Planning and Managing Agile Projects

This 3 day instructor-led course aims at introducing its attendees to the core values, principles, and practices of Agile. This course is a more elaborate version of the Certified Scrum Master training as it discusses how to plan and manage Agile practices, not only those in Scrum. The course also goes into greater depth about all the roles and responsibilities on the team and not just the ScrumMaster and Product Owner roles.

The use of agile as an approach to managing projects has been increasing dramatically over the last several years. Gartner had predicted that by the end of 2012, agile development methods would be used on 80% of all software development projects. PMI`s research has shown that the use of agile has tripled from December 2008 to May 2012. Therefore, PMI has developed a new certificate called the Agile Certified Practitioner (ACP). The PMI-ACP is positioned to recognize and validate knowledge of this important approach.

The course outline is aligned with the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) certification credential that we anticipate will become a worldwide accepted standard for best practices for Agile PM like the PMBOK Guide and PMP recognition is for PM.

Learn how to apply Agile to current projects: explore how your projects can easily and successfully make the transition to an effective Agile environment.

Course Overview:

Many of today`s Project Management and Business Analyst Professionals are finding themselves leading, managing and conducting analysis while on Agile development teams. We have found that many of the tools and techniques applied during a traditional project management approach no longer work as effectively, or at all. In order to do more than survive in this iterative development environment, today`s Project Managers and Business Analysts must employ additional project management and business analysis tools and techniques to effectively lead their teams and deliver projects successfully.

This course will explore how your projects can easily and successfully make the transition to an effective Agile environment.

Agile is an incremental, iterative framework for project management and software development – where requirements and solutions evolve through collaboration between self-organizing cross-functional teams. This disciplined project management process involves:

• A leadership philosophy that encourages teamwork, self-organization and accountability
• A set of engineering best practices intended to allow for rapid delivery of high-quality software
• A business approach that aligns development with customer needs and company goals.

Using a case study of their choice, participants learn how to plan and manage an Agile framework. Your role in an agile project will look much different as you form and coach a self-directed team, facilitate continuous collaboration with your clients, manage and deliver business value to your clients early and regularly throughout the project.

Learning Objectives:

• Plan, manage and close requirements for a project in reduced time using Agile practices
• Minimize project uncertainty and risk by applying Agile principles
• Ensure your project delivers required functionality and adds value to the business
• Create an environment of self-management for your team so that they will be able to continuously align the delivered product with desired business needs, easily adapting to changing requirements throughout the process.
• Learn how to apply Agile by measuring and evaluating status based on the undeniable truth of working, testing software, creating a more accurate visibility into the actual progress of projects.

