software development is hard
DESCRIPTION
The latest version of this primer that I sometimes present to groups.TRANSCRIPT
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobjagendorf/2219031438/
software development
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is hard
A primer on why agile and lean can help.
Me
• Involved in development of digital applications and platforms since 1997
• Australia and the UK
• Floppy disks, CD-ROMs!
• Then Intranet sites, websites, web applications.
• Now. Lean and agile coach & trainer
• Organiser of LAST Conference
• projectslittlehelper.com
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Me
• Involved in development of digital applications and platforms since 1997
• Australia and the UK
• Floppy disks, CD-ROMs!
• Then Intranet sites, websites, web applications.
• Now. Lean and agile coach & trainer
• Organiser of LAST Conference
• projectslittlehelper.com
• Super Power - Sleeping
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Does any of this sound familiar?
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“We need to add all these essential features...but it still has to come out on the same date.”
Does any of this sound familiar?
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“Sorry, we forgot to tell you that we wanted these changes”
Does any of this sound familiar?
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“I know I said I wanted that functionality…but now that I see it…”
Does any of this sound familiar?
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“Did you read the documentation?”
“Of course I did…
…well some of it.
…actually only the intro.”
Does any of this sound familiar?
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It can start to feel a bit…Dilbert
http://www.flickr.com/photos/smallbox/174532376/ 9
A classic approach...
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Big Design Up Front
Some call it…
Detailed planning using up-front documentation.
A classic approach...
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Detailed estimates of every step in the development.
A classic approach...
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Eventually...Build the software
A classic approach...
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Handover to QA
A classic approach...
Sign off
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Maybe a “Lessons Learned” meeting.AKA Post Implementation Review.
A classic approach...
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Strict change controls
A classic approach...
To make sure what was specified is what is built.
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Strengths?
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Appears logical, at first.
Strengths?
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Appears logical, at first.
Strengths?
Can be good for stable projects, with low technical risk
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Appears logical, at first.
Strengths?
Can be good for stable projects, with low technical risk
…ones that don’t change much
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Appears logical, at first.
Strengths?
Can be good for stable projects, with low technical risk
…ones that don’t change much
…or ones where you predict 100% of tasks up front
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Problematic?
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Weighted towards good ideas coming at the start
Problematic?
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Weighted towards good ideas coming at the start
Problematic?
Writing things down…can equal “Throwing it over the wall”
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Weighted towards good ideas coming at the start
Problematic?
Writing things down…can equal “Throwing it over the wall”
Many features end up not being used.
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Weighted towards good ideas coming at the start
Problematic?
Writing things down…can equal “Throwing it over the wall”
A prescribed process cannot always fit every project
Many features end up not being used.
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Change is a problem, not an opportunity
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The thing is…
Change is a problem, not an opportunity
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The thing is…Change is inevitable
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What can we do about it??
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User driven product design
Weapons to add to our armoury
Close & frequent collaboration with representatives of customer value
Prioritise functionality
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Constantly ask “Is this what the user values?”
Weapons to add to our armoury
Continuous integration, automated testing and other engineering practices.
Regularly inspect process and adjust accordingly
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Benefits
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Sustainable pace
Benefits
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Sustainable pace
Benefits
Self organising teams
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Sustainable pace
Benefits
Ability to embrace change
Self organising teams
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Sustainable pace
Benefits
Ability to embrace change
Self organising teams
= happier teams
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Sustainable pace
Benefits
Ability to embrace change
Self organising teams
= happier teams
The product is what the user wants (it makes money/creates value)
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All the kittens are happy
Benefits
http://www.flickr.com/photos/masochismtango/514736937
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These are techniques to help make kittens happy
Agile and Lean
Perhaps different to things that you might be have done before…
…but you may have been doing a lot of this already!
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Suncorp
“You are not alone”
The Financial Times
REA Telstra
Nokia The Economist
and a whole lot more
Yahoo!
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Seek
SprintsScrum
Where to start?
Extreme Programming
Burndown Charts Iterations
Unit testing
Kanban
Value Stream Mapping
DSDM UX
Retrospectives
Daily standup
User Stories
Automated testing
Story points
Continuous integration
Card walls
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Velocity
SprintsScrum
Where to start?
Extreme Programming
Burndown Charts Iterations
Unit testing
Kanban
Value Stream Mapping
DSDM UX
Retrospectives
Daily standup
User Stories
Automated testing
Story points
Continuous integration
Card walls
Confused?
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Velocity
A bit of reading
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The Scrum Primer:http://www.scrumprimer.com/
InfoQhttp://www.infoq.com/
Jim Highsmith“Agile Project Management”
PMI, PRINCE 2 Foundation, IIBA
Leading Answershttp://leadinganswers.typepad.com/
A bit of reading
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The Scrum Primer:http://www.scrumprimer.com/
InfoQhttp://www.infoq.com/
Jim Highsmith“Agile Project Management”
PMI, PRINCE 2 Foundation, IIBA
Leading Answershttp://leadinganswers.typepad.com/
Group therapy
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Melbourne Agile and Scrum User Group
Melbourne Limited WIP Society (Lean and Kanban)
Agile Business Analysts
http://meetup.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/avardwoolaver/7137096221/
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http://[email protected]
Creative Commons photos from Flickr.
Hand drawn icons:http://handdrawing.olawolska.com
This presentation can be reused under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA licence.
@littlehelper