SCRUM…REALLY AMY THOMPSON Agilista Systems Limited @Scrum_Mistress

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Amy Thompson, ScrumMaster and Agile Coach, Agilista Systems Ltd

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Began my Agile Journey in 2011

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Implemented Agile practices within various verticals

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I’d like to share my experiences and my conclusions with Scrum adoption and maturity

HI! AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

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Level One: Prepare 

Understand the problem you are trying to solve and why

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Increase buy in by engaging everyone in the Agile transition decision

Level Two: Implement 

Have an agreed strategy

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Employ the appropriate level of Coaching

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Be realistic with expectations

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Keep going! Don’t lose your nerve

Level Three: Mature 

Value discipline and structure

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Inspect and adapt

SCRUM: FROM ADOPTION TO MATURITY AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

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I’m yet to go into a Company that has performed WORSE since implementing Scrum

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Increased and more predictable delivery

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Better quality software

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Better relationships between business and tech teams

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More contented teams

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Disciplined Scrum will get you there faster

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It will be appreciated in the end!

JUST SOME BENEFITS OF DOING SCRUM PROPERLY AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

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If you are about to transition

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If you are doing Scrum badly and want to start again

LEVEL ONE: PREPARE AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

LEVEL ONE: PREPARE

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Lack of buy in

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Lack of knowledge and experience of doing Scrum properly

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Lack of discipline

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Lack of experience or courage to deal with the issues Scrum exposes

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The wrong ‘help’ 

“If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire an amateur” Red Adair

OVERCOMING COMMON PROBLEMS AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

LEVEL ONE: PREPARE

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Delivery?

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Quality?

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Relationships?

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Process?

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM? AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

LEVEL ONE: PREPARE

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The Board 

Do implement if its because you understand Scrum and want the adoption to succeed more than anything throughout the whole company

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Don’t implement if you know nothing about it and think its up to ‘everyone else’ to make it work

WHO WANTS SCRUM AND WHY? AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

LEVEL ONE: PREPARE

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SLT 

Don’t implement if you just want to look good

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Do implement if you are ready to be a servant leader

WHO WANTS SCRUM AND WHY? AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

LEVEL ONE: PREPARE

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Teams 

Don’t implement if you aren’t prepared to be disciplined

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Do implement if you want to see the benefits that Scrum will provide in time

WHO WANTS SCRUM AND WHY? AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

LEVEL ONE: PREPARE

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Coaching, training and support

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Explain the plan to everyone and agree

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Set realistic timescales and expectations

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HR

WHAT’S THE PLAN? AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

LEVEL ONE: PREPARE

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Coaching strategy 

Coaching appropriate to Company size

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Coaching for different areas: 

The Board and SLT

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The tech teams

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The rest of the Company

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Coaches must gel and be on the same page

COACHING AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

LEVEL TWO: IMPLEMENTATION

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‘Implementation’ also applies to newbies and companies doing ‘ScrumBut’ 

Re-education process

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Cultural reform

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Get it right from the start to the best of your ability

LEVEL TWO: IMPLEMENTATION AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

LEVEL TWO: IMPLEMENTATION

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Scrum has rules and it is Discipline that makes Scrum amazing

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People have to SEE to BELIEVE 

They don’t know what they don’t know

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They need confidence

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They need experience

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Scrum’s iterative process means it doesn’t take long to gain experience

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Good practices and behaviours are learned

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Teams can be empowered to improve processes when they understand the WHY

DO IT BY THE BOOK AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

LEVEL TWO: IMPLEMENTATION

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Its understandable!

