by Rochelle Tan | Jul 10, 2024 | InBiteSize
Agile methodologies have revolutionized the way projects are managed and executed, especially in the dynamic world of software development. In our previous article, we took the perspective of how the Agile Manifesto principles are emulated via the Scrum framework. In this sixth installment, we zoom into the sprint events. Central to Scrum is the concept of sprints—short, time-boxed periods during which a team works to complete a specific set of tasks. To make the most out of these sprints, it is crucial to understand and orchestrate the various sprint events efficiently and effectively. This guide aims to provide Agile practitioners, project managers, Scrum Masters, Agile coaches, team members, product owners, and managers with practical insights into the key elements, outcomes, and mechanics of each scrum sprint event.
Each sprint event serves a specific purpose in the Agile framework. The proper implementation of these events will derive the intended outcomes of each sprint event that leads to value delivery. In relation to this, carefully timing and sequencing these events can achieve their desired outcomes and more consistently. Let’s delve into the core sprint events and understand how to execute them effectively.
Backlog refinement is a pre-requisite to the scrum framework. Given that scrum is an empirical processes, this event is done on iteratively to ensure that the product backlog is up-to-date, organized, and relevant. This ongoing process involves reviewing existing stories, tasks, and bugs to determine their clarity, relevance, and value.
Key Elements:
- Review: Evaluate existing backlog items to decide which ones to keep, modify, or remove.
- Expand: Ensure the work items have a clear description and acceptance criteria to help the team determine the effort required to complete the work.
- Gap Analysis: Identify gaps between completed work and potential future work.
- Prioritization: Ensure that high-priority items are ready for upcoming sprints.
Outcomes:
- A well-maintained and prioritized product backlog. Usually about 2 to 3 sprints worth of backlog items.
- Clear understanding of upcoming work: refined and estimated work items
- Minimized surprises during sprint planning sessions.
Sprint planning is usually considered as the first event in the sprint cycle. It is aimed at setting clear goals for the upcoming sprint. During this session, all Agile team members collaborate to determine how much work they can accomplish from the team backlog. This work is then summarized into sprint goals.
Key Elements:
- Team Collaboration: Every team member contributes to the planning process, ensuring collective ownership of the sprint goals.
- Vision Alignment: The product owner provides the vision and context, explaining how the sprint goal ties into the overall project objectives.
- Work Assessment: Only those tasks prioritized based on agreed work allocation (KTLO, TechDebt, CI Product Priority) are considered.
Outcomes:
- A well-defined sprint goal that aligns with the product vision.
- A commitment to the sprint backlog
- A clear understanding of prioritized work items.
- A shared commitment to the sprint goal.
Daily stand-ups, or daily scrums, are short, focused meetings that help keep the team aligned and motivated. These meetings are designed to inspect progress toward the sprint goals, communicate upcoming work, and address any blockers or dependencies.
Key Elements:
- Accountability: Each team member answers three key questions:
- What did I accomplish since the last meeting?
- What do I plan to until the next meeting?
- What is blocking me from completing my work?
- Communication: This open forum encourages team members to seek help and offer assistance when needed.
- Problem-Solving: A separate “meet after” session is held for affected parties to discuss and resolve specific issues.
Outcomes:
- Enhanced team accountability and motivation.
- Real-time identification and resolution of blockers.
- Continuous alignment on sprint goals and progress.
Sprint review and demo, are essential for showcasing the team’s hard work and gathering feedback from stakeholders. This event marks the culmination of the sprint, where completed work items are presented, and data about the last sprint are reviewed and discussed.
Key Elements:
- Demonstration: Present the completed work to stakeholders.
- Feedback: Engage with stakeholders to gather constructive feedback.
- Celebration: Recognize and celebrate the team’s achievements.
Outcomes:
- Validation of completed work against sprint goals.
- Valuable stakeholder feedback for future improvements.
- Transparency about the team’s performance.
- Reinforced team morale and motivation.
In the spirit of continuous improvement, the sprint retrospective is a vital post-mortem process where teams assess their performance. This event encourages open dialogue and honest feedback to identify areas for improvement.
