Building Cross-Functional Scrum-Teams in a Hardware Project

Building cross-functional Scrum-Teams

Stephanie Gasche

How Electricians, Mechanics, and (Embedded) Software Engineers

went T-shaped

or

Who am I?

⟩  Management Consultant at Boris Gloger Consulting ⟩  studied English, History and International Business

Management in the UK and France ⟩  assists Agile Organisations and Scrum-Team

members during the change ⟩  founded her own start-up www.fleissigebiene.com

in 2013 ⟩  blogs about Agility at http://borisgloger.com/author/stephanie-gasche/

Stephanie Gasche

Welcome to the Medical Technology Sector

The Company ⟩  German SME ⟩  specialised in

laboratory automation ⟩  recent take-over by

large pharmaceutical company

Welcome to the Medical Technology Sector

The Product ⟩  highly innovative ⟩  hardware product ⟩  started in 2011

Welcome to the Medical Technology Sector

The People ⟩  ca. 35 people involved

incl. several consulting and body-leasing companies

⟩  spread across 3 locations in Germany and Switzerland

Welcome to the Medical Technology Sector

The Process ⟩  working with Scrum

since early 2013 ⟩  3-week sprints ⟩  embedded in

traditional product development process

⟩  highly regulated environment

Why use Scrum to build Hardware?

What the top management wants... ⟩  improved communication ⟩  shorter feedback cycles ⟩  transparency of product status ⟩  transparency of problems ⟩  clear roles and responsibilities ⟩  focus on delivery ⟩  know-how transfer through teamwork

Using Scrum to build Hardware

How is it different? ⟩  longer feedback cycles ⟩  keep suppliers close ⟩  ...and procurement even closer ⟩  rapid prototyping ⟩  think in results, not product increments

Today‘s Fairy Tale

How to turn disciplinary teams into interdisciplinary teams in 3 steps?

... And back again.

Learning from my mistakes...

Cross-Functionality

What is it? Why would you want it? ⟩  team of generalising specialists ⟩  fosters explicit know-how transfer ⟩  work on different layers at the same time to

enable iterative delivery ⟩  easier integration ⟩  optimisation of whole product ⟩  less coordination, fewer queues at hand-overs

Once upon a time...

Feasibility ! ⟩  topped expected outcome ⟩  first major milestone reached ⟩  24h Party with 150+ people

Hello Feasibility ⟩  different product backlogs full of ad-hoc stories ⟩  every team working on different parts ⟩  large dependencies between disciplines

(visualisation in Scrum Arena) ⟩  high fluctuation, little know-how transfer ⟩  inefficient Scrum Day ⟩  one main location ⟩  Major speed decrease within 1 week ⟩  team members actively urging for cross-

functionality!

„Let‘s do it properly“

Sprint #1 on the Journey to Cross-Functionality

“The Creative Sprint“

Creative Sprint Why? What? ⟩  fun and something different ⟩  perhaps make new discoveries ⟩  official cut between development process steps ⟩  Product Owners find time to write backlog ⟩  first informal feeling for cross-functionality ⟩  constellations working together for the first time ⟩  How To: selection of ideas " Sprint Plannings " Daily Scrum " delivery

Sprint #2 on the Journey to Cross-Functionality

“Chaos“

BILD TEAMKONSTELLATION

Chaos Why? What? ⟩  constraint: only two teams (10+ people each) ⟩  home location for team members ⟩  Product Owner Team: Daily Scrum, product

backlog blockers (shared product backlog), CPO and CSM

⟩  ScrumMaster Team: Daily Scrum, CSM ⟩  How To: shared backlog " team division in

Sprint Planning 1

Sprint #3 on the Journey to Cross-Functionality

“Taking A Step Back“

BILD TEAMKONSTELLATION

Taking A Step Back

Why? What? ⟩  three teams

⟩  2x interdisciplinary ⟩  1x software

⟩  two locations ⟩  Quarterly Milestones as short-term goals ⟩  changing of roles ⟩  SoS for Firmware & Software and Electronics ⟩  one Product Owner & ScrumMaster Team ⟩  active team building

Fotocollage einfügen

Learning for the Future

Taking A Closer Look Small attempts in smaller settings ⟩  100 % Product Owner and ScrumMaster a must ⟩  each discipline must have at least one sparring

partner of same discipline ⟩  varied Backlog Groomings ⟩  create awareness of tractor factor ⟩  be firm about prioritisation of stories & tasks ⟩  feature-driven, cross-functional backlog ⟩  ask questions & be honest ⟩  play the Market of Skills game

And Now? Yes, but no. We still have a long way to go... ⟩  build a feature-driven product backlog ⟩  create a shared product vision ⟩  show benefits of t-shape ⟩  roles are work in progress

⟩  support & schooling for Product Owners ⟩  find ScrumMasters

⟩  establish a strategy for scaling the teams ⟩  use my team as ambassador for interdisciplinarity ⟩  go fully cross-functional

Lessons Learned Cross-Functionality in Hardware

⟩  communication & alignment (get everyone on board)

⟩  cross-functionality is a shared goal to work towards

⟩  take one step after another (don‘t try everything at once)

⟩  keep the team small ⟩  limit the locations ⟩  be actively aware of each step ⟩  cross-functionality follows

feature-driven product backlog ⟩  work with a pilot team

Building cross-functional Scrum-Teams

Stephanie Gasche

How Electricians, Mechanics, and (Embedded) Software Engineers

went T-shaped

or