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Running Scrum in public sector (against a conservative, multi-constrained setting)
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12 Nov 2014
Swimming against the waterfall @GRNET
Running Scrum in a conservative, multi-constrained setting Challenges & Risks from the PO perspective
Byron Georgantopoulos, GRNET, e-Infrastructures [email protected], linkedin.com/in/ibyron, @digibyron
11th Agile Meetup, Athens
12 Nov 2014
Outline• Introduction • Constraints at the starting line • Embed Scrum into RFP and subsequent contract
• Running Scrum project • Evaluation • Challenges and Risks
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12 Nov 2014
The CompanyGRNET SA (Greek Research and
Technology Network)
Founded in 1998
Provision of network and computing services for Greek Academic & Research Community National and European R&D Projects GRNET Network Management
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~okeanos Public IaaS cloud
Started in 2011 Virtualized Compute, Network, Storage resources
Build on top of proven OSS (e.g. Google Ganeti) OpenStack API-compatible
currently >7000 active VMs okeanos.grnet.gr
12 Nov 2014
The "eScience" Project:
IaaS => PaaS => AaaS The first project in public sector to be implemented using Scrum
Main pillars:
(1) Hadoop operations over ~okeanos cloud (2) Virtual Research Environment (3) Reproducible Research
cloud-enabled data-intensive science for A&R community
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Why are we here today?Discuss Scrum application and lessons learnt, under the following constraints:
• The contracting authority is a public body • The contractor is a private sector supplier • The original RFP and the ΕΣΠΑ framework are waterfall-oriented • It is the first Scrum experience for everyone involved (almost)
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12 Nov 2014
The Fixed Data
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Why Scrum?• Avoid common public project pitfalls:
• Transparency and control - ensure early & sustained visibility • Business risk minimization - able to modify the PB
• Test the Scrum waters
How:
• Short iterations
• Potentially shippable increment at the end of every sprint
• Prioritized PB items
• Avoid upfront design, flexibiity to change scope
• Frequent interaction and feedback7
12 Nov 2014
RFP preparation
Very detailed initial specifications (“The system shall…”) Flat structure of specifications - not hierarchally organized
Scrum explicitly stated as the implementation framework Scrum as a factor for scoring candidates (10%)
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12 Nov 2014
Contract• Scrum explicitly stated on contract
• Mid-to-Large duration (14m), although reduced from original
• Reporting on a monthly basis • Payments based on reports (checkpoints) & features tested • Fully estimated Product Backlog plus Definition-of-Done
defined at the end of Pre-Game sprint • Not finished SBIs re-inserted into next sprint • Grooming to update and refine Product Backlog
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12 Nov 2014
Initial Challenges
• Winning proposal close to original RFP
• The team has unknown technological and agile skills
• Expected defensive attitude towards the unknown new framework
• Open source everything enforces full transparency, may conflict with isolated dev environments
regarding the Team
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12 Nov 2014
The Dev Team• Private sector and a university research lab
• Partially co-located
• Limited familiarity with technology, agile, co-development
• 3 persons at the beginning, additional developers in following sprints
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12 Nov 2014
Scrum Master• Also the contractor’s PM
• Previously participated in Scrum-flavored projects
• Unclear boundaries when wearing both (PM & SM) hats
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12 Nov 2014
Product Owner• Learned his lessons from past waterfall projects • Received feedback from the company's partnership in
other Scrum projects • Surprised when realised level of engagement (how close &
how often needed to work with the team)
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12 Nov 2014
Scrum adoption challenges• Under-estimation • Expect the managers to give orders • 99% "Done" (activity vs. result-based) • Silos of code • Back-door waterfall attempts (e.g. request fully-fledged
design)
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12 Nov 2014
Glad :)• Homogeneous team that 'gels' and works well together • Minimal interpersonal issues • Close collaboration with PO (full collab 1d/week, 40-50%
time devoted to the project so far) • All ceremonies conducted and timeboxed • Acceptance of Scrum, resistance less than expected
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12 Nov 2014
Glad wrt. “Why Scrum” choices
What the Project has gained from Scrum: • Demonstratable software • Deployable software • External stakeholders involvement • Continuous feedback • Avoid wasted work and upfront design • Scope changes allowed
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12 Nov 2014
Sad :(• Long-lasting tasks (frequently exceeding 2 days) • 1st story always finishes late >> not smooth burndown • Unfinished sprint stories >> unpredictable velocity • Building technology skills vs. business value: 1-0 • “Working software” mentality lagging • Increasing technical debt (coding standards, test coverage) • Context switch & not full-time dedication
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12 Nov 2014
Mad ~:(• Delays and impediments surface towards the end of sprint,
ignoring the 'elephant in the room' • ‘Hero’ attitude: work overtime and finish everything at the end • Status meetings masked into daily scrums • Definition-of-Done not followed • More transparency needed (frequent commits, meaningful
comments)
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12 Nov 2014
Sprint retrospectives• Have emerged as a major tool for inspecting & adapting
• Gradually people express their views more openly
• So far focused on processes and tools (not people or relationships)
• Scrum Master and Product Owner still in 'protected' zone
• Need fresh ideas on how are executed and how to fully engage all team members
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12 Nov 2014
Corrective measures taken• Scrum training >> better understanding of process and estimation • PO close to the team >> direct feedback, tech guidance, team spirit • Split stories >> better estimates • Retrospective outcomes embedded into next sprint • Improvise process when needed, outside the Scrum textbook: (e.g.
live daily scrum at the end of collab day instead of teleconf) • Pull back, empower dev members >> transfer decision-making to
the team in order to promote self-management
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12 Nov 2014
Risks and hard questions• Burn-out:
Estimation & ceremonies Continuous effort, without breaks
• Self-organizing, managing and owning • What if the team will react to failures by overestimating
required effort (generally: abusing the rules) • Engagement level of PO may discourage Scrum adoption • Will it finish without compromises?
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12 Nov 2014
Towards Scrum-friendlier RFPs
• Stricter requirements for Scrum team composition: • Scrum experience / certification • Seniority • Sustained effort
• Higher-level, more business-value oriented specifications • More types of delivery checkpoints
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12 Nov 2014
The Scrum Coach• Agile Meetup community >> knowledge exchange forum • Met coach within Meetups • A great boost for PO and team: Scrum experience and
guidance, 'external observer', servant leadership • A public ‘thank you’
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12 Nov 2014
Conclusion: Scrum increases business value in public sector projects, certainly worthy to promote and expand
Scrum will pass the Turing test: • If the Dev team / SM choose to run their next project using Scrum • If critical Scrum adoption know-how is created and transferred to new
teams inside GRNET and the broader public sector
The Turing Test
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12 Nov 2014
Thank You
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