Agile-Stage-Gate€¦ · Agile-Stage-Gate: Scrums, Sprints, Demos & Retros qA sprintis the basic unit in Agile-Scrum: ØSprints last 1-4 weeks ØAre a "time-boxed" (i.e. restricted
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q Agile for software relies on:1. A focus on the customer – understand the customer’ s problem2. Welcoming change – learn something with each iteration
• A time-boxed iterative approach – sprints: 2-4 weeks • Deliver something of value after
each iteration: test & learn• Evolutionary development (Product
Definition changes as development proceeds)
• Adaptive planning: rapid & flexible response to change: the Plan changes
3. People interacting (vs. following a process)
• Align with objective & the solution• Empowered team – autonomous
q A dedicated team: 100% working on this one projectØ Co-located (all people in one room )
q A sprint is the basic unit in Agile-Scrum:Ø Sprints last 1-4 weeks Ø Are a "time-boxed" (i.e. restricted to a
specific duration) effort of a constant lengthq Each sprint is starts with a team meeting
Ø The Sprint Planning MeetingØ Agree on sprint goalsØ Map out sprint tasks
q Daily “stand-ups” or scrumsØ 15-20 mins to organize each day Ø Set priorities, shift responsibilities, knowledge management, learning
q And followed by a demo & retrospective meetingØ Demo: Where completed work (e.g. a model) is demo’d to stakeholdersØ Retrospect: Where progress is reviewed & lessons are identified.
A daily scrum meeting. This choice of location lets the team start on
Now Used by Manufacturers: Example – Chamberlainq Uses sprints & scrums for physical & IT developments
Ø Daily scrums, about 20 minutesq Build in design reviews into some scrums
Ø Bring in peers (peer review) & outsiders too
q Scrum Master in placeq Sprints:
Ø About 2 weeks in length, now 3 weeksØ Must show something physical, the
result of a completed task (not just a PPT show, but for example, design drawings)
q Project teams have dedicated team members per projectq Only use for larger, major revenue generator projects – about 20% of totalq Working well, 6 years intoq Problems: project leader & team loses sight of ultimate goals, just focused
q Protocepts can be…Ø Simple, easy-to-build models (paper,
cardboard, clay, wax)Ø Drawings and sketchesØ CAD drawings & 3-D CAD drawingsØ A series of MVPs (something that actually functions)Ø Rapid prototypes, 3D printedØ Crude working modelsØ Early prototypes, pretotypesØ Computer simulations, computer animationsØ Virtual & Augmented Reality
q Anything to test the proposed product before & during DevelopmentØ Technically – can we develop and/or
make it?Ø Market-facing – does the customer like it? GE Tests 3-D Printed Turboprop
q Volvo trucks tests new construction vehicles that don’t yet existØ A real driver drives the off-highway vehicle in a simulatorØ “A lot cheaper & faster to develop the software than the truck”
LEGO Education:• Software & physical products for education for children• Began highly innovative NP project, “Story Starter” in 2011
Project managed using LEGO’s tried-and-proven stage-and-gate model
• Did not fit well with the design iterations – moved slowly
Decided to incorporate a digital documentation software tool• Digital Solutions group already used Agile methods for Software• Joined the Story Starter team, brought Agile with them
Story Starter team decided to try new Agile approach for managing the entire project
Management did not want to lose the strategic benefits of SG • Kept SG while implementing Agile within the gating system. • Agile-Stage-Gate hybrid emerged – for software & physical components
q Began using this new Agile-Stage-Gate hybrid modelØ SprintsØ 15-minute daily stand-up meetings (scrums)Ø Visual scrum boardØ Daily activity logs A prioritized project backlogØ Sprint planning meetings
q A-SG used during Development phase &continued into the Implementation phase in LEGO’s gating model
q Result:Ø Story Starter project saw a remarkable accelerationØ Immediate increase in productivityØ Much better team communication & a decrease in misunderstandingsØ Improved work-flow each day – problems solved at the next morning’s scrum
meetingq Resulted in the launch of this highly successful & innovative new
More Recent References, Additional Reading & Sources: 2016-20191. Cooper, Robert G., “Beyond Stage-Gate: What’s Next in New-Product Development”, CIMS Innovation Management
Report, May/June 2016, pp. 4-8.2. Cooper, Robert G., “Agile-Stage-Gate Hybrids: The next stage for product development” Research-Technology
Management, Jan 2016, 59, 1, pp 1-9.3. Cooper, R.G. and Sommer, A.F., “The Agile–Stage-Gate Hybrid Model: A Promising New Approach and a New
Research Opportunity” Journal of Product Innovation Management, 33, 5 Sept 2016, pp 513-526.4. Cooper, R.G. and Sommer, A.F., “Agile-Stage-Gate: New idea-to-launch method for manufactured new products is
faster, more responsive” Industrial Marketing Management, vol 59, Nov 2016, pp 167–180.5. Cooper, Robert G., “Next in New-Product Development: Agile-Stage-Gate Hybrids”, CIMS Innovation Management
Report, Nov-Dec 2016.6. Cooper, Robert G., “Idea-to-Launch Gating Systems: Better, Faster, and More Agile,” Research-Technology-
Management Jan-Feb 2017, 60, 1, pp 48-52 7. R.G. Cooper, “Meeting the Challenges of Agile-Stage-Gate – Part I”, CIMS Innovation Management Report, Sept-Oct
2017, pp 6-10.8. R.G. Cooper, “Meeting the Challenges of Agile-Stage-Gate – Part II”, CIMS Innovation Management Report, Nov-Dec
2017, pp 7-12.9. Cooper, Robert G. (2018), “Best Practices and Success Drivers in New-Product Development” in Handbook of
Research on New Product Development, Peter N. Golder and Debanjan Mitra, editors, Edward Elgar: Northampton, MA, USA.
10. Cooper, R.G. & Sommer, A.F., Agile–Stage-Gate for Manufacturers – Changing the Way New Products Are Developed”, Research-Technology Management, March 2018
11. R.G. Cooper, A. Dreher & P. Fürst, “How Agile Development Works For Manufacturers”, Parts 1 and 2. CIMS (Center for Innovation Management Studies) Management Report, March & May 2019.
12. R.G. Cooper, Winning at New Products: Creating Value Through Innovation, 5th edition, New York, NY: Basic Books, Perseus Books Group, 2017. On Amazon