Agile Philosophy

Before Agile

Until early 90s, software development relied on waterfall methods

These methods followed a strict direction and did not allow much room for change

Once a requirement is gathered, or a decision is made, the project moves to the next step

Waterfall

Agile Values

Individuals and interactions over processes and tools

Working software over comprehensive documentation

Customer collaboration over contract negotiation

Responding to change over following a plan

Sidenote

That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.

Agile Principles

The Agile Values are backed by 12 principles

These principles reflect their vision of a development process that is iterative and focus on people

Agile Frameworks

Agile is a philosophy, it does not provide a framework to perform the work

Many frameworks were created:

 → Scrum, Kanban, Extreme Programming (XP), Test-Driven Development (TDD), etc.

Scrum Overview

Scrum Framework

Scrum is a framework that implements Agile

It follows specific set of events, stipulates a number of roles, and also produces a specific set of artifacts

The Scrum Official Guide can be downloaded for free following this link

Lecture Contents

In what follows, we will discuss scrum roles and scrum events

In our next lecture, we will discuss scrum artifacts

Scrum Teams Overview

Basics

Group working towards a specific objective

Cross-functional: contain all necessary skills

Self-managing: make their own internal decisions

Accountable for everything related to the product

Roles

There are three roles in a scrum team:

  → Developers

  → Product Owner

  → Scrum Master

Teams are self-organized, there is no hierarchy or defined job titles

Developers

Overview

People actually doing the work

Technicaly: people creating any aspect of a usable Increment during each Sprint

Self-organized group of professionals

Includes: front-end and back-end developers, UI designers, data scientists, DevOps, etc.

Attributions

Delivering the work throughout the Sprint

Adhering to a Definition of Done

Help creating a Sprint Goal and a Sprint Backlog

Product Owner

Overview

Represents the business side of the team

Balances the needs of all stakeholders

Ensures that the team is delivering the most value

Attributions

Creating and communicating a Product Goal

Writing, ordering, and reviewing the Product Backlog

Help creating a Sprint Goal and a Sprint Backlog

Managing stakeholder expectations

Product Owner

Scrum Master

Overview

The scrum master is the oil that lubricates the scrum engines

It is a servant leader that helps the PO, developers, and the organization as a whole

Ensures a proper implementation of the Scrum Framework

Serving Developers

Helping with self-management and cross-functionality

Removing impediments (roadblocks)

Ensuring that all scrum events happen and are effective

Serving the PO

Finding techniques to define the Product Goal and to create the Product Backlog

Helping the team understand the Backlog items

Establishing empirical product planning

Serving the Organization

Scrum adoption and implementation

Removing barriers between teams and stakeholders

Scrum Master

Scrum Events Overview

Sprint

Development takes place during a series of sprints

During each sprint, a number of items of the product backlog are selected and resolved

Sprint

Sprints are where ideas are turned into value

All work necessary to achieve a Product Goal happen during sprints

Fixed-length: between 2 to 4 weeks

"The sprint is dead, long live the sprint"

Sprint

The Sprint Goal should not be changed

Clarifications and renegotiations can occur

The Product Backlog might be refined

Background work and quality assurance happen during the Sprint

Sprint Events

→ Sprint Planning

→ Daily Scrum

→ Sprint Review

→ Sprint Retrospective

Sprint Events

Sprint Planning

Overview

Main Goal: Selection of items from the Product Backlog

Event that kicks-off the Sprint

Time-boxed: no longer than 2 hours/week

All team members participate: PO, Scrum Master, and Developers

Objectives

Addresses the why, what, and how of the Sprint

why is this Sprint important: Sprint Goal

what work will be done: Sprint Backlog

how will the work be done: plan

Daily Scrum

Overview

Main Goal: Share progress and challenges and plan work for the day

Short Meeting: 15 minutes more or less

Same time and same place every day

Primarily for Developers

PO and Scrum Master might participate if necessary

Objectives

Inspect progress towards Sprint Goal

Adapt the Sprint Backlog

Adjust upcoming work

Improve communications, self-management, and identify impediments

Sprint Review

Overview

Main Goal: Demonstrate the work that was done

Second to last event during a Sprint

Time-boxed: no longer than 2 hours/week

The entire team participate

Can also involve other stakeholders

Objectives

Demonstrate of the work that was done

Track progress towards the Project Goal

Discuss changes in the environment

Review the Product Backlog

Steps

Developers demonstrate what was "done"

PO goes over the Product Backlog progress

Discussion about what to do next

Sprint Retrospective

Overview

Main Goal: Discuss what went wrong, and how to improve

Last event during a Sprint

Time-boxed: no longer than 1.5 hours/week

The entire team participate

Objectives

Developers discuss what went well, problems, and solutions

Plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness

Review Product Backlog, Working Agreement, and Definition of Done