Wanted Team Players
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1 1 Wanted: Team Players! Wanted: Team Players! Using Agile Principles to Using Agile Principles to Create Documentation Create Documentation Projects Projects Megan Leney Megan Leney VeriSign, Inc. VeriSign, Inc.
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Presented in November, 2008 at the LavaCon Professional Development Summit. This presentation gives an overview of agile documentation, and talks about the benefits and challenges of the Agile methodology to technical writers.
Transcript of Wanted Team Players
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Wanted: Team Players!Wanted: Team Players!
Using Agile Principles toUsing Agile Principles toCreate Documentation Create Documentation
ProjectsProjectsMegan LeneyMegan LeneyVeriSign, Inc.VeriSign, Inc.
Introduction and DefinitionsBenefits of AgileHow Agile Gets You ThereAgile at VeriSignIncreasing Team InfluenceImproving ProcessesPlanning DeliverablesChallenges
Introduction and DefinitionsBenefits of AgileHow Agile Gets You There Agile at VeriSignIncreasing Team InfluenceImproving ProcessesPlanning DeliverablesChallenges
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Introduction
+ 2001: Agile Manifesto and principles
+ Scrum is one of many Agile methods
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The Agile Manifesto
http://www.agilemanifesto.org
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A Summary of Agile Principles
+ Create value+ Welcome change+ Frequent delivery of working software+ All functional teams are involved+ Trust stakeholders, and give them what they need+ Face-to-face interaction is essential+ Working software measures progress+ Sustainable development+ Continuous attention to excellence+ Simplicity is essential+ Self-organizing teams+ Retrospectives
Source: Wikipedia
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Definitions
+ Scrum▪ Daily check in meeting ▪ You report progress and blocking issues▪ Part of a sprint (or iteration)
+ Sprint (or Iteration)▪ Iterative development cycle ▪ Length is determined by team
+ Stakeholder▪ A team member who is committed to the success of the project▪ Examples are Product Owner, Scrum Master, and others.
+ User Stories▪ Simple stories that reflect customer requirements▪ The basis for backlog items and tasks
Source: Wikipedia
Introduction and DefinitionsBenefits of AgileHow Agile Gets You There Agile at VeriSignIncreasing Team InfluenceImproving ProcessesPlanning DeliverablesChallenges
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Benefits of Agile
+ Creates options▪ Product always potentially shipable▪ More flexibility▪ Keeps up with customer demands▪ More room for innovation
+ Improves quality▪ No stop ship bugs at end of iteration▪ Following this rule improves quality
+ Reduces risk▪ Accurately scoping features▪ Committing to as much work as you can afford▪ Never taking on too much work
Introduction and DefinitionsBenefits of AgileHow Agile Gets You ThereAgile at VeriSignIncreasing Team InfluenceImproving ProcessesPlanning DeliverablesChallenges
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Gaining Valuable Knowledge
+ Tacit knowledge (intellectual capital)▪ Most valuable form of knowledge▪ Gained only from conversations▪ Most only harvest 5-10%, but 20% is optimal▪ Agile is a smart methodology for gaining tacit knowledge
+ Explicit knowledge▪ Can be documented▪ Easily transmitted to others▪ Technical communicators produce it▪ Agile improves the quality of explicit knowledge deliverables
Source: Wikipedia
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Collective Intelligence
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How Collective Intelligence Works
+ Diversity
+ Decentralization
+ One collective verdict
+ Independence
Introduction and DefinitionsBenefits of AgileHow Agile Gets You There Agile at VeriSignIncreasing Team InfluenceImproving ProcessesPlanning DeliverablesChallenges
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Agile at VeriSign
+ Early Agile at VeriSign▪ Adopted Agile July, 2006▪ Didn’t understand Agile▪ Had to adapt to developer-centric process▪ No formal training, steep learning curve
+ Initial challenges▪ Lacked sprint planning skills ▪ No training on scrum process ▪ Didn’t understand iterative documentation▪ Worked with distributed teams
+ Making progress▪ Set expectations with initial “brown bag” presentation▪ Outlined Documentation team involvement▪ Still not fully engaged in the process
+ Refining the process▪ All teams are now Agile▪ Better understanding of process▪ Some training▪ Daily engagement▪ Confronting challenges, but more informed
Source: Wikipedia
Introduction and DefinitionsBenefits of AgileHow Agile Gets You There Agile at VeriSignIncreasing Team InfluenceImproving ProcessesPlanning DeliverablesChallenges
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Increasing Team Influence
http://www.fotosearch.com
Functional Groups Product Teams
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Increasing Team Influence
+ Attend all meetings to:▪ Improve visibility▪ Be a recognized member of the team▪ Gain valuable information▪ Have a forum for blocking issues
+ Increasing “group-mindedness”▪ Tasks are a team effort▪ One group blocked = team problem!▪ Help with other stakeholders’ tasks
+ Practicing active communication▪ Ask questions to clarify issues▪ Be specific in reporting status
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Increasing Team Influence
+ Architecting the documentation deliverables▪ Present informed options▪ Be a user advocate▪ Align with the product owner
+ Showing the team what we do▪ Stress the importance of good design▪ Educate team on task scope
