Lessons Learn in Agile Methodology using

Scrum framework

Contributed by:

Arjun Maitra (884250)

Date: 05/06/2015 Rohan Bose (884192)
Sumit Paul (886946)

Copyright © 2012 Tata Consultancy Services Limited

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 WHY TRADITIONAL METHODS FAILED?

PROBLEM STATEMENT

●The goal of traditional engineering methods is to define a process that will

work well whoever happens to be using it.

●However these traditional methods seem to be prone to a lot of requirement

changes from the customer and also because of situations that may arise.

●Changes will ideally lead to delay of delivery which leads to dissatisfaction

of the customer and the project ultimately 'failing'.

● Moreover handover of all the module deliverable together may be a

tougher task. This can be due to the complexity of the different modules and
time constraint of the same.

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 HISTORY OF AGILE

PROBLEM SOLUTION

● In the mid-1990s, in reaction to the challenges of traditional engineering

methods, there was a small contingent of industry thought-leaders promoting
innovative approaches.

● The term "Agile Methodology" emerged from a gathering of these industry

thought-leaders in Snowbird, Utah in 2001.

●This model developed itself from the collaborative ideas of people who had
emerged with other new models, namely Extreme Programming, SCRUM,
Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM), Adaptive Software
Development, Crystal, Feature-Driven Development, Pragmatic
Programming.

● They made it a 'Manifesto'.

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 WHAT IS AGILE?

PROBLEM SOLUTION

● Instead of finding a new way to improve requirements definition, AGILE

focuses on the team's effort in adapting to new requirements rather than in
predicting them.
● Simultaneous iterative cycles run within the AGILE process, a more pipe-

lined approach is adopted.

● Modules completed are delivered rather than waiting for other modules to

finish.
● Agile methods are people-oriented rather than process-oriented. Less of

documentation and more of communication.

● This model demands customer feedback at every stage.

● The most important mechanism to implement this is to iteratively and

accurately exchange information about the project situation with the

customer.
● The customer has much finer-grained control over the process and at every

stage, gets to check progress and to alter the direction of the process. This leads
to much closer relationship with the project team members.
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 SCRUM FRAMEWORK

STEPS INVOLVED

● The customer and the stake holders together become the 'product owners'.
● The 'product owner' creates a 'product backlog' .
●The 'product backlog' contain the requirements, and the requirements to be
built in each sprint and the release dates for each sprint.
● There are multiple cross functional teams who work in parallel.
● Teams break up each sprint into tasks.
●The team creates a 'sprint backlog', which is to-do list of all the tasks to be
completed in the current iteration.
● It consists of the 'product backlog' items selected for this sprint plus the plan
for delivering them.
● A fixed commitment of number of hours of work per person per day is made.
● Each sprint is from a week to a month.
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 SCRUM FRAMEWORK

STEPS INVOLVED CONTD..

● The 'Scrum Master' is the facilitator, who manages the process for how
information is exchanged.
● He facilitates the daily review meetings and mainly asks the following
three questions to the team:
(1)What did you do since last scrum?
(2)What will you do until next scrum?
(3)Are there any impediments in your way?
●After the sprint is completed and delivery is done, the stakeholders and
product owners review it and decide to move for next incremental
production/release.

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 HOW SCRUM WORKS

Potentially
Product
Sprint shippable
Backlog
Backlog product
increment
24 hrs Daily
Scrum
Meeting
2-4
Weeks

Suggestion for Improvement

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 DIFFERENT SCRUM MEETINGS

POKER PLANNING
Members of the group make estimates by playing numbered cards face-down
to the table, selects his card that he estimates, it is then revealed and
difference is discussed and re-estimate is done until estimates converges.

DAILY SCRUMS
A short focused standup meeting held every morning where each member
answer following 3 questions:
● Progress – What have I done since the last Scrum?

● Plans – What will I do until the next Scrum?

● Problems – What roadblocks are preventing from completing task?

RETROSPECTIVES
● Exercised at the end of each sprint.

● Identifies - 1. What went well?

2. What went wrong?
3. Ideas for improvement.
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 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

PRODUCT OWNER
● Defines the Features of the product to be enhanced, changes, added, drives release

date and release deliverable

● Is responsible for the Product Profitability (ROI)

● Prioritizes the Product Backlog based on business value

● Can changes features and priority every 30 days

● Accepts or rejects work results

SCRUM MASTER
● Makes sure the team is fully functional and following Scrum practices

● Enables close collaboration across all roles and functions and removes barriers

● Ensures that all processes is followed, invites to daily scrum, review and planning

meetings
SPRINT TEAM
● Cross-functional seven plus or minus two members

● Agrees to iteration goal and specifies work results

● Has the right to do everything within the boundaries of the project guidelines to

reach the iteration goal

● Organizes itself and its work.

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 PROS AND CONS OF SCRUM

PROS CONS

●It ensures effective use of time and ●It can lead to scope creep due to lack
cost of definite end date.
●Large projects are split in sprints to ● If any team member is not committed,
manage effectively there are major chances of project
failure
●Works well for fast moving
development projects ●Adopting it in larger teams is
challenging
●Team gets clear visibility through
scrum meetings ● It requires experienced team members
● Scrum being agile adopts feedback ● Daily meetings at times can go too
from customers and stakeholders strict and frustrating for team members
●Short sprint helps easy changes based ● If any team member leaves the project
on feedback in between, it affects the project hugely
●Individual effort is visible during
daily scrum meetings
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 LESSONS LEARNT

SEVEN COMMON MISTAKES IN DAILY STAND-UP MEETING

Mistake # 1 – Not Standing

Mistake # 2 – Team Members Not Showing Up On Time
Mistake # 3 – Allowing Distractions
Mistake # 4 – Updating the Project Management Tool During the Stand-up
Mistake # 5 – Not Using a Physical Status Wall
Mistake # 6 – Not Having a Dedicated meeting Room
Mistake # 7 – Not Using a Stand-up for Distributed Teams/locations

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 THANK YOU

Copyright © 2012 Tata Consultancy Services Limited

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