Scrum Fundamentals:
Analyst to ‘Agilist’ The Agile Business Analyst • By Louis Molnar
(C) IAG Consulting 2009
By: Louis Molnar
Learning Objectives • Level Set – Agile Manifesto – Mythology
• IIBA Skill Set • Agile BA Traits
• Inhibitors to Agile Analysis • Transition to Agile Coach • Growing a More Agile ‘You’
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Webinar is NOT about Definition/explanation of: • Scrum/XP/FDD/Lean, etc • Roles within each Agile approach • Most of tools/techniques • Terminology
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Agile Manifesto Manifesto for Agile Software Development 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 © IAG Consulting 2009 4
Mythology Myth #1: We don’t need to follow any development process … Agile Value Statement: “Individuals and interactions over processes and tools”
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Mythology Myth #2: We don’t need to do any documentation … Agile Value Statement: “Working software over comprehensive documentation ”
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Mythology Myth #3: We don’t need any customer sign-off .. Agile Value Statement: “Customer collaboration over contract negotiation ”
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Mythology Myth #4: We don’t need to produce any kind of plan … Agile Value Statement: “Responding to change over following a plan”
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IIBA defines a Business Analyst • “A business analyst works as a liaison among stakeholders in order to elicit, analyze, communicate, and validate requirements for changes to business processes, policies, and information systems.” Source: International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA®)
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Natural Fit for a Business Analyst? • “A business analyst works as a liaison among stakeholders in order to elicit, analyze, communicate, and validate requirements for changes to business processes, policies, and information systems.”
The Essential Business Analysis Skills • Analyze and understand the business problems • Identify and document requirements • Communicate effectively (written and spoken) • Manage client relationships • Facilitate discussions • Negotiate and build consensus • Model data and processes • Plan and manage activities • Facilitate and develop business strategy • Understand and manage organizational change
Source: International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA®)
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Agile BA Traits
Essential BA Skill • Analyze and understand the business problems
Measure Your Agility 1) Are you feedback driven? 2) Do you actively seek to learn? 3) Do you adapt your approach to problem solving? 4) Do you explore the problem space?
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Agile BA Traits Essential BA Skill • Identify and document requirements
Measure Your Agility 1) Do you continually estimate & prioritize requirements with your stakeholders? 2) Are you quality focused? 3) Are you communications focused? 4) Are you a documentation 'minimalist'?
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Agile BA Traits Essential BA Skill • Communicate effectively (written and spoken)
Measure Your Agility 1) Are you communications rich? 2) Are you iterative? 3) Are you using models as a communications vehicle?
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Agile BA Traits Essential BA Skill • Manage client relationships
Measure Your Agility 1. Do you integrate Stakeholders into your Team? 2. Are you 'change friendly'? 3. Do you demonstrate ‘servant leadership’ traits.
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Agile BA Traits Essential BA Skill • Facilitate discussions
Measure Your Agility 1. Are you a 'facilitator' of discussions? 2. Are you an enabler of groups ‘performing’?
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Agile BA Traits Essential BA Skill • Negotiate and build consensus
Measure Your Agility 1) Do you work collaboratively & cooperatively with others? 2) Do you act as a mentor? 3) Are you evolutionary?
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Agile BA Traits Essential BA Skill • Model data and processes
• • • • • • • •
Activity Diagram Class Diagram Constraint Definition CRC Model Data Flow Diagram Entity Relationship Diagram Process Flow Charts Robustness Diagram
Measure Your Agility 1) Are you satisfied with artifacts that are 'just good enough'? 2) Do you use the right model for the right purpose? • • • • • • •
Sequence Diagram State Transition Diagram System Use Case UI Prototype User Stories Usage Scenario Use Case Diagram 17
Agile BA Traits Essential BA Skill • Plan and manage activities
Measure Your Agility 1) Do you assist in the development of the Product backlog that utilize A.G.I.L.E. User Stories? 2) Do you help in the prioritization of the User Stories? 3) Do you assist/map out the release iterations? 18
Agile BA Traits Essential BA Skill • Facilitate and develop business strategy
Measure Your Agility 1. Do you treat requirements like a prioritized stack? 2. Do you help develop alternate business strategies for the problem domain?
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Agile BA Traits Essential BA Skill • Understand and manage organizational change
Measure Your Agility 1. Are you an effective 'assimilator'?
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Inhibitors to Agile Analysis • • • •
• •
Viewing agile as a serial or mini-waterfall methodology Focusing on expanding artifacts that you specialize in Focusing on documentation rather than communication Viewing your role as the 'bridge' between the 'business morons' and the 'tech weenies’ Protecting your territory "that's my job" & working to job title Getting stuck in the traditional BA paradigm
• • • • • • • •
Developing more documentation than is required Not realizing that models are disposable Having only one-way of doing things Unwilling to experience tasks outside of your comfort zone Not embracing changing requirements & continuous improvement Modeling in isolation Resistance in using collaborative techniques Not accepting & adapting to the fluid nature of the project
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Transitioning to Agile Coach • Develop & foster a productive agile Team • Leading by example • Educate the Team
• Over come problems using the PrOpER cycle • Build trust • Role model
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Growing a more Agile “You” • • • • • • • •
Covering the basics Share with others Get some training Make a plan Build your network Attend conferences User Groups Find a coach/mentor
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Recap • Level Set – Agile Manifesto – Mythology
• IIBA Skill Set • Agile BA Traits
• Inhibitors to Agile Analysis • Transition to Agile Coach • Growing a More Agile ‘You’
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Questions & Answers
About IAG Consulting Objectives 12 Years of living requirements excellence: Completed over 1,200 requirements projects Worked with over 300 of the Fortune 500 companies Trains over 1,200 business analysts annually Somewhat in excess of 700 clients using our methods
50 staff members all 100% focused on excellence in business requirements Annually invested 10% of our revenue in developing our methods, processes and techniques to assure that these are harmonized and industry best practices
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IAG Agile Scrum: Services 1. Training:
a. Certified Scrum Product Owner b. Certified ScrumMaster
2. Coaching & Mentoring:
a. Product Owner Coach b. ScrumMaster Coach c. Scrum Implementation Coach
3. Scrum Readiness/ Audit Reviews:
a. Readiness Review b. Audit Review
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Questions & Answers
Important Information Garry McGouldrick Senior Vice President
(
[email protected])
Eric Mark Regional Manager
(
[email protected])
IAG Consulting 905.842.0123 or 800.209.3616
THANK YOU
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