Introduction and DefinitionsBenefits of AgileHow Agile Gets You There Agile at VeriSignIncreasing Team InfluenceImproving ProcessesPlanning DeliverablesChallenges
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Improving Processes
+ Accessing subject matter experts ▪ Knowing each team member’s specialty▪ Developing relationships
+ More technically-savvy documentation▪ Learning details during daily meetings▪ Taking longer discussions “offline”
+ Better response to change▪ Team strategy to adapt to product changes▪ Keeping the customer in mind
+ Using organizational tools▪ Using ScrumWorks to track tasks for our projects▪ Accessing user stories in SourceForge to understand features ▪ Using Subversion to create product builds in our own workspace
Introduction and DefinitionsBenefits of AgileHow Agile Gets You There Agile at VeriSignIncreasing Team InfluenceImproving ProcessesPlanning DeliverablesChallenges
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A Typical Two-Week Iteration
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
Iteration Planning Meeting
Daily Scrum Daily Scrum Daily Scrum Daily Scrum
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
Daily Scrum Daily Scrum Daily Scrum Daily Scrum
(Go/No Go)
Handoff
Retrospective
Iteration planning: Product manager and team meet to review next set of items from the backlog. Team updates task board.
Daily Scrum: What have you done since last meeting?What will you do before next meeting?What is in your way?
Review: Meet with Product Owner to review and accept/reject work.Retrospective: Review and reflect on process and how it can be improved.
©2007 Enthiosys
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Using Sticky Notes
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Using a Planning Tool
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Iterative and Holistic Planning
+ Iterative planning▪ Documentation plan captures scope and time line▪ Plan backlog items and tasks with team▪ Feature-specific reviews each sprint
+ Holistic documentation▪ Holistic review late in the release cycle▪ Team sees “big picture”▪ All team members are required reviewers
Introduction and DefinitionsBenefits of AgileHow Agile Gets You There Agile at VeriSignIncreasing Team InfluenceImproving ProcessesPlanning DeliverablesChallenges
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Lack of Training
+ On the job training isn’t enough
+ Need task planning skills▪ Points valuation▪ How to break down tasks▪ How to plan effort level▪ Weighing task estimation against skill level
+ Need iterative documentation strategy▪ Keeping up with iterative done-done-done▪ Holistic reviews without scrambling
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No Up Front Information Architecture
Architecture design and overall specification
Feature design
Coding
Integration/Test
Stabilization
Micro-project Micro-project Micro-project
Vision
User Feedback User Feedback User Feedback
©2007 Enthiosys Source: Alan MacCormack
iter0
Could be any/all of:- Technical architecture- Business architecture- Information (UI) architecture
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Lack of Scalability Strategy
Project Size/Scope Issues Implementation+Simple ▪ Product changes and
development cycles.
+Moderately Complex Above issues, plus:
▪ Multiple development cycles
▪ Communications across teams
+Highly Complex ▪ Product UI needs a consistent look and feel
▪ Need holistic documentation across projects
▪ Information Architecture is elevated to release planning level
▪ Formal scrum of scrums
▪ Writers attend development planning meetings, scrums, and hand off meetings
▪ Possibly an informal scrum of scrums
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Lack of Higher Level Planning
+ Currently no scrum of scrums▪ Difficulty planning writers’ hours across projects▪ Writer starts mid-cycle▪ Lack of feature parity/consistent vocabulary
+ Need terminology review board▪ Lack of consistent terminology▪ Different vocabulary = different user experience
+ Some interim solutions▪ Good paper trail▪ Mentor relationships▪ Boot camp training
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Working with Distributed Teams
+ Issues with distributed teams▪ Not conducive to Agile methods▪ Daily communication is difficult
+ The reality▪ Definite business case for many▪ Companies merge with/acquire distant partners
+ Long-term workarounds▪ Transition to co-located teams where possible▪ Limit distributed locations and team members
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Working with Distributed Teams
+ Coping with the situation▪ Realize it won’t be perfect▪ Weekly and “as needed” documentation synch up meetings▪ Keep meetings short ▪ Centralized repositories for builds and information▪ Scrum Master resides with the majority of team members▪ Same scrum coach working with all team members▪ Be respectful of other peoples’ time▪ Compromise on meeting times▪ Very thorough documentation artifacts▪ Handoffs when everyone can attend
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Top 10 Take Aways
10. Use best practices in working with distributed teams
9. Plan documentation iteratively and holistically
8. Treat the project as a group effort
7. Help product team see the value of a good user experience
6. Improve your cake layer (functional group)
5. Improve your cake slices (product teams)
4. Leverage tacit knowledge and group intelligence
3. Actively participate in all meetings
2. Hold higher level planning meetings (scrum of scrums)
1. Architect your deliverables during release planning
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Questions + Answers
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Resources
Books
+ Cohn, Mike. (2004). User stories applied: for agile software development. Boston:Addison-Wesley.
