managing international software projects interactively using scrum
DESCRIPTION
Too many projects are not (fully) successful. In many cases this is caused by issues in the management approach. Clients want to know what they get for a fixed budget. But we all know it's almost impossible to fully specify what you need. An Agile software approach proved to work for us. After implementing Scrum our projects went more smooth and we were more often delivering the right results on time. It took time to get this working. For developers it was a bit scary and for our clients it meant they really had to trust us. Today we can see our effort pays off. We wouldn't like to go back to waterfall times anymore.TRANSCRIPT
Managing (international) software projects
interactively using Scrum
IT Academic Days Technical University Gdansk
November 2011 Peter Horsten
© 2011 Goyello Sp. z o. o.
Looking back ….
Let’s Vote
Who knows Agile?
Who uses Agile?
Who uses Scrum?
Image source: European Parliament, http://www.flickr.com/photos/european_parliament/3480264232/
30 up to 70%
Too many IT projects fail
Top causes of project trouble 1. Requirements
Unclear, lack of agreement, lack of priority
2. Resources Lack of resources, poor planning
3. Schedules Too tight, unrealistic, overly optimistic
4. Planning Missing items, insufficient details, poor estimates
5. Risks Unidentified or assumed, not managed
Source: Michael Krigsman (2011)
10 signals a project will fail 1. Project managers don’t understand users’ needs. 2. The project’s scope is ill-‐defined. 3. Project changes are managed poorly. 4. The chosen technology changes. 5. Business needs change. 6. Deadlines are unrealisGc. 7. Users are resistant. 8. Sponsorship is lost. 9. The project lacks people with appropriate skills. 10. Managers ignore best pracGces and lessons learned
Source: John S. Reel, Critical Succes Factors In Software Projects
The classic mistakes
People related mistakes • Undermined moGvaGon • Weak personnel • Uncontrolled problem employees
• Adding people to a late project
• Noisy, crowded offices
• FricGon between developers and customers
• UnrealisGc expectaGons • Lack of effecGve project sponsorship
• Lack of user input • Wishful thinking
Source: Steven C. McConnell (1996)
Process related mistakes
• Overly opGmisGc schedules • Insufficient risk management • Abandonment of planning under pressure • Inadequate design • Premature or too frequent convergence • Code-‐like-‐hell programming
Source: Steven C. McConnell (1996)
Product related mistakes
• Too many and too complex requirements • Feature changes (about 25%) • Developer gold-‐plaGng • Research-‐oriented development
Source: Steven C. McConnell (1996)
Technology related mistakes
• Silver-‐bullet syndrome • OveresGmated savings from new tools or methods
• Switching tools in the middle of a project • Lack of automated source-‐code control
Source: Steven C. McConnell (1996)
It is possible to do it right!
• You can’t define all your needs in a contract • IT has to try to understand the business needs • Agree about the ground rules • Cooperate and communicate!
That sounds Agile, doesn’t it?
We decided to implement SCRUM Scrum is an agile software development framework. Work is structured in cycles of work called sprints, iterations of work that are typically two to four weeks in duration. During each sprint, teams pull from a prioritized list of customer requirements, called user stories, so that the features that are developed first are of the highest value to the customer. At the end of each sprint, a potentially shippable product is delivered. Image source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/7048733.stm
The SCRUM process
Not just another tool!
We value • Individuals and interacGons over processes and tools
• Completed funcGonality over comprehensive documentaGon
• Customer collaboraGon over contract negoGaGon
• Responding to change over following a plan
Source: http://agilemanifesto.org/
SCRUM Roles
Source: cprime.com
We are Agile
The project budget can be fixed, the date will be fixed, we only cannot fully predict the funcGonality that will be delivered
• Write down the story
• Make it clear and understandable for both sides
• Make sure developers fully understand it
• Prioritize together
Tell it with a story: “user stories”
Define needs in terms your client understands!
As a Role I require a Feature
To gain a Business Benefit
Business Driven Development
People don’t like change
• Business has to take ownership and to share visions
• Gedng a product owner
• Project managers need to be flexible
• Development team has to take responsibility
• Cherry picking
Key challenges
1. Developer fear caused by transparency of skill deficiencies
2. The need for developers to be a ‘master of all trades’
3. Increased reliance on social skills 4. A lack of business knowledge among
developers
Source: Key challenges in Agile implementations, Goyelloblog
Gains • More intense cooperaGon with clients • Increased client trust • Quick client feedback • Beier and more frequent results • Increased team responsibility
!Do you want to experience it yourself? Join us!
h;p://kariera.goyello.com
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Sources • Michael Krigsman, CIO analysis: Why 37 percent of projects fail, 2011,
ZDNet,hip://www.zdnet.com/blog/projecnailures/cio-‐analysis-‐why-‐37-‐percent-‐of-‐projects-‐fail/12565
• Steve McConnell, Classic Mistakes Enumerated, 1996hip://www.stevemcconnell.com/rdenum.htm
• John S. Reel, Cri>cal success factors in so?ware projects, hip://www2.engr.arizona.edu/~ece473/readings/8-‐CriGcal%20Success%20Factors%20in%20Soqware.pdf
• OutsourcingNL, Op zoek naar sourcingsucces [Looking for sourcing success], hip://www.vka.nl/publicaGes/publicaGe/outsourcing_in_nl
• Scrum Alliance, hip://www.scrumalliance.org/ • Key challenges in Agile implementaGons, Goyelloblog,
hip://blog.goyello.com/2011/11/28/key-‐challanges-‐in-‐agile-‐implementaGons/ • Top 10 Project Management Challenges,
hip://www.pmhut.com/top-‐10-‐project-‐management-‐challenges
Further reading
Further reading
• Project management 2.0hip://www.slideshare.net/wrike/project-‐management-‐20-‐1884020
• The Zen of Scrumhip://www.slideshare.net/jurgenappelo/the-‐zen-‐of-‐scrum-‐10
Disclosure and sharing In today’s informaGon society it’s impossible not to be inspired by other sources. That’s applicable to this presentaGon as well. I’ve tried to menGon the sources used and to include there copyright if applicable. Please contact me through my blog: hip://petersopinion.com/contact/ if you feel I reused your work without menGoning. Feel free to share and reuse my presentaGon taking the following in mind: This work is licensed under the CreaGve Commons AiribuGon-‐NonCommercial-‐ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit hip://creaGvecommons.org/licenses/by-‐nc-‐sa/3.0/.