Section 1 Introduction – Fundamentals of Agility Section Learning Objectives Exercise 1a – Waterfall – Lean – Agile Simulation • Simulation 1 – Waterfall • Simulation 2 - Lean • Simulation 3 – Agile What is Agile? The Agile Manifesto – Statement of Values The Agile Way Agile Principles Exercise 1b - Review the Scrum terms and Concepts Cheat Sheet High Level Agile Scrum Framework Scrum Roles – High Level Agile Product Life Cycle (Scrum) Agile Scrum in Less than 100 words Waterfall vs. Agile Exercise 1c - Challenges to Building End-to-end Systems Introducing Agile Scrum to the Organization Section Summary and Conclusions Section 2 Value Driven Delivery – Identify Case study and Agile Team Section Learning Objectives Value-Driven Development Agile Scrum Characteristic Application Lifecycle Management Exercise 2a: Select the Case Study Assemble the Agile Team Committed and Non-Committed Product Owner Who is the Product Owner Identify the Product Owner Role of the Product Owner Exercise 2b: Select the Product Owner Build the Scrum Team The Scrum Master The Committed Team Team Collaboration Redefine Traditional Roles Exercise 2c: Agile PM and BA Exercise 2d: Build the Scrum Team Contrast with Waterfall Section Summary and Conclusions Section 3 Stakeholder Engagement – Envision the Product Section Learning Objectives Exercise 3a: Review Agile Checklist Stakeholder Engagement Stakeholder Needs Stakeholder Involvement Stakeholder Expectations Business Motivation Model Product Envisioning – An Agile Best Practice Envision Current Operations Envision the Product Product Vision and Scope Articulate Business Functionality Articulate Technical Functionality Exercise 3b: Product Vision – Goals, Strategies, and Stakeholders Agile Realization Section Summary and Conclusions Exercise 3c – Post-Session Activity: Conduct a Review and Retrospective Section 4 the Agile Product Development Life Cycle – Release Planning Section Learning Objectives Exercise 4a: Adapting to a Change-Driven Project Plan Initiate an Agile Project Planning in the Agile Product Development Life Cycle Initial Release Plan Planning Releases – Levels of Planning Product-Level Planning Prioritize Releases Group Initial Product Backlog Items Exercise 4b: Create Release Plan Section Summary and Conclusions Section 5 – Coarse-Grain and Time-Boxed Iterations Section Learning Objectives Embrace high-Level Vision and Release Plan Develop the Product Backlog Guidelines for the Product Backlog Establish Decision and Acceptance Criteria for User Stories Exercise 5a: Decompose Business Functionality Estimate Complexity Using Story Points Coarse-Grain Estimates Planning Poker (Also Scrum Poker) Exercise 5b: Estimate Complexity (Coarse-Grain) Agile (Scrum) is Time-Boxed Project Time-Boxed Considerations Establish Core Hours Team Velocity Project Time-Box Exercise 5c: Establish Project Time-Box Section Summary and Conclusions Section 6 – Plan the Iteration (Part 1) Section Learning Objectives Sprint Planning Sequential vs. Iterative Development Iteration planning in context of Agile Unified Process Iteration Planning in Context of Business Analysis Exercise 6a: Sprint ‘Zero` Activities Spikes Master Test Backlog Accuracy 1st Half of Sprint Planning Meeting Sprint Goal and Scope Sprint Goal Statements Identify PBIs (Product Backlog Items) for the Sprint Prioritize User Stories User Stories - Start Dialog with Committed Team Story Size and Sprint Capacity Exercise 6b: Confirm and Refine high-Priority Product Backlog Items Section Summary and Conclusions Section 7 – Plan the Iteration (Part II) Section Learning Objectives 2nd Half of Sprint Planning Meeting Example of Detail Sprint Planning Story Size and Task Size Estimate Relative Effort (Fine Grain) Planning Poker with Ideal Days Sprint Backlog Example Exercise 7a: Identify and Estimate Sprint Backlog Tasks Commit Backlog Items to the Sprint Committing to the Sprint Backlog Alternate Approach Finalize the Sprint Plan Exercise 7b: Commit to Sprint Plan Section Summary and Conclusions Exercise 7c: Post-Session Activity: Conduct a Review and Retrospective Section 8 – Tools and Techniques for Managing Scrums Section Learning Objectives Manage the Scrum Information Radiators Manage the Sprint Backlog – Key Points Communicate Project Status Daily Scrum Meeting Scrum Task Board Example #2 – Scrum Task Board Examples of Task Board Applications Burndown Chart Sprint Burndown Chart Example Product/Release Burndown Chart Exercise 8b: Create Information Radiators Section Summary and Conclusions Section 9 – Running the Sprint – Discovering and Satisfying Requirements Section Learning Objectives Paradigm Shift in Requirements Select ‘Next Priority` Task Elaborate Requirements Details Facilitate Team Activities Validate Agile Requirements Agile Non-Functional Requirements Create Test Scenarios and Test Cases from User Stories Gaining Customer Acceptance Challenges and Opportunities in a Distributed Environment Managing Scrums with Daily Stand-Up Daily Scrum Rules Review: Committed vs. Non-Committed Removing Impediments to Progress No outside Changes during a Sprint Authority to Change Sprint Backlog Techniques to Manage Change during Sprint Exercise 9b: Hold Daily Scrum and Update Task Board Section Summary and Conclusions Section 10 – Sprint Review and Retrospective Section Learning Objectives Traditional Acceptance and Sign-Off Exercise 10a: Discuss Iteration Review Checklist Sprint Review: Working Product is Showing Progress Prepare for Sprint Review Verify vs. Validate Organizational Readiness Definition of Done (DoD) Update the Product Backlog Input for the Next Sprint Exercise 10b: Conduct a Sprint Review Sprint Retrospective Key Process Indicators Continuous Improvement Measuring PDLC (Program Development Life Cycle) Maturity Sprint Retrospective Guidelines Exercise 10c: Conduct a Sprint Retrospective Exercise 10d: Pop Quiz! Section Summary and Conclusions Section 11 – Issues with Introducing Agile, Scaling Projects and Boosting Performance Section Learning Objectives Waterfall Cultural Roots Agile Value Proposition Is the Organization Ready for Agile? Preconditions Scaling with Larger Teams The Dangers of Agile Scrum Begin with Stakeholder Engagement Agile Certified Professional Exercise 11a: Review Transitioning Issues Exercise 11b: Conduct a Review and Retrospective Section Summary and Conclusions Module 12 – Wrap Up and Additional Information Course Learning Objectives Summary Agile Product Life Cycle (Scrum) Daily Agendas Daily Agendas Agile Reading List Useful Books on Agile Useful Books on Agile (Continued) Sites Questions Case Study #1 - Proposed Project: Competition to create a universal Apple Application for the iPad, iPod, and iPhone Project Background Project Goals and Objectives Project Critical Success Factor Roles and Responsibilities

No prerequisites - This course is suitable for both novice and experienced professionals who need to manage and implement a project. It is recommended that participants have a basic understanding of project management and business processes and business analysis. Those interested in the PMI ACP certification should have at least 1500 hours Agile project experience and preferably be a certified PMP or have an addition 2000 hours general project management experience to qualify for the PMI-ACPexam.

It is appropriate for Managers, Executives, Project Managers, Business Analysts, Business and IT stakeholders working with analysts, Quality and process engineers, technicians, managers; supervisors, team leaders, and process operators.