Analysis In Agile: It's More than Just User Stories

Editor's Notes

• #3: A common question asked by teams adopting agile is "what does business analysis look like in agile?" The common answer is "writing user stories".  WRONG!  Okay, maybe not wrong, but certainly not the whole story (pardon the pun).  Business analysis in agile is concerned with understanding the problem and possible solutions in order to ensure the team is building the right thing. User stories can be helpful, but are certainly not sufficient for doing that.In this session, Kent McDonald describes how you can perform just enough business analysis  to discover the right things to build. This includes how to really use value to decide what to build first, why process flows, data models, and mockups are still extremely helpful, and why the function of user stories is more important than their form.Along the way, Kent shares examples from a system replacement project he is working on and suggests ways you can apply these techniques to your own projects.Learning Objectives* Learn how techniques such as Impact Mapping can help you narrow your focus and test your assumptions* Learn how to use analysis models to identify, and further explain user stories* Learn how to establish a definition of ready for your effort and use it to determine "just enough" business analysis
• #8: Do we have a complete solution?Are we building things we shouldn’t?
• #10: Understand the problem to solve (state it as a goal)Discover possible solutions (options) –impact mappingIdentify the best solution (make assumptions about which has the biggest impact)Transfer the knowledge of that solution to the whole team (Models and stories) Why are you doing the effort? What problem are you trying to solve? Is the problem worth solving? - Make it measurable. This is the value you are seeking to deliver.What are the different things that you can do to realize that value. Impact Mapping is one technique that can get you that information. Creating the map generates options.Which of those options seems the best to help you realize the value – prioritizing the items on the impact map.Use analysis models to describe the option, user stories to identify the changes needed to enact the option, and the models again to further describe the stories.***********We first describe the problem we are trying to solve in terms of some measurable goal. Looking at this goal and comparing it against our decision filters from strategy tells us if the problem is worth solving.We then use Impact Mapping to identify possible solutions. (Grow the Map) and then prioritize the map to identify good solutions. Of course we implement those solutions to determine if they are viable and will result in the impact we want, and to verify assumptions we are making.
• #11: Add some animation hereTo talk about how do you get there.
• #17: Why are we doing this?
• #19: Who can produce the desired effect and who can obstruct it?
• #21: How should our actors behavior change?
• #28: Photo from: http://janbierens.com/2012/12/03/when-you-are-gone-your-blog/Photo credit: http://janbierens.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/and_now_its_time_for_something_completely_different.jpg
• #38: Ask audience for possible storiesAsk audience for suggestions of splitting into smaller stories.
• #41: Even though I teach people to do this, I sometimes need a reminder… And it can come from anyone on the team.
• #44: Green – in estimate deliveredBlue – not in estimate, delivered
• #50: Remember to ask the people consuming the information what they need in order to move forward.
• #55: CoreKanban PrinciplesVisualize workflowLimit WIPMeasure & Manage FlowMake process policies explicitIdentify & implement improvement opportunities through Lean and related principles and practicesEmergent PropertiesManage QuantitativelyPrioritize by (opportunity) cost of delayOptimize value with classes of serviceManage risk with allocation of capacityEncourage process innovation