Clemence: using Agile in a Waterfall Organization · Using Agile in a Waterfall Organization ... Refresher Adapted ... – Mainframe Imaging and Data Capture

Using Agile in a Waterfall Organization Dan Clemence, Chief Revenue Agent Rhode Island Division of Taxation

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Agenda

  Overview of the project   What is Agile – Refresher   What is Waterfall – Refresher   Adapted Approach   Approach to Change   Success Factors   Summary and Q&A

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Project Overview

  COTS Implementation   50+ taxes, 100+ forms over 3.5 years   Conversion from variety of sources

–  Access Databases –  Excel Spreadsheets –  Mainframe

  Imaging and Data Capture   Data Warehouse Integration   Online Tax Services Portal

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Change is hard

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Methodology History

Waterfall V-Model Unified Process Agile

1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s

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Agile Misconceptions

  Speed over accuracy   No planning is required   Documentation is bad   No project management is necessary   Does not work for fixed deadline projects

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What is Agile?

We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it. Through this work we have come to value:

Individuals and interactions over processes and tools Working software over comprehensive documentation

Customer collaboration over contract negotiation Responding to change over following a plan

That is, while there is value in the items on

the right, we value the items on the left more.

Source: http://www.agilemanifesto.org/

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Adapted Agile Example

Test

Trial

Feedback

Configure

Deploy

Requirements

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Pros and Cons of Agile

  Pros –  Flexible design model –  Simultaneous feedback loop –  Increased interaction/communication

  Cons –  Plans are present, but less concrete than waterfall –  Feedback loop requires more user collaboration –  Misunderstood

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What is Waterfall?

A sequential design process whereby each step flows downward

(such as in a waterfall)

through a series of phases beginning

with requirements through to deployment and maintenance.

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Waterfall Example

Requirements

Design

Develop

System Test

User Acceptance Test

Deploy

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Pros and Cons of Waterfall

  Pros –  Clear plan/clear vision –  Timetables/budgets more accurate –  Understood by most

  Cons –  Rigid and inflexible –  Feedback and testing are deferred to later

in the project cycle –  Increased number of change orders

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Our Adapted Approach

  Iterations –  Configuration/unit testing/demonstration –  Feedback loop

  Early system interaction –  Immediate hands on experience with new system –  Shorter time to learn new system

  Early Incorporation of users –  Subject matter experts interact with system to confirm

configuration   Side-by-side system testing

–  Due to early feedback loop, system testing can occur alongside development team

–  User Acceptance test becomes more of a confirmation

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Approach to Change

  Teaming –  Core subject matter expert team has authority and autonomy –  Dedicated subject matter experts provided needed collaboration

with development team for iterative confirmation

  Naysayers –  With early interaction with the system, naysayers could see things

work in advance of what may have been thought with waterfall

  Change –  Feedback loop provided means to see change happen quickly and

effectively –  Feedback loop provided agency means to adapt and adopt

change earlier

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Success Factors

  Senior management agreement to methodology

  High levels of communication between the team and the agency

  Choose knowledgeable members to be on the team

  High availability   High level of collaboration with

development & configuration team

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Questions

Contact Details Dan Clemence

Chief Revenue Agent [email protected]