overcome the top 6 anti-patterns of an agile …...overcome the top 6 anti-patterns of an agile...

OVERCOME THE TOP 6 ANTI-PATTERNS OF AN AGILE ADOPTION

David Hawks@austinagile

DAVID HAWKSCEO@AUSTINAGILE

AGILE VELOCITYAUSTIN, TX

64% of Features are Rarely or Never Used

45%$

19%$

16%$

13%$7%$

Never$Rarely$Some5mes$O8en$Always$

From: A Standish Group study

Feature/func+onusageintheso2wareindustry

Find a Partner and Discuss the following Question:What causes us to build features which are rarely or never used?

PROBLEM #1WE MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS TOO EARLY AND

LOCK THEM IN

Image Credit: http://i.qkme.me/3unlv7.jpg

Smartest Point??

Smartest Point??Dumbest Point

Smartest Point??Dumbest Point

Smartest Point??Dumbest Point

Smartest Point??Dumbest Point

Smartest Point??Dumbest Point

Smartest Point??Dumbest Point

Smartest Point??Dumbest Point

Smartest Point??Dumbest Point

Smartest Point??Dumbest Point

MAXIMIZE VALUE!

Smartest Point??Dumbest Point

MAXIMIZE VALUE!

Learning trumps Managing to the Plan

PROBLEM #2 THE TEAM DOESN’T HAVE A SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR PURPOSE

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

EXERCISE

We want to Shift away from a Requirements Delivery Process…

We want to Shift away from a Requirements Delivery Process…

False Assumptions:

We want to Shift away from a Requirements Delivery Process…

False Assumptions:1. The customer knows what they want

We want to Shift away from a Requirements Delivery Process…

False Assumptions:1. The customer knows what they want2. The developers know how to build it

We want to Shift away from a Requirements Delivery Process…

False Assumptions:1. The customer knows what they want2. The developers know how to build it3. Nothing will change along the way

…To a Requirements Discovery Process

…To a Requirements Discovery Process

Reality: 1. The customer discovers what they want 2. The developers discover how to build it 3. Many things change along the way

PROBLEM #3LONG FEEDBACK LOOPS

(OR NONE AT ALL)

Idea

Build

Idea

Build

Idea

Product

Build

Feedback?

Idea

Product

Build

Feedback?

Idea

Product

How do you know you are building the right thing?

Build

Feedback?

Idea

Product

When do you find out if you

are right?

ExecutionDiscovery

Execution• Agile • Scrum • Predictability • Velocity • Test

Automation • Continuous

Integration

Discovery• Lean

Startup • User Story

Mapping • Design

Thinking • Lean UX

Validated Learning

BuildLearn

Measure

Validated Learning

BuildLearn

Measure

1) What do we need to learn?

Validated Learning

BuildLearn

Measure

1) What do we need to learn?

2) How can we measure it?

Validated Learning

BuildLearn

Measure

1) What do we need to learn?

2) How can we measure it?

3) What is the simplest thing to build to

measure it? (MVP)

Assume the team was working in value order, when would you release this product?

What would be the benefit of releasing early?

45%$

19%$

16%$

13%$7%$

Never$Rarely$Some5mes$O8en$Always$

PROBLEM #4DROWNING IN A SEA OF OPPORTUNITY

Working on many items in parallel

10 20 30 40

Limiting WIP Can Cut Cycle Time in Half!

Working on many items in parallel

Working on items one at

a time

10 20 30 40

Limiting WIP Can Cut Cycle Time in Half!

SolutionStop Starting, Start Finishing

PROBLEM #5NOT GETTING TO “DONE DONE”

ILLUSION OF PROGRESS

Requirements

Design

Development

Test

Release

ILLUSION OF PROGRESS

Requirements

Design

Development

Test

Release

80% done??

WORKING SOFTWARE IS YOUR PRIMARY MEASURE OF PROGRESS

Requirements

Design

Development

Sprint 1

Test

Requirements

Design

Development

Sprint 2

Test

Requirements

Design

Development

Sprint 3

Test

Requirements

Design

Development

Sprint 4

Test

Potentially Shippable Product Increment

The PSPI is the Key

The PSPI is the Key

It requires:

The PSPI is the Key

It requires:

• Focus

The PSPI is the Key

It requires:

• Focus

• Breaking Work Down

The PSPI is the Key

It requires:

• Focus

• Breaking Work Down

• Swarming

The PSPI is the Key

It allows us to:It requires:

• Focus

• Breaking Work Down

• Swarming

The PSPI is the Key

It allows us to:

• Deliver Often

It requires:

• Focus

• Breaking Work Down

• Swarming

The PSPI is the Key

It allows us to:

• Deliver Often

• Accelerate Learning

It requires:

• Focus

• Breaking Work Down

• Swarming

The PSPI is the Key

It allows us to:

• Deliver Often

• Accelerate Learning

• Pivot

It requires:

• Focus

• Breaking Work Down

• Swarming

PROBLEM #6EVERYTHING IS IMPORTANT

How we Normally Assign Work

Carter

Alex

James

Camryn

Janet

Will

How we Normally Assign Work

Project 1 Carter

Alex

James

Camryn

Janet

Will

How we Normally Assign Work

Project 1 Carter

Alex

James

Camryn

Janet

Will

How we Normally Assign Work

Project 1 Carter

Alex

James

Camryn

Janet

Will

How we Normally Assign Work

Project 1 Carter

Alex

James

Camryn

Janet

Will

How we Normally Assign Work

Project 1

Project 2

Carter

Alex

James

Camryn

Janet

Will

How we Normally Assign Work

Project 1

Project 2

Carter

Alex

James

Camryn

Janet

Will

How we Normally Assign Work

Project 1

Project 2

Project 3

Carter

Alex

James

Camryn

Janet

Will

How we Normally Assign Work

Project 1

Project 2

Project 3

Carter

Alex

James

Camryn

Janet

Will

How we Normally Assign Work

Project 1

Project 2

Project 3

Everything is a High Priority. How does Alex decide what to work on First?

Carter

Alex

James

Camryn

Janet

Will

How we should prioritize work in Agile

Carter

Alex

James

Camryn

Janet

Will

How we should prioritize work in Agile

Carter

Alex

James

Camryn

Janet

Will

Agile TeamPrioritized

Team Backlog

How we should prioritize work in Agile

Project 1 Carter

Alex

James

Camryn

Janet

Will

Agile TeamPrioritized

Team Backlog

How we should prioritize work in Agile

Project 1 Carter

Alex

James

Camryn

Janet

Will

Agile TeamPrioritized

Team Backlog

How we should prioritize work in Agile

Project 1

Project 2

Carter

Alex

James

Camryn

Janet

Will

Agile TeamPrioritized

Team Backlog

How we should prioritize work in Agile

Project 1

Project 2

Project 3

Carter

Alex

James

Camryn

Janet

Will

Agile TeamPrioritized

Team Backlog

David Hawks Agile Velocity

Agile Coach david@agilevelocity.com

Role

Name

Company

10 yrs

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David Hawks@austinagile