Iteration Planning With The Captain - SyncNorwich, October 2012

Iteration P lanning With The Captain

@theagilepirate photo by @mdwragg

Where Do Ye Stand ?

“ By The Book”

Vision & Roadmap Current Status

Iteration Theme/Name Prior Data

Dates Capacity

Issues/Logistics DOD

Backlog Extract Tasking

Issues & Risks Dependencies & Assumptions

“Commitment” – actually it’s Forecast! Communications

Parking Lot Actions

Retrospect

Reality ?

Intro Vision & Roadmap Current Status Iteration Theme/Name Prior Data Dates Capacity Issues/Logistics DOD Backlog Extract Tasking Issues & Risks Dependencies & Assumptions “Commitment” – actually it’s Forecast! Communications Parking Lot Actions Retrospect

1-3

5-10 1-5 1-5

3-10 3-10 5-15 3-15 1-20 5-10

15-60 5-25 5-25

1-5 5-10 0-15

1-5 1-15

“ By The Captain”

Arrr, well they be more guidelines than rules

Intro Retrospective Coffee Break Regroup

Sitting down, tomfoolery, joking 3

A Proper one! 30 90 Minutes is a long time 4

Usually more humour, chocolate, biscuits 3

Extras

These work for us, they might not for you

Vision & Roadmap Current Status Issues/Logistics DOD Backlog Extract Issues & Risks Dependencies & Assumptions “Commitment” – actually it’s Forecast! Communications Parking Lot Actions Retrospect

Actually – we’re not so great at this right now

Already know this, we have a standup beforehand

These just come up in natural conversation Easy – it’s live (usually)

Just general focus (our backlog is *really* coarse)

Part of the conversation again They’re usually tasks in themselves We just run a quick capacity check

In Hindsight this is because I don’t like doing it! On The Board

Tasks, right? “Was that worthwhile”

Stuff We Skip Over (& why!)

Prior Data Iteration Theme/Name Dates Capacity Tasking Close

Loads, most of the team think it’s dull 3

I like names... should use them again 2 Sprint Dates, Holidays & interrupts 5

This is critical on my project 10 Yup, that’s our main activity 25

Did We Miss Anything Important? 5

Stuff We Find

** VALUABLE **

Our Reality

30 minutes for a full retrospective 10 minutes of breaks

50 minutes of *actual * planning

Everyone knows the detail of what’s going on and why - long before we go near a meeting room We still miss things We work in a very high-trust organisation We Make sure it’s fun

How Long?

Find The Happy Middle Ground

Your Turn

Time To Share

Assumptions on what’s ready before the planning meeting? Who are the participants & what are their needs?

Can you use your board as a tool ? What data & metrics will you use?

How do you keep it fun & interesting?

Are there alternatives?

So We’ve P lanned, What happens next?

(Re)Considerations

Simon Cromarty Simon.Cromarty@red-gate.com http://red-gate.com @theagilepirate Captain@theagilepirate.net http://theagilepirate.net

Thank-you