Distributed Agile: An Oxymoron? - Pat Kua...Agile Manifesto Principles Business people and...
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Transcript of Distributed Agile: An Oxymoron? - Pat Kua...Agile Manifesto Principles Business people and...
Agile = Co -locatedAgile = Co -located
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Agile Manifesto Principles
Business people and developers must worktogether daily throughout the project.
The most efficient and effective method ofconveying information to and within a development
team is face-to-face conversation.
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On-site customer
Collective CodeOwnership
XP Practices
Osmotic Communication
Easy access toexpert users
Crystal Clear(principles)
Active user involvement
DSDM (principles)
Unnecessary Movement
Lean Software Development
WaitingUnnecessary Transportation
Agile = Co-located
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Distributed = Different locations
Distributed Agile = An Oxymoron?
Enterprise Software
Large
SometimesDistributed
Business critical
Enterprise Software
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ComplexHeavily dependent
Our experience…
Large
Business critical
SometimesDistributed
Our experience…
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ComplexHeavily dependent
Distributed development looks easy
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Distributed development looks easy
(a slightly fictional story)
Once upon a time…Once upon a time…
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there was a team…there was a team…
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working together on the same project…working together on the same project…
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……
……
Same project at the same location
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…… ……
……
everyone understood each other…everyone understood each other…
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some people wanted the project distributed…some people wanted the project distributed…
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= ££££££
+= ££ + $$$$
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= ½ £££
(of course, it might be more than just £££s)(of course, it might be more than just £££s)
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they started work with new people in another place...
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New
NewNew
New
life was great!life was great!
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they would talk over the phone...they would talk over the phone...
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……
…… ……
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……
and send email...and send email...
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type type type…
sometimes things would take some time...sometimes things would take some time...
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I wonder what Jane meant by I wonder what Jane meant by
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Jane meant by that. I better send
an email...
Jane meant by that. I better send
an email...
… what’s the gobbleflux about …
That’s an easy one.
Here you go.
That’s an easy one.
Here you go.
… Gobbleflux? Onthe left …
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the left …
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On the left?
On the left?
… on the left of what? …
something that should have been ten minutessomething that should have been ten minutes
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stretches to several days...stretches to several days...
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!!!!!!
… To the left ofthe widget …
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the widget …
There’s a widget?
There’s a widget?
She’s not even
She’s not even
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widget?widget?
… What widget are you talking about? …
not even trying...not even trying...
Why doesn’t he understand?
Why doesn’t he understand?
… The breadcrumbswidget …
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widget …
things continue like that for three months...things continue like that for three months...
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until...until...
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I can’t wait to see...I can’t wait to see...They’re going to be impressed by this...They’re going to be impressed by this...
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A KEY LESSON
every physical boundary increases noise
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every physical boundary increases noise
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http://www.agilemodeling.com/essays/communication.htm
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cost of distributed development
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cost of distributed development
(is more than just people)
A more realistic formula
= ££££££+
= ££ + $$$$
½On-shore Distributed
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= ££££££ = ££ + $$$$+ Cost of (timely response and shared understanding)
Challenges of Distributed Development
Timely decisions
Trust and rapport
Visibility into progress
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Challenges of Distributed DevelopmentLook familiar?
Shared understandingWorking in the same way
It’s (almost) the same as co-located development... just much harder.
Must haves for successful distributed development
Division by role
Functional teams
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Analysts Developers Testers Infrastructure
Must haves for successful distributed development
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Cross functional teamsDivision by feature, not by role
Must haves for successful distributed development
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Excellent relationship with the business
Must haves for successful distributed development
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Speedy Escalation Paths
Must haves for successful distributed development
Shared Culture
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Example: Sharing culture
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Must haves for successful distributed development
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Shared Environments
Must haves for successful distributed development
Shared sense of 3 P’s (Purpose, Priority, Plan)
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Must haves for successful distributed development
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Frequent software demos
Must haves for successful distributed development
Continuous Reflection and Improvement
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Must haves for successful distributed development
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Frequent visits
Must haves for successful distributed development
Cross functional teams
Excellent relationship with the businessSpeedy Escalation Paths
Shared cultureShared environments Shared purpose, priority, plan
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Shared purpose, priority, plan
Frequent showcases Continue Reflection and improvement
Frequent visits
Good practices still hold
Tools that support distributed teams
Agile development practices
JIRA
Good practices still hold
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Visibility and transparencyof informationFace to face time
Frequent rotationPrinciples ofgood teams
Conclusion
Distributed Agile: An oxymoron?
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Flickr Creative Commons• Alarm: http://flickr.com/photos/chidorian/7666930/• Masonic handshake: http://flickr.com/photos/gaetanlee/159591865/• Plane: http://flickr.com/photos/volodimer/400350015/• East meets west: http://flickr.com/photos/evanosherow/2280507811/
Photo Credits
Free wallpaper• Matrix wallpaper: http://www.wallpaperbase.com/wallpapers/movie/matrix/matrix_5.jpg
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