The Rise of the Agile Analyst

Transcription

1 The Rise of the Agile Analyst Christian Antoine, CSP Mike Stuedemann, PMP, PMI-ACP, CSP

2 Who are these guys? Source: Fargo

3 Christian Antoine CSP 18+ years Information Technology, systems development, project management/business analysis Practicing Agile since 2008 Certified ScrumMaster since 2009 Certified Scrum Professional 2014 Personal: Married with 2 girls and a boy, reside in Robbinsdale

4 Mike Stuedemann PMP, PMI-ACP, CSP 17+ years Information Technology - traditional SDLC and Scrum/Agile Practicing Agile since 2007 Certified Scrum Professional Active member in the Scrum Alliance and the PMI-MN Agile Practitioner Community Married with 3 Boys Based in Andover, MN

5 What is this about Why no BA role in Agile? Value of software Building the right product Building the product right Where do BA s fit in this

6 What this is not Back to basics requirements gathering How to write good user stories How to workshop for iterative development A means to get you to buy our book We haven t written one

7 Good News and Different News There is a role for Business Analysts in an Agile world But that role is remarkably different than the role they play in a traditional organization. 7

8 Why the Myth? Agile Software Development Manifesto We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it. Through this work we have come to value Individuals and interactions over processes and tools Working software over comprehensive documentation Customer collaboration over contract negotiation Responding to change over following a plan That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more. 8

9 Why the Myth? Me can t out perform We All Agile approaches emphasize Team Teams are accountable to themselves Need for T-shaped individuals Specialties are important but secondary to the Team 9

10 Where is the beef in software?

11 Challenge for Software Teams Building the right product Building the product right

12 What Does It Mean to Develop Software? Solving a problem, that you don t understand, and keeps changing Creating a solution, that you don t understand, and keeps changing Expressing ideas in a language, that you don t understand, and keeps changing Using an interpreter with unforgiving error Making decisions with limited resources Reference: Software Engineering in the 21 st Century Alistair Cockburn,

13 Building the Right Product Have a Vision FOR <target customer> WHO <statement of the need> THE <product name> IS A <product category> THAT <key benefit> UNLIKE <primary competitor> OUR PRODUCT <further differentiation> From Geoffrey Moore, Crossing the Chasm

14 Building the Right Product Make A Case Key Equation: Key Questions: Revenue Costs = Profit Profit should increase over time 1.) How will developing this product allow us to make money? 2.) How will developing this product allow us to spend less money? If you can t answer these questions,

15 Your Organization Does Not Have the Right Name Source:

16 One Organization is Doing It

17 So is another

18 Advisor vs. Analyst Voice of Customer Active Participant Increased Collaboration on all aspects of prior tasks Triad Ken Pugh 3 Amigos George Dinwiddie

19 Business Analysts in Iterative world Increased need to coach/educate/mentor Get comfortable with being uncomfortable Used to tell business to leave us to our work. now we are asking to be in the room Are the right conversations happening between: you and client (management and users)? You and developer and tester? you and your management?

20 Summary There is a role for Business Analysts in an Agile World, but its different The Value in Software comes from its use Business Analysts can help ensure that the Teams they serve are building the right product by: Ensuring that there is a vision for the Product Ensuring that the vision will lead to increased profit for the organization Spending time with real users in their real environment Active Participant in an incremental and iterative world

21 Questions

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23 Want to engage in Witty Banter? Provide Feedback (Accusations, Insults)? Contact us at: or On the web at:

24 References Alistair Cockburn Agile Software Development, Ken Schwaber Agile Project Management with Scrum, Simon Sinek Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, 2009.