Posted by jc-Qualitystreet on 2010/08/11
One of the first differences observed with Agile is the way we estimate the size and duration of an IT project.
The entire team is made responsible for the estimate of the product Backlog (the list of all functionality desired in the product). Indeed, the team is invited to estimate collectively this list of valuable items that will require his work.
Scrum teams use Story Points and Planning Poker for this activity.
- Story Points represent a measurement of the effort required by a team to implement a Story.
- Planning Poker is an effective (and funny) way to assign collectively story points to user stories on the product backlog. It is a special card game based on the Fibonacci sequence. The idea is to pick a representative story and assign it a point value, then estimate the other stories relative to this standard (consensus must be reached for each user story)
Planning Poker Deck
Collective intelligence is the pillar of this new way to estimate … an effective team-based estimation technique but not so natural at first. Relative size and consensus are not so easy for the teams new to agile.
The problem:
Teams often lose the thread of their estimates. They have difficulty in comparing or lack of benchmarks.
An answer:
Use a visual display of the planning poker values in columns, and place the user stories in the appropriate column during the activity.
Visual display of the estimates
Benefits:
- It is an effective form of visual management
- It facilitates comparison and triangulation
- It reinforces the concept of relative size (effort)
- It reinforces the idea that result is not frozen during the activity: change is easy t!
Posted by jc-Qualitystreet on 2009/11/13
Christmas is coming and kids know it. This is what happened to me last weekend …
My kids “Dad … Dad for Christmas … can we play the sticky notes game ”
Me: “Okay kids, but this time we’re going to change the rules”
In one year, I had the time to improve the process :) even if the constraints are almost the same:
- Santa Claus is very busy
- His sledge is not expandable
- The deadlines are tight
- The delivery date cannot be moved
In addition, my kids as good Product Owners have understood two important things making them realize the importance of priorities:
- You cannot have everything (even if you always want more),
- Being good (or not) can potentially impact on what you’d receive
Scrum / XP from … Home!
Or how we set priorities to write the letter to Santa Claus 
Step1 : Brainstorming, data collection and workshops
Passionate reading for weeks, intensive research from several sources, and interviews with the little brother to finally cut in the magazines the images of the toys they like
Step 2: Backlog Initialization
The images are cut. In case of several kids, ask them to place their images in an envelope. Use one envelope by child then one image by sticky note. The backlog is initiated.
Step 3: Backlog Prioritization
Notes are laid on the ground. Ask the kids to rank in order of preference by placing on the top toys they want most, the most important to them…
… ..
….
Step 4: Backlog Display
Notes are now prioritized on the ground. We had to find a wall or a door to display them vertically (visual management …).
My daughter’s wall (not very reasonable):
My son’s wall (moderate …)
Retrospective: We had a good time and kids were very happy !
My wife and I’ll take care of the estimation (points/ euros)
Posted by jc-Qualitystreet on 2009/01/09
More than ever focus on value and waste elimination are organizations’ high priorities : lean thinking, feedback and adaptation must drive our projects. And it starts by your meetings !
ROTI (Return on Time Investment) is a quick and easy method to gauge the time spent on meetings or workshops, and to improve their effectiveness.
How does it work ?
Take 5 minutes at the end of the meeting to ask participants to rate their return on time invested, using the Fist of Five technique and this 1-5 scale:
5 fingers: Excellent. A really useful meeting that worth more than the time spent on it. High value.
4 fingers : Above average. I gained more than the time I spent.Good value
3 fingers: Average. I gained enough to justify the time spent on. I have not lost my time, no more. Value
2 fingers: Useful but it wasn’t worth 100% of the time spent on it. So I lost time.
1 finger: Useless.I gained nothing. I really lost 2 hours! No value at all.
If you receive a majority of 1 or 2 fingers votes, you know there is a problem. Anyway, discuss with the participants who rated 1 or 2, discover why and react, plan to do something else, better, the next time.
I use the Return On Time Invested technique intensively (meetings, workshops), and really appreciate it. Immediate feedback (but are you ready to receive it ?); commitment, empowerment, transparency, continuous Improvement are the key benefits I notice.
ROTI is quick, easy, sometimes funny, and works very well, even with top management.
Two good referrences (article and book):
Posted by jc-Qualitystreet on 2009/01/08
Tell me and I’ll forget
Show me and I may remember
Involve me and I’ll understand
A Chinese quote and a principle that we should apply everyday on our projects. So encourage good learning, seek maximum cooperation, stimulate interactions, raise the feedback… ENGAGE clients and stakeholders in order to make our intervention really valuable !
Posted by jc-Qualitystreet on 2009/01/07
My name is Jean Claude Grosjean. I am a consultant and an Agile coach.
User Experience and Agile methods are my interests, those I want to promote through this blog.
French readers can still folow me on Qualitystreet.fr (Ergonomie, Experience Utilisateur et Methodes Agiles) and Ux-mobile.com (Pour une expèrience Mobile réussie).
