I am compiling paper on project management process model for Agile environment. I understand challenge of developing plan around Agile esp dealing with iteration. Does anybody have template / structure or guideline to facilitate PM for evolving a project plan and mpp in the environment. Would appreciate real life experience input on the same. Would share my paper when done. Saving Changes...
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Randy Bennettsr proj mgr| fiservCollegeville, Pa, United States
Asif --
I don't have a template, but I do have a process. I follow Scrum, so my process reflects that. I tend to create a task for each item on the sprint backlog. I assign all of the team as resources and make the duration of the task equal to the estimates that come from the Scrum planning meeting. I do this for all of the sprint backlog items covered in the planning meeting. That version becomes my baseline project plan. Since my shop uses some earned value (EV) as project metrics, this allows me to get some meaningful EV metrics.
I then take the EV metrics back to the burndown chart. I multiple the number of hours spent each day by the SPI to determine where to place that day's data point.
I am still trying to find the "best" way to use project in Agile/Scrum. So any ideas would be welcome. Saving Changes...
Stephen BeagleSenior Technical Project Manager| Cerner CorporationKansas City, Mo, United States
Randy, does this mean you have a new baseline for each sprint? I am very curious how others are managing their overall projects while using agile development methods such as Scrum. Since requirements are allowed to (and expected to) change over time, what do your WBS's and activity lists look like at the beginning of your projects? Saving Changes...
Randy Bennettsr proj mgr| fiservCollegeville, Pa, United States
Stephen --
Yes, I do, but my WBS is unlike any for other projects. At a high-level here is what they look like...
Each task on the WBS represents one deliverable off the sprint backlog. I do not break it down any further because I have decided that that way lies madness. I take the forecast duration from the user story or stories for that deliverable, and then plug in the date when the work on that deliverable starts, and list every member of the team as a resource.
I save it as a baseline in MS Project. The only reason i do that is to let Project calculate the earned value numbers automatically. After each Daily Scrum I update MS Project and then post the previous day's numbers on the burn-down chart.
I am always open to suggestions or better ways to do this. So far, theis is what has woprked for me. Saving Changes...
bobby singhSenior Project Manager| ConsultantMelbourne, Australia
Wow that is interesting i would be keen to see how you do this or how your project schedule looks. Does it evolve regularly?
I generally try to not update a project schedule. We try to plan our overall roadmap through epics and stories and try and identify key milestones to be achieved in those epics. (i.e. Billing Engine > Calculations (EPIC) > Stories (to make up the epic) = xxxx Story points. Taking this we identify key functional milestones (i.e. Monthly Calcs, Yearly Calcs - but this is dependant on the business prioritisations) We apply a velocity estimate to the stories and use this as the baseline to which we track against. (very high level and very uncertain, regularly revisited from iteration to iteration) We do not track earned value but try and gain a view on business value. (although i must admit we a still working with this)
We regularly review our velocity and adjust our estimates up and down and the bit we are trying to sort out is when is an appropriate time to assume that your original velocity estimates are incorrect and the project may impact on original timeframes. (perhaps after 3-4 iterations?)
I am also keen to explore this further and am keen to share what i have developed in an effort to try and get a good standard way of managing Agile projects? Saving Changes...
