Category Archives: agile

Bridge between Value backlog (Stake Holders) and Work backlog (Scrum Teams)
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Pomodoro is the best productivity tool that you can ask for in today’s world filled with all distractions we love to call iPads, iPhones, Text and SMS, the Facebook, the Twitter and all other Social Media updates that we can not get enough of. They are hinderance when we are trying to get things done. They are distractions that derail our focus taking away our attention to non-value add tasks.Get Hyper Tip

The concept of pomodoro is very simple. Timebox yourself going into an activity; typically 25 minutes at a time. Set aside the timebox of  25 minutes and commit to doing one thing and one thing only during that 25 minutes.

[bctt tweet=”An apple a day, keeps a doctor away! A tomato (Pomodoro) each time, keeps the waste away! #getHyper #Agile”]

 

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Unlearn What You Have Learned

Ten Habits You Must Break To Be Successful with Scrum

In the Star Wars movie The Empire Strikes Back when Luke Skywalker tries unsuccessfully to rescue his X-wing fighter from the swamp and gives up, Jedi Master Yoda has these words of wisdom for him:

Do or Do not, there is no try! You must unlearn what you have learned!

Scrum is no different! It is a new approach to building and delivering Products and Services. It is an approach that is relentless in creating VALUE for customers. In Scrum, you go to your Customers with a Product Increment, often and with regular frequency.

At the core of it, Scrum requires mental shift! The successful adoption starts with us unlearning the old habits and approaching with new, fresh eyes! You have to be willing to step out of the box, step out of your comfort zone, and be willing to try and form new habits.

Here are ten habits that I believe we must unlearn to be successful at adopting scrum:

  1. Create email trailsunlearn what you have learned - make the shift - makeTheShift
  2. Use Command and Control
  3. Create disciplines and silos
  4. Be a Hero
  5. Sign off on a detailed requirements document
  6. Stick to the iron triangle
  7. Be plan driven
  8. Be IT driven
  9. Have a big bang delivery
  10. Tell teams “How,” not “What”

Remember, these are the ‘bad’ behaviors, bad habits that we must break! We must unlearn what we have learned over the years, flush them out, and start on Scrum journey with a fresh approach!

[tweetthis twitter_handles=”@beyondCSM”  remove_hidden_urls=”true”]Succeed at #scrum? Step out of comfort zone & unlearn what we have learned! #makeTheShift[/tweetthis]

The original article that I wrote and is published by Scrum Alliance can be accessed here

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#agileReleasePlanning wall

Each column represents a Sprint in the release cycle. Each row represents a team that will be participating in this release planning exercise.

Agile Release Planning Wall

 

Based on the history, makeup of the teams, and what is needed for the functionality, the Chief Product Owner (CPO) may decide to pre-assign some of the work slices (open for discussion and negotiations with the team later on).

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Agile Data Warehouse series: What it is? – the workflow

 

In my previous post, I announced my intention of writing a series of posts talking about my recent experience with data warehouse build out in an agile transformation of EDS for a Fortune 100 company. Let’s continue our discussion on this interesting topic. 
So, what exactly it is? What do I mean by agile data warehouse build out? 
 
First of all, let’s talk about Data Warehouse in general. A data warehouse initiative typically involves building out data structures in the enterprise data model, pulling data from multiple sources, doing some (data) transformation, and then ‘parking’ them into the target data structure. Sounds about right? 
 
At a high level, at least, this is the work flow for a data warehouse build out. To get to next level of details, your data warehouse builds out includes:
  • Identifying the data elements and sources for that data
  • Coming up with logical data model that will support the business’s analytical needs
  • Often, getting this logical model; or as technical teams would say LDM (Logical data model) approved through some governance body in the organization
  • Getting the physical data structures, PDM (Physical data model) created
  • Extracting and transforming data from various sources to load into the physical data structures

To summarize, a typical data warehouse build out contains following workflow (of events):

Typical workflow for a Data Warehouse build out
Typical workflow for a Data Warehouse build out
[Please note that we will be modifying this as we discuss the topic further]
 

Now, let’s talk about Agile data warehouse (ADW).  By ADW, I mean:

  • We build the data warehouse in increments
  • Delivering Potential shippable increment (PSI) of the data warehouse at a regular frequency [and not have customers waiting to get the data warehouse as one big-bang delivery]
  • Involving customers through the build process 
  • Understanding customers, and their needs – what are the business reasons for them to request this data warehouse
  • Focus on creating customer value incrementally, and not the technologies or the implementation of it. Shift your focus from technology (and data elements, data structures, primary key, foreign key, etc.) to customers needs. 

Often times data folks are so focused on their tables and primary keys that they start driving the build out from that vantage point only 🙁

Let the customers’ need be your guiding beacon! 
 
[Next post: Know thy customer!]