#atlassian

Anatol i Kazatchkov • Dev Manager • Atlassian • @tolks

Spiking your way to improved Agile development

• Anatoli Kazatchkov• Confluence Dev Manager

• Software Developer for 12 years• Shipped 20+ major, 50+ minor

releases of Confluence since 2007

• … but still learning how to write and ship better software

About Me

What is Agile?

Continues integration Pair programming

User stories

Story point estimationDevelopment Backlog

Test-driven development

Timeboxing

ScrumRefactoring

Planning poker

…

Sprints

Iterative development

Velocity tracking

Domain-driven design

Cross-functional teams

Our Highest Priority Is To Satisfy The Customer Through Early And Continuous Delivery Of Valuable Software.T h e F i r s t P r i n c i p l e o f T h e A g i l e M a n i f e s t o

”

“

Top 5

Spikes Short Sprints

Demos Dogfooding Shipping

Top 5

Spikes

Why?

B e n e f i t s o f a S p i k e

Get Better Estimates

B e n e f i t s o f a S p i k e

Clear up Requirements

B e n e f i t s o f a S p i k e

Eliminate Unknowns

B e n e f i t s o f a S p i k e

Define Scope

B e n e f i t s o f a S p i k e

Validate Chosen Technical Approach

This Should Work… E v e r y S i n g l e E n g i n e e r

”“

B e n e f i t s o f a S p i k e

Validate Chosen Technical Approach

B e n e f i t s o f a S p i k e

Split Work into Tasks

Key takeaways: #atlassian

!

• Better estimates• Refined requirements• Eliminated unