How to be agile (verb) without being Agile (noun)

You can can adapt agile concepts without getting buried in rules - if done right. Originally presented at NWA PMI Chapter meeting May 2017 .

1. Martin Bailey, PMP, ACP, CSM, ITIL Foundations
How to be “agile” (verb)
Without being “Agile” (noun)

2. SESSION CONTENT
•Definitions
•Methodologies and Terms
•The Agile Manifesto
•Some of the trials and tribulations of a major retailer
•The steps used to introduce agile concepts to University IT staff
•Introducing “agile” at the University of Arkansas while moving to
“Agile”
•Potential Pitfalls
•How you can be “agile” while on your journey toward being “Agile”

How you can be “agile” (verb) without being “Agile” (noun) - M Bailey 2017 2

3. DEFINITIONS
•agile (verb)
–1 : marked by ready ability to move with quick easy grace
–Example: an agile dancer
–2 : having a quick resourceful and adaptable character
–Example: an agile mind
•From merriam-webster.com
•Agile (noun)
–A conceptual development methodology framework. Agile methods are a
family of development processes, not a single approach.
•From various sources



How you can be “agile” (verb) without being “Agile” (noun) - M Bailey 2017 3

4. HIGH LEVEL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
WATERFALL, ITERATIVE, AND AGILE
How you can be “agile” (verb) without being “Agile” (noun) - M Bailey 2017 4

5. SO MANY METHODOLOGIES
•Different Methodologies
–Scrum
–Kanban
–XP (Extreme Programming)
–RUP (Rational Unified Process)
–TDD (Test Driven Development)
–ATTD (Acceptance Test Driven Development)
–SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework)
–LeSS (LargE Scale Scrum)
•and more.
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6. CONFUSING TERMS
•Scrum Team
•Sprint
•Release
•Retrospective
•Backlog
•Kanban Board
•Points – Sizing
•Product
•8/80 Rule
•MVP (or my new term IPV2)
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7. WHAT IS IPV2?
•MVP is Minimal Viable Product
–Customers do not like the word “minimal”.

•Introducing IPV2
–Initial Product of Value
•What you can deliver first
–Incremental Product of Value
•The increments or parts that you deliver over time
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8. KANBAN BOARD EXAMPLE
•A visualization of work
•Can have many columns
•Can have swim lanes
•Can be physical
–Tactile
•Can be electronic
•Easy to understand

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9. THE AGILE MANIFESTO
Parts get missed
Can be for more than Software
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10. THE AGILE MANIFESTO
Individuals & Interactions over Processes and Tools

Working Software over Comprehensive Documentation

Customer Collaboration over Contract Negotiation

Responding to Change over Following a Plan
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11. THE AGILE MANIFESTO
Individuals & Interactions over Processes and Tools

Working Software over Comprehensive Documentation

Customer Collaboration over Contract Negotiation

Responding to Change over Following a Plan

While there is value in items on the right,
We value the items on the left more.
Often Forgotten
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12. THE AGILE MANIFESTO – COMMENTS
Individuals & Interactions over Processes and Tools
over, not instead of some tool is needed to track progress
End Product over Comprehensive Documentation
the right amount of documentation is needed
Customer Collaboration over Contract Negotiation
cost, time, scope must be considered
Responding to Change over Following a Plan
Some think that this means ALL changes are OK. Not True. You need to stay within the scope statement.
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13. INTRODUCING AGILE
At a Major Retailer
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14. AGILE AT A MAJOR RETAILER
•The CIO states, “We need to be more agile”
•The PMO hears, “We must be AGILE”
•The PMO states, “All projects will be AGILE”
•Several Types of Training Provided
–Scrum, Scrum Master, Six Sigma, Kanban, SAFe
–Managers, Scrum Masters, & Project Managers not on the same page.
•For example: do not understand points & points across teams
–Developers say “Yea, we don’t need project managers!” (false)
–We don’t need Schedules or deadlines (false)

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15. AGILE (OOPS) AT A MAJOR RETAILER
•What about the customer?
•“Agile Theatre” – example: only Dev Team is Agile
•Let’s try Scrum
•Not mature enough for Scrum, let’s try Kanban
•Let’s try TDD and ATDD while keeping silos within the team

–The throw it over the wall to QA still existed within the scrum team
–Scrum Teams were more concerned about delivering points, not quality

•MAJOR PLUS – Agile Coaches & Agile Champions
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16. NOW LETS TRY SAFE
Scrum, Kanban, TDD, ATDD and SAFe all tried within 3 years!
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17. AGILE IS NOT A MAGIC WAND
•It does not happen overnight
•It is tough to change project methods midstream
•It is a change in mindset, not just processes
•It requires learning and continuous improvement
•It can be overwhelming at first
•Be cautious with short cuts
•A change in mind set and minor process changes are a good start
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18. INTRODUCING AGILE
At a University
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19. WALK BEFORE YOU RUN

•I had the unique opportunity to introduce:
–Project Management
–Portfolio Management
–Resource Management
–Capacity Management
–Resource based Prioritization
–Kanban Boards (not just for projects)

•Then we started with Agile Concepts
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20. INTRODUCTION OF AGILE CONCEPTS

•It doesn’t need to be perfect or complete first time out
–Example: Delaying Rollout due to imperfection
•Introduction of Incremental Value
–A $150,000 waterfall project that gets cancelled has no value
–A $150,000 Agile project that is postponed or cancelled delivers value
•Documentation, agreed on incremental results, partial product, etc.
•Rolling Wave Requirements
•Easily accepting Changes that are within Scope
•Ability to “be able to say no, not now” or adjust priorities

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21. MORE AGILE CONCEPTS INTRODUCED

•Sprints
•Releases
•Daily Standup meetings
–With the right people invited
•Retrospectives
•Planning Meetings
•Lessons Learned
•Kaizen (Continuous Improvement)

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22. POTENTIAL PITFALLS
Whether “agile” or “Agile”
How you can be “agile” (verb) without being “Agile” (noun) - M Bailey 2017 22

23. POTENTIAL PITFALLS

•Lack of Customer Involvement
•Not the right team
•Team too big or too small
•Silos within the team
•No Kickoff
•Not understanding Sizing or Points
–Not all points are created equal
•No Backlog
•No Tracking
•Lack of Prioritization


How you can be “agile” (verb) without being “Agile” (noun) - M Bailey 2017 23

24. HOW YOU CAN BE
Agile (verb) without being Agile (noun)
How you can be “agile” (verb) without being “Agile” (noun) - M Bailey 2017 24

25. EMBRACE THESE CONCEPTS
– EVEN IF YOU ARE USING WATERFALL
•Divide the work into small chunks
–Most important work first
•Feedback loops
•Accept Changes
•Fail Fast – Learn Fast
•Organizational Change Management
•Continuous Learning & Growth
•Continuous Improvement

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26. HIGH LEVEL CONCEPTS




•Deliver Quality
•Deliver Value
•Deliver Early & Often

“Don’t be a Dumb Bunny - Be a Scrum Bunny”
26
So you can be “agile”
without being “Agile”
How you can be “agile” (verb) without being “Agile” (noun) - M Bailey 2017

27. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
Martin R. Bailey
[email protected]
Member NWA PMI Chapter
also on LinkedIn
479-270-2485

Master’s Degree – Project Management
Project Management Professional (PMI-PMP)
Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)
Certified Scrum Master (Scrum Alliance CSM)
ITIL v3 Certified
Six Sigma White Belt
Bachelor’s Degree – Computer Science

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