Using Flow to Improve Your Scrum - portal.netobjectives.comSCRUM Cross functional team (Lean)...

copyright (c) Net Objectives, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

12 September 2019

1

Using Flow to Improve Your Scrum

© Copyright Net Objectives, Inc. All Rights Reserved© Copyright Net Objectives, Inc. All Rights Reserved 2

Al ShallowayCEO, Founder

[email protected]

@AlShalloway

Co-founder of Lean-Systems SocietyCo-founder Lean-Kanban University Contributor to SAFe

1

2


12 September 2019

2

3 © Copyright Net Objectives. All Rights Reserved. 12 September 2019

Lean ManagementProject Management

Kanban / Scrum ATDD / TDD / Design Patterns

technical

ASSESSMENTS

CONSULTING

TRAINING

COACHING

Lean for ExecutivesProduct Portfolio ManagementBusiness Product OwnerProduct Owner

FLEXFLEX & SAFe

PM/PO


Basic Agile Flow

s

*Sprint = Iteration

3

4


12 September 2019

3


Flow thinkingTake a systems thinking approachReduce cost of delay Remove delays by• working on small batches• avoid handoffs• manage queuesAchieve short feedback cycles


Lean thinkingAttend to the systemCreate an ecosystem within which people can work effectively (leadership needed)Attend to time (“just in time”)Act as if avoiding errors is always worth it (“stop the line”)

5

6


12 September 2019

4


Flow, Lean and AgileFlow is what we’re trying to achieveLean is the way we’re managing the system to achieve itAgile relates to the teams in the process


Often reducing batch size is all it takes to bring a system back into control

Eli Goldratt

smaller vs bigger chunks

7

8


12 September 2019

5


The Minimum Viable ProductGeared towards startups.

First time a product/service is released.

Usually built by a small team that can pivot.

What do you do when:• You are an established company?• It is an enhancement to an existing product/service?• The teams required to build it are not aligned?

Mark Denne and Jane Cleland-Huang Software by Numbers


DEFINITION

The minimum amount of business value that can be built, deployed and consumed that makes sense from a business perspective

It contains all the pieces required for realization of value

Minimum Business Increment (MBI)

9

10


12 September 2019

6


An MBI is not a reason to deliver less.

It is a reason to deliver sooner.


MVPs and MBIs – not the same

MBIMVPStart with initiative and break down into small chunks

Start small

Define features in context of MBI –building on what’s needed for it

Build features up MVP MBI

Light marketing and support Existing clients to market and supportMVP MBI

MVPMBI

Creating features

Size at start

Need for marketing

Investing for information about the product

Expecting a return in from product built

MVP MBIPurpose of investment

MBIMVP EnhancementNew productMaturity of product

11

12


12 September 2019

7


1) minimize cost of delay (deliver the most value quickly)

2) flow when you can, pull when you must (avoid handoffs and focus on what's most important)

The first deals with working on the right things, the second working on them the right way. Both are implemented by:

1. using Minimum Business Increments

2. organize your team to lower handoffs and queues

3. have a workflow that provides feedback up front (test-first)

How to be a Flow whisper


R O L E S A N D R E S P O N S I B I L I T I E S

Product Owner Owns scope, timeline, priority, and sequence to produce the assigned business value increment; Drives the Scrum Teams -continually prioritizes, defines and accepts what the Team(s) are producing.

Scrum Team Produce and implement quality business value increment(s)

Continuous incremental improvement

Whole team includes all skills necessary to produce a business value increment

Core: Business analyst, technical lead, application developers, QA testers, production support

Scrum Master Visibility, transparency, coaching for Scrum Practices

Continuous incremental process improvement

SCRUM ROLESTHE

The center of responsibility focused on an application area. Releases, enhancements, production support, & maintenance requests

13

14


12 September 2019

8


4 Meetings

Iteration Planning

Daily Stand-up

Demo

of Scrum

Retrospective


GROUP EXERCISE

How does Scrum help avoid delays?Cross-functional teams

Time-boxing with sprints

Stand ups

Demo

Quality code every sprint

Retrospections

Clear roles

No division between developer and tester

15

16


12 September 2019

9


Costs of Interrupting a Team

What we think will happen What does happen

Current state

Rework

Overhead

Planned Work

Rework

Overhead

Planned Work

New Features

Rework

Overhead

Planned Work

New Features

Extra work

The cost of interrupting a team is not just the delay of other work, it is the additional work it creates that would otherwise not have to be done.


