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The Job Card System

Ross HiltonAsian Development Bank

AGILE AUDITMANAGEMENT

+Where is it from?

Agile Management tool, (especially project based work)

Originally developed for software development

Especially suited to small teams of highly skilled specialists who work alone in ever changing areas

Suited to Audit Management

Promotes autonomy (self management and organisation).

Allows for rapid changes and flexibility.

+Agile Management

1980s Japan, an extension of Kaizen manufacturing

Kaizen = kai (“change”) zen (“good”)

Regular product updates, each a little bit better.

Kaizen led to rapid copying and developing of new products required flexible and adaptable management. (CD players, MP3 players, cameras, mobile phones, DVD players etc)

1990s Software development, rapid and flexible delivery of software solutions.

Speed to market. Beat the competition.

+Agile Management

Autonomy (self management and decision making)

All team members are equally important for their specialisation

Focus on the outcome not the process (flexible)

Team focused

Fast delivery in complex and changing environment

+Card Agile:

Uses a series of task cards to document tasks

The task cards are displayed on a wall to allow selection

Suits large teams working on disparate tasks (as in Audits)

+Task Apportioning:

Story cards are openly displayed, usually on a wall

The cards are in some degree of order of priority OR prioritised High/Medium/Low

Staff are almost freelance contractors. They can pick a card that meets their interest or skill sets and take it off the wall.

Cards are signed out and signed in.

+Simple Task Card:

As a working mother

I need my children cared for between 9am and 5pm today

So that I can work an 8 hour day without returning home.

Owner

Requirement (not solution)

Reason and objective

+The Task Card:

As a XXXXXXXXX

I need XXXXXXXXXX

So that XXXXXXXXXXXX

Clearly defined client, customer, owner, who can confirm delivery, correctness and suitability. Clearly defined REQUIREMENT (not deliverable) that can be understood, converted to a deliverable and completed

Clearly defined purpose for the requirement to assist in converting to a deliverable and for testing after delivery.

+Task Testing:

When Tasks are completed the cards are returned and placed in a “awaiting testing” area of the wall.

Testing is carried out by either a manager, a peer, preferably the task owner from the card.

Testing follows the card sequence backwards: “So that XXXXXX”, “I need XXXXXX”. The test is does the completed task meet these two requirements.

After satisfactory testing the Task Cards are placed in a Completed section of the wall.

+Problems with Card Agile:

Who writes up the cards? Usually it’s the team who are determining the tasks.

All tasks are not equal. Team members will pick the easy or interesting tasks, and leave the unpleasant ones on the wall hoping someone else will do them.

Who tests the completed tasks. Usually other members of the team (peer review) – not the client.

Card doesn’t determine the process, only the outcome.

+Communication”

Team communication is achieved by two mechanisms:

The constant review of the Project Wall Task Cards provides on going communication of the status of the project. The team can physically see and judge the progress of the project by the number of cards completed, the number awaiting testing, the number in high, medium and low priority.

Daily “Stand Up” meetings lasting 10-15 minutes, where each member of the team briefly talks about: what they did yesterday, What they plan to do today Any problems or issues that are affecting progress.

+Empowerment:

Team members can pick any Task Card they think they can complete.

This allows younger or less experienced team members to try new tasks and push their limits.

The tasks are sufficiently small and discrete that the failure in testing of one has only a minor impact on the project.

+The Electronic Wall:

Although Task Cards are stuck to the wall, they should also be copied onto an electronic record system where they can be analysed: Average time per task Average time per team member Test failure rates (overall and by team member) Overall Audit progress as percentage completed.

+Typical Task Card Wall:

+QUESTIONS?