Managing Agile Open-Source Software Projects with Visual Studio Online by Brian Blackman & Gordon Beeming & Michael Fourie & Willy-Peter Schaub

Author:Brian Blackman & Gordon Beeming & Michael Fourie & Willy-Peter Schaub
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Microsoft Press
Published: 2015-06-20T16:00:00+00:00

In a disconnected scenario, the pilot relies on information transferred back from the remote device. The receipt and analysis of information and the reaction to it is therefore less than optimal. The overall success depends on the accurate and timely sharing of information needed to make critical decisions. Whether a space probe enters the correct orbit, burns up in the atmosphere, or explodes in a fiery impact often depends on split-second decisions based on information received with huge transmission latency.

Similarly, the Project Lead, Product Owner, Program Manager, and Scrum Master all depend on the transparent, accurate, and timely sharing of information and collaboration by the geographically distributed and part-time team members.

Transparency, reflection, and continuous improvement are the core pillars. If we get accurate information on time, if nothing remains hidden, and we have reliable team collaboration, we have the three fundamental pillars of Lean thinking. We will be in a good position to inspect, adapt, and improve, with an understanding that everyone is and will continue to make mistakes. The team rises or falls as one self-organized hive!

Transparency also avoids the common scenarios of the black hole, rude awakenings, and perpetual scope creep. Nightmares we are aware of but avoid:

• Black hole Team members vanish off the radar, leaving the leadership and the rest of the team without the information they need to reflect and innovate. If we have team members with the “black hole” syndrome, we transition them to other projects as quickly as possible.

• Rude awakening The team iterates without transparency and enjoys a false sense of security. As the team approaches the end of the sprint, it becomes apparent that there will be no demo or working software, but instead a sudden spike of issues and impediments.

• Perpetual scope creep The team continuously reacts to scope creep. The result is usually a need to renegotiate scope, quality, and expectations and also reset a sprint or even the release.

We work with the team’s Scrum Master when we encounter signs of these nightmares. With patient yet tenacious mentorship, even teams new to the distributed, part-time, and virtual collaboration environment will adapt.

Be honest. With which of these team environments would us feel most comfortable? The one just described or the one with positive traits that we know about and should encourage:

• Self-organization allows the team to get their work done, deliver value, and do so iteratively.

• Trust allows the leadership to let teams go about their business with the knowledge that they will deliver business value regularly and raise all issues and impediments when and as they arise.

• Transparency ensures visibility of the good, the bad, and the ugly. While everyone loves smooth sailing trips, storms and unexpected challenges will emerge. With transparency, we are not alone when we need to ask for help. In fact, if we have a transparent and passionate team, we will be asked whether we need help before we have an opportunity to ask.

• Simplistic mindset keep it simple! Ship something as soon and as often as possible.

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