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Agile Project Management

Qualities

Minimize risk – short iterations
Real-time communication (prefer face-to-face) – very little written documentation
Indicated for unpredictable / rapidly changing requirements

 

Agile methods

Scrum
Extreme Programming
Adaptive Software Development (ASD)
Dynamic System Development Method (DSDM)

 

How Scrum Works?

Scrum Framework

Roles: Product Owner, ScrumMaster, Team
The Process: Sprint Planning, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective, & Daily Scrum Meeting
Artifacts: Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, and Burndown Chart

 

 

PRODUCT OWNER

Define the features of the product
Decide on release date and content
Be responsible for the profitability of the product
Prioritize features according to market value
Adjust features and priority every iteration, as needed
Accept or reject work results.

 

 

SCRUM MASTER

Represents management to the project
Responsible for enacting Scrum values and practices
Removes impediments
Ensure that the team is fully functional and productive
Enable close cooperation across all roles and functions
Shield the team from external interferences

 

SCRUM TEAM

Typically 5-10 people
Cross-functional QA, Programmers, UI Designers, etc.
Members should be full-time. May be exceptions (e.g., System Admin, etc.)
Teams are self-organizing
Membership can change only between sprints

 

THE PROCESS/CEREMONIES

Sprint Planning Meeting
Sprint
Daily Scrum
Sprint Review Meeting

 

SCRUM ARTIFACTS

Product Backlog
Sprint Backlog
Burn down Charts

 

 

Product Backlog

A list of all desired work on the project
List is prioritized by the Product Owner – Typically a Product Manager, Marketing, Internal Customer, etc.
Requirements for a system, expressed as a prioritized list of Backlog Items
Is managed and owned by a Product Owner
Spreadsheet (typically)
Usually is created during the Sprint Planning Meeting
Can be changed and re-prioritized before each PM

 

 

From Sprint Goal to Sprint Backlog

Scrum team takes the Sprint Goal and decides what tasks are necessary
Team self-organizes around how they’ll meet the Sprint Goal – Manager doesn’t assign tasks to individuals
Managers don’t make decisions for the team
Sprint Backlog is created
No more than 300 tasks in the list
If a task requires more than 16 hours, it should be broken down
Team can add or subtract items from the list. Product Owner is not allowed to do it
Is a FORECAST!
Is a good warning monitor

 

 

Burn down Charts

Are used to represent “work done”.
Are wonderful Information Radiators
Sprint Burn down Chart (progress of the Sprint)
Release Burn down Chart (progress of release)
Product Burn down chart (progress of the Product)
Depicts the total Sprint Backlog hours remaining per day
Shows the estimated amount of time to release
Ideally should burn down to zero to the end of the Sprint
Actually is not a straight line
Can bump UP

 

 

PROS/CONS

Advantages

Completely developed and tested features in short iterations
Simplicity of the process
Clearly defined rules
Increasing productivity
Self-organizing
Each team member carries a lot of responsibility
Improved communication
Combination with Extreme Programming

 

Drawbacks

“Undisciplined hacking” (no written documentation)
Violation of responsibility
Current mainly carried by the inventors