Scrum using Microsoft Visual Studio Scrum 1.0

 

I previously wrote about the Microsoft Project 2010 Scrum add-on and how it lets you manage a Scrum project using the most ubiquitous project management software tool on the market.  Given that the majority of Scrum projects are for software development projects, it is no surprise that Microsoft’s latest software development IDE, Visual Studio 2010 has a process template add-on to do Scrum.  It requires Visual Studio professional and above as well as Team Foundation Server (TFS) to be running and configured to connect by VS 2010, but I found you can setup TFS locally running Windows 7 to test it out.

If your a ScrumMaster or technical lead managing a software project building Microsoft based systems with VS 2010, this is definitely something to look into.  One of the first things you are prompted to do is define the length of your sprints, then itemize those into a Product Backlog which are Scrum’s way of defining and creating requirements:

As can be seen from the screenshot, the default VS 2010 project template is built around making it easier for the developer to follow and track the Scrum method.  The process template is built around the notion of a work item that is a database record that you create in TFS to record the definition, assignment, priority, and state of work.

The process template for Visual Studio Scrum 1.0 adopts and manages these Scrum items:

• Product backlog item
• Bug
• Task
• Sprint
• Impediment
• Test case
• Shared step

More important for the ScrumMaster is the ability to automate, monitor and report the status of your project using visual reports.

Here’s a sample Release Burndown report:

Here’s a sample Sprint Burndown report:

Additional Scrum based reports include the following:

• Velocity (Scrum)
• Build Success Over Time Report
• Build Summary Report
• Test Case Readiness Report
• Test Plan Progress Report

The fact that Microsoft has provided robust and freely available add-ons to project management and software development tools for Scrum, illustrate how much the Agile method has caught on in the industry.

Project management maturity is often measured by the three pillars of success: people, process and tools.  And though tools in my opinion is the least important of these, once you get the right people and process in place, using the right tool can significantly enhance and streamline the management of projects and is why such tools as the above are worth looking into.

I’ll write about other solutions in future posts that enhance the management and leadership of Agile based projects.  In the meantime, let me know what solutions you are using.