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Reiterate the plan and the benefits of Scrum

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Encourage those who want to get involved; peers are powerful

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Champion every little success

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Many small successes lead to many big ones

RESISTANCE IS JUST FEAR AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

BE

COURAGEOUS

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Ride out the storm

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Management have a responsibility to avoid failure at all cost

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The teams have a responsibility to change their attitudes

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ScrumMaster/Agile coach has a responsibility to have difficult conversations

AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

LEVEL TWO: IMPLEMENTATION

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Management 

are faced with making big decisions

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are under pressure to prove these decisions are right

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are under pressure to meet targets throughout a transition

Teams 

find it hard to try something new in case they’re not good at it

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find it hard to stand up to managers, leads and each other about how they feel

Everyone is afraid of failing and getting sacked

ITS HARD TO BE COURAGEOUS AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

LEVEL TWO: IMPLEMENTATION

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Improvements in delivery patterns

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Improvements in behaviours

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Improvements in morale and responsiveness

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Improvements in reputation

REAP THE REWARDS OF COURAGE AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

LEVEL TWO: IMPLEMENTATION

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Cultural change will be faster

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Don’t get hung up about losing knowledge

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Management need to step up and do what is best for the team and the Business

CONTRAVERSIAL POINT #1: ATTRITION ISN’T NECESSARILY A BAD THING AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

LEVEL TWO: IMPLEMENTATION 

Set up a physical Board and give everyone an avatar 

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Consider Kanban’s defined workstreams and WIP Limits

Set up ceremonies, prepare for them and do them properly 

Structure

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Gets the right people talking at the right time

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Saves time in long ceremonies, e.g. Sprint Planning

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Expand the Definition of Done

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Learn Sprint Tetris

IMPLEMENTING STRUCTURE AND DISCIPLINE AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

LEVEL TWO: IMPLEMENTATION

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Making disciplined behaviour cultural is key to empowerment

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Structure is NOT a stifle to creativity, it is a harness for it

MORE ON STRUCTURE AND DISCIPLINE AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

LEVEL TWO: IMPLEMENTATION

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PREPARE: Allow ceremonies to fulfil their purpose 

Coach PO to make sure stories are SPRINT FIT before Backlog Refinement/ Sprint Planning

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Stagger sprints

IMPLEMENTING CEREMONIES AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

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CREATE ROUTINE 

Have and agenda and a desired outcome for every single meeting

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Respect timeboxes, incorporate breaks or email time

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Sets expectations and eases discomfort

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Provides purpose and drives outcomes

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Hold AT LEAST the stand up at the same time at the same place

IMPLEMENTING CEREMONIES AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

LEVEL TWO: IMPLEMENTATION

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This was my idea, just for the record ;-)

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Teams need to learn how to strategise constantly in sprint AND work as a team

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Sprint Tetris teaches the team how to work as one

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https://scrummistress.wordpress.com/2013/12/11/why-sprints-are-liketetris

PLAY SPRINT TETRIS AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

LEVEL TWO: IMPLEMENTATION

 Immature  Mature

teams

teams

Motivated by

What’s best for me?

Motivated by

What’s best for us?

CONTRAVERSIAL POINT #2: THE TEAM DON’T ALWAYS KNOW BEST AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

LEVEL TWO: IMPLEMENTATION

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There is no project manager role in Scrum because the team manage the project together

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Scrum will work when each role and responsibility is fulfilled

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

LEVEL TWO: IMPLEMENTATION

SCRUM HAS 3 ROLES FOR A REASON AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

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Inspect and adapt

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Build on good practice

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Adhere to the Agile Manifesto and the Scrum principles

LEVEL THREE: MATURITY AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

LEVEL THREE: MATURITY 

I’m yet to go into a Company that has performed WORSE since implementing Scrum



Increased and more predictable delivery



Better quality software



Better relationships between business and tech teams



More contented teams



Disciplined Scrum will get you there faster



NOW GET OUT THERE AND BE AWESOME!

AGAIN: BENEFITS OF DOING SCRUM PROPERLY AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress

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Any questions?

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http://agilistasystems.co.uk

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https://twitter.com/Scrum_Mistress

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https://scrummistress.wordpress.com

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! AMY THOMPSON , AGILISTA SYSTEMS LTD

@Scrum_Mistress