Agile Scrum for
Process Improvement Projects –
Case Study
Dr. Tom Sheives
Chief Unstuck Officer
Unstuck Company
tom@unstuckcompany.com
Yvonne Kish
Associate
Unstuck Company
ykish@unstuckcompany.com
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Pecha Kucha
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Japanese
20 Slides, 20 seconds per slide - timed
6 minute, 40 second presentation
No questions
Agile like – lean and short lived sprints
2
Objective of today’s presentation
• Overview of similarities and differences
between traditional project management and
Agile Scrum
– General
– Process Improvement Projects
• Case study of process improvement project
using Scrum
3
Fundamental Questions
Question
Project Focused
Methodology
Results Focused
Requirements are
vital!
Business Value
Traditional Project
Management
Agile - Scrum
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
4
Fundamental Difference
Question
High
Business Value
to Client – Early!
Change to product
scope is
Encouraged
during project
Traditional Project
Management
Agile - Scrum
No
Yes
No
Yes
5
Wheel of Fortune
Traditional Project Management - PMI
Monitoring and Controlling
Planning
Initiating
Closing
Executing
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Scope
Traditional PM
• Progressive Elaboration
Agile - Scrum
• Product Backlog and
Release Planning
0.0
1.0
2.0
2.1
3.0
Product Backlog
2.2
2.2.1
2.2.1.1
4.0
2.2.1.2
2.2.2
2.2.2.1
2.2.2.2
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Time
Traditional PM
• Phases, Gantt Charts
Agile - Scrum
• Sprint 0 – Planning
• X Week Long Sprints
Sprint 0 Sprint 1 Sprint 2 Sprint 3
2-4 week Long Sprints
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Cost
Traditional PM
• Estimated total – top down,
bottom up
Agile - Scrum
• More focused on business
value and ROI of product
features – cultural*
Highest business value features are “first” in agile –
business side must be more flexible with agile
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Quality
Traditional PM
• Quality planning, assurance,
control
Agile - Scrum
• Zero defects, test driven
development
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Risk
Traditional PM
• Risk planning, risk
identification, mitigation –
weekly or biweekly
monitoring – more strategic
Agile - Scrum
• Daily standup identify
barriers and risks –
reduction of impediments tactical
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Communication
Traditional PM
• Important – not daily to
team – status meetings
Agile - Scrum
• Daily collaboration – users
and customers
• Communication
• Collocate is highly preferred
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Procurement
Traditional PM
• Long Lead Items planned for
In procurement planning
Agile - Scrum
• Handled outside scrum
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Human Resources
Traditional PM
• Sponsor, project team
members, project manager
•Some cultures – Agile
might be stumbling for
them –
executives and middle
management have to buy
in to the
“flexibility” and the “less
overall total apparent
visibility”
Agile - Scrum
• Pigs and Chickens, scrum
master
Pigs
Chickens
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Integration
Traditional PM
• Change can happen anytime
• Requires impact analysis
(time, cost, risk, quality)
• Not as nimble
Agile - Scrum
• Changes in scope during a
sprint not allowed
• Backlog changes between
sprints
• Impacts determined between
sprints
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Initiating
Traditional PM
• Project charter
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Agile - Scrum
No project charter
Product vision statement
“Stakeholders” are vital –
collaboration is daily
Upfront agreements on
Scrum process are obtained
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Planning
Traditional PM
• WBS, Gantt charts,
communication plans, and
other plans
Agile - Scrum
• Release planning
• Sprint planning
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Executing
Traditional PM
• Many moving parts – not as
focused and targeted
Agile - Scrum
• Fewer “moving parts” during
execution – simplified
approach
18
Monitoring and Controlling
Traditional PM
• More on a weekly or
biweekly basis
Agile - Scrum
• Daily Scrum Meetings –
constant “monitoring and
controlling”
Rugby Scrum
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Closing
Traditional PM
• Lessons learned – end of
phases, end of project
Agile - Scrum
• Retrospective end of 2-4 week
long sprints
(product and process, burndown,
more attention, velocity)
How can we increase velocity*next time?
*Number of features or functions points per unit time
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Process Improvement Projects
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Traditional PM
Project Charters
Plan to implement multiple
improvements
Shorter projects
Low hanging fruit
Agile - Scrum
• Stay Tuned for next
segment of presentation!
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Dr. Tom Sheives Bio
Tom is a speaker, educator, consultant, author, and coach. His mission is to “Get
Project Teams and Management Teams Unstuck!” Tom’s new book
“OPPORTUNITY unstuck!” describes key principles discovered from his recent
experience in training over 175 executives in Project Management with the
Panama Canal Authority. Tom is also is on the faculty of the University of Texas at
Dallas and Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.
Contact Information:
Tom Sheives
"Get Projects, Processes and People unstuck!"
Chief Unstuck Officer – Unstuck Company
www.unstuckcompany.com
tom@unstuckcompany.com
817-465-1318
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Yvonne Kish Bio
Yvonne is as independent software consultant and trainer mainly working with The
Westfall Team and she is also an associate of The Unstuck Company. Her main
focus area is Software Quality Assurance and Test Management, Process Definition
and Improvement, Audits and Assessments, Tools Engineering and Test
Automation, Software Configuration Management, Training and Consulting.
Contact Information:
Yvonne Kish
"Get Projects, Processes and People unstuck!"
Associate – Unstuck Company
www.unstuckcompany.com
ykish@unstuckcompany.com
469-441-6149
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