Key Elements:
- Reflection: Evaluate what went well, what didn’t, and why.
- Feedback: Encourage both positive and negative feedback.
- Actionable Items: Translate identified improvements into actionable work items for the next sprint.
Outcomes:
- A culture of continuous improvement and learning.
- Enhanced team dynamics and communication strategies.
- Concrete action plans for addressing identified issues.
- early feedback and preview to the customer
Sprint events are a cornerstone of Agile methodologies, but they are not static. As team dynamics and project contexts change, so must the practices around these events. It’s essential to iterate on these ceremonies based on feedback to stay ahead of challenges that often arise during product development.
Adapting to Change
- Feedback Loops: Regularly solicit feedback from team members and stakeholders to refine sprint events.
- Flexibility: Be open to adjusting the format, timing, and focus of sprint events to better suit the team’s needs.
Innovation: Encourage innovative approaches to enhance the effectiveness of sprint events.
Mastering Agile sprint events is crucial for any team looking to leverage the full potential of the Scrum framework. By understanding the key elements, outcomes, and mechanics of each event, Agile practitioners can ensure that their sprints consistently deliver value. Remember, the journey of continuous improvement and learning never ends. Embrace the spirit of Agile, and keep refining your practices to achieve even greater success.
Are you ready to take your Agile practices to the next level? Give the scrum framework a try. To implement the scrum framework, dive deeper into the scrum framework here: A Comprehensive Guide for Scrum Practitioners
Curious for more? Dive deeper into agile and transformational techniques to advance your knowledge and skills – Join our community of Agile practitioners and unlock the full potential of your organization. Subscribe to InBiteSize today and stay ahead of the curve!
by Rochelle Tan | Jul 8, 2024 | InBiteSize
Agile frameworks, like Scrum, are not just collections of rituals and processes. They’re underpinned by principles designed to deliver quality products and/or services that solve customer problems and meet their needs. Each aspect of the Sprint event in Scrum is a manifestation of these Agile principles, acting as a purposeful step toward achieving the desired outcomes.
In this fifth installment of the agile blog post series that started with the ‘Is Agile Dead?’ post, we elaborate how the scrum framework is implemented and cover topics on cadence, stakeholders & roles, and the key Sprint events—Sprint Planning, Team Syncs (aka Daily Stand-ups), Sprint Review, Backlog Refinement, and Sprint Retrospective. This post is meant to highlight their purpose beyond just the process. It’s not just about knowing the names or the sequence of scrum events or scrum roles; it’s about truly understanding and achieving their intent. Let’s uncover the real essence behind these Agile practices and how they can elevate your team’s performance!
The Scrum framework is a structured approach to Agile project management, characterized by its iterative cycles known as Sprints, which provide a cadence to the work being done. Each Sprint is a time-boxed period, typically lasting one to four weeks (commonly adopting two weeks), during which a potentially shippable product increment is created.
Scrum operates in a regular, repeating cycle of Sprints. This cadence helps teams to develop a rhythm and predictability, allowing for better planning and execution of tasks. Each Sprint includes several key events designed to foster collaboration and ensure continuous improvement. (To help the team determine the iteration cadence, check out Chapter 15. Selecting an Iteration Length from Mike Cohn’s Agile Estimating and Planning).
Scrum teams are cross-functional, meaning they have all the skills necessary to complete the work within the Sprint. They are also self-organizing, with team members taking collective accountability for delivering product increments. This structure aligns with Agile principles by promoting team autonomy, fostering collaboration, and ensuring that each team member is fully engaged in the project.
The Scrum framework includes five main events that are conducted within each sprint:
Backlog Refinement: This event is iterative, but it is also a pre-requisite to Sprint Planning. This event is meant to flesh out the work in the product backlog: user stories, bugs, epics, and/or features. This event aims to clarify the purpose of the work items, set the acceptance criteria, and priority.
Sprint Planning: This event marks the beginning of a Sprint. During Sprint Planning, the team collaborates to define the Sprint Goal and select Product Backlog items to be completed during the Sprint.
