Agile Development Using Scrum: Dan Retzlaff

Agile
Development
Using Scrum
Dan Retzlaff
Management Information Chief - Applications Development
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
26th Annual Management Information Systems [MIS] Conference
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Objectives
• Review the Software Development Lifecycle
and the problems it creates
• Understand where Agile Methodology came

from
• Review the Agile Scrum Process and Roles
• How Scrum has made an impact at the

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction 2
Traditional Thinking
Traditional project management used for
software development = Waterfall Method
Requirements
Design
Implementation
Verification
Maintenance
3
Problems with Waterfall Method
• Difficult to accommodate change once a process is

underway
• Phases must be completed in a sequential order
• Difficult to respond to changing customer requirements
• Few business systems have stable requirements
4
Photos are stock photos. Release for web use of all photos on file. 5
Agile Thinking
• A group of software development
methodologies based on iterative
incremental development
• Simply, a different way to manage IT

projects, teams, or any work involving a
complex process
6
Agile Manifesto
Individuals and interactions over process and tools

Working Software over comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Responding to change over following a plan
That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value
the items on the left more.
7
Scrum
Graph provided by VersionOne. http://www.versionone.com/state_of_agile_development_survey/11/

8
Key Scrum Beliefs
People
+ = Product
Practices
• Scrum requires a mental shift in the way people think

o A preference of People over Practices: understanding that solving complex problems requires
brainpower, not recipes;
o An understanding that the best Products are developed by having a Focus on User's Needs
rather than relying on a requirements document;
o The acceptance that Reality Trumps Expectations, so when reality and expectations don't
match, it is the expectations that must change;
o The preference for Self-Organizing Teams over either lone-wolf-ism or tightly controlled
management; and
o The realization that each of us is part of a Team developing Product and that we are not simply
People doing Work.
9
The Scrum Team
The Scrum Team is a small (ideally 5-9) group of people that provides useful Products and
Results for Stakeholders.
• Stakeholders
o The most important role involved in Scrum
o The reason a Team is developing a Product
• Business Owner (BO)

o A special stakeholder, often the Team's sponsor or champion and
controls the budget for the Team
• Product Owner (PO)

o Most important person on the Scrum Team
o Works with Stakeholders to represent their interests to the Team
o Held accountable for the value of the Team's results
• Scrum Team Members

o Do the work (analysis, design, code, test, document, data quality
checks, or whatever work is required for a desired outcome)
• Scrum Master (SM)

o Facilitator, moderator, and coach
o Manages relationship between the PO and the Scrum Team
o Focuses on team improvement
Graphic referenced from Agile Atlas: http://agileatlas.org/commentaries/scrum-in-a-nutshell
10
The Product Backlog
• A Scrum Team's work is managed with a Product
Backlog
o A collection of Product Backlog Items
o Items (User Stories) represent the stakeholders'
needs and wants that add value to a product
• Team does not do anything for any Stakeholder unless

it's in the backlog
• The Product Owner is responsible for prioritizing the

Backlog
11
Release Planning
• Visioning phase
o PO and Stakeholders produce a Product Vision and Product Roadmap
o Overall focus is on the Product
o Not a part of Scrum Itself
• Stakeholders and Scrum Team negotiate what should be accomplished in a Release
• Once the Team has a Backlog that supports Release Goals, the Team starts Sprinting
12
Graphic referenced from Agile Atlas: http://agileatlas.org/commentaries/scrum-in-a-nutshell
The Sprint
• Fundamental process flow of Scrum
• A short, fixed-length period of time
• Goal is to produce Backlog Items into renewable products

that Stakeholders can provide feedback on
• Sprint Planning allows the PO to work with the Team to

negotiate what Backlog Items the Team will work on in order
to meet Release Goals
• Scrum Master ensures Team agrees to realistic goals

13
The Sprint
• Sprint Planning
• Daily Scrum
o Daily Standups
• Sprint Review
• Sprint Retrospective
Diagram of Scrum sprint, taken from Scrum in five minutes from Southhouse 14
Using Scrum at
• Started small by building a Product Backlog for one business area (Special
Education). Provided some overall training and started sprinting from
there. Team is currently on Sprint 39.
• The following Scrum teams have now been established:
o Special Education
o Title I
o General Data Collections
o Teacher Licensing
o Business Office
o Business Intelligence
15
Using Scrum at
• Increased Productivity
• Keeps Teams Focused on Delivering Value
• Helps manage multiple projects with limited resources
• Improved Communications through Transparency
• Not as many individuals working in silos
• Team members no longer have to worry about over commitments made by
management and unrealistic deadlines
"As a manager, Agile has been very helpful in keeping me informed on a daily basis
of a project’s status. It is a great communication tool that stores all information
and communication regarding a project in a common location. It cuts down on
‘face-time,’ maximizes production, and helps to ensure we meet our deadlines.“
Anita Castro
Assistant Director, Special Education
16
Scrum Storyboards at
Scrum Team Dashboards with Microsoft Team Foundation Server (TFS)
17
Scrum Buildup Charts at
Buildup charts are updated daily so that all Scrum Team
members and Stakeholders are aware of the sprint's progress.
18
Products Released using Scrum (PTP)
WI State Performance Plan (SPP), Indicators #13
IEP: Postsecondary Transition Plan (PTP)
To learn more about the Wisconsin's Special Education IEP: PTP click the link below:
http://sped.dpi.wi.gov/sped_spp-transition
19
Products Released using Scrum (School Directory)
Wisconsin Public and Private School Directory
You can view this site by clicking on the following link: https://apps4.dpi.wi.gov/SchoolDirectory/ 20
Advice for Implementing Scrum
• Create a vision.
• Start small - Scrum requires organizational culture change.
• Scrum can be used with any Complex System. It is not strictly used for
Software Development.
• Create a maturity model.
• Never give in to status quo! Scrum is Continuous Improvement.
• Get an Agile Coach.

21
Scrum Resources
Book Recommendations
• Exploring Scrum: The Fundamentals
• Essential Scrum
• Agile Software Development with Scrum
22
Scrum Resources
Online Recommendations
• The Scrum Guide by Scrum.org. (Online Book)
o http://www.scrum.org/Portals/0/Documents/Scrum%
20Guides/Scrum_Guide.pdf
• Scrum Alliance
o http://www.scrumalliance.org
• Jeff Sutherland
o http://scrum.jeffsutherland.com
• Mountain Goat Software - Mike Cohn's Blog

o http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/blog
23

Agile Development Using Scrum: Dan Retzlaff

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Agile Development Using Scrum: Dan Retzlaff

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Agile Development Using Scrum: Dan Retzlaff

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Agile

• Understand where Agile Methodology came

• Review the Agile Scrum Process and Roles

• How Scrum has made an impact at the

• Difficult to accommodate change once a process is

• Phases must be completed in a sequential order

• Difficult to respond to changing customer requirements

• Few business systems have stable requirements

• Simply, a different way to manage IT

Individuals and interactions over process and tools

Graph provided by VersionOne. http://www.versionone.com/state_of_agile_development_survey/11/

• Scrum requires a mental shift in the way people think

• Business Owner (BO)

• Product Owner (PO)

• Scrum Team Members

• Scrum Master (SM)

• Team does not do anything for any Stakeholder unless

• The Product Owner is responsible for prioritizing the

• Fundamental process flow of Scrum

• A short, fixed-length period of time

• Goal is to produce Backlog Items into renewable products

• Sprint Planning allows the PO to work with the Team to

• Scrum Master ensures Team agrees to realistic goals

• The following Scrum teams have now been established:

• Start small - Scrum requires organizational culture change.

• Create a maturity model.

• Never give in to status quo! Scrum is Continuous Improvement.

• Get an Agile Coach.

• Mountain Goat Software - Mike Cohn's Blog

You might also like