Agile success demands a strong and stable foundation.

To incorporate an Agile methodology or practice into your SDLC with an expectation of shredding the rigid discipline of your current method is a sure path to failure. The common misconception is that Agility means lack of order, which is not the case. Agility in software requires strong discipline. In order to successfully implement Agility, you must have a solid foundation in the practices and procedures you wish to adapt and learn how to follow those practices correctly while tying them to rigid quality goals.

This workshop will give you the foundation of knowledge and experience you need. Get the techniques, skills, and tools that enable you to build Agile discipline.

Define the principles, advantages, and disadvantages of Agile development. Get first-hand experience by organizing and participating in an Agile team. Put the concepts you learn to practice instantly in the classroom project. Understand and learn how to take advantage of the opportunities for Agile. Finally get a detailed understanding and practice the collaboration and communication needed between customer and developers for Agile to succeed.

What You'll Learn

• Agile principles and how to build the discipline to support those principles in your everyday practice
• History of Agile and how the collection of principles and practices came together to enable customer success
• Agile methodologies, including Scrum, Extreme Programming, AgileUP,, Feature Driven Development, Lean Development, and DSDM
• Best practices from the various methodologies that will contribute to your team success
• Talk the talk: Agile terminology, roles, and forums with their context
• Walk, but not run; Walk through the processes that support Agile principles to enable the delivery of great products
• Begin to map the transition of your existing or enterprise-level processes, artifacts, and forums to Agile
• The power of Agile teams through communication, collaboration, and cadence
• Pitfalls that teams will encounter in an Agile transition and how to overcome those challenges
• Lay the foundation upon which you can build a learning team and organization

Who Needs to Attend

project managers, analysts, developers, programmers, testers, IT manager/directors, software engineers, software architects, customers

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this course.

Follow-On Courses

There are no follow-ons for this course.

Course Outline

1. Agile Overview: Why Agile?

• Agile Methods: Principles and Practices
• Agile Benefits: What You Can Expect
• Agile Teams

2. Agile Basics

• User Roles and Personas
• User Stories
• Acceptance Criteria
• Prioritization Techniques
• Relative Estimating
• Iterative Approach: Thin Slices

3. Agile Process Framework

• Vision
• Roadmap
• Release
• Iteration
• Daily

4. Communication

• Transparency: Establish and Maintain
• Main Path Communication
• Creating Collaboration
• Beyond the Team

5. Agile Approach

• What to Watch for: Barriers to success
• Agile Best Practices
• Agile Tools
• Next Steps: Specific to Your Situation!

Exercises:

Exercise 1: Forming the Agile Team

In this exercise, you will explore the unique factors of Agile teams and recognize the key factors for successful Agile teams.

Exercise 2: Transition to an Iterative Approach

Teams will engage in a fun exercise that will highlight the benefits behind why iterations work.

Exercise 3: Building Cadence

As with any process, the process should not be a distraction. In order to achieve that desired state, cadence is needed, team members must know what to expect repeatedly and consistently. This exercise will help reinforce the need for and power that comes with cadence.

Exercise 4: Determine What is Next for You!

Teams and individuals will collaborate with each other and with the instructor to determine what you can do to build upon the foundation established during the course.