/Story Refinement

Connect to data feed

Data mine and associate parent

products with child products

Complete your purchase

Wireframes

Visual Design

Output data to front end

Organize and display items

Write and display text

Sprint Planning

Connect to data feed

Data mine and associate parent

products with child products

Customers who bought also bought

Wireframes

Visual Design

Output data to front end

Organize and display items

Write and display text

1

2

2

3

1

Execution and Review

• Sprint 1 = Spreadsheet of associations, data flows/sources, system and user interactions

• Sprint 2 = Products associating in a list from database, outputting in front end, visual design (what it will look like)

• Sprint 3 = Fully functional prototype with a few test products – enough to learn

Lean testable feature to LEARN

Working TOGETHER

Instead of throwing things over the wall:

• What the system shall do• How the customer shall interact with the system • How the system shall interact with itself and

other systems

Collaborate to make the most effective solution in an efficient manner.

Benefits of Runway

• Increased quality• Fewer fire drills or emergencies• Less re-work• Faster/effective delivery• Flexibility in design• Consistent product• Predictability

Risks of Runway

• Analysis paralysis• Bottleneck creation• Can be manipulated• “Just enough” is not the same for all teams,

features, products

What to remember:

Planning is not badPlans should allow for flexibilityContinuous learning and validationValue is key – effectiveness over efficiency

Image Source: http://blog.thehigheredcio.com/2011/08/31/efficiency-vs-effectiveness/

Thank you & questions

Contact:

Email: info@nataliewarnert.comWeb: www.nataliewarnert.comTwitter: @nataliewarnert