Understanding Users in Non-User Facing Projects Non-user facing projects, such as infrastructure initiatives or back-end systems development, often do not have clearly defined end-users providing direct input and feedback. However, properly identifying users and crafting user stories is still a critical component of delivering maximum value. When direct access to users is limited, product teams…
Understanding Users in Non-User Facing Projects Non-user facing projects, such as infrastructure initiatives or back-end systems development, often do not have clearly defined end-users providing direct input and feedback. However, properly identifying users and crafting user stories is still a critical component of delivering maximum value. When direct access to users is limited, product teams…
Seeking Multiple Objectives Finding the appropriate balance between achieving short-term wins and making progress towards long-term goals is a complex endeavor facing many organizations and individuals. On one hand, demonstrating immediate returns provides validation and urgency for continued investment. On the other hand, focusing solely on quick wins can preclude meaningful advancements requiring sustained effort…
To measure the effectiveness of agile software development, organizations rely on key metrics that evaluate both the productivity achieved in outputting working features as well as the predictability achieved in forecasting future work capacity. Core metrics that quantify productivity dimensions like velocity and business value delivery must be balanced with indicators of reliability like lead…
Understanding the Challenges of Legacy Code Legacy code presents multiple challenges for teams adopting Scrum practices. Often written years ago without tests or documentation, legacy codebases hamper developer productivity, increase defect rates, and slow the delivery of new features. Before integrating legacy code into sprints, teams must thoroughly assess its current quality and documentation levels…
Defining Project Objectives in Context Defining clear, focused project objectives is crucial for ensuring alignment with wider business goals and strategies. Well-defined objectives provide a north star for teams to work towards and help connect specialized project work to overarching corporate priorities. Aligning with Company Mission and Values Before setting project goals, it is important…
Writing Testable Code from the Start Following test-driven development (TDD) principles allows developers to write highly modular, less coupled code that lends itself to testability. The key aspects of TDD involve writing failing tests first before incrementally writing implementation code to pass each test. This enforces a cycle of red-green testing that builds program logic…
Defining Key Differences Projects and products represent two distinct types of endeavors, each with their own defining qualities. A project is a temporary endeavor with a clearly defined beginning and end. Projects are undertaken to accomplish a specific goal or create a set of deliverables within a fixed timeline and budget. In contrast, a product…
Understanding the Reader Analyzing the target audience When embarking on an agile software development project, it is critical to understand the needs and perspectives of the target audience, including project stakeholders, product owners, and end users. Conduct user research to identify demographics, levels of expertise, attitudes towards technology, and pain points. Personas and user stories…
Identifying Bug Origins When a new bug is reported, the first step is to identify its origin. This involves reviewing recent code changes, checking if the issue replicates in previous versions, and understanding the difference between the intended and actual behavior of the affected feature. Reviewing Commit History for Recent Changes Using version control system…
