If You Give a Mouse a Cookie: Managing Scope

astonishdesign.com@astonish_design | #drupalcon2014

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie…



If you give a mouse a cookie,!he’s going to ask for a glass of milk.!!When you give him the milk,!he’ll probably ask you for a straw.!!When he’s finished, he’ll ask for a napkin.!!Then he’ll want to look in a mirror!to make sure he doesn’t!have a milk mustache.!!When he looks in the mirror,!he might notice his hair needs a trim.!!So he’ll probably ask for a pair of scissors.!!When he’s finished giving himself a trim, he’ll!want a broom to sweep up.!!He’ll start sweeping.!!He might get carried away and sweep every!room in the house.!!He may even end up washing the floors as well!!!When he’s done, he’ll probably want to take a nap.!!…!


There’s a term!for this…


SCOPE CREEP


SCOPE CREEP<Yikes!>






?astonishdesign.com@astonish_design | #drupalcon2014

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3 Perspectives

Product!Owner

Project!Manager Developer

Background: 14 Developers2 UX Specialists2 Project ManagersSpecializing in Drupal since 2009.


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3 Perspectives

Client /!Product Owner

Project!Manager Developer


SCOPE CREEP


Key Audience



Product Owner Has Several!Responsibilities…

• Main Objective!• Stakeholders!• Constraints: Budget / Timing!• Happiness / Continued Employment


Constraints

School Resources!! - Cafeteria

Constraints!! - refrigeration issue!! - kids preferences!! - allergies!! - school rules!! - state laws!! - after school activities!! - ingredients availability!! - timing!

Stakeholder Issues!! - bus driver!! - school teacher!! - spouse!! - kids!! - baking coach Contingency Plans!

! - made in advance!! - not enough to go around!! - ingredient shortage / substitutions!! - production rate (?)!! - allergies?

Integrations!! - milk?!! - water?!! - soda?

Budget!! - total budget!! - run rate budget!! - expected capital infusions

Competition!! - museum cafe & gift shop!! - other kids

Objective!! - MVP!! - Nice to Haves


Keeper of FOCUS

Product!Owner

Understand(and clearly articulate)the “why” behindyour objective

1


Grand Vision:

http://www.stellerschool712.org/main/periodic-table-of-cupcakes/


Nice-to-have: Healthy


Initial Vision: Brownies


Good Product Owner!vs.!

Bad Product Owner


Constraints

School Resources!! - Cafeteria

Constraints!! - refrigeration issue!! - kids preferences!! - allergies!! - school rules!! - state laws!! - after school activities!! - ingredients availability!! - timing!

Stakeholder Issues!! - bus driver!! - school teacher!! - spouse!! - kids!! - baking coach Contingency Plans!

! - made in advance!! - not enough to go around!! - ingredient shortage / substitutions!! - production rate (?)!! - allergies?

Integrations!! - milk?!! - water?!! - soda?

Budget!! - total budget!! - run rate budget!! - expected capital infusions

Competition!! - museum cafe & gift shop!! - other kids

Objective!! - MVP!! - Nice to Haves


Collaboration

12

3Product!Owner

Project!Manager

Developer


Proposed Solution: Cookies


Collaboration

12Product!

Owner

Project!Manager

Crucial Relationship!built on Trust

2


Preventer of PAIN

Project!Manager

EmpowerProduct Owner

manage

2


Preventer of PAIN

Project!Manager

1) Manage Assumptions!

!

2) Provide resources for!

self-management


… back to cookies


Over Budget


Taking longer than expected


Missed Deadlines


Baking…!(like project management)!

is not easy

http://excusemecanitellyousomething.blogspot.com/2010/12/burning-christmas-cookies.html


Assumptions about Technology


Assumptions!about Roles


Assumptions About Possibilities

http://www.stellerschool712.org/main/periodic-table-of-cupcakes/


Assumptions About Scope


Collaboration

1 2Product!Owner

Project!Manager

Budget!Timing!prioritizing feature requests!changing landscape!questions / challenges!Wants to be successful !(Avoid Pain)

Budget indicators!Delivery projections!story definition/done & sizing!flexibility!direction / advice!Wants to enable PO success!(Prevent Pain)

PO and PM, !shared responsibilities


Great Bakers Need Flexibilityhttp://natassjam.wordpress.com/2013/11/09/meatloaf-cupcakes/


Great Product Owners Need Flexibility !(prioritizing the backlog)

Product Backlog

Sprint Backlog

Product Owner

ScrumMaster

ProjectManager

Developer

Developer

Developer

Sprint Planning Meeting


Great Bakers Need Direction and Value Advice


Great Product Owners!Need Direction and Value Advice


Great Bakers need indicators


…Product Owners!Need Indicators, too

April

Budget

$0 $22,500 $45,000 $67,500 $90,000

Spent Remaining


Baked Goods!(Like Projects)!Can Be Extremely!Satisfying

3


Balancer of CONTEXT

“Make technology decisions

appropriate to the client’s immediate

and near future needs”?

Developer


Can I haz broccoli?


Ermahgerd!


Scope


Implementation

http://recipesfoodandcooking.com/2013/05/15/broccoli-cheese-patties/

3


Developer

1) End User!!

2) Business!Needs

Balancer of CONTEXT


Put on your bib


Edge Case?


Understanding Business Needs!!

Did we miss something?


Collaborative Discussion

12

3Product!Owner

Project!Manager

Developer


Oh! You want the cookies to be healthful?


Got it!!In that case…


SCOPE CREEP

When is Scope Creep Okay?

SCOPE CREEP


Intentional & Informed

When it’s an outgrowth of a collaborative process

<Yay!>


Keeper of FOCUS

Product!Owner

Understand(and clearly articulate)the “why” behindyour objective

1

2


Preventer of PAIN

Project!Manager

EmpowerProduct Owner

manage

3


Balancer of CONTEXT

Helping to inform!collaborative!

scope decisions.Developer


If You Give a Mouse a Cookie…


Cookies!for!Everyone!*

*not everyone will get a cookie