Developing and Delivering Products Professionally [P1]: Emergent Software Development - Getting to Done: Balancing Emergence and Delivery

Question 1

How is delivery defined in Scrum?

Answer 1

delivery is a usable Incrementby the end of a Sprint

Question 2

How is emergence defined in Scrum?

Answer 2

• implies that all solutions to all problems will become clear as we work, not simply by talking about them
• need the ability to learn for experience and respond to what we are learning e.g. fine-tuning direction, change course, continue forward

Question 3

3 Challenges Balancing Emergence and Delivery

Answer 3

1) New work is being assigned to the Developers

2) Poor Product Backlog refinement causes the “what” to grow during the Sprint

3) Not discussing the “how” during Sprint Planning

Question 4

Explain the first challenge for balancing emergence and delivery + solutions

Answer 4

Dev beings pressure/forced to take on more more - breaks their focus

• Ideas for solutions
  
  • Scrum Master can helpprotect the Scrum Team from outside distractions
    
    • Team team rules of scrum - understand accounability and what decisions they own
    • Educate stakeholders about scrum
    • Educate PO about prioritizing new request in backlog rather than forcing into current sprint
  • team members can help by holding each other accountable
    
    • Team needs to question anything that isn’t in the sprint backlog
    • Team supports each other to say no
  • If new work emerges during the Sprint, theDevelopers and the Product Owner should negotiate
    
    • something else should come out if something comes in
    • sprint goal not changed during sprint!

Question 5

Explain the second challenge for balancing emergence and delivery + solutions

Answer 5

• ineffective product backlog refinement - finding out a LOT of key info during sprint rather than before sprint
• solution ideas
  • Consider having thefull Scrum Team participate in Product Backlog refinement
    
    • reduces misunderstandings
    • sized right
  • Definition of Ready
    
    • PBIs need to have an actionable level of detail
    • e.g. clear, feasible, and testable
    • status board to visualize readiness of PBIs
  • Scrum Mastercoaches the Product Owner on how to best fulfill her accountability
    
    • accountable for maximizing the value of the product and the work of the Scrum team
    • PO includes team in refinement

Question 6

Explain the third challenge for balancing emergence and delivery + solutions

Answer 6

• Discussing the “how” helps identify dependencies, gaps in skill or knowledge, and other impediments. All of these can kill a Sprint if not dealt with early
• solution ideas
  • Scrum Masterreinforces the purpose of Sprint Planning
    
    • kick off the event by stating the purpose and output
    • ask if the team feels we are making progress towards that purpose
    • ask if everyone feels that we have achieved the purpose
  • Scrum Master canhelp the team more effectively use the timebox
    
    • separate why, what and how timeboxes
    • how questions
      
      • “This is a large item. How can we break this down into smaller pieces the team can tackle together?”
      • “Do we have everything we need as a team to meet our Definition of Done and achieve the Sprint Goal?”
      • “What dependencies will drive how we deliver on the Sprint Goal?”
  • Break the Product Backlog items into tasks or to-dos

Question 7

What does the Sprint Backlog consist of?

Answer 7

SprintGoal, the selected Product Backlog items and an actionable plan to deliver the Increment