I work with a web development team where the majority of our workload comes from retainer-based contracts.
To that end, our projects do not have a start or end point. While we have an idea of the roadmap for each, the issues tend to be raised by the client on an ad hoc basis and will have a duration somewhere between 10 minutes to 1 month. An average day will see our developers working on a number of issues, in a number of projects, for a number of clients.
To date, this model has proven successful for both the agency and our clients. We are a close-knit team and our clients enjoy a personal, highly responsive service. However, with the agency now starting to expand it’s clear we need to introduce a greater level of management … but! … I don’t see our workflow typically fitting into a sprint-based methodology.
I’m currently researching our options but progress is slow, would be grateful for recommendations of methodologies that might work well for our type of retainer-based development Saving Changes...
One place to look is the Disciplined Agile delivery lifecyles. There are a variety to choose from including continuous delivery, lean, program, etc. They depend on things like team size, type of funding, risk, frequency of delivery, etc.
As you are expanding, DA is also intended to be scaleable.
I'd echo Keith's recommendation to investigate DA, but based on what you've heard, it feels like a Kanban approach might be a better fit as the focus will be on maximizing the flow of value through your team. You could look at prokanban.org to get some online resources...
Kiron
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1 reply by Keith Novak
Aug 05, 2022 5:02 PM
Keith Novak
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In the DA toolkit, the Lean lifecycle is based on Kanban. They've sort of combined a lot of concepts from across industry into their one-stop-shopping methodology, along with their own terminology that uses familiar terminology but not always the familiar definitions for the terms.
I'm guessing that you're dealing with varying lifecycles and ways of working at your clients that impact when updates/fixes can be released. To add to what's already been stated, you might also look into Theory of Constraints for insight into dealing with bottlenecks and conflicting release windows. Saving Changes...
I'd echo Keith's recommendation to investigate DA, but based on what you've heard, it feels like a Kanban approach might be a better fit as the focus will be on maximizing the flow of value through your team. You could look at prokanban.org to get some online resources...
Kiron
In the DA toolkit, the Lean lifecycle is based on Kanban. They've sort of combined a lot of concepts from across industry into their one-stop-shopping methodology, along with their own terminology that uses familiar terminology but not always the familiar definitions for the terms. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
It seems your work is more flow oriented then, just in case the use of a method adds value, is more Kanban oriented just to name here something that is a new "buzzword" in the market. But pay attention: Kanban is a whole method not a beautiful board with colorful papers into it. If you like to use your own way of doing this things then what you talked about above is more "maintenance oriented" then you will find a lot of good literature incluiding a method itself if you search inside the IEEE standards or SEI CMU papers. Saving Changes...
Thank you all for your kind feedback. I'm looking into DA now. Looks very interesting Saving Changes...
Latha Thamma reddiSr Product and Portfolio Management (Automation Innovation)| DXC TechnologyMckinney, Tx, United States
Given that your web development team works primarily on retainer-based contracts, it is important to adopt a project management methodology that suits the specific nature of your work. Here are some recommendations of methodologies that may work well for your team:
Agile Methodology: Agile is a popular project management methodology that is ideal for retainer-based development projects. This approach focuses on iterative development, with teams working in short sprints to deliver incremental updates to the project. Agile methodology provides flexibility, enables close collaboration between the development team and the client, and promotes continuous feedback and improvement.
Kanban Methodology: Kanban is another methodology that can be well-suited for retainer-based development projects. This approach involves visualizing the workflow and creating a clear process for managing work in progress. Kanban methodology emphasizes continuous improvement, enables teams to manage their work more efficiently, and can provide transparency to clients on project progress.
Lean Methodology: Lean methodology is focused on maximizing value and minimizing waste. For a retainer-based development team, this methodology can help ensure that the team is focused on delivering the most valuable work to clients, while also eliminating any unnecessary work that may not add value to the project. Lean methodology promotes continuous improvement, encourages collaboration and teamwork, and can help reduce the risk of overburdening team members with unnecessary tasks.
In summary, Agile, Kanban, and Lean methodologies can all be suitable options for a web development team working on retainer-based contracts. The key is to choose the methodology that best fits your team's specific needs and project requirements, while also enabling you to deliver high-quality work to your clients. Saving Changes...
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