As a coach, we see implementations of Scrum that could be improved, so that velocity increases (and fun increases) without anyone working longer hours. (And not with more stress either.)

1. SCRUM IN PRACTICE
“Retrospective, Impediments List, A3 and
Velocity: how we aggressively get better”

2. Caveat: Business Value
To be honest, a Scrum team can usually make the
biggest improvement by doing Business Value
Engineering better.
This means: giving them exactly what they want
(when they get it) and doing less (eg, per release).
This talk is NOT about Business Value Engineering.
This talk is about increasing velocity: getting more work
done in a Sprint (but not by working longer hours).

3. Not well enough yet...
We need:
Better Retrospectives
Better Impediment Lists
Better Business Case for removing impediments (A3)
Better use of velocity (eg, to make the business case)

4. We need...
Three things (in general):
A more aggressive attitude. I call it the Michael Phelps
attitude: Even though I have broken the world record in
this event several times, I can still get better.
A better sense of how all the Scrum values, principles
and practices support each other in getting better.
It’s NOT about working more hours.

5. Questions or Comments
I would like, and you all need, questions and comments
around:
Why haven’t we done this already?
How do we do it starting tomorrow?
Send the questions and comments to Tom and James.
Starting now. I will try to address them some for 15
mins.

6. Why aren’t Retrospectives
better?
Too many “pluses and deltas”
More focus on removing impediments
Make progress visible (velocity)
Make a better business case
Create a better action plan
The team must aggressively identify improvements

7. Velocity
Definition: Story points of stories that the Team gets to
‘done’ in the Sprint.
A decent metric of productivity
A way to quantify improvements, beforehand and to
measure afterward
And, a way to protect the team!

8. Better impediment lists
Make the list public
All contribute to prioritizing
Rank mainly by: what is slowing the team down the
most
Use cost-benefit analysis
Get more creative about impediments (need a
challenge)

9. Removal requires effort,
money, etc.
Removing larger impediments requires approval
We must get management involved
Lean’s ‘A3’ format/approach is a well-known method
for doing kaizen with management.
A standard A3 format: Problem, Solution, Benefits,
Costs, Next steps, Measurements

10. A3
We strongly recommend an A3 format (to get
management approval)
We like the A3 “approach” or method
You must make the case in person
You must measure afterward

11. Velocity
Use an X% velocity improvement to justify the change
Show later that you were conservative (and right). Build
trust.
Use velocity as a measure over history of changes,
improvements. Motivates the team.
Allow us to see when we (occasionally) make mistakes
(bad ‘improvements’)

12. Virtuous Combination
Public impediment list
Velocity
Useful retrospective
Aggressive identification of ‘best’ impediment
A3
Management support via the Impediment Removal
Team (IRT)

13. So, can we take action?
What more do you need to double your velocity in 6
months?

14. The End
Hope this helps you!
Please feel free to contact me at
jhlittle@kittyhawkconsulting.com
We provide agile courses (see LeanAgileTraining.com),
coaching, and consulting.