AGILE in Practice: Practical Use-cases on Project Management Methods including Agile, Kanban and Scrum

Cover Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication Page
About the Author
About the Reviewer
Acknowledgement
Preface
Errata
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. Tricky Real-world Agile Scrum and Kanban Case Studies, Demos, and Tools
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objectives
    1.1 Implementing Agile for Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs)
        1.1.1 Agile best practices for LEA customers
    1.2 Agile methods adoption on software development – A pilot review
    1.3 Agile metrics
    1.4 Applying Agile principles to our software insurance implementation project
        1.4.1 Applying Agile principles to our insurance software implementation project
            1.4.1.1 Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software
            1.4.1.2 Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer's competitive advantage
            1.4.1.3 Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter timescale
            1.4.1.4 Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project
            1.4.1.5 Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done
            1.4.1.6 Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely
            1.4.1.7 Working software is the primary measure of progress
            1.4.1.8 The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation
            1.4.1.9 Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility
            1.4.1.10 Simplicity — The art of minimizing the amount of work not done is essential
            1.4.1.11 The best architecture, requirements, and design emerge from self–organizing teams
            1.4.1.2 At regular intervals, the team reflects how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly
        1.4.2 Conclusion
    1.5 From non-IT standpoints, applying Agile principles in industries across technologies
        1.5.1 Generalizing Agile principles
        1.5.2 Summary
    1.6 Human resource management and Agility
    1.7 Demo in Jira tool
        1.7.1 How to create an issue in Jira?
        1.7.2 How to create a sprint in Jira?
        1.7.3 How to create issue types in Jira?
        1.7.4 How to generate reports in Jira?
    1.8 Kanban replenishment process with process orders and MRP
    1.9 Kanban – In-house production
        1.9.1 Introduction to the Kanban concept
            Kanban concept
        1.9.2 Kanban card
            Kanban card
        1.9.3 Push principle/Pull principle comparison
            Kanban – Pull/Push principle
        1.9.4 Advantages of Kanban
        1.9.5 Kanban in SAP
        1.9.6 Master data for Kanban
        1.9.7 Kanban – With in-house production
        1.9.8 Master data
        1.9.9 Production supply area setup (PK05)
        1.9.10 Kanban – Control cycle creation
        1.9.11 Kanban board – Display (PK13n)
        1.9.12 Kanban status changes
        1.9.13 Kanban – Status EMPTY to FULL
        1.9.14 Kanban – Status FULL to EMPTY
            1.9.14.1 Transaction list
        1.9.15 Configuration
        1.9.16 Note to the reader
    1.10 Distributed Agile Kanban implementation in a large multinational aviation organization – A case study
        1.10.1 Kanban deployment framework
        1.10.2 Why adopt Kanban - Daily management system?
        1.10.3 The Kanban board
            Kanban board – Expedite lane
            Kanban board – Workflow
        1.10.4 Kanban in mainframe, Java, testing and data-stage applications
        1.10.5 The journey so far
        1.10.6 Kanban card template used
            Kanban card – Template
        1.10.7 Kanban daily mantra
        1.10.8 Kanban explicit policies implemented
        1.10.9 Kanban key benefits
            Kanban benefits – Average lead time per month
            Kanban benefits – Spectral analysis
            Completed CR/PRs
        1.10.10 Kanban value stream mapping (Example)
            Kanban – Wait time and activity time
            Kanban – Cumulative flow diagram
            Kanban – Engagement metrics
    1.11 Scrum implementation in a large multinational tobacco organization – A case study
        Introduction
        Client overview
        Business challenge
        Managed Service Provider (MSP) role
        Business benefits
        Organization
        Financials
        Process
        Scrum monitoring
        Scrum monitoring tools/burndown chart
        High-level scrum process
        E2E Scrum lifecycle
        Conceptual model
    1.12 Difference between Kanban and MRP
    1.13 Kanban procedure
        1.13.1 Classic Kanban
        1.13.2 Classic Kanban process
        1.13.3 Master data for Kanban
            Material Master
        1.13.4 BOM
        1.13.5 Routing
        1.13.6 Production version
        1.13.7 Supply area
        1.13.8 Control cycle
        1.13.9 Demo - Creation of a control cycle for classic Kanban
        1.13.10 Replenishment strategies
        1.13.11 Demo - IMG setup for in-house production
        1.13.12 Demo - IMG setup for external procurement
        1.13.13 Demo - IMG setup for stock transfer
        1.13.14 Demo - External Kanban with scheduling agreements
        1.13.15 Demo - Internal Kanban with repetitive manufacturing
        1.13.16 Demo - Kanban with stock transfer
        1.13.17 Status of Kanban signals
        1.13.18 Kanban corrections from Kanban board in SAP
        1.13.19 Printing and circulating Kanbans in SAP
    See business requirement and accordingly amend it
    Conclusion
    Questions
        Answers
2. Agile Scrum KANBAN Maturity Assessment Nuts and Bolts
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objectives
    Agile maturity dashboard
    Agile maturity
    2.1 Agile – Maturity assessment
        Assessment
        Analysis
    2.2 Kanban – Maturity assessment
        Kanban maturity model
        Kanban maturity model – Evolving fit-for-purpose organizations
        Kanban maturity model
        Organizational maturity levels
        KMM in a CMMI context
        KMM in a CMMI context
        Kanban maturity sample self-assessment
            Visualize
            Limit work-in-progress
            Manage flow
            Make policies explicit - All policies must be current (known and actually used)
            Implement feedback loops
            Improve
            Effects (seeing evidence of…)
