Tom Walsham / @tomwalsham - - Oct 3rd, 2015

Lessons learned from customizing process through agency growth from 15-60 employees

Scaling process

Tom Walsham Director of Product The Working Group @tomwalsham

25 Years writing Code

15 Years working in Online / Tech

10 Starts annually with TWG clients

WHY SHOULD I LISTEN TO THIS GUY? ARE THE AFTER-SESSION BEERS STARTING SOON?

01A Framework for Process

A MOTLEY CREW

@tomwalsham

Product Mgr (1)

Developer (10)

Designer (0)

Other (4)

TWG - 2012 : 15 Employees

Everything Was Awesome (or so it seemed)

THIS IS AN ACTUAL PHOTO OF THE OLD TWG OFFICE

@tomwalsham

THE DEVELOPERS ARE NOT TINY HUMANS

@tomwalsham

TWG - 2015 : 65678 Employees

Product Mgr (6)

Developer (40)

Designer (6)

Other (16)

REALITY BITES

@tomwalsham

“Nice Problems To Have” (with hindsight)

WHY ARE WE ALL HERE? WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?

Predictability

The purpose of process

Quality Productivity

LongevityProfitabilityVersatility

Client happiness, studio cashflow, margin, all stem from this

If you measure it, you will improve it. A process of KPIs for Quality will produce better output

A strong development and production process enables faster execution.

Understanding clients in a long-term account view alters approach

Combining predictability and planning, project scope can be managed to improve profit

Providing the cornerstone for growth, and adapting to changing market conditions

01 02 03

04 05 06

EstimationAs close to reality as possible given little info

Evolve QAImplementation of QA systems & team Sprint zero

Formalized discovery process & documents

ResourcingA better dovetailing to improve margin

Results DrivenCreation of quality assurance as a discipline

ToolchainStandardizing tools to reduce friction

Unicorn riding Harnessing unicorns to create rainbowsProcess Milestones

PREDICTABILITY

QUALITY

VERSATILITY

PROFITABILITY

LONGEVITY

PRODUCTIVITY

AWESOMESAUCELIFE IS A ROLLERCOASTER

02Learning to Walk

[Do] Read Awesome Books

[Don’t] Get your process from a book

ACQUIRE THE PROCESS EQUIVALENT OF ‘STREET SMARTS’

@tomwalsham

I will tell you that our system is broken

“HE ONLY SOUNDS SMART OUT OF CONTEXT

- Donald Trump

@tomwalsham

WE’LL ASK FOR ESTIMATES, THEN TREAT THEM AS DEADLINES!

@tomwalsham

Predictability : Estimation

If developers think in terms of hours, let them estimate in hoursAvoid Abstractions

Always be improving the process. Estimation is a fine art

You can always discount it later, but don’t lie to yourself internally

Do Retrospectives

Add It All Up

WE WERE A DEVELOPMENT SHOP WITH NO QA FOR 10 YEARS. HORRIFYING

@tomwalsham

Quality : Evolve QA

Dedicate 2 days of Sprint to end-end

testing

Developer Peer Review of stories

Effective QA is expensive.Inadequate QA is even more expensive

Small QA team ‘Parachute’ in pre-

release

Named QA resource in client-facing

budgets

Full lifecycle QA team member from Planning -> Release

AVOID THE SHINY THINGS

@tomwalsham

Productivity : Toolchain

Standardize Your Toolchain

NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH PATIENT ZERO

@tomwalsham

Versatility : Sprint Zero

Just. Enough. Design.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO CHANGE YOUR GLASSES. BLURRED TO PROTECT TOP SECRET THINGS

@tomwalsham

Profitability : Resourcing

2013-2015 2015-????

Future Resource PlanningMultiple Projects Per Person

Integrated Vacation Tracking

Day-Level TrackingPivot View per Project

Weekly Resourcing

Request / Approval ProcessNo Project-level RollupsFailed around 25 resources

Will need refactor beyond 100 Only 75% accurate

Before long, people get very confused that the process is the content

“UBIQUITOUS INSPIRATIONAL STEVE JOBS QUOTE

- Steve Jobs

@tomwalsham

I HOPE THE LITTLE ANIMATED GIF WILL PLAY IN KEYNOTE

@tomwalsham

Longevity : Results Driven Projects

Under Construction

Merely measuring something has an uncanny

tendency to improve it

“TECHNICALLY THIS QUOTE IS A RIPOFF FROM LORD KELVIN’S 150 YEARS PRIOR

- Paul Graham

@tomwalsham

03Do It Yourself

WHAT A CHEAP TRICK. REUSING THE SAME SLIDE. LAZY.

Predictability

The purpose of process

Quality Productivity

Longevity Profitability Versatility

Client happiness, studio cashflow, margin, all stem from this

If you measure it, you will improve it. A process of KPIs for Quality will produce better output

A strong development and production process enables faster execution.

Understanding clients in a long-term account view alters approach

Combining predictability and planning, project scope can be managed to improve profit

Providing the cornerstone for growth, and adapting to changing market conditions

01 02 03

04 05 06

Business Dev Scheduling Estimation Resourcing Hiring Production Design Process Toolchain Communication

THE LEGOS OF AN STUDIO

@tomwalsham

Documentation Quality Assurance Support Account Mgmt Career Growth Marketing Contracts Human Resources Handoff

01

02

03

Target small wins. Review. Repeat.

OH SHIT! I HAVEN’T BEEN LISTENING. WHAT IS THIS ABOUT?

@tomwalsham

Sketch feasible Process

Identify Target Goal

Select Discipline

Thanks!

@tomwalsham / @twg / FITC Spotlight Process 2015