the rise of the agile analyst - heartlandiiba.org€¦ · • there is a role for business analysts...

The Rise of the Agile Analyst

Christian Antoine, CSP

Mike Stuedemann, PMP, PMI-ACP, CSP

http://collaborativeleadershipteam.com

http://collaborativeleadershipteam.com/

Who are these guys?

Copyright 2014 Collaborative Leadership Team

Source: “Fargo” http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116282/?ref_=nv_sr_2

Christian Antoine

CSP

• 18+ years Information

Technology, systems

development, project

management/business analysis

• Practicing Agile since 2008

• Certified ScrumMaster since

2009

• Certified Scrum Professional

2014

• Personal: Married with 2 girls and

a boy, reside in Robbinsdale


Mike Stuedemann PMP, PMI-ACP, CSP

• 17+ years Information Technology -

traditional SDLC and Scrum/Agile

• Practicing Agile since 2007

• Certified Scrum Professional

• Active member in the Scrum Alliance and the

PMI-MN Agile Practitioner Community

• Married with 3 Boys

• Based in Andover, MN


What is this about …

Why no BA role in Agile?

Value of software

Building the right product

Building the product right

Where do BA’s fit in this …


What this is not …

Back to basics – requirements gathering

How to write good user stories

How to workshop for iterative development

A means to get you to buy our book …

We haven’t written one


Good News and Different News

There is a role for Business Analysts in

an Agile world…

Copyright 2014 Collaborative Leadership Team 7

But that role is remarkably different

than the role they play in a traditional

organization….

Why the Myth?

Agile Software Development Manifesto

We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it.

Through this work we have come to value

Individuals and interactions over processes and toolsWorking software over comprehensive documentation

Customer collaboration over contract negotiationResponding to change over following a plan

That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.

http://agilemanifesto.org

8Copyright 2014 Collaborative Leadership Team

Why the Myth? – “Me” can’t out perform “We”

• All Agile approaches emphasize Team

• Teams are accountable to themselves

• Need for “T-shaped” individuals

• Specialties are important but secondary to the Team

9Copyright 2014 Collaborative Leadership Team

Where is the “beef” in software?


Challenge for Software Teams

Building the right product

Building the product right


What Does It Mean to Develop Software?

• Solving a problem, that you don’t understand, and keeps

changing

• Creating a solution, that you don’t understand, and

keeps changing

• Expressing ideas in a language, that you don’t

understand, and keeps changing

• Using an interpreter with unforgiving error

• Making decisions with limited resources

Reference: “Software Engineering in the 21st Century” Alistair Cockburn,

http://alistair.cockburn.us/Software+engineering+in+the+21st+century


http://alistair.cockburn.us/Software+engineering+in+the+21st+century

Building the Right Product – Have a Vision

FOR <target customer>WHO <statement of the need>THE <product name> IS A <product category>THAT <key benefit>UNLIKE <primary competitor>OUR PRODUCT <further differentiation>

From Geoffrey Moore, Crossing the Chasm


Building the Right Product – Make A Case

Key Equation:


Revenue – Costs = ProfitProfit should increase over time

Key Questions:

1.) How will developing this product allow us to make money?2.) How will developing this product allow us to spend less money?

If you can’t answer these questions,

Your Organization Does Not Have the Right

Name


Source: www.ted.com

http://www.ted.com/

One Organization is Doing It…


So is another…


Active Participant

• Advisor vs. Analyst

• Voice of Customer

• Increased Collaboration on all aspects of prior

tasks

– Triad – Ken Pugh

– 3 Amigos – George Dinwiddie


Business Analysts in Iterative world

• Increased need to coach/educate/mentor

‘Get comfortable with being uncomfortable’

• Used to tell business to leave us to our work ….

now we are asking to be in the room

• Are the right conversations happening between:

you and client (management and users)?

You and developer and tester?

you and your management?

Summary

• There is a role for Business Analysts in an Agile World,

but its different

• The Value in Software comes from its use

• Business Analysts can help ensure that the Teams they

serve are building the right product by:

– Ensuring that there is a vision for the Product

– Ensuring that the vision will lead to increased profit for the

organization

– Spending time with real users in their real environment

• Active Participant in an incremental and iterative world


Questions


Want to engage in Witty Banter? Provide

Feedback (Accusations, Insults)?…

• Contact us at:

– Email: [email protected] or

[email protected]

– Twitter: @StuedeSpeaks or @Cantoine_Collab

• On the web at:

– www.collaborativeleadershipteam.com


mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.collaborativeleadershipteam.com/

References

• Alistair Cockburn – Agile Software Development, 2001.

• Ken Schwaber – Agile Project Management with Scrum,

2004.

• Simon Sinek – Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire

Everyone to Take Action, 2009.


the rise of the agile analyst - heartlandiiba.org€¦ · • there is a role for business analysts...

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