Agile / Scrum Training | Lean Software Development | Agile Organizational Metrics | Executive Coaching | Improved Team Dynamics | Improved Eﬃciency
High Performance in Sprint Execution
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THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING!
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
Today’s Presenter
Agile Coach & Trainer
Davisbase Consulting
[email protected]
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Trained over 1,500 practitioners
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Successfully coached dozens of teams
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CSP, PMI-ACP, SPC
@davisbase!
#BecomingAgile!
#agile!
Connect on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/codymeche/en
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
Today’s Topics
1. 
Characteristics of High Performing Teams
2. 
Observable Traits of Maturity in Sprint Execution
3. 
A 4-Level Maturity Model to Assess Performance
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
Excellence within the Sprint
What do we look for?
¤  Consistent
collaboration
¤  Swarming
¤  Accountability
for commitments
¤  Proactive communication
¤  Engagement of stakeholders
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
Measuring Sprint Performance
What it is not…
¤  Evaluation
of metrics to game the system
¤  A command-and-control mechanism
¤  A way to compare good vs. bad teams
¤  The only thing that defines success
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
The Intent of Assessment
Transparency
Reflection
Relentless Good Change
(Kaizen)
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Observable Maturity Levels
1
Teams new to Agile. Characteristics and traits
of their activities and outcomes.
2
3
Teams that have been embracing Agile
practices for 4-9 months. How their behaviors
have advanced.
Teams that have come into their own and are
approaching the “Ri” state of the Shu, Ha, Ri
journey.
4
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
Teams that have achieved high levels of
maturity and excellence with both their Agile
practices and outcomes.
8 Dimensions for Evaluation
Sprint Planning &
Commitments
Daily Planning &
Accountability
Customer Feedback &
Acceptance
Managing the
Flow of Work
Engineering &
Development Practices
Quality Assurance &
Testing
Prioritization
& Sequencing
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
Scope & Expectations
Management
8 Dimensions for Evaluation
Sprint Planning &
Commitments
Daily Planning &
Accountability
Customer Feedback &
Acceptance
Managing the
Flow of Work
Engineering &
Development Practices
Quality Assurance &
Testing
Prioritization
& Sequencing
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
Scope & Expectations
Management
Sprint Planning & Commitments
1
Paperclips are used to visualize capacity
and estimates. Sprint planning may last
upwards of 4-6 hours.
2
3
Teams plan tasks and estimate hours and
track data electronically. The session may
take 2-4 hours.
Teams are able to discuss and identify tasks,
but no longer need detailed hour estimates.
Session duration has decreased to 1-3 hours.
4
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
Through experience and collaboration, teams
can commit based on discussion of backlog
items alone. Sessions take less than 2 hours.
Daily Planning & Accountability
1
The Daily session is often a report to the
ScrumMaster and have little peer-to-peer
interaction. Feels command-and-control.
2
3
Team Members talk to one another, but flow
of the conversation is highly facilitated by
the ScrumMaster. Daily commitments are
made.
Teams communicate seamlessly and naturally
escalate impediments as well as hold one
another accountable for commitments made.
4
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
Teams hold the session whether or not a SM
is there to remind them.
Customer Feedback & Acceptance
1
Teams demonstrate the product at the Demo
in order to gain acceptance.
2
3
Teams gain earlier acceptance during Sprint
Review so that Demos are for a larger
stakeholder set.
Once all tasks complete for an item, the PO
is engaged for early review and acceptance.
4
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
Automated Acceptance Tests are written
before the code, so acceptance is nearly
automated.
Managing the Flow of Work
1
Day 1 & 10 are separate days where little
other work occurs. Team Members are only
focused on tasks they signed up for in
Planning. Lots of work is in progress at once.
2
3
The team is enforcing Story-Level WIP limits
to gain efficiency, but team members rarely
swarm and take on tasks outside of
traditional responsibilities.
The team is enforcing Task-Level WIP limits
and assist others in resolving impediments in
order to move things forward.
4
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
The team has combined Day1/10 activities
into a single calendar day, enforce task-level
WIP limits and swarm to complete work
efficiently and effectively.
Engineering & Development Practices
1
Teams deploy code manually 1-3 times per
sprint.
2
Teams build at least once a day.
3
Teams are able to build multiple times a day
and have gated check-ins to assist with code
quality.
4
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
Teams have a full Continuous Integration
processes with gated check-ins and
deployments on-demand.
Quality Assurance & Testing
1
Tests are written and executed within the
sprint with little to no automation. Most
testing activities occur in the last few days of
the iteration.
2
3
Tests are written early (sometimes
automated) within the sprint, but not
necessarily before the code is written.
Tests are understood before the sprint, but
written and automated early in the sprint
cadence (not necessarily before code is
written).
4
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
Tests are written before the sprint and serve
as specifications and models for how the
product should work. They are automated
before the code is written.
Prioritization & Sequencing
1
Decisions are often based on “gut feel” with
little to no input from stakeholders across the
organization.
2
3
Silo’d prioritization and sequencing occur for
individuals teams, but dependencies are not
aligned and strategic themes are not
considered.
Stakeholders across the portfolio are
involved so that priorities and dependences
are transparent and aligned.
4
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
High-priority items represent a tightlyaligned MVP/MMF and are sequenced to
minimize dependencies and maximize
efficiency. Techniques like WSJF are used.
Scope & Expectations Management
1
Teams target scope for a release through a
release plan, but do not maintain backlog
depth or a baselined release plan.
2
3
Teams baseline a release plan at the close of
each iteration.
Teams engage stakeholders in release
planning activities to ensure input and
support from the organization. Updates are
made each iteration.
4
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
Teams maintain integrated and aligned
projections of work looking forward 4-5
sprints and update forecasts each iteration.
Visualizing Team Maturity
Cumulative
Flow
Cycle Time
Average
Velocity
CvC
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
CvC (Complete vs. Commit)
The ratio of # of points Completed
versus the # of points committed to.
Plotted on a line graph.
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
CvC (Complete vs. Commit)
110
100
90
110
80
100
70
90
60
80
50
70
40
60
30
50
20
40
10
30
20
10
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
Cumulative Flow
Visualization of the amount of work
in each state of the process.
Displayed using a Stacked Area chart.
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
Cumulative Flow
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
Average Velocity
The number of points finished/
accepted each sprint.
Plotted on a line graph.
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
Average Velocity
100
90
80
100
70
90
60
80
50
70
40
60
30
50
20
40
10
30
0
20
10
0
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
Cycle Time
The number of days it takes a backlog
item to get from start to finish within
the sprint.
Plotted on a frequency diagram.
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
Cycle Time
.
.
1
2
.
3
4
5
6
.
. .
. .
. .
.
.
.
. .
. .
7
9
8
10
# Days to Finish a Backlog Item
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.
. .
. . .
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.
.
. .
. . .
. . .
1
4
2
3
5
6
7
8
9
10
# Days to Finish a Backlog Item
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
Wrapping Up
High Performance in Sprint Execution
www.davisbase.com | @davisbase |#BecomingAgile
Your Call to Action
Visualize and plan Shu, Ha, Ri
transformation
¨  Commit to improving
¨  Inspect and adapt always!
¨  Share your success story
¨ 
#BecomingAgile Webinar Series – ©2015 Davisbase Consulting
Learn More Online
4-Step Assessment Model
Monthly Series
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15
davisbase.com/blog
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The Next #BecomingAgile Webinar
Collaboration Techniques for Defining Backlog Items
Thursday, April 2, 2015
12:00pm ET
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