Daily Stand-ups or Team Sync: These are brief, daily meetings where team members discuss their progress, plans for the day, and any impediments. This fosters daily communication and ensures alignment.
Sprint Review/Demo: At the end of each Sprint, the team presents the product increment to stakeholders to gather feedback. This event ensures that the product is evolving to meet customer needs and provides an opportunity for course correction if needed.
Sprint Retrospective: Following the Sprint Review, the team conducts a Retrospective to reflect on what went well, what could be improved, and how to make the next Sprint more effective. This continuous reflection drives ongoing improvement.
This event emulates the agile principle on improvement: At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.
The Scrum framework defines specific roles to ensure that everyone has a clear understanding of their responsibilities:
- Product Owner: Responsible for maximizing the value of the product and managing the Product Backlog. The Product Owner represents the stakeholders and ensures that the team is working on the most valuable items.
- Scrum Master: Serves as a facilitator for the team, helping to remove impediments and ensure adherence to Scrum practices. The Scrum Master also helps promote a culture of continuous improvement. More recently, Scrum Masters are also considered as the team coach of the agile team.
- Agile Development Team: A group of professionals who do the work of delivering a potentially releasable increment of “Done” product at the end of each Sprint. They are self-organizing and cross-functional. They have all the required skills to design, plan, execute, and improve in building good products to the team’s target customer(s).
The Scrum framework robustly implements Agile principles through its defined roles, events, and iterative cadence. By continually inspecting and adapting processes and products, promoting close collaboration, emphasizing working software as a measure of progress, and fostering an environment where the team regularly reflects and improves, Scrum creates a dynamic environment that is responsive to change and focused on delivering value. This implementation of Agile principles ultimately leads to the successful delivery of high-quality products that meet customer needs.
In summary, the Scrum framework is a powerful tool for implementing Agile principles and achieving business agility. By understanding its purpose and embracing its events, roles, and cadence, teams can foster a culture of continuous improvement and deliver valuable products that meet customer needs. Are you ready to take your organization to the next level with Scrum? Consider implementing this proven approach to drive success in your projects! Keep learning and stay agile!
Happy sprinting!
To learn more about how each of the 12 agile principles is related to scrum events, check out our previous posts: The Agile Mindset Shift: From Doing Agile to Being Agile Part 1 and Part 2.
Interested in learning more about Agile and the Scrum framework? Here are some additional resources to continue your journey:
Blogs & Articles:
- “What is Agile?” by Atlassian
- “The Principles of Agile Manifesto” by Mountain Goat Software
- “Scrum Framework Explained: How it Works and When to Use It” by Atlassian
by Rochelle Tan | Jun 26, 2024 | InBiteSize
Embrace the challenges of uncertainty and change in software development with Mike Cohn‘s Agile Estimating and Planning. This indispensable guide provides practical strategies for Scrum Masters, Agile Coaches, and all team members looking to refine their planning and estimation skills. Regardless of your role—be it Project Manager or Release Manager—this book serves as a valuable resource for enhancing your product delivery efforts.
In this book review, we delve into the shortcomings of traditional project planning and estimation methods. We will examine how agile techniques and tools assist teams and organizations in transforming project and product uncertainties and risks into more concrete and actionable plans. The book offers robust guidelines and steps for estimation—assessing the scope of work to be done—and planning—effectively implementing and delivering products to customers incrementally.
The Purpose of a Good Plan
Cohn begins by addressing the fundamental purpose of a good plan, which is to transition from high risk and uncertainty to a more controlled and predictable environment. Traditional planning methods have several loopholes that derails the team from implementing a good plan that delivers concrete outcomes:
- Multitasking results in context-switching, which causes further delays and extends the completion time.
- Priority Issues occur when features are not developed in order of importance.
- Activity-based Planning focuses on tasks rather than outcomes, leading to inefficiencies.
- Ignoring Uncertainty by doing upfront planning does not reduce risk. It is through iterative processes that risk and uncertainty are managed.