            Team information
        Radar chart
    Conclusion
    Questions
        Answers
3. Useful Tips and Techniques for Successful Agile Transformation in any Organization and the Art of Agile Development
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objectives
    3.1 Corporate culture in failed Agile transformations
        3.1.1 C-level management
        3.1.2 A comparison of middle-management types
    3.2 How to facilitate organizational transformation
        3.2.1 Raise awareness about the need for improvement
        3.2.2 Set a goal for value creation
        3.2.3 Implement the transformation for value realization
        3.2.4 Learn to adapt
        3.2.5 Enhance by continuous improvement
    3.3 How can a project manager supervise an Agile transformation?
        3.3.1 Top five challenges of an Agile adaptation
        3.3.2 Eight ways the project manager can improve Agile transformation
            3.3.2.1 Embrace rolling-wave planning and unlearn up-front planning
            3.3.2.2 Achieve an Agile mindset through coaching and training
            3.3.2.3 Focus on timely value delivery
            3.3.2.4 Learn ways of working over forms and processes
            3.3.2.5 Embrace iterative and incremental value delivery and unlearn phased working
            3.3.2.6 Build cross-functional teams
            3.3.2.7 Collaborate with the team to empower it
            3.3.2.8 Make goals that are "people and culture" transformations
    3.4 Where is the use of Agile not appropriate?
    3.5 Successful Agile transitions key enablers
    Conclusion
    Questions
        Answers
4. Common Agile, Scrum, Kanban Misconceptions
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objectives
    4.1 Challenges commonly present in daily stand-up meetings and how to tackle them
    4.2 Our team's challenges
        4.2.1 Some members were not willing to attend or didn't attend regularly
        4.2.2 Some members were not providing proper updates to the team
            4.2.2.1 Some members were not paying attention in the stand-up meeting
            4.2.2.2 Some members were not accountable for their tasks
        4.2.3 Conclusion
    4.3 We are Agile, but we are using Scrum-but
        4.3.1 We are Agile and using Scrum! But…
        4.3.2 No full-time Scrum master
        4.3.3 No product owner
        4.3.4 No timeboxed iterations
        4.3.5 Don't follow all ceremonies and activities
            4.3.5.1 Sprint retrospectives
            4.3.5.2 Sprint reviews
            4.3.5.3 Daily stand-ups
        4.3.6 No backlog of prioritized items
        4.3.7 No dedicated team members
        4.3.8 Don't deliver done stories in every sprint
        4.3.9 We do not plan, we are Agile
        4.3.10 We do not design, we are Agile
        4.3.11 We do not do documentation, we are Agile
    4.4 Five common stand-up malpractices
    4.5 Common sprint review anti-patterns
    4.6 Common sprint retrospective anti-patterns
        Contingency plan
    4.7 Common daily Scrum anti-patterns
        Contingency plan
    4.8 Common velocity anti-patterns
        Contingency plan
    4.9 Anti-patterns of product backlog grooming
        Contingency plan
    4.10 Some causes of undone work and long releases
        Symptoms and consequences
        Typical causes
    4.11 Some challenges of becoming a cross-functional team
    4.12 Anti-patterns of task estimates
    4.13 Anti-patterns of Agile – Traps of Agilefall
        Overcoming challenges
        Buy-in from management and stakeholders
        Recruiting experience from both Agile and Waterfall
        Increase the probability of success
    4.14 Common Scrum master anti-patterns
        Scrum master as a link to the organization
        Key Scrum master responsibilities
    4.15 Common Scrum ceremonies myths and misconceptions
        Myth #1: Isn't sprint planning just for the internal team?
        Myth #2: Isn't the daily stand-up meeting just a status call?
            Key takeaways on the daily stand-up meeting
        Myth #3: Isn't the sprint review just for the internal team to show the business demo?
        Myth #4: Isn’t the product backlog grooming done with no business value defined or without defining any acceptance criteria?
            Product backlog DEEP structure
    Conclusion
    Questions
        Answers
5. Key Takeaways
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objectives
    5.1 Kanban key takeaways
        Key takeaways
        Kanban maturity model values
        Key takeaways
        Key takeaways
    5.2 Scrum key takeaways
        5.2.1 Different failure modes of a Scrum team
        5.2.2 Golden field rules of Scrum for a better outcome
        5.2.3 Best practices of retrospective cadence
        5.2.4 Tips and traps of Scrum
            Mistake no. 1: Too many tasks in progress
            Mistake no. 2: Behavior-oriented management
            Mistake no. 3: Not having a clear goal
            Mistake no. 4: Making decisions for the team
            Mistake no. 5: Focusing only on efficiency
            Mistake no. 6: Trying to centralize control
            Mistake no. 7: Missing visualization
            Mistake no. 8: No team-building activities
            Mistake no. 9: No environment in which to fail
            Mistake no. 10: Forgetting about quality
        5.2.5 Key enablers to build organizational resilience
            Golden rules
        5.2.6 Key strategies to beat Covid-19 pandemic and for crisis management
        5.2.7 Portfolio/upstream Kanban implementations lessons learnt
    Conclusion
    Questions
        Answers
6. Test Your Knowledge
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objectives
    6.1 Agile questions and answers – Part 1
        Answers
    6.2 Agile questions and answers – Part 2
        Answers
    Conclusion
Index