This document proposes a hybrid agile methodology to address process pain points like unclear requirements, siloed work structures, and production inefficiencies. It describes using 15-day sprints for different project types. Each sprint would include planning, development, testing, and a retrospective. Communication would be improved through tools like Jira, Google Docs, and scrums. Specific solutions are outlined like using PRD/wireframe sprints to resolve requirements issues early. The goals for Q1 are continued adoption of the sprint process, improved reporting on metrics, and better program phasing and planning.
2. General Process Pain Points
Incomplete due diligence
Silo work structure lack of info/knowledge
transference
Unclear, changing requirements
Unclear deadlines
Production efficiency not maximized (some
overworked bottlenecking)
Difficult communication, frustration, confusion
Silo work structure lack of info/knowledge
transference
Lack of insight into burn rate/ROI
5. Our Needs
Types of Projects
Editorial
Verticals
Product-based software development
Infrastructural development
Deployments
Adaptability to quick shifts
Multiple geographic, product, cultural entities
6. From Silos to Circles
15 days, clear deliverables, clear
# Days? #Resources? Reqs included?
resourcing
Prioritized?
Aligned with company priorities
MNG JRC DP
Editorial Sales Digital
Product Design Dev QA Release
8. Sprint: 15 Days for Dev/QA
SPRINT 1 2 days Planning
8 days coding
4 days testing/reworks
Development
1 day Demo/Retrospective
9. Sprint: 15 Days for Product
SPRINT 1 SPRINT 2 Sprint 2 Projects Greenlighted
User Stories, Wireframes, Comps,
Other assets delivered
Development
User Story LOEs determined
User Stories/Assets Development
10. Sprint: 15 Days for Creative
SPRINT 1 SPRINT 2 SPRINT 3 Mocks/Clickable Prototypes
(when needed)
Developed, delivered,
Development
Stakeholder signoff
User Stories/Assets Development
Complex Mock-building User Stories/Assets Development
11. Sprint: 15 Days for Business Owners
SPRINT 1 SPRINT 2 SPRINT 3 SPRINT 4
Development
User Stories/Assets Development
Complex Mock-building User Stories/Assets Development
PRDx, wireframes Complex Mock-building User Stories/Assets Development
User Stories/Assets Development
12. Sprint: 15 Days for Rapid Deploy Needs
SPRINT 1 SPRINT 2 SPRINT 3 SPRINT 4
Development
User Stories/Assets Development
Complex Mock-building User Stories/Assets Development
PRDx, wireframes Complex Mock-building User Stories/Assets Development
User Stories/Assets Development
Full Reqs,
All prioritized
TAC Development
14. Transparency
Accountability
Predictability
Hybrid Agile Sprints
Process
Communication/Culture
Tools
15. Specific Solutions
Problem Addressed
Incomplete due diligence PRDx/Wireframes sprints
Unclear, changing User Stories/Asset sprints
requirements
End of every timebox/Sprint
Unclear deadlines Most req issues resolved during
Unfocused planning PRDx/US phases planning days stay
focused on execution.
Unclear status Scrums can be focused
Production efficiency not Increase in productivity
maximized Intra-team communication improves.
Product communicates to stakeholders
Difficult communication, Timebox + hours + timetracking = burn
confusion rate
No transparency into burn Increasingly accurate burn rates each
rate/ROI sprint
16. Other adjustments:
Creating Core Teams
Prod Lead attend team sprint planning mtgs, scrums
PRD improvements
Securing design sign-offs from critical stakeholders
Prod leads in defining success metrics by product
Google docs, Jira, scrums, skype (move away from
Basecamp, emails)
Stakeholders defined at the discovery phase
Teams defined at the top of User Story phase
Training in Agile/Scrum for PMs
Demos and Retrospectives at the end of EVERY cycle
UAT
17. Adjustments for Tech
Use of Core team in User Stories/Assets phase
Naming a Dev lead per team
More rigor around building cross-functional
teams based on project, not function
Increase lateral communication -
Jira/Google/IRC/Scrums
Increase creativity and ownership
18. Business Lead PRDx/PRD PHASE
Product Council
PRDx
http://intranet.digital Content: The idea
firstmedia.com/proje
and its value. 1st Tier
cts/
Answers the Approval
Bus Lead w/UX question: WHY
Wireframe
Product Council
Prod Lead w/Tech Final Approval
Strategy Leads Prioritization
Content Core Team
Initial Comp to aid
bus owners in Answers the
PRD completion question: WHAT Review & Acceptance -
(red flags-> SVPs)
Deploy plan developed
Prod Lead w/Tech KICK-OFF Mtg
Strategy Leads
PMO/Dir Tech
PRD
http://www.dfmproje Assign to TAC, Comp
cts.com/project/ cycle, or Standard
Sprint
19. COMPS/USER
Product Lead
(w/UX lead, Core Team) STORIES PHASES Key Stakeholders
Comps Content: The visuals
Answers: WHAT DOES Final Sign-off via
Product Lead 2 feedback loops
THIS LOOK LIKE
(w/ Bus lead, Core Team)
Ad Creatives
Product Lead
W/Core Team QA, PMO,
Content
Development,
User Stories, Answers the
Release
LOE question: HOW
(incl ads, Review & Acceptance
Product Lead analytics) for current dev sprint
(wUX lead, key
stakeholders)
All other
assets
20. DEV, DEPLOY, BREAK-
QA (w/Prod Lead) FIX PHASES Product/End User
(w/QA)
Test Cases Deliverables: Code, Final Sign-off via
Code Review, Testing Functional,
Dev Lead
QA environment
(w/ Dev team) Automated
Testing and UAT
Code
Deployment Team
(TAC, QA, SCM Mgr)
QA,
Field/Ad/Editorial
Deliverables: leads
Deployments Code, Content to
Beta, Live sites Review & Acceptance
of live sites
QA,
Tactical Team
Content: Field/Ad/Editorial
Reworks/Fixes leads
Fixes against reported Review & Acceptance
defects of fixes
21. COMMUNICATION
PM PMO/Production
Jira
July 11: July 27:
T/Th Scrum
Sprint commitment Sprint delivery
IRC
Sprint open/close reports
Updated Project Plans
PO Product/Stakeholders
Sprint open/close reports
Updated Project Plans
Monday Product Calls
Weekly Project Status doc
http://intranet.digitalfirstmedia.com/projects/
Email
Roadmap/matrixed against project plan
22. After project greenlight:
1. PM is assigned
2. Brit configures project in Jira, adds PRD to wiki
3. PO posts stakeholder/contact info to wiki
4. PO, PM, Tech Strategist reviews PRD/propose phases if needed raise any red flags
to Scott/Alison
5. PM/PO collaborate to complete kickoff doc, and deploy plan template
6. Kick-off mtg Core team, Design Deploy, Support lead, Ads, Analytics, key
Stakeholders
Discuss project strategy (TAC, Comp phase, ETA, Deadlines, Training, Deploy,
Phases)
7. PO writes first draft of user stories into Jira
8. Core team (PM, PO, QA, TS) mold the stories into manageable, product-based
deliverables, test strategy defined, prioritized general LOEs
9. Day 1 Sprint planning session agenda: 1) goals 2) task 3) commit
10. PMO distributes snapshots of stories/hrs set for completion at the top of each
sprint.
11. PO attends stand-ups
12. PO manages communications to stakeholders
13. PMO distributes snapshots of stories/hrs completed at the end of each sprint.
23. Q1 2012-13 Goals
Continued habituation/enforcement of
sprint/swim lane processes
Improved internal reporting (ROI, burn rate,
delivery dates)
Improved stakeholder reporting (ROI, etas,
changes)
Improved Program phasing, planning,
execution (Mobile, MC, Saxo)
Editor's Notes
#4: Transparency into what were doing, how were doing it, when were doing it -- across departments, offices, teams. Looking for ease of communcation. Reduced effortingAccountability: Leads deliver their reports, assets on time, be accountable what you hear in a meeting & follow-up. Each person really OWNS their product and project, EVERY team member (dont just accept the short-order cook role).Predictability in the whole process = increased clarity of project selection, increased productivity, identifiable burn rate, clear ROIsAll these can help us maintain a sharp focus on the DMI strategy and associated initiatives
#5: Transparency into what were doing, how were doing it, when were doing it -- across departments, offices, teams. Methodology and communication systems we set up with help with that. Accountability: Leads deliver their reports, assets on time, be accountable what you hear in a meeting & follow-up. Each person really OWNS their product and project, EVERY team member (dont just accept the short-order cook role).Predictability in the whole process = increased clarity of project selection, increased productivity, identifiable burn rate, clear ROIsAll these can help us maintain a sharp focus on the DMI strategy and associated initiatives
#6: Theres nothing inherently wrong with any of these methodologies, but we need to find what works best for us. As with every company, we have unique needs to meet
#12: Business owners are doing due diligence on contracts, all the information needed in the PRDx (dependencies, integration points, understanding needs of adops, editorial, 3rd parties, identifying stakeholders, etc) With the goals of 1) Delivery by the end of Sprint 1 to be Prioritization and greenlighting at beginning of 2, and then slated for dev either in 3 or 4 depending upon complexity
#13: For leads who needs to plug in a small (1 day or less) or emergency enhancement, or the strategic needs of the company call for rapid deployment of something within the 15 day time frame, we have a team allocated per sprint set aside to chip away at these projectsBig caveats: These enhancements need to be 1) brought with complete requirements, then 2) prioritized, then 3) pointed (LOE) While the prioritization order can be changed by the PMO at any time during the sprint, the team will always work off the top of the list, and the team will always log hours against each project.The risk is that resources will be pulled away from other strategic projects, and hurt the flow of other key initiatives. Must be managed carefully, and planned along with other projects at the top of each sprint. Hybrid Waterfall/Cowboy
#15: Structure for each leg of development T,A,PClarity on deliverables and deadlines for each T,A,POpportunity for collaboration Transparency, AccountabilityOwners for each leg - Accountability
#16: Addresses Pain Points:PRDx/Wireframes sprintsUser Stories/Asset sprintsEnd of every timebox/SprintMost issues are resolved during PRDx/US phases planning days are focused on development strategies, point clarifications, final scoping and scrum prepScrums can focus on what, what next, blockers. (I will help scrum masters sharpen these meetings to 10 minutes)With clear reqs and no context switching, increase in productivity Intra-team communication improves. Product communicates to stakeholdersTimebox + pointing + timetracking = burn rateROI projected by business owner, tracked by PMO
#17: Some of changes will be large. Some will be small.Some jarring, some incremental. I will aim for the least disruption, but constant improvement.Ill need a lot of help socializing this, habituating the teams. Within a couple of sprints, this will be intuitive, but it will take some rigor.
#18: Solidify due diligence, reduce context switchingThis person leads in brainstorming around implementation ideas, and execution Reduces lack of information, maintains focus on prioritiesIf youre banging your head against the wall for more than 15 minutes, reach out this will help us do that