agile and the ba

Reg de Silva and Benn Wheeler

June 2010

Agile and the Business Analyst

What is Agile development?

Agile is an umbrella term for several iterative and incremental software development methodologies including XP, Scrum, Kanban, and Lean

Agile key themes

Customer-centric

Disciplined

Small iterationsCollaboration

Cultural shift

Agile manifesto

Individuals and interactions over processes and tools

Working software over comprehensive documentation

Customer collaboration over contract negotiation

Responding to change over following a plan

So... what does Agile mean for the Business Analyst?

Co-located teams

Business Analyst

Developers

Testers

Project Manager

User Interface Designer

Customer

Iteration Manager

Just-in-time

Just-in-time rather than Just-in-case requirements

Two-iteration window

Iteration One• Clarify Iteration one

requirements• Gather requirements

and write stories for Iteration two

Iteration Two• Clarify Iteration two

requirements• Gather requirements

and write stories for Iteration three

Documentation

Functional & Non-functional Specification

Many stories

vs.

Agile documentation

myth: no documentation reality: just enough

documentation

Stories•Independent•Negotiable•Valuable•Estimable•Small•Testable

INVEST

Story conventions

STORY NARRATIVE CONVENTION

“As <role>

I want <function>

so that <business value>”

ACCEPTANCE TEST CONVENTION

“When I do this <action>,

I expect this <result>”

SCENARIO CONVENTION

Given some initial context (the givens),

When an event occurs,

Then ensure some outcomes.

Story wall

Ready for Iteration In Development In Testing Done

As a user I want to create a record

3

Story-1

As a user I want to read a record

3

Story-2

As a user I want to update a record

2

Story-3

As a user I want to delete a record

1

Story-4

Sprint/Iteration

Key meetings

BA facilitates

Iteration planning

Story kick-offs

Retrospectives

Showcases

BA collaboration

Different operating models for BAs – adopt what works for you…• Peer – Peer paired model• Senior – Junior paired model• Solo BA

Challenges

Analysis churn

Fail early! The cost of churn

Scope trading

Ready for Iteration In Development In Testing Done

As a user I want to create a record

3

Story-1

As a user I want to read a record

3

Story-2

As a user I want to update a record

2

Story-3

As a user I want to delete a record

1

Story-4

Offshore model

More detailed requirements Communication tools and

rules! Different time zones Common cultural

understanding

Transition from traditional development

Limited downtime – intense The right ratio of BAs to

Developers & Testers Project governance fit with

Agile

Iteration Manager, Scrum Master

IM and Scrum Master

Remove roadblocks

Ensure stories progress

Manage risks and issues

Sustainable pace

Agile coaching

Metrics

Planning

IM and Scrum Master

IM - role vs. function Why the role sits well with

BA…

Benefits

Benefits for the BA

Customer satisfaction = job satisfaction

One team Improved collaboration and

trust with technology and business partners

Your marketability!

Questions

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Reginald de Silva regdesilva@gmail.com

http://au.linkedin.com/in/regdesilva

Benn Wheeler benn.wheeler@optusnet.com.au

http://au.linkedin.com/in/bennwheeler

Contacts

Agile software development Using Agile software development – part 1 Using Agile software development – part 2 Using Agile software development – part 3 Agile development - Version One Agile manifesto Agile modeling Behaviour Driven Development definition Behaviour Driven Development Introducing BDD Kano Analysis Parking Lot Diagrams Planning Poker

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