Agile Metrics: Measuring Outcomes and Results

AW8Session6/8/161:30PM

AgileMetrics:MeasuringOutcomesandResults

Presentedby:

BobGalen

VelocityPartners

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350CorporateWay,Suite400,OrangePark,FL32073888---268---8770··[email protected]://www.techwell.com/

BobGalenVelocityPartnersAnagilemethodologist,practitioner,andcoach,BobGalen([email protected])helpsguidecompaniesintheiradoptionofScrumandotheragilemethodologiesandpractices.BobisaprincipalagileevangelistatVelocityPartners;presidentofRGCG;andfrequentspeakeronsoftwaredevelopment,projectmanagement,softwaretesting,andteamleadership.HeisaCertifiedScrumCoach,CertifiedScrumProductOwner,andanactivememberoftheAgileandScrumAlliances.BobpublishedScrumProductOwnership–BalancingValuefromtheInsideOut.

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Agile Metrics Measuring Outcomes & Showing Results

Bob Galen

President & Principal Consultant RGCG, LLC

[email protected]

Copyright © 2016 RGCG, LLC 2

Introduction Bob Galen n  Independent Agile Coach (CEC) at RGCG, LLC n  Principle Agile Evangelist at Velocity Partners

n  Somewhere ‘north’ of 30 years overall experience J n  Wide variety of technical stacks and business domains n  Developer first, then Project Management / Leadership, then

Testing n  Senior/Executive software development leadership for 20+ years n  Practicing formal agility since 2000 n  XP, Lean, Scrum, and Kanban experience n  From Cary, North Carolina

Bias Disclaimer:

Agile is THE BEST Methodology for Software Development…

However, NOT a Silver Bullet!

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Introduction Let’s see what you think… n  First, let’s see what see what you think about your own

metrics experiences

n  I passed out 4x6 Index Cards. On a card, please list: q  1-3 “Good” Agile metrics, and q  1-3 “Bad” Agile metrics from your experience. q  Make sure you write concisely and clearly. And that you

differentiate between Good & Bad

n  Pass them to the aisle and I’ll collect them…and read a few…


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Agile Metrics

•  Agile methods are generally not metrics centered, They’re much more team-centered and progress or outcome centered •  Rarely do you want to examine the individual; leave that to the

team •  Exceptions – experienced coaches & leaders; coaching data

•  Avoid “Metrics Dysfunction” metrics •  Lines of code produced •  Bugs found •  Estimate vs. Actual

Agile Metrics


Agile Metrics Individual vs. Team

Individual n  Focus on the functional

silo or departmental goals n  Focus on individual

results n  Succeed/fail as an

individual n  Individual measurement

Team n  Focus on the team n  Focus on team &

Release/Sprint goals n  Focus on collaboration n  Focus on results n  Succeed/Fail together n  Team measurement


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Big 4 Agile Metrics

1.  Value Delivered 2.  Velocity, Throughput, and Predictability 3.  Quality 4.  Team Morale & Satisfaction


Value Delivered

•  Prioritization •  Always deliver the highest priority work first; Commitment vs.

Delivery •  Earned value – it’s “Done”

•  Customer Acceptance •  User Story sign-off •  Active customer demonstration; embrace changes

•  ROI – Usage •  Sales & usage targets; confirm •  Did we make the right decisions on value? Adjustments?


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Velocity, Throughout, and Predictability

•  Productivity matters in agile teams •  First, the software is only accepted if it meets clear Done-Ness

Criteria •  Velocity – the number of Story Points produced per Sprint •  Throughput – the number of ‘Days’ that a story was In-

Progress, relative to it’s size; also a risk play •  Predictability – low variance in estimates vs. actuals for

different types of work •  Continuous improvement

•  Velocity – UP; Throughput - DOWN


Quality

•  Test Automation •  Continuous Integration & Continuous Deployment •  Every check-in…run automation; Stop-the-Line

•  Defect ‘Escapes’ •  Escaping your Done-Ness •  Escaping your Sprint •  Escaping into the wild…Customer Escapes

•  Pairing, inspections, RCA •  Continuous Improvement – downward trending


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Team Morale & Satisfaction

•  Self-directed; Team autonomy; Listened to •  Attrition is analyzed; New hire onboarding •  Sustainable pace •  Periodic surveys

•  Team overall health & satisfaction •  Feedback on adjustments •  Agile values

•  Make the survey and the actions Transparent •  Make it clear—people are central to your success


That’s it…

•  Aligned with Goals •  Sprint Goals & Release Goals •  Organizational Goals & Company Goals

