Using Kanban To Help Dysfuctional Agile Teams

Using Kanban (and lean thinking) to help dysfunctional agile teams
Jeff Patton jpatton@acm.org JePa(on,allrightsreserved,www.AgileProductDesign.com www.AgileProductDesign.com
Why me?
JePa(on,allrightsreserved,www.AgileProductDesign.com
The hour will go something like this: 1. Simple explanation of Kanban 2. Whats different about Kanban & common agile or scrum practice? 3. Common agile practice problems 4. Stories where adding Kanban-ish practice helped teams improve
JePa(on,allrightsreserved,www.AgileProductDesign.com 3
and well watch two cartoons...
and a documentary.
1. Kanban in 5 minutes
A Kanban is a sign
A Kanban card is a sign-card representing something of value
Limiting Kanban tokens helps prevent over-production
A Kanban board visualizes the ow of value

Our process for building things Load stories here As work progresses, move kanbans to show ow of value
Because the more you work on, the slower anything gets done, limit work in progress for each step.
2. Scrum & Kanban Whats different?
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Nothing
(At least nothing needs to be)
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Some Lean principles in play:

1. Use visual control so no problems are hidden 2. Level out the workload (heijunka) 3. Use the "pull" system to avoid overproduction (can mean developers stop working if testers cant keep up) 4. Create continuous process ow to bring problems to the surface (can mean no timeboxes)
Start by using Kanban boards to visualize your current process Inspect and adapt as you see t
3. Some common problems getting going with agile
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Disclaimer: No one said agile was easy. Having difculty getting going with agile only makes you human.
Problem 1: QA isnt engaging

How do you expect me to test everything when I dont see it till the last day of the sprint? Why should I test if its just going to change later? How can I test without a detailed spec? Tasks? I can write test-it on a sticky if you want.
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Problem 2: Developers only focused on their own work

Im working on all these stories together. Theyll be nished by the end of the sprint - Im sure. I cant break this story down any more than it already is. I wont know what the tasks are until I start doing it. Why should I estimate if the release date isnt going to change?
Problem 3: Analysts and UI people are overwhelmed

I was up till 2 am getting ready for the next sprint - and the teams telling me I dont have the information they need! I cant look at that story now... maybe tomorrow. Everyone wants input on what Im doing - but they dont have time, and neither do I.
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4. Stories about adding Leanish, Kanbanish practices and how it helped people improve
Disclaimer: The stories youre about to hear are true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent.
Skeptical testers
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The team plans an iteration The testers dont test till development is done - or maybe a couple days later The iteration nishes with testing not complete
The team seems surprised
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Scrum Master: Well show the burndown chart so we can see were not getting done. Tester: I have to write tasks? Ok, Ill write tasks that say test the story then.
The iteration ends. Stories are still not done.
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The burndown chart sorta looked OK to start...
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Everyone knew things werent going right, knew what they should be doing, we just couldnt clearly see it.
Dr. Quest on controlling invisible things
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Make it visible
use simple visual controls so no problems are hidden
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Q: What information is hidden in your work today? Q: Does not knowing it hurt your teams ability to be effective?
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Coach: Ive built a task wall. Lets load this iterations work onto it.
Testtasksareclearlyvisible(sono problemsarehidden)
Development Tasks
Test Tasks
2009JePa(on,allrightsreserved,www.AgileProductDesign.com
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TesttasksincreaseinquanNtyand sophisNcaNon
Development Tasks
Test Tasks
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Developers begin to lean out and collaborate
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Developerslowertheirworkinprogressand workingwithtesterscreatetestabletasks
Testable Tasks
Reduced WIP!
2009JePa(on,allrightsreserved,www.AgileProductDesign.com 36
DeveloperrouNnelycollaboratewith testerstogetworkmoving
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Meanwhile, the C++ developers boycott agile outright

The agree to deliver every six weeks into production They commit to specic features to delivery But estimation and those silly user stories are out
Theagreetomaketheirworkvisible,and buildakanbanboardintheirteamroom
Broken, but not hidden, WIP Limit

Analysts and UI people begin to visualize their work

UIDesignersvisualizetheirworkowand workinprogress
Someones really overloaded!
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StandupmeeNngstakeplacewhereall theworkisvisible
Discovery work
Delivery
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Astheteamdrawsnearrelease,iteraNonboundaries drop,WIPlimitsdrop,andworkowsimplies
Work in process limits
TheteamdiscoversthepullstandupmeeNng
At the end of the day, the team didnt focus on doing agile right, or doing kanban right
The team focused on collaborating, working more effectively, and delivering valuable working software
Big benets from informative Kanban boards: 1. Simple process visualization 2. Managing ow
Keep your iteration boundaries if you want Let youre WIP run wild - youll see and feel it
Ericdescribeshisteamsprocesstoday listenforowandpull
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My favorite Kanban qualites 1. Simple process visualization 2. Managing ow
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Using Kanban (and lean thinking) to help dysfunctional agile teams
Jeff Patton jpatton@acm.org JePa(on,allrightsreserved,www.AgileProductDesign.com www.AgileProductDesign.com
50

Using Kanban To Help Dysfuctional Agile Teams

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Using Kanban (and lean thinking) to help dysfunctional agile teams

Jeff Patton jpatton@acm.org JePa(on,allrightsreserved,www.AgileProductDesign.com www.AgileProductDesign.com

and well watch two cartoons...

A Kanban card is a sign-card representing something of value

Limiting Kanban tokens helps prevent over-production

A Kanban board visualizes the ow of value

2. Scrum & Kanban Whats different?

Some Lean principles in play:

3. Some common problems getting going with agile

Problem 1: QA isnt engaging

Problem 2: Developers only focused on their own work

Problem 3: Analysts and UI people are overwhelmed

The team seems surprised

The iteration ends. Stories are still not done.

The burndown chart sorta looked OK to start...

Dr. Quest on controlling invisible things

Developers begin to lean out and collaborate

Meanwhile, the C++ developers boycott agile outright

Broken, but not hidden, WIP Limit

Analysts and UI people begin to visualize their work

Someones really overloaded!

Work in process limits

My favorite Kanban qualites 1. Simple process visualization 2. Managing ow

Using Kanban (and lean thinking) to help dysfunctional agile teams

Jeff Patton jpatton@acm.org JePa(on,allrightsreserved,www.AgileProductDesign.com www.AgileProductDesign.com

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