an experiment in self- - scrum alliance certification
TRANSCRIPT
An experiment in self-organization
Kristen Lans, Wikimedia Foundation Team Practices Group
Wikimedia Foundation
Team Practices GroupThe TPG believes that healthy teams reliably deliver customer value and innovative products.
Through dedicated resourcing, coaching, and workshops at the WMF, we facilitate the use of practices that support team health, with a strong emphasis on creating conditions of clarity, trust, and continuous improvement.
Mobile
Web App
The Team
MEGATEAM!!!!!
Agenda
● Diagnosing team health with scrum● Experimenting, inspecting, and adapting to
self-organize● Learnings
● Diagnosing team health with scrum● Experimenting, inspecting, and adapting to
self-organize● Learnings Failings
What can Scrum Rituals, Roles, and Artifacts tell us?
Velocity
Artifacts: The Sprint & Product Backlog
Roles: Product Owner
Rituals: Sprint Planning & Estimation
In Summary...● Sharp increase in velocity ->● Rapid cycling through Backlog ->● Increased strain on PO ->● Increased strain on team ->● Confusion, sadness, chaos, stress● Not sustainable
Team Size
● Two pizza teams● 3-5 (QSM)● “five to nine”...”putting a number to it makes
me nervous.” *● Depends on context
"Succeeding with Agile: Software Development Using Scrum" by Mike Cohn
What did we do?
The best we could, at that time, with the knowledge we had.
What did we do?
● Observe● Analyze & Decide● Experiment● Iterate
What did we do?
● Observe● Analyze & Decide● Experiment● Iterate
What did we do?
● Observe● Analyze & Decide: Special Retrospective
○ One-word retro○ Presented information○ Validate○ Brainstorm
● Experiment● Iterate
What did we do?
● Observe● Analyze & Decide: Special Retrospective
○ One-word retro○ Presented information○ Validate○ Brainstorm
● Experiment● Iterate
What did we do?
● Observe● Analyze & Decide: Special Retrospective
○ One-word retro○ Presented information○ Validate○ Brainstorm
● Experiment● Iterate
What did we do?
● Observe● Analyze & Decide: Special Retrospective
○ One-word retro○ Presented information○ Validate○ Brainstorm
● Experiment● Iterate
What did we do?
● Observe● Analyze & Decide: Special Retrospective
○ One-word retro○ Presented information○ Validate○ Brainstorm
● Experiment● Iterate
What did we do?
● Observe● Analyze & Decide● Experiment● Iterate
What did we do?
● Observe● Analyze & Decide● Experiment● Iterate
?
How did it go?
● Teams didn’t like extra grooming meetings● Split focus● Priority confusion● Productization of tech debt● Still lots of coordination required● Meetings a bit better
...or did we?
Lessons Learned
● Role of the Scrum Master● Best Practices for Participation● What even is self-organization?
Lessons Learned
● Role of the Scrum Master● Best Practices for Participation● What even is self-organization?
Role of Scrum Master
● Let the process reveal what is happening● Don’t be too attached to the outcome● Understand the team context● Keep the focus on the customer● Keep the focus on team, rather than
individuals
Lessons Learned
● Role of the Scrum Master● Best Practices for Participation
○ “Consensus”○ The Groan Zone
● What even is self-organization?
Lessons Learned
● Role of the Scrum Master● Best Practices for Participation
○ “Consensus”○ The Groan Zone
● What even is self-organization?
Lessons Learned
● Role of the Scrum Master● Best Practices for Participation
○ “Consensus”○ The Groan Zone
● What even is self-organization?
Source: Community at Work, 2014
Lessons Learned
● Role of the Scrum Master● Best Practices for Participation● What even is self-organization?
Self organization
Where are we now?
● Quarterly boundary● Reorg just happened● Some people want to BRING BACK
MEGATEAM!!!
What did we do?
● Observe● Analyze & Decide● Experiment● Iterate
