1st Edition

The Art of Agile Practice A Composite Approach for Projects and Organizations

By Bhuvan Unhelkar Copyright 2013
    528 Pages 143 B/W Illustrations
    by Auerbach Publications

    The Art of Agile Practice: A Composite Approach for Projects and Organizations presents a consistent, integrated, and strategic approach to achieving "Agility" in your business. Transcending beyond Agile as a software development method, it covers the gamut of methods in an organization—including business processes, governance standards, project management, quality management, and business analysis—to show you how to use this composite approach to enhance your ability to adapt and respond to evolving business requirements. The book is divided into three parts:

    1. Introduces Agility and identifies the challenges facing organizations in terms of development and maintenance approaches
    2. Presents Composite Agile Method and Strategy (CAMS) as a carefully constructed combination of process elements and illustrates its application to development, business management, business analysis, project management, and quality
    3. Includes two Agile case studies, a comprehensive index, definitions of key acronyms, and appendices with a current list of Agile methods and interview summaries

    The book describes relevant metrics for the entire CAMS lifecycle and explains how to embed Agile practices within formal process-maps in projects. Filled with figures, case studies, and tables that illustrate key concepts, the text is ideal for a two- or three-day training course or workshop. It is also suitable for a 13-week education course for higher degree students that includes process discussions and consideration of Agile values at both software and business levels. The chapters are organized to correspond roughly to such lectures with an option to choose from the case study chapters.

    Introducing Agile in Practice
    Objectives
    Introduction
    Agile in Practice—A Business Issue
         Budget and Agility
         Time and Agility
         Requirements and Agility
         Quality and Agility
    Understanding Enterprise Agility
    Strategy, Method, and Practice of Agile
         Conversational Model for Software Development
    Agility—Art, Craft, and Engineering
    Correlating Agility to Planned Processes
    Agile Coverage in Organizations
    Agile Organizational Methods Spaces
         Business Methods Space
         Planned Methods Space
         Pure Agile (Solution) Methods Space
         Governance Methods Space
    Agile Manifesto, Principles, and Practices
    Agile Methods
    Composite Agile—Research Project
    Conclusions
    Agile in Practice: Road Map 1
    Discussion Questions
    References

    Landscape of Agile and Planned Methods
    Objectives
    Introduction
    Defining Agile
    What Comprises Agile?
    Agile Manifesto
    Agile Values
    Agile Principles
    Agile Methods Landscape
    Extreme Programming (XP)
    Scrum
         Roles
         Artifacts
         Scrum Meetings
         Scrum Flow
    Agile Unified Process (AUP)
    Crystal
    Lean
    Kaizen
    Adaptive Software Development/Agile Project Management
    Feature-Driven Development (FDD)
    Test-Driven Design (TDD)
    Planned Process Life Cycles and Agile
         The Waterfall-Based SDLC
         The Spiral-Based SDLC
         The Fountain-Based SDLC
         The IIP—Iterative, Incremental, Parallel Development Process
    A Practical Agile Manifesto
         Individuals and Interactions Together with Processes and Tools
         Working Software Together with Comprehensive Documentation
         Customer Collaboration Together with Contract Negotiation
         Responding to Change Together with Following a Plan
    Agile Practices
         Analytical Practices
         Requirements Practices
         Development Practices
         Design Practices
         Project Management Practices
         Quality Assurance Practices
         Operational Practices
         Testing Practices
    Conclusions
    Agile in Practice: Road Map
    Discussion Questions
    Discussion Questions
    References

