Scrum techniques:
If the project are big or other words if the huge number of User stories have been created; how do manage such big project through agile. Is agile is right way to adopt, is agile will be successful than any other model.
So many question and no confirm answer.
Let start with first step from agile and digging out some answers which might be helpful to make the decisions.
1. Agile means Epic-US-Task-Coding-testing-Features Ready.
2. Product Owner and SM working togther to get above things done with stakeholder and product manager.
3. Now questions started
So overview of the above details means US (Product Backlog) needs to be created, COS needs to defined and US should be completed (publsihed) ahead of the task creation.
My opinion All known US needs to be written and published before coding started.
This is something like Army needs to go for some operation before that planning and trial needs to be done. On the decision day it is just matter of time for the expert to execute the plan, take any big Army execution as an example.
So decision day start when you bring the development team into the game until than it is just planning with product owner, product manager and stakeholder.
This way organization can save time, money and more than that utilization of resources
4. Calculating the velocity will help along with resources capacity planning as well.
If team sprint velocity is "X" and resource capacity is "Y" after calculating resource capacity SM will get some number (velocity) which can be either "X" or "X+Z"; this new number can not be "X-A" since team can not be less than thier velocity.
This activity will help SM to project the rest of work as well.
5. Try to avoid creation of any additional US based on the velocity.
6. Team should alwyas have at least 6 to 8 sprint (2 weeks sprint) work.
7. Every team member can shadow each other or back up should be ready within in a team to take over the sprint work.
8. Last but not least have 90% to 95% US completed before decision day started.
9. try to create Small features and tied these features to pre releases.
10. Pre-releases date can not be move in any conditions
11. Add one product owner as Scrum says but keep many analyst which is equivalent to product owner (Proxy Product Owner) but they will work with Product Owner to create and validate US so team utilization.
This activity will help department and team for better utilization of resources and budget utilization as well.
Some do and don't while running such big projects.
Do
1. User stories needs to be maintain by Product Owner/Product Manager
2. Only Product owner can add or delete the US.
3. Scrum Master should talk to Product owner for any new US.
4. Every US must have tasks.
5. Expolaroty testing can be fit for agile development.
6. Product owner should signed off for every Sprint.
7. Every Epic/US should have some points (example poker points) assigned to it.
8. Changed any completed US COS with approval of Product Manager with additional Poker Points.
9. Define small points to any US, that can be done during in sprint.
10. Create couple of Sprints for UAT and Production planning.
Don't
1. During the Sprint trying to avoid take US.
2. Don't do any POC during the sprint.
3. COS and US details needs to be clear so team can understand very well.
4. Dont assigned big points to any US
next article: Agile and EA and other architecture
1. Agile means Epic-US-Task-Coding-testing-Features Ready.
2. Product Owner and SM working togther to get above things done with stakeholder and product manager.
3. Now questions started
- Can features will be ready without Testing - No it can not be
- Can testing be done without Coding - No it can not be
- Can Coding will be done without task creation - Might be (yes/No)
- Can task will be created without complete US - No it can not be, here i am saying complete US means, US details/COS and clear understanding of the US; if any US bring into the sprint without all these it will impact the sprint velocity, resources utilization and product owner effort as well. So these kind of US can not bring in any sprint.
- Can US will created without EPIC/requirement - No it can not be
So overview of the above details means US (Product Backlog) needs to be created, COS needs to defined and US should be completed (publsihed) ahead of the task creation.
My opinion All known US needs to be written and published before coding started.
This is something like Army needs to go for some operation before that planning and trial needs to be done. On the decision day it is just matter of time for the expert to execute the plan, take any big Army execution as an example.
So decision day start when you bring the development team into the game until than it is just planning with product owner, product manager and stakeholder.
This way organization can save time, money and more than that utilization of resources
4. Calculating the velocity will help along with resources capacity planning as well.
If team sprint velocity is "X" and resource capacity is "Y" after calculating resource capacity SM will get some number (velocity) which can be either "X" or "X+Z"; this new number can not be "X-A" since team can not be less than thier velocity.
This activity will help SM to project the rest of work as well.
5. Try to avoid creation of any additional US based on the velocity.
6. Team should alwyas have at least 6 to 8 sprint (2 weeks sprint) work.
7. Every team member can shadow each other or back up should be ready within in a team to take over the sprint work.
8. Last but not least have 90% to 95% US completed before decision day started.
9. try to create Small features and tied these features to pre releases.
10. Pre-releases date can not be move in any conditions
11. Add one product owner as Scrum says but keep many analyst which is equivalent to product owner (Proxy Product Owner) but they will work with Product Owner to create and validate US so team utilization.
This activity will help department and team for better utilization of resources and budget utilization as well.
Some do and don't while running such big projects.
Do
1. User stories needs to be maintain by Product Owner/Product Manager
2. Only Product owner can add or delete the US.
3. Scrum Master should talk to Product owner for any new US.
4. Every US must have tasks.
5. Expolaroty testing can be fit for agile development.
6. Product owner should signed off for every Sprint.
7. Every Epic/US should have some points (example poker points) assigned to it.
8. Changed any completed US COS with approval of Product Manager with additional Poker Points.
9. Define small points to any US, that can be done during in sprint.
10. Create couple of Sprints for UAT and Production planning.
Don't
1. During the Sprint trying to avoid take US.
2. Don't do any POC during the sprint.
3. COS and US details needs to be clear so team can understand very well.
4. Dont assigned big points to any US
next article: Agile and EA and other architecture