•  Attributes: •  They’re all important…perhaps “People First” •  There are no “fixed targets” •  Keep them simple; everyone is aware of the goal

•  Measure as a team •  Stop the individual metrics dysfunction


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iContact example

•  While I was at iContact we: •  Measured 2-3 things per area •  We asked the team what would be useful •  We reflected on the metrics monthly / quarterly •  If a metric had achieved it’s purpose, we deleted it •  If a metric needed to be changed or modified, we changed it •  Or we added new metrics

•  We leveraged outcome metrics mostly for Value

While the metrics were for Leadership…they ultimately were for the teams

And they drove behavior the teams behavior and results


Another breakout

n  Please review the handout: 2 Dozen Wild & Crazy Agile Metrics Ideas q  Or view it here on my blog:

http://rgalen.com/agile-training-news/2014/4/22/2-dozen-weird-agile-metrics-ideas

n  Review the ideas. See what inspires you, pick 1-2-3. See what you think are dangerous or silly, pick 1-2-3

n  Let’s discuss a few, BUT be prepared to say…WHY


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Another view Gabrielle Benefield

n  Inputs q  Ex: how many reviews; planned milestones

or performance goals; must haves. n  Throughputs

q  Ex: WIP limits; average time to deliver a story; average time to repair a bug

n  Outputs q  Ex: code coverage levels; Velocity; LOC

produced/day/developer; n  Outcomes

q  Ex: happy customers – survey; increased revenue; NPS; learnings

n  Try to focus on

outcomes!

n  And make them

“principle-based”


Another breakout discussion

n  What do you think about OUTCOME-based metrics? q  Reactions, thoughts?

n  What are some that you could envision finding / establishing in your company culture and context?

n  Are they harder or easier to measure?


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Trending & Visibility


Another view…

•  Johanna Rothman explored metrics in an article entitled:

•  Find the project metrics you need to track your Agile team's performance

•  In SearchSoftwareQuality in TechTarget.com


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Another view Johanna Rothman

•  Burndown and Burnup charts •  Sprint progress; Release progress & feature creep



•  How many bugs are you creating? •  What’s specifically “in” each Sprint?


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•  Total # of Features in Process…

Cumulative Flow


VersionOne Metrics Copyright 2015 - Survey


https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/measuring-agile-success-look-some-metrics-todd-kamens

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7 Deadly Sins Rally Software / CA

1.  Using measurement as a lever to drive someone else's behavior

2.  Unbalanced metrics 3.  Believing that metrics can replace

thinking 4.  Too-costly metrics 5.  Using a lazy metric 6.  Bad analysis 7.  Forecasting without discussing

probability and risk


https://www.rallydev.com/blog/agile/seven-deadly-sins-agile-measurement-introduction-and-sin-1

Wrapping Up

ü  Try to focus on a Hand-full

ü  Try to focus on Agile Principles

ü  Try to focus on Outcomes

ü  Try to focus on Visibility & Transparency

ü  Try to focus on Improvement

ü  Try to focus on “Inspiring Action”


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Copyright © 2016 RGCG, LLC

Wrapping Up

•  Final questions or discussion?

•  I’ll collect the results and share with You via Twitter and my website mailing list

Thank you!

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Contact Info Bob Galen Principal Consultant, RGalen Consulting Group, L.L.C.

Experience-driven agile focused training, coaching & consulting

Cell: (919) 272-0719 [email protected] www.rgalen.com

@bobgalen https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobgalen

Podcast on all things ‘agile’ -

http://www.meta-cast.com/

26 Copyright © 2016 RGCG, LLC 26

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References

n  Early post on the “Essence” of Agile Metrics: http://rgalen.com/agile-training-news/2012/6/2/the-agile-project-managerthe-essence-of-agile-metrics.html

n  Workshop post:http://rgalen.com/agile-training-news/2014/4/22/2-dozen-weird-agile-metrics-ideas

n  Meta-cast podcast on Developer metrics: http://www.meta-cast.com/2014/04/episode-56-developer-metrics-agile.html

n  Gabrielle Benefield, Metrics post: http://www.evolvebeyond.com/outcome-metrics/measure-what-matters/

n  Happiness Metrics post: http://rgalen.com/agile-training-news/2016/2/20/are-you-happy

n  Agile Journey Index: http://rgalen.com/agile-training-news/2015/1/2/agile-journey-index-a-balanced-guide-for-continuous-improvement


Agile Metrics: Measuring Outcomes and Results

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