- Estimates Become Commitments that results in locking teams into unrealistic timelines.
Agile Approach to Planning and Sizing
Cohn advocates for an Agile approach to planning and sizing to mitigate these risks by iterating on these two areas:
- Product Focus involves determining the most important features to be developed.
- Project Focus considers team dynamics and the technical skills of developers to efficiently and effectively implement the work.
Why Agile Planning Works
Cohn’s insights on why Agile planning works are compelling. Here are some highlights:
- Frequent Updates to plans ensure adaptability.
- Multiple Levels of Planning provide various perspectives:
- Daily Planning
- Iteration Planning
- Release Planning
- Feature-based Plans focus on delivering tangible outcomes rather than just completing tasks.
- Small Stories keep work manageable and estimable.
- Team-Level Success Tracking promotes collective ownership.
- No Work in Progress (WIP) ensures completed work moves forward, and unfinished work is replanned.
- Size and Duration Estimation differentiate between estimating work size (story points) and duration (iterations) leads to more accurate timelines.
Part I – Estimating Size
When estimating the size of work in agile projects, Cohn presents two main methods to consider:
- Story Points:
- Are a relative measurement that compares the complexity of tasks.
- Encourage teams to focus on the effort required rather than strict timelines.
- Are not influenced by individual skill levels, making it a universal metric.
- Become faster and more consistent as teams develop a shared understanding of point values.
- Are useful for planning sprints and releases with flexibility.
2. Ideal Days:
- Are time-based estimation assuming 100% focus without interruptions.
- Represents the time a task would take under perfect conditions, not accounting for real-world distractions and delays.
- Are best suited for early project stages when teams are getting familiar with story points.
- Provide an intuitive starting point for teams new to agile methodologies.
Part II – Planning for Value
Cohn emphasizes that the best way to reduce the cost of change is to implement features as late as possible. Prioritization is crucial:
- Determine value using Themes, MoSCoW, and Kano models.
- Consider all types of Cost, including new, retained, and incremental revenue.
- Consider New Knowledge gained during the project.
- Apply risk management.
Part III – Scheduling
Schedules are derived from the estimated size of user stories and their durations:
- High-Level Release Planning sets the roadmap and serves as a guidepost.
- Iteration Planning adds precision and clarity for team alignment.
- Velocity-driven vs. Commitment-driven approaches are used to balance workload and expectations.
Part IV – Tracking and Communicating
The author recommends constant monitoring and transparency of the release and iteration plans. They should not gather dust, but rather be actively reviewed, monitored, and adjusted as necessary. Collaborating with teams to track progress ensures the plans remain relevant and on track for success.
- Leverage Visual Boards (Kanban) for iteration and release plans.
- Apply Continuous Monitoring and updating of plans.
- Have honest Communication about progress and challenges.
- Incorporate Metrics and Visual Tools like burndown charts, boards, and end-of-iteration summaries to make work progress transparent and guide future plans.
Mike Cohn’s Agile Estimating and Planning is a well-structured, insightful guide that balances theory with practical application. The book is written from the perspective of traditional projects with defined start and end dates, but its principles are equally applicable to long-term Agile teams. Cohn’s use of real-life examples and clear explanations makes complex concepts accessible and actionable.
In his work, Cohn delves into crucial aspects of estimation and planning, while also warning against practices that can detract from the essence of agile methodologies. Here are some key considerations:
- Teams are advised to shift user story estimation gradually from Ideal Days to Story Points for more precise and enduring planning through relative sizing.
- Encourage a team-oriented approach during iteration planning by steering clear of task allocation and fostering collaboration.
- Embrace collective estimations by the entire team, rather than relying solely on a few individuals.
- Acknowledge uncertainty; upfront planning alone cannot mitigate risks and uncertainties—address them through iterative processes.
- Advocate for story-splitting while preserving the essence of each story, while recognizing that there may be cases when related work may be combined for efficiency.
- Beware of the trap of Parkinson’s Law when engaging in activity-based planning and execution, where tasks tend to expand to fill the allotted time for individuals or teams.
Is agile estimating and planning worth it? Absolutely. By adopting Cohn’s approaches, organizations can make their product delivery more:
- Customer-centric
- Relevant by adjusting to current certainty
- Outcome-driven
- Cost-effective
- Measurable
- Sustainable
Agile Estimating and Planning not only addresses the shortcomings of traditional project management but also provides a roadmap for more effective product delivery. If you’re looking to enhance your Agile practices, this book is a key resource.
Is your organization seeking fresh ideas from proven agile implementation methods? Grab a copy of Mike Cohn’s Agile Estimating and Planning! This book delivers practical strategies for effective planning using iterative techniques in estimation, sizing, scheduling, and progress monitoring. Don’t miss out on unlocking your team’s full potential! 🚀
Want to learn more? Check out our other book reviews on Tribal Unity or Drive.
by Rochelle Tan | Jun 13, 2024 | InBiteSize
Building on our post “The Agile Mindset Shift: From Doing Agile to Being Agile” in our Agile series, we now explore the six remaining principles of the Agile Manifesto. For each principle, we provide practical applications and desired outcomes aimed at accelerating value delivery and enhancing customer satisfaction.
Principle: Working software is the primary measure of progress.
Intended Outcome: Tangible evidence of progress and value creation.
Tactical Implementation: This approach embodies the “Don’t tell me, show me!” philosophy. Conducting sprint demos to gather early feedback helps ensure the team remains focused on delivering products that resonate with their target customers. It also enables the team—and other involved teams—to stay informed about upcoming developments. Simultaneously, the team can hold a sprint review, which encompasses the sprint demo, celebrating their achievements and reflecting on how they accomplished it. This method ensures productivity and alignment with the ultimate goal: consistently delivering measurable value. For more insights, see our blog post: Sprint Review: Much More Than Just a Demo.
Principle: Agile processes promote sustainable development. All stakeholders should maintain a constant pace indefinitely.
Intended Outcome: Long-term productivity and well-being of the team.
Tactical Implementation: Establish a consistent sprint cycle (typically 1-4 weeks) that the team can sustain over the long term. Maintaining a steady pace ensures that the team remains healthy and productive, avoiding burnout and ensuring steady progress. This cadence can change as the team matures or their situation changes.
Principle: Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.
Intended Outcome: High-quality, scalable, and maintainable software solutions.
Tactical Implementation: Maintain an architecture runway and regularly conduct architecture reviews, alignments, and backlog refinements to manage technical debt and uphold consistent, high-quality design standards. This approach nurtures a culture of excellence, ensuring the product remains robust and adaptable to future needs.
Principle: Simplicity—the art of maximizing the amount of work not done—is essential.
Intended Outcome: Focused and efficient use of resources.
Tactical Implementation: This is also known as the “Work smarter, not harder!” principle. Focus on achieving sprint goals rather than accumulating story points. Keep solutions flexible and avoid prematurely committing to one approach. Prioritizing simplicity ensures that the team works efficiently, avoiding unnecessary complexity and waste. Check this blog post on sprint goals as a tool towards value-delivery and efficiency: Achieving Success with Sprint Goals: A Key to Delivery.
Principle: The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams.
Intended Outcome: Innovative solutions and empowered team members.
Tactical Implementation: Empower teams to make design and implementation decisions, which are supported by regular tech alignments and backlog reviews. Self-organizing teams are more likely to produce creative and effective solutions, leveraging their collective expertise and knowledge. To learn more about developing self-organizing and empowered teams, check out this blog post: Amplify Your Impact: Steps to a Multiplier Mindset.
Principle: At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.
Intended Outcome: Continuous improvement and adaptability.
Tactical Implementation: It is a good practice to pause and reflect in order to accelerate. Conducting sprint retrospectives helps evaluate recent performance and identify areas for improvement, fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth. Regular reflection ensures the team evolves and adapts to new challenges and opportunities effectively, leading to consistent improvement.
Shifting from “doing Agile” to “being Agile” is like going from just wearing the jersey to actually playing in the game. Embrace the agile principles, and watch your team boost efficiency, collaborate like pros, and make customers happier and satisfied.
Are you ready to revolutionize your team’s approach to work and see real, tangible results? Schedule a call with one of our experienced Solution Consultants to discuss your current framework and processes and identify opportunities for improvement. Embark on your transformational journey towards accelerating value delivery and driving sustainable growth. Together, we will tailor strategies to meet your unique organizational needs and ensure lasting success in your transformational journey.
Stay tuned for the next installment in our Agile series, where we will explore the Scrum Framework and how the agile principles are translated into tangible outcomes.
Can’t wait for our next article? Remember, change starts with you. Check out our book reviews on A Sense of Urgency or The Disruption Mindset.
by Rochelle Tan | Jun 13, 2024 | InBiteSize
Welcome to the second installment of our “Is Agile Dead” blog series. After exploring the importance of the agile mindset for organizations to achieve business agility, this post delves deeper into the transformation from merely “doing Agile” to truly “being Agile.” It highlights how the diverse Agile frameworks, specifically Scrum, have evolved to uphold the core intent of the twelve principles outlined in the Agile Manifesto. By embracing this mindset, organizations can foster innovation, collaboration, and adaptability, while ensuring they remain responsive to ever-changing market demands. Join us as we unpack the journey from procedural adherence to an Agile culture shift.
The Agile Manifesto presents twelve core principles that underpin Agile frameworks. We’ll delve into these twelve principles, emphasizing practical implementation and intended outcomes. To maintain InBiteSize standards, on keeping things short and digestible, we will divide the discussion into two parts.
Principle: Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.
Intended Outcome: High levels of customer satisfaction and trust.
Tactical Implementation: Implement frequent delivery cycles, sometimes known as sprints, to ensure early and continuous software deliveries. By prioritizing the most valuable features, teams can provide customers with functional increments sooner, gathering valuable feedback to refine and improve the product continuously.
Principle: Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer’s competitive advantage.
Intended Outcome: Increased adaptability and responsiveness to customer needs.
Tactical Implementation: Incorporate change management processes and tools that allow for real-time adjustments. Maintain a flexible backlog that can be updated with new requirements as they arise, ensuring the product evolves to meet the latest customer demands.
Principle: Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter timescale.
Intended Outcome: Regular delivery of incremental value.
Tactical Implementation: Set up a structured sprint cycle, usually lasting 1-4 weeks, and schedule regular sprint planning and review meetings. This rhythm ensures frequent releases and maintains a clear focus on delivering working software at each iteration.
Principle: Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project.
Intended Outcome: Enhanced communication and mutual understanding.
Tactical Implementation: Foster daily interactions between business stakeholders and development teams, by using tools like daily stand-ups or collaboration software. This close cooperation ensures that both sides are aligned on priorities and project goals, leading to more effective solutions.
Principle: Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.
Intended Outcome: High team morale and productivity.
Tactical Implementation: Create an empowering environment where team members feel valued and supported. Invest in professional development opportunities and encourage autonomy in decision-making to foster intrinsic motivation.
Principle: The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation.
Intended Outcome: Clear and efficient communication.
Tactical Implementation: Whenever possible, encourage in-person or real-time virtual meetings to discuss project details, as these interactions promote clarity and quick problem resolution. Utilize video conferencing tools to maintain this practice even for remote or distributed teams.
For more insights on working with remote team members, check out this article: Working Successfully in Agile with Remote Team Members.
Transitioning from “doing Agile” to “being Agile” demands a profound commitment to embracing the principles of the Agile Manifesto. By strategically implementing these principles, teams can cultivate a genuine Agile mindset that boosts efficiency, fosters collaboration, and enhances customer satisfaction.
How has your team applied these agile principles into your value delivery framework? Ready to revolutionize your team’s approach to work? Schedule a call with one of our agile delivery consultants and embark on your transformational journey towards accelerating value delivery and growth.
See The Agile Mindset Shift: From Doing Agile to Being Agile Part 2, to explore the six remaining principles of the agile manifesto.
