jan-erik sandberg - succeeding with large scale agile

Succeeding with Large Scale Agile

Jan-Erik Sandberg, Head of Operations, Visma Retail Software ASAuthor of “Agile Release Management” and “Succeeding with Offshore Development”

The Most Important Thing To Learn About Large Scale Agility:

IT’S REALLY HARD TO IMPLEMENT

But, why?

The Large Scale Agile OnionPortfolio

Dependencies

Project Dependencies

Culture

DifferentLocations

Collaboration

DEV

Let’s start at the core: DEVELOPMENT• Build efficiency• Automatic Deployment• Focus on Performance – Your code might be run in ways

you never imagined

Collaboration• Who does what? The Chart of Responsibilities• Proper Planning Tool• Common test environments• Coding standards

D: takes Decisions solely or ultimatelyd: take decisions jointly or partly

P: manages Process and controls progress

X: eXecutes the workC: must be ConsultedI: must be Informed

Multiple Locations• Ensure low cost communication• Ensure domain knowledge is present• Align Sprints

Multiple Cultures• Culture eat Strategy for breakfast• Ensure all on team are TEAM MEMBERS• Learn the basics of language, religion and politics• Work culture

Project Dependencies• SOS Meetings• Public Planning & Demo• EPICS

EPICS: Why Expand to higher levels?• User stories do not communicate beyond the dev team• Setting the direction

The Epic• Group of related User Stories• Uses same format as the User Story• Short description• Acceptance Criteria• Estimate

• Should not be worked on directly• Can be considered to be a project

Portfolio Dependencies• Product Council • Board of Innovation• Adventures

The Adventure / Theme• Group of related Epics• Uses same format as the Epic• Short description• Acceptance Criteria• Estimate

• Mainly a tool for tracking direction• Can be considered to be a portfolio• Often called a Theme

Epics and Themes/Adventures

Adventure 1

Epic 1Story 1

Feature 1

Feature 2Feature n

Story nFeature 3

Feature 4

Feature n

Epic N

Story 2Feature 5

Feature 6

Feature n

Story n

Feature 7

Feature 8

Feature n

Example: ACME Software Industries• International Software Vendor• Specializes in software for product manufactoring

companies• Biggest customer is KNEEO, a company creating

building blocks for kids.• Most popular software package is called «ProdOrg»• Award winning system since 1990 • Legacy COBOL system

Adventure: ACME Customer Product Support• As a world wide product manufactoring company, we

want our customers of all ages to have the ability to get their inqueries answered in less than 2 hours, in order for us to have the best response time in the market.

The Breakdown

Customer Product Support

Customer Support Website

Customer Call Center

The Breakdown

Customer Product Support

Customer Support Website

FAQ

Online Chat

Mail formsCustomer Call Center

The Roadmap• Outbound Communication• Important to visualize discussions

Retail Suite 15.1

Retail Suite 15.2

Retail Suite 16.1

Platform independent user interface

Mobile Payment

Analytics (DWH)

Device integrations including ePaper & Shop’n Drop

Mobile POS & omnichannel shopping experience

In-store personnel behavior analysis-Fraud detection

Goal driven analysis

Fresh item & Recipe Management

New Improved Mobile App

Merchandise Solution Integration

Basket analysis, space profitability

Fast Moving Consumer GoodsMobile payment solutions

Fresh GoodsMobile POSService retailing

InternationalizationPrice & Optimization

Market Trends

Click and Collect

Extended WorkFlow

Business process related dashboards

RS Multiple countries & SaaS

Next generation of Self Service

CloudOmnichannel – “e-Commerce”

Mobility

Analytics

Three Horizons

The Reporting• Ask your self: “Who reads my reports”• KEEP IT SIMPLE!• Epic Status with Color Coding

The Human Factor• Get Your Mandate – Do not go stealth!• Top Down Approach vs Bottom Up• Transtheoretical model of Change

Transtheoretical model of Change (TTM)• Well documented• 5 stages of change

TTM Stage one: Pre-contemplation

Pre-contemplation Contemplation Preparation/Determination Action/Willpower Maintenance

TTM Stage Two: Contemplation


TTM Stage Three: Preparation/Determination


TTM Stage Four: Action/Willpower


TTM Stage Five: Maintenance


The process of Transition (Fisher)• Anxitey• Happiness

• Denial• Fear• Threat• Guilt

• Disillusionment• Depression

• Hostility• Gradual Acceptance• Moving forward

Key Takeaways:1. Large Scale Agility is what?

2. Work your way through the onion, even if it makes you cry

3. Remember: We’re all humans.