User Adoption for Developers: Using Agile to Improve Delivery and Efficiency in

SharePoint Implementations

CapArea .NET SharePoint SIG and Women in SharePoint DCArlington, VAFebruary 17, 2011

Marie-Michelle Strah, PhDSharePoint Solutions Architect and Practice LeadBroadPoint Technologies

Who Am I?• Marie-Michelle Strah, PhD• Twitter: @cyberslate• Email: michelle AT lifeincapslock DOT com• Work: mstrah AT broadpoint DOT net• Blog: http://lifeincapslock.com• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/drstrah

• SharePoint Solutions Architect and Practice Lead, BroadPoint Technologies www.broadpoint.net

• Women in SharePoint DC• www.meetup.com/womeninspdc• Women in SharePoint• www.womeninsharepoint.org

Objectives• Discuss user adoption, Agile and

SharePoint SDLC• Learn techniques to maximize fidelity in

product delivery• Case studies:

– Hands on labs– Communications plans– User stories– Help desk feedback– Project meetings

It’s about the people…

Software success and ROI:

CSF1 = Effective User Adoption

(70%)

CSF2 = Organizational Change (16%)

CSF3 = Process Alignment (13%)

CSF4 = Software Functionality

(1%)

SharePoint and Agile

• Where do we go from here?• Transition• Team development model• Alignment: architecture and project methodology• SharePoint User Group DC February 10, 2011 http://

lifeincapslock.com/case-study-for-a-sharepoint-sdlc-presentation

Agile != “code faster” LOL

Plan for Change Management

• Waterfall/Agile• Product Implementation• Mental Models• “Closed” Shops

Chuck Norris andChange Management…

Agile Methodologies and SharePoint

• Agility as a value systemJeff Patton http://www.slideshare.net/abcd82/bringing-usercentereddesign-practices-intoagile-development-projects-presentation

• Design and UX in an agile processM. Jackson Wilkinson http://www.slideshare.net/whafro/design-and-ux-in-an-agile-process-presentation

• Building a “Virtual Bullpen”Andrew Woodward, MVPhttp://www.21scrum.com/product

Meet “Agile Boy”

http://www.cleverworkarounds.com/2009/04/@paulculmsee

Organic Model: SDLC “Cycle” for SharePoint

ASSESSMENT

INFRASTRUCTURE

DESIGN

INSTALLATION

ADMINISTRATION

SUPPORT

- PROGRAM MGT

- - Project Mgt- - Governance

Source: Gary Vaughn http://www.box.net/shared/9u2ik72t1z

Case Study: SDLC “Cycle” for SharePoint

Phased Implementation

User Adoption

Phas

e

Assessment and Evaluation

As Is Inventory

Infrastructure

Installation

Governance

Information Architecture/

Metadata/Taxnomy

Configuration Permissions and Security

Requirements

No Code Solutions

Content and Data Migration

Custom Development

Legacy and Third Party Integration

To Be Architecture

Iteration 1

Iteration 2

Iteration 3

Iteration 4

QA

Training

O&M

Maximize fidelity in product delivery

• User research• People, not document,

centric platform• Work management• “Friendly” UI/UX

• Requirements Traceability

• User-Centered Design

• User Adoption

• Overcome “out of the box-ishness”

Discovery/Planning• User research• Focus groups• Mood boards• Surveys• Observation• “What do people do?”Requires time, budget and planning for UI/UX team…

Scrums/Sprints• Code reviews• Bug tracking• Standups• Iterative releases

Reduce issues before they “hit” end user…Requires agile contracting/project management

Tools for Agile• JIRA/Subversion

• 21Scrum• EPM Live SharePoint Agile Software

Development Application Template• IT Project Management Template• Help Desk Template

http://kb.epmlive.com/KnowledgebaseArticle50438.aspx

http://www.21scrum.com/product

Or… build your own virtual bullpen (Fab 40 WSS 3.0/MOSS)

• Wiki• Custom Lists and Content Types• Server Admin Templates:

– Bug Database– Call Center– Change Request Management– Help Desk– IT Team Workspace– Project Tracking Workspace– Knowledge Base

Development by “walking around”…

Case Study: JTF-CAPMED (SharePoint 2007, MS Project 2007)

Case Study: National Science Foundation (SharePoint 2010)

• Previous models deprecated in SharePoint 2010• Only Server Admin solution packages (.wsp) upgrade – and even

then, with difficulty… so adapt!

• Requirements Traceability Matrix• SharePoint Workspace and Outlook Integration

• IBM Rational Requisite Pro Model (client requirement)

• Import attributes and fields• Import flat file into IT Team Site/Wiki

• Document libraries for 508 compliance, Integration Control Documents (ICDs), Use Cases, UX artifacts

“Jump Start” the team (and adapt to your team members too!)

Useful for:• Remote teams• Security/permissions issues• Product integration teams

– COTS– Open Source

• Managing risk (compressed timeline)– Tight integration to project management

deadlines

Project management and Agile

Project Coordinator Role

End User Communications (“Oversh

are”)

End User Feedback (Help Desk)

• Every standup• Team decision• 72 hour

turnaround

• Releases• Training• Downtimes

Project coordination continued…

Project Coordinator Role

• Go to where the end user is

• Get out from behind your swivel chair

• Everything is a learning opportunity

• DocumentationEnd user feedback and data

collection

Formal meetings

Site visitsLabs

Results• 100% user adoption < 6 months• Integrated product (non-SharePoint) team

and members• Improved reporting IT team (metrics!)• Improved productivity• Improved client communication• DIACAP/STIGs compliance (DoD)• Customer service = user adoption

Conclusion• Agile methodology leverages SharePoint

SDLC• Maximize opportunities to engage end users• More engagement = high fidelity

requirements• Leverage “quick fixes” and scrums/sprints• Leverage tools to promote Agile• Overcommunicate

Questions? Discussion!

Thank you for your time!

Marie-Michelle Strah, PhDTwitter: @cyberslateEmail: michelle AT lifeincapslock DOT comWork: mstrah AT broadpoint DOT netBlog: http://lifeincapslock.comLinkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/drstrah