Framework/Method MyopiaFrameworks and methods don’t preclude others theoretically

But focusing on one thing precludes others in practice

Scrum tends to preclude flow, explicit policies, management (doesn’t have to, but often does)

LKU Kanban tends to preclude teams (doesn’t have to, but often does)

17

18


12 September 2019

10


Use a Lean-MindsetBoth Scrum and Kanban should use:• Test-First Methods• Continuous Integration

Scrum should add:• WIP management • Explicit policies

Kanban should add:• Attending to teams• Cadence, Estimation and Velocity


Lessons From ScrumCross Functional Teams Are Good

• Improve collaboration

• Eliminate waste

Cadence coordinates different roles

Iterations Create Discipline

Short term planning can be accurate

Principles are needed to learn.Theory without experience is useless. Experience without theory is expensive. Paraphrase of Deming

19

20


12 September 2019

11


Lessons From KanbanUse kanban to manage flowVisibility and explicit workflow greatly enhances learningIt is important to include managementHow to manage projects without cross-functional teamsHow to affect change when one can’t do any change up front (Kanban Method)

If we focus only on work flow, we will miss other opportunities for improvement.Attempting to do only Kaizen can often lead to stagnation (Kanban Method)


Inspect & Adapt Vs PDSAASee what happened and adjust practices to improve

Plan Do Study Aadjust understanding Adjust process• Plan based on your process and understanding• Do your work based on your plan• Study the results and discover new relationships• Adjust your understanding of the situation based on

flow and lean• Adjust your process using flow and lean thinking

If we focus only on work flow, we will miss other opportunities for improvement.Attempting to do only Kaizen can often lead to stagnation (Kanban Method)

21

22


12 September 2019

12


Framework/Method Tunnel VisionFrameworks and methods don’t preclude others de jure

But focusing on one thing precludes others de facto

Scrum tends to preclude flow, explicit policies, management (doesn’t have to, but often does)

LKU Kanban tends to preclude teams (doesn’t have to, but often does)

In theory, theory and practice are the same. But in practice they are different.


The Lean-Agility Space

Small batches (Flow/Lean)Self-organization (Lean)

Daily standup (Lean)

SCRUMCross functional team (Lean)

Sprints provide discipline

Use estimation & velocity

eXtreme ProgrammingTest-First Unit TDD

Paired Programming

Continuous Integration

Automated testing

KANBANImproves flow within

existing structure

Focus on Finishing (Flow/Lean)

Everything Visible (Lean)

Explicit Workflow (Lean)

Manage WIP (Lean)

23

24


12 September 2019

13


If you have 10 stories of equal size at the start of the sprint, which is better at the end of the sprint?

8 done completely?

10 done 90%?

Why?




Paired Programming


Automated testing


Daily standups (Lean)Focus on Finishing (Flow/Lean)

25

26


12 September 2019

14





Everything Visible (Lean)


Paired Programming


Automated testing





Everything Visible (Lean)Explicit Workflow (Lean)


Paired Programming


Automated testing

27

28


12 September 2019

15






Manage WIP (Lean)


Paired Programming


Automated testing






Manage WIP (Lean)Use estimation & velocity


Paired Programming


Automated testing

29

30


12 September 2019

16




Daily standups (Lean)Continuous Integration

Focus on Finishing (Flow/Lean)Everything Visible (Lean)Explicit Workflow (Lean)



Paired Programming


Automated testing

LEAN-XP


Adopt Test-First at Acceptance Level





ATDD

LEAN-XPTest-First Unit TDD

Paired Programming


Automated testing

31

32


12 September 2019

17


Workflow Management

• Use explicit workflow

• Have daily standups

• Make everything visible

• Use a common cadence even if you do not have sprints

• Build incrementally and iterate on the increments

• Focus on finishing

• Do continuous integration

• Estimate work items and compute velocity (exception at times for maintenance groups)

Practices Every Team Should Do


Workload

• Work in small batches

• Use small stories

• Manage Work in Process (WIP)

Team Structure

• Create cross-functional teams to the extent possible

Workflow order

• Use Test-First Methods

Practices Every Team Should Do

33

34


12 September 2019

18


Others to Adopt When Can





ATDD

LEAN-XPTest-First Unit TDD

Paired Programming


Automated testing


Cross-Functional Teams Manifest Lean and Eliminate Waste

Partially done work

Paperwork

Hand-offs

Extra features

Task switching

Delays

Defects

35

36


12 September 2019

19


Cross-functionality can lower

Delays in workflow

Delays in feedback

Poor collaboration

Re-learning

Redundant efforts

Technical debt

Need other methods to eliminate these wastes

Building things that aren’t of topmost value

Poor collaboration across teams

Re-learning across teams

Redundant efforts across teams

Lack of common vision / intentions

Waste from technical debt

Cross-Functional Teams Manifest Lean and Eliminate Waste


Many Ways to Achieve Teams

Cross-functional teams a la Scrum

Core with temporarily embedded team members

Core with shared extended team members

Dynamic Feature Teams

37

38


12 September 2019

20


1. Are you having challenges with the practice because it is being done poorly? If Yes, then inspect and adapt and see if you can do it better. If No, continue.

2. Is there something else in the organization that is causing us this problem? If Yes, then see how to fix that or at least influence the fixing of it. If No, then continue.

3. Is the ecosystem that the team finds itself in causing the problem? That is, are people not collocated when they need to be or are required skills missing? Can you improve on this? If yes, do so. If No, continue to see if another practice that works within this ecosystem will work better (see next step).

