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Resistance to Scrum
Jon McNestrie
Development Manager / Team Lead
http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
Scrum Framework
Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
I need fixed dates!
• A common misconception is that Scrum doesn’t
allow for any planning or milestones
• Often Gant charts and the dreaded MS Project are
used as a crutch
Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
I need fixed dates!
• You already plan as part of
Scrum!
• Story point estimation of your
backlog gives you a velocity
• Minimum Marketable Feature-
set of your product or next
release can be identified
• Release planning allows you to
workout what can fit in your
next release
Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
Why develop/test so early?
• In a Waterfall projects there are ‘neat’ slices of work
to be done by designers / developers / testers
• It looks well organised and efficient
• The goal is to defeat the Cone of Uncertainty
Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
Why develop/test so early?
• You’re really leaving the hard things till later
• Turns into a Bombshell of Uncertainty
Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
• By developing and
testing early on you
uncover the issues
and difficulties early
• One of the most common objections
• Often born out of complex and document heavy
change control processes
You just want to descope work!
Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
• The fear you have to overcome
is that there will be no control
and you will deliver nothing!
You just want to descope work!
• Changing scope works both ways
• People need to be persuaded that change is your
friend
Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
• Change isn’t free though!
• Transparency gives you
back control
But the client won’t go for that!
• In a consultancy world clients are often used to fixed
price work
• Time and materials is sometimes seen as paying for
time without knowing what you’re getting
Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
But the client won’t go for that!
• The key is trust
• Client benefits from the flexibility, efficiency and
transparency just as much as you do
• Issues like level of involvement can be overcome with
‘Proxy’ Product Owner
• Builds a strong, on-going relationship with client
Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
The features are fixed!
• In a Waterfall project you’ll spend a lot of time
agreeing exactly what is in scope upfront
• It can be uncomfortable not to have this agreement
before committing.
Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
• Surely we know what to
build?!
The features are fixed!
• Are the features really fixed?
• When people and opinions are involved things will
change
• Could the market change?
• Features are your contingency!
Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
What about the Architects?
• …or the Project Manager
• …or the UX Designer
• …or the Ops Team
• …or the Sales Person
• …or the Department Head!!
• There are lots of roles it seems hard to see how they
fit into a Scrum team
Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
What about the architects?
• Can they be scheduled and included?
• Might need to be managed as a dependency
• Still need everyone who might be involved in
delivering the whole product
Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
Any other completely irrational
objection
• Many people fear change
• The status quo can be very
comfortable
• Dislike (or think they dislike)
Scrum
• Try to be the rational one and
educate
Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
Be Pro-active
• Find the people who matter and care and win them
over.
Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
Any others?
Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/

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Resistance to scrum

  • 1. Resistance to Scrum Jon McNestrie Development Manager / Team Lead http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
  • 2. Scrum Framework Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
  • 3. I need fixed dates! • A common misconception is that Scrum doesn’t allow for any planning or milestones • Often Gant charts and the dreaded MS Project are used as a crutch Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
  • 4. I need fixed dates! • You already plan as part of Scrum! • Story point estimation of your backlog gives you a velocity • Minimum Marketable Feature- set of your product or next release can be identified • Release planning allows you to workout what can fit in your next release Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
  • 5. Why develop/test so early? • In a Waterfall projects there are ‘neat’ slices of work to be done by designers / developers / testers • It looks well organised and efficient • The goal is to defeat the Cone of Uncertainty Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
  • 6. Why develop/test so early? • You’re really leaving the hard things till later • Turns into a Bombshell of Uncertainty Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/ • By developing and testing early on you uncover the issues and difficulties early
  • 7. • One of the most common objections • Often born out of complex and document heavy change control processes You just want to descope work! Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/ • The fear you have to overcome is that there will be no control and you will deliver nothing!
  • 8. You just want to descope work! • Changing scope works both ways • People need to be persuaded that change is your friend Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/ • Change isn’t free though! • Transparency gives you back control
  • 9. But the client won’t go for that! • In a consultancy world clients are often used to fixed price work • Time and materials is sometimes seen as paying for time without knowing what you’re getting Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
  • 10. But the client won’t go for that! • The key is trust • Client benefits from the flexibility, efficiency and transparency just as much as you do • Issues like level of involvement can be overcome with ‘Proxy’ Product Owner • Builds a strong, on-going relationship with client Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
  • 11. The features are fixed! • In a Waterfall project you’ll spend a lot of time agreeing exactly what is in scope upfront • It can be uncomfortable not to have this agreement before committing. Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/ • Surely we know what to build?!
  • 12. The features are fixed! • Are the features really fixed? • When people and opinions are involved things will change • Could the market change? • Features are your contingency! Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
  • 13. What about the Architects? • …or the Project Manager • …or the UX Designer • …or the Ops Team • …or the Sales Person • …or the Department Head!! • There are lots of roles it seems hard to see how they fit into a Scrum team Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
  • 14. What about the architects? • Can they be scheduled and included? • Might need to be managed as a dependency • Still need everyone who might be involved in delivering the whole product Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
  • 15. Any other completely irrational objection • Many people fear change • The status quo can be very comfortable • Dislike (or think they dislike) Scrum • Try to be the rational one and educate Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
  • 16. Be Pro-active • Find the people who matter and care and win them over. Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/
  • 17. Any others? Resistance to Scrum - Jon McNestrie http://www.meetup.com/Agile-North-East/