+ Frappaolo, Carl. (2006). Knowledge Management. West Sussex, England: Capstone Publishing Ltd.
+ Polanyi, Michael. (1983). The Tacit Dimension. Glouester, MA:PeterSmith.
+ Suroweicki, James. (2004). The Wisdom of Crowds: Why the Many Are Smarter than the Few and How Collective Wisdom Shapes Business, Economies, Societies, and Nations. New York: Random House.
Megan Leney; [email protected]
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Resources
Presentations and Case Studies
+ Heimgartner, Stacia and Locke, Melody. (2006). A Tale of Two Writing Teams. Presented at the Agile2006 Conference by Rally Software Development.
+ Hohmann, Luke. (2007). Agile Planning and Project Management: Agile is all about planning for and participating in the infinite game. Presented by Enthiosys.
+ Toyoshiba, Len and Najafi, Maryam. (2008). Two Case Studies of User Experience Design and Agile Development. Presented at the Agile2008 conference by VeriSign, Inc.
Megan Leney; [email protected]
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Resources
Blogs and other Web resources
+ Abbott, Jennifer. (Accessed October 15, 2008). Agile Documentation: Help’s Role in the Development Process. WritersUA.: http://www.writersua.com/ohc/suppmatl/suppmatl07/abbott.pdf.
+ Agile Open California. (Accessed November 4, 2008). A self-organizing group that uses an Open Space forum to discuss Agile topics. http://www.agileopencalifornia.com/.
+ Ambler, Scott. (Accessed October 15, 2008). Can Documentation be Agile? Dr. Dobb’s Portal: http://www.ddj.com/184415786 .
+ Beedle, Mike, et al. (Accessed October 15, 2008). The Agile Manifesto. Manifesto for Agile Software Development: http://www.agilemanifesto.org.
Megan Leney; [email protected]
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Resources
Blogs and other Web resources (Continued)
+ Fox, Alyssa and Kramer, Meredith. (Accessed October 15, 2008) Mobile and Agile: The Floating Writer’s Survival Kit. Writer’s UA: http://www.winwriters.com/articles/AGILE/index.html.
+ Gentle, Anne. (Accessed October 15, 2008). How to be an Agile Technical Writer with a cool acronym like XTW. Just Write Click Blog: http://justwriteclick.com/2008/02/19/how-to-be-an-agile-technical-writer-with-a-cool-acronym-like-xtw/.
+ Gentle, Anne. (Accessed October 15, 2008). Writing End-User Documentation in an Agile Development Environment. Just Write Click Blog: http://justwriteclick.com/2007/07/02/writing-end-user-documentation-in-an-agile-development-environment/.
+ Gentle, Anne. (Accessed October 15, 2008). STC2008 Wrap up STC Summit trip report. Just Write Click Blog: http://justwriteclick.com/tag/agile/.
Megan Leney; [email protected]
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Resources
Blogs and other Web resources (Continued)+ Kuhnen, Eric. (Accessed October 15, 2008). Excellent and Consistent
Content Development through Agile and Scrum. The Content Wrangler Community: http://www.thecontentwrangler.com/article/excellent_and_consistent_content_development_through_agile_and_scrum/.
+ Maddox, Sarah. (Accessed October 15, 2008). The Agile Technical Writer. ffeathers-a technical writer’s blog: http://ffeathers.wordpress.com/2008/01/20/the-agile-technical-writer/.
+ Maddox, Sarah. (Accessed October 15, 2008). ffeathers-a technical writer’s blog: The Agile Technical Writer II. http://ffeathers.wordpress.com/2008/01/26/the-agile-technical-writer-ii/.
+ Wethington, Mike. (Accessed October 15, 2008). Day in the Life of an Agile Writer. The Content Wrangler Community: http://thecontentwrangler.ning.com/group/agiledevelopmentandtechnicalcommunications/forum/topic/show?id=2008157%3ATopic%3A29824.
Megan Leney; [email protected]