4. What else can we do that meets the same objective of the practice? If there is something else you can do, then try that. If not stick with the practice until you learn more.

There is no definitive set of alternative practices to Scrum. That is the entire point. But it is worth investigating a few of them to illustrate how Scrum as Example can be used.

Making a change can be accomplished with thisfour step process:


Practice Value Provided Alternative Method of Getting Value

Time Boxing Cadence for:• Input• Output• Demo• RetrospectionDisciplineSmall batchesVisibility In & OutVelocityPlanning MethodFocus

Can have independent cadencesMust bring discipline to each story since they make take longer than should without itUse small batches / storiesUse visual controls throughout workflowMeasure velocity via cadencePlan ahead if valuableTake a value centric approach

Cross-FunctionalTeam

Limits WIPReduces HandoffsImproves FeedbackShort term delays in workflowImproves Collaboration Improves learning

Attending to flow while using as close to a true team structure can achieve these values

Product owner Reduces unneeded features An equivalent “one-voice” is needed regardless of method

How to Adopt New Practices

39

40


12 September 2019

21


Practice Value Provided Alternative Method of Getting Value

Time Boxing Cadence for:• Input• Output• Demo• RetrospectionDisciplineSmall batchesVisibility In & OutVelocityPlanning MethodFocus

Can have independent cadencesMust bring discipline to each story since they make take longer than should without itUse small batches / storiesUse visual controls throughout workflowMeasure velocity via cadencePlan ahead if valuableTake a value centric approach

Cross-FunctionalTeam

Limits WIPReduces HandoffsImproves FeedbackShort term delays in workflowImproves Collaboration Improves learning

Attending to flow while using as close to a true team structure can achieve these values

Product owner Reduces unneeded features An equivalent “one-voice” is needed regardless of method

How to Adopt New Practices


Questions?

Challenges?

41

42


12 September 2019

22

review

© Copyright Net Objectives, Inc. All Rights Reserved 43

Scrum Flow

✓ Flow focuses on going from start to end quickly by removing handoffs and delays

✓ Lean (Kanban) is about improving your environment and enabling teams to self-organize

✓ Agile is about teams working within a good structure while figuring out how to best work

✓ Understanding how Scrum’s roles, practices, events and artifacts can assist in flow enables you to tailor Scrum to work best for you

✓ Don’t worry if you’re Scrum-ish now ;)


Cycle Time Before and After

43

44


12 September 2019

23


2+2=

???1

Case Study

Coordinating Teams


Overall Team Organization

Product Line B applications

Component Team for Product Line B

applications

System-Wide Component Team

Component Team for Product Line A

applications

Product Line A applications

45

46


12 September 2019

24


Teams on a Project

System-Wide Component Team

Product Line B applications

Component Team for Product Line B

applications

Product Line A applications

Component Team for Product Line A

applications


MBI

Split MBI according to Teams

Teams split according to components

Teams work on their parts Teams work on

their part until done

MBI

Eventually integrating them together

Feedback times for: Team

Across teams

Customer

Progress bar2 weeks

6 weeks

8 weeks

47

48


12 September 2019

25


Principles to Guide UsDon’t optimize locally

Focus on business value delivery

Flow is about value, not within a group

Avoid delays within teams and across teams


PO

RT

FO

LI

OIn

pu

t

Priority Planning Staging Ready to Pull

CONTEXT OF THE SOLUTION

DecisionHigh enough business value?

DecisionTechnically feasible, sufficient ROI?

Iter

atio

n

0 IterativeDevelopment

IncrementalDeployment

Support & Feedback

DecisionReady to release?

DecisionIs there capacity?

Define acceptance criteria and feature sequence

Build iteratively, deploy incrementally

Review business value , approve, and prioritize

Define value increments and sequence

Define product backlog

BUSINESS DISCOVERY / BUSINESS DELIVERYIterative

Development

Iterative Development

Iterative DevelopmentSh

are

d B

ackl

og

Inte

grat

ion

Tra

in

49

50


12 September 2019

26


MBI

Split MBI into sub-features

Teams still organized around components

Teams work on their part but now in a coordinated fashion

After each iteration, teams integrate their components

MBI

Progress bar

Integration still required but takes much less time


Across teams

Customer

2 weeks

2 weeks

2 weeks


MBI

Split MBI into sub-features

Development teams split according to components

Teams work on their part

After one iteration, teams integrate their components

MBI

Progress bar

Integration still required but takes much less time


Across teams

Customer

2 weeks

2 weeks

2 weeks

51

52


12 September 2019

27

53© Copyright Net Objectives, Inc. All Rights Reserved 53

✓ Separate teams must be guided from business value

✓ Teams will not necessarily coordinate themselves

✓ Local optimization at the expense of global optimization is not a good thing

53

Using Flow to Improve Your Scrum - portal.netobjectives.comSCRUM Cross functional team (Lean)...

Documents

Transcript of Using Flow to Improve Your Scrum - portal.netobjectives.comSCRUM Cross functional team (Lean)...