    Landscape of Agile and Planned Methods
    Objectives
    Introduction
    Defining Agile
    What Comprises Agile?
    Agile Manifesto
    Agile Values
    Agile Principles
    Agile Methods Landscape
    Extreme Programming (XP)
    Scrum
         Roles
         Artifacts
         Scrum Meetings
         Scrum Flow
    Agile Unified Process (AUP)
    Crystal
    Lean
    Kaizen
    Adaptive Software Development/Agile Project Management
    Feature-Driven Development (FDD)
    Test-Driven Design (TDD)
    Planned Process Life Cycles and Agile
         The Waterfall-Based SDLC
         The Spiral-Based SDLC
         The Fountain-Based SDLC
         The IIP—Iterative, Incremental, Parallel Development Process
    A Practical Agile Manifesto
         Individuals and Interactions Together with Processes and Tools
         Working Software Together with Comprehensive Documentation
         Customer Collaboration Together with Contract Negotiation
         Responding to Change Together with Following a Plan
    Agile Practices
         Analytical Practices
         Requirements Practices
         Development Practices
         Design Practices
         Project Management Practices
         Quality Assurance Practices
         Operational Practices
         Testing Practices
    Conclusions
    Agile in Practice: Road Map
    Discussion Questions
    References
    Further Reading

    Agile Challenges in Practice
    Objectives
    Introduction
    Agile Project Challenges
    Agile Organizational Challenges in Practice
    Project-Specific Agile Challenges
         Matrix of Agile Challenges
         Scalability and Agile
         Project Management and Agile
         People Management and Agile
         Business Analysis and Agile
         Testing and Agile
         Metrics and Measurements in Agile
         Enterprise Architecture and Agile
         Maintenance and Agile
         Documentation and Agile
         Legal and Compliance Issues and Agile
    Expanding Agile Challenges at the Organizational Level
         Strategic versus Tactical Agile
    Conclusions
    Agile in Practice: Road Map 3
    Discussion Questions
    References

    COMPOSITE AGILE METHOD AND STRATEGY AND ITS APPLICATION IN PRACTICE

    Composite Agile Method and Strategy (CAMS)
    Objectives
    Introduction
    Composite Agile: Balance and Coverage
         Taxonomy of Organizational Methods and Their Agile Touch Points
         Software Agile (Development)
         Software Processes and Agile
         IT Governance and Agile
         Project Management and Agile
         Business Management and Agile
         Composite Agile Method and Strategy (CAMS)
    Life Cycles as Basis for Composite
    CAMS Architecture
         Initial Iteration
         Major Iteration
         Final Iteration
    The CAMS Repository of Agile Practices
    CAMS in Practice: Configuration
    Practicing CAMS—Role-Based Execution
         Advantages and Limitations of CAMS
    Conclusions
    Agile in Practice: Road Map 4
    Discussion Questions
    References

    Composite Agile and IT: Enablement, Development, and Maintenance
    Objectives
    Introduction
    Emergent Information Technologies: Agile Enablers
         Cloud Computing
         Mobile Technologies
         Business Intelligence
         Web Services and SOA
         Applications Integration
         Social Media
    IT Areas of Work and Agile
         Development and Agility
         Configuration and Agility
         Integration and Agility
         Conversion and Agility
         Deployment, Training, and Agility
         Maintenance and Agility
    Architecture, Design, and Quality
    Requirements (Functional, Nonfunctional, and Interface)
    Agile Practices and CAMS Process Maps
         Enterprise Architecture Process Map
         System Architecture Process Map
         Nonfunctional (Operational) Requirements and Architecture (Enterprise and System)
         System Design Process Map
         Implementation Process Map
         Deployment Process Map
         Deliverables
    Conclusions
    Agile in Practice: Road Map 5
    Discussion Questions
    References

    Collaborative-Agile Business Management
    Objectives
    Introduction
    Agile Business Management
    Composite Agile Method and Strategy (CAMS)
         Business Agility and CAMS
         Six Sigma in Composite Agile
         Kaizen in Composite Agile
         Kanban in Composite Agile
    Agility in Learning Organizations
    Collaboration and Agility
         Collaborative Business Processes and Agility
         Collaborative Cluster Formation
         Business Size and Collaboration
         Characteristics of Collaborative-Agile Business
         Customer Experience through Collaboration
         Knowledge Management Collaborations and Agility
         Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) with Collaborative Agile
         Market Expansion through Collaboration
         Global Trade and Agility
         Organizational Leanness and Restructuring
         Outsourcing and Offshoring with Collaborative Agile
         Legal Compliance and Tax Management with Collaborative Agile
         Carbon Consciousness and Lean-Agile
    Evolving Complexities in Collaborative-Agile Business
         Types of Collaboration
         Reaching Collaborative Intelligence in Agile Business
         Reaching Collaborative Business Process
    Business Evaluation Process Map
         Roles in Business Evaluation
         Deliverables
         Activities and Tasks in Business Evaluation
         SWOT Analysis
         PESTLE Analysis
         Cost–Benefit Analysis
    Change Management in Agile Business
         External Changes
         Internal Changes
         Risks and Challenges in Collaborative-Agile Business
    Conclusions
    Agile in Practice: Road Map 6
    Discussion Questions
    References

    Business Analysis and Composite Agile
    Objectives
    Introduction
    What Is Business Analysis?
    Business Analysis and Agility
         Handling Agile Challenges in the Context of Business Analysis
    BA and Agile Practices in CAMS
    Business Analysis Frameworks and Agility
    SFIA, IIBA (BABOK"), AIBA Frameworks
    SFIA and Agile BA
         BA-SFIA Levels 1–4
         BA-SFIA Levels 4–6
         BA-SFIA Levels 6–7
    Comparing SFIA and IIBA with Agile
    Business Process Management and Agility
    Business Process Reengineering (BPR)
    Processes: Individual, Organizational, and Collaborative
    Customer-Driven Analysis and Agility
    Requirements Modeling Process Map
         Roles in Requirements Modeling
         Deliverables
    Activities and Tasks in Requirements Modeling
    Conclusions
    Agile in Practice: Road Map 7
    Discussion Questions
    References

    CAMS Project Management and ICT Governance
    Objectives
    Introduction
    Planning and Agility in CAMS
    Declaration of Interdependence and Agile Project Management
    Organizing Composite Agile Projects
    Project Management Process Map
         Roles in Project Management Process Map
         Deliverables in the Project Management Process Map
         Activities and Tasks in the Project Management Process Map
    Leadership and People Management in Agile Projects
    Soft Issues and Subjective Skills
    Agile Team Formation
    IT Governance and Business Agility
    The IT Governance Frameworks
         Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (CoBIT)
         Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL)
    Conclusions
    Agile in Practice: Road Map 8
    Discussion Questions
    References
    Further Reading

    Composite Agile—Quality, Testing, and Metrics
    Objectives
    Introduction
    Quality Context: Management, Assurance, and Control
         Quality Management Process Map
         Quality Assurance Process Map
         Quality Techniques and Agile Practices
         Quality Control Process Map
    Organizing Testing
         Test Data
         Analyzing Risks in Testing Risks: Analyzing
    Composite Agile Metrics and Measurements
         Challenges of Agile Projects Metrics
         Fundamentals of CAMS Estimation
         CAMS Metrics in Practice
         Planning Metrics
         Requirements Metrics
         Development Metrics
         Testing and Release Metrics
         Role-Based CAMS Metrics
    Applying Estimation and Metrics in CAMS
    Conclusions
    Agile in Practice: Road Map 9
    Discussion Questions
    References
    Further Reading

    AGILE Adoption in Organizations
    Objectives
    Introduction
    Organizational Adoption of Agility and Business Transformation
         Adopting of CAMS: Reasons and Value
         CAMS Organizational Adoption—High-Level Road Map
    Agile Business Transformation—Internal and External Factors
         External Influencing Factors
         Internal Factors and Responses
    Organizational Focus Areas in Agile Business Transformation
         Business Transformation Process and Organizational Focus Areas
         Work Areas for ABT
    Varying Influence of ABT
    CAMS and Center of Excellence
    Configuring, Training, and Upskilling in Agile Business Transformation
         Money
         Technology
         Process
         People
    CAMS and Process Maturity—The CMM Standards in an Agile Environment
    Conclusions
    Agile in Practice: Road Map 10
    Discussion Questions
    References

    CASE STUDIES IN CAMS

    Case Study—Outsourced Project
    Objectives
    Introduction
    Outline of the Case Study "MITS"—An Outsourced Project
    Composite Agile Road Map for an Outsourced Project
    Understanding the Project
    Extent of Agility in Configuring CAMS
    CAMS Process-Map-Based Activities in an Outsourced Project
    Creating CAMS-Based Project Iterations
    Use of CAMS Metrics in Outsourced Projects
    Overcoming the Challenges of Outsourced Projects with CAMS
    Uncertainty in the Scope of Work
    Leadership and Direction
    Payment Contracts Based on Delivery
    Determining Correct Iterations and Releases to Deliver the Product
    Service Level Agreements After Delivery
    Formal Requirements Modeling
    Iterative and Incremental Implementation of Solution Design
    Quality Control and User Acceptance Testing
    Ongoing Maintenance of the Solution
    Conclusions and Lessons Learnt
    Discussion Questions
    References

    Case Study: Organizational CAMS in an Insurance Business
    Objectives
    Introduction
    Hartford Insurance Company (HIC) Case Study Outline
    Goals of Agile Business Transformation
    Composite Agile Road Map
         Diagnose (0–3 months)
         Plan (4–6 months)
         Enact (7–12/15 months)
         Review and Manage (15–18 months)
    Configuring Composite Agile
    HIC and Collaborative-Agile Business
    Balancing HIC’s ABT Enactment
    Conclusions and Lessons Learnt
    Discussion Questions
    References

    Appendix I Agile Interview Summaries
    Business Analysis and CAMS
    Project Management and CAMS
    Development with CAMS
    Testing and CAMS
    Architecture and CAMS
    Metrics and Estimates in CAMS
    References

    Appendix II Business-Analysis-Related Associations and Standards
    Appendix III Role-Based CAMS Metrics
    Project Manager
         CAMS Task: Planning—Requirement Prioritization
         CAMS Activity: Risk Management—Collaborative
    Business Analyst
         CAMS Activity: Requirement—Collaborative
         CAMS Activity: Change Management—Negotiable Requirement
    Architect
         CAMS Activity: Design—User Feedback
    Programmer
         CAMS Activity: Coding/Implementation—Pair Programming
    Tester
         CAMS Activity: Testing—Continuous

    Appendix IV Telecom User Stories in Tabular Format

    Index

    Biography

    Bhuvan Unhelkar (BE, MDBA, MSc, PhD; FACS) has spent close to three decades in the information and communication technologies (ICT) industry as a strategist as well as a hands-on professional. As the founder of MethodScience.com, he has demonstrated consulting and training expertise in business analysis, software engineering, Agile processes, mobile business, and Green IT (environment) in banking, financial, insurance, government, and telecom verticals. He is an adjunct associate professor with the University of Western Sydney, Australia (where he had formed the Mobile Internet Research and Applications Group—MIRAG) and a visiting faculty at the University of Technology, Sydney, MS University, Baroda, India, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Hartford Graduate Campus), CT, USA. He has authored 17 books and several executive reports (Cutter, Boston, USA), supervised numerous PhD students, and has extensively presented and published papers and case studies. Dr. Unhelkar is a Fellow of the Australian Computer Society, life member of Computer Society of India, president of the Rotary Club in St. Ives, Sydney (and a Paul Harris Fellow), a Discovery volunteer at NSW parks and wildlife, and a previous TiE mentor.

    Dr. Unhelkar obtained the PhD degree in the area of "object orientation" from the University of Technology, Sydney, in 1997. Subsequently, he has designed and delivered course units such as Global Information Systems, Object Oriented Analysis and Design, Business Process Reengineering, and IT Project Management to the industry as well as across universities in Australia, China, and India.

    Other CRC Press (T&F) Books by the author:

    • Mobile Enterprise Transition and Management, 2009
      After the Y2K Fireworks,1999
      Green IT Strategies & Applications, 2011

    Bhuvan rightfully does not provide a silver bullet in this book because there are none. Rather, he uses Agile together with proven business practices to provide a best of breed approach. … the book gives a balanced view of Agile in the practical world. Whether you are a business analyst, developer, project manager, executive, or playing any other role within your organization, I am sure you will enjoy reading this book and find it relevant to your work.
    —Steve Blais, PMP, Solutions Architect, Sarasota, Florida