Common challenges in adopting Agile: IIBA Northampton event 23rd August 2011

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Common Challenges inAdopting Agile

by Rachel Davies

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About you ..

Are you:

• New to agile?

• Practicing?

• Expert?

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Traditional Waterfall

Phases of activity focused on a fixed-scope release.

• Divide the work up

• Resist change

• Communicate via documents

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Agile is not speeding this up

• Agile is not a caseof “do less, go faster”

• Mistake to focus onreplacing:-– Process– Role descriptions– Tools– Templates– Training

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Agile Manifesto

Shared values and principles for better ways todevelop software (2001)

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Individuals and interactions

over processes and tools

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Working software

over comprehensive documentation

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Customer collaboration

over contract negotiation

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Responding to change

over following a plan

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Key Agile Principles

• Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer ���throughearly and continuous delivery ���of valuable software

• Welcome changing requirements, even late indevelopment.

• Business people and developers must work together dailythroughout the project

• The most efficient and effective method of conveyinginformation to and within a development team is face-to-

face conversation. Build projects around motivatedindividuals. Give them the environment and support theyneed, and trust them to get the job done.

www.agilemanifesto.org

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Agile is ..

Concurrent activity to create continuous flow ofreleases.

• Develop iteratively

• Cross-functional teams

• Frequent releases

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Potential Benefits

• Deliver change more quickly (smallerreleases)

• More confidence in delivery dates (testingdone throughout)

• Improved employee retention (motivatingwork)

• Better solutions (user feedback folded in)

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But ..

• Products may not be easy to break intoincremental releases.

• Pipeline to live may be constrained.• Iterative development feels like rework.• Reorganising into cross-functional teams is

challenging especially when key functionsare outsourced.

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Agile depends on Teamwork

Real-time interactions rather than processorchestrated via artefacts.

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Teamwork relies on Motivation

• Make vision andbenefits clear

• Permission to try newapproach

• Empower team tomake choices abouthow they work

• Build awareness andresponsibility

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New Skills Take Time

Becoming agile requires:

• Understanding principles

• Time to practice

• Coaching to avoid old habits

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Support across the organisation

Agile can have impact on many areas:• Hiring policy• Line management• Incentives• Operations• Office Furniture

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Further Reading

Mike Cohn

– “Succeeding with Agile”

Rachel Davies & Liz Sedley– “Agile Coaching”

James Shore & Shane Warden– “The Art of Agile Development”

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Any Questions?

Get in touch– Email: [email protected]– Twitter: @rachelcdavies– Blog: http://agilecoach.typepad.com/– Web: http://www.agilexp.com