Scrum Implementation

SCRUM Implementation

 

About SCRUM

SCRUM appears simple, yet has practices that deeply influence the work experience and that capture key adaptive and agile qualities. Scrum’s distinctive emphasis among the methods is it’s strong promotion of self directed teams, daily team measurement and avoidance of prescriptive processes. SCRUM practices are founded on the Agile principles. Some of the key agile practices include;

• Self directed and self organizing teams
• No external addition of work to an iteration, once chosen
• Daily stand up meetings, with special questions
• 30 calendar day iterations
• Demo to external stakeholders at the end of each iteration
• For each iteration, client-driven, adaptive planning

The SCRUM process overview

Scrum hangs all of it's practices on an iterative, incremental process skeleton. Scrum's skeleton is shown in the diagram above. The lower circle represents an iteration of development activities that occur, one after another. The output of each iteration is an increment of the product. The upper circle represents the daily inspection that occurs during the iteration, in which the individual team members meet to inspect each other's activities and make appropriate adaptations. Driving the iteration is a list of requirements. This cycle repeats until the project is no longer funded.

The skeleton operates this way: At the start of an iteration, the team reviews what it must do. It then selects what it believes it can turn into an increment of potentially shippable functionality by the end of the iteration. The team is then left alone to make it's best effort for the rest of the iteration. At the end of the iteration, the team presents the increment of functionality it built so that the stakeholders can inspect the functionality and timely adaptations to the project can be made.

Some Organizations using SCRUM

Microsoft, Sun, Sammy Studios, Siemens, Philips, BBC, IBM, SAIC, Ariba, Federal Reserve Bank, HP, Medtronics, Motorola, Valtech, IDX, Primavera, Yahoo, Conchango, Bentley systems, CapitalOne, Federal reserve bank, Clear channel, Xerox, Nokia, Novell

The business case

Organizations using SCRUM methodology have reported productivity gains to the tune of 50% to 100% (on the very conservative side)

PMRI's Methodology of implementing SCRUM

The main goal of this program is to ensure effective implementation of the SCRUM methodology, resulting in business advantages. Since SCRUM is not highly prescriptive, reading and class room training alone will not help for it's effective implementation.  The model we propose, include a two day workshop and 5 days on site support of a Certifed Scrum Master, who will work along with the teams, in implementing SCRUM.

Phase -1 Understanding the SCRUM framework

Project management orientation program – 1 day

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  • Adaptive Vs Predictive
  • PMBOK & PRINCE overview
  • When to go agile
  • Agile manifesto
  • Key Agile principles
  • Key agile methodologies overview
  • Key  SCRUM practices awareness

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  •  
    • Product backlog
    • Release backlog
    • Wide band Delphi – estimation
    • Sprint planning & sprint backlogs
    • Backlog graph
    • Roles and responsibilities
    • Daily stand up meetings
    • Team introspection

Phase -2  - Experiencing SCRUM  - 1 day

• Develop product backlog from a case study
• Estimate using wide band Delphi
• Requirements prioritization
• Release planning
• Sprint planning
• Burn down chart
• Stand up meetings
• Team self organization based on imposed constraints

Phase – 3 Real life, on site implementation support  - 5 days   and Unlimited online support

2 days at the beginning of a sprint and 2 days  during the course of the sprint and 1 day at the end of the sprint (30 day sprints) During this time frame, we will work along with the team, ensuring the right practice of the concepts.

The Agile Principles

• Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.
• Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customers competitive advantage.
• Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter time scale.
• Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project.
• Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.
• The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation.
• Working software is the primary measure of progress.
• Agile processes promote sustainable development.
• The sponsors, developers and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.
• Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.
• Simplicity – the art of maximizing the amount of work not done- is essential
• The best architectures, requirements and designs emerge from self organizing teams.
• At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts it’s behavior accordingly.