1st Edition

Business-Driven IT-Wide Agile (Scrum) and Kanban (Lean) Implementation An Action Guide for Business and IT Leaders

By Andrew Pham, David Khoi Pham Copyright 2013
    196 Pages 118 B/W Illustrations
    by Productivity Press

    196 Pages
    by Productivity Press

    Business-Driven IT-Wide Agile (Scrum) and Kanban (Lean) Implementation: An Action Guide for Business and IT Leaders explains how to increase IT delivery capabilities through the use of Agile and Kanban. Factoring in constant change, communication, a sense of urgency, clear and measurable goals, political realities, and infrastructure needs, it covers all the ingredients required for success.

    Using real-world examples, this practical guide illustrates how to implement Agile and Kanban in software project management and development across the entire IT department. To make things easier for busy IT leaders and executives, the text includes two case studies along with numerous templates to facilitate understanding and kick-start implementation.

    Explaining how IT and business management can work together to determine business goals that drive this IT-wide undertaking, the book arms you with actionable solutions that can be put to use immediately in any IT department, regardless of size.

    SETTING UP THE STAGE

    Ineffectiveness of IT Software Project Management and Development: What Can We Do about It?
    Why Are Command-and-Control and Waterfall Life Cycle Approaches Harmful When Used Together?
    What Can We Do about It?

    Executive Summary of Agile (Scrum) and Kanban (Lean)
    So, What Is Agile?
         Agile Manifesto
         Example of a Known Agile Process: Scrum
         Agile Practices in a Nutshell
    So, What Is Lean and What Is Kanban?
         So, What Is Lean?
         So, What Is Kanban?
         Kanban Practices in a Nutshell
    Similarities between Agile/Scrum and Kanban
    Summary
    Endnotes

    Why Agile Alone May Not Be Enough or the Right Solution, and Why Implementing Agile or Kanban without Good Business Objectives Will Normally Fail
    Why Agile Alone May Not Be Enough (Preliminary Case Study #1)
         Initial Planning
         Pilot Project Team
         Initial Project Team Training
         On-Site Scrum Workshop
         Second Sprint: Another Hit for the Team!
         Third Sprint: Things Started to Rumble
         Fourth Sprint: Things Became Worse and Worse
         Fifth Sprint: Project Was Cancelled!
         Lessons Learned
    From Scrum to Kanban (Preliminary Case Study #2)
         Context
         Information Technology
         There Is Nothing They Do Not Have
         Feedback from the Trenches
         Finally the Truth Came Out
         Kanban Came to the Rescue
    Pitfalls of New Software Processes
         Release and Sprint Planning
         Scrum Ceremonies
         First Month
         Change in Product Owner
         Different Understanding of Agile and Scrum
         Building New Expectations
         Nice Surprise
         Agile Started to Rumble
         Back to Waterfall and Command and Control

    BUSINESS GOALS-DRIVEN IT-WIDE SOFTWARE DELIVERY IMPROVEMENT FRAMEWORK

    Seven-Step Software Delivery Improvement Framework
    Description
         Step 1: Identify the Business Sponsor and Her or His Needs and Goals
              Identify the Business Sponsor
              Identify Business Problems and Issues
              Identify Business and IT Goals
              Identify Measurements
    Step 2: Perform Environment Boundary Identification and Assessment
         Identify the Boundary
         Environment Assessment
         Findings Summary
    Step 3: Envision Scenarios and Risks
    Step 4: Detail the Chosen Action Plan
    Step 5: Implement the Chosen Action Plan
    Step 6: Inspect the Implementation’s Progress
    Step 7: Adapt the Chosen Action Plan (as Needed)
    Summary

    Step 1: Identify the (Business) Sponsor and Her or His Needs and Goals
    Identify the (Business) Sponsor(s)
    Identify the Sponsor(s)’ Needs and Goals
    Summary

    Step 2: Perform Environment Boundary Identification and Assessment
    How to Identify the Environment Boundary
    Assess the Identified Business and IT Environment
    Findings Summary
    Summary

    Step 3: Envision Scenarios and Risks
    From Goals to Action Items (in Bypassing the Assessment)
    How to Identify Risks (for Different Scenarios)
    Scenario Consolidation
    Summary

    Step 4: Detail the Chosen Action Plan
    Anatomy of a Detailed Scenario (Chosen Action Plan)
    The Seven Characteristics of a Good Action Plan
    Summary

    Step 5: Implement the Chosen Action Plan
    Set Up the Implementation Structure
    Seven Characteristics of an Effective Plan Execution
    Summary

    Step 6: Inspecting the Implementation’s Progress
    Why Is Regular Progress Inspection Critical?
    What to Inspect
         At the Overall Plan Level
         At the Action Item Level
    Summary

    Step 7: Adapt the Chosen Action Plan (as Needed)
    Different Types of Change
         Strategic Change
         Operational Change
    Examples of Adaptations
         Strategic Impact
         Operational Impact
    Summary

    RETROSPECTIVES

    Lessons Learned

    CASE STUDIES
    Case Study 1: "Customized Agile Combined with Kanban"
         Step 1: Identify Business Sponsor and Her or His Needs and Goals
         Step 2: Perform ATP’s Environment Boundary Identification and Assessment
              ATP Process Improvement Effort’s Boundary
              Environment Assessment
              Findings Summary
    Step 3: Envision ATP Scenarios
    Step 4: Develop the Detailed Action Plan for ATP
    Step 5: Execute the ATP Action Plan
    Step 6: Inspect ATP Execution’s Progress
         Identify and Mitigate Risks
         Organize Effective Retrospectives and Learn from Their Lessons
         Inspect the Actual Budget to Watch Out for Variance
         Watch Out for Positive (and Less than Positive) Changes
         Coming from the Different Dimensions
    Step 7: Adapt the WTR Action Plan
         Changes Coming from the Action Items and the Environment Reaction to the Action Plan
              Organizational
              Process
         Change Due to Change in Business and/or IT Strategy
    Lessons Learned

    APPENDICES

    Appendix A: From the Project Management Office to the Project Delivery Office
         Modify the Traditional Project Manager’s Job Description
              Project Manager’s Traditional Job Description
              Agile/Lean Project Manager’s New Job Description
         Change the Way the PMO Calculates Its Project Estimate

    Appendix B: Change Management

    Appendix C: Two Most Important Tools of a Good Software Development Infrastructure
         Continuous Integration
         Automated Testing

    Glossary
    Bibliography

    Index

    Biography

    Andrew Thu Pham

    Incorporating Agile (Scrum) and Kanban (Lean) principles and practices into your software development organization on a large scale and in a creative way will go a long way toward increasing value and reducing risks. For this reason alone, you will find it—as I do—very worthwhile to spend time reading this very practical book.
    —Jack Bergstrand, CEO, Brand Velocity, Inc.; Former CFO of Coca-Cola Beverages and Former CIO of the Coca-Cola Company

    … the authors provide an excellent overview of both Agile and Kanban practice and help us understand that a one-size-fits-all IT improvement effort is likely doomed to fail. … On top of a very logical seven-step process for IT-wide software capability improvement, this book also includes comprehensive advice, plans, tools, and practical case studies. By reading the book, you will be well equipped to determine what’s best for your IT organization. I am glad to have read it and now have it in my library.
    —Adam Warner, IT Management, Software Delivery Education Service Center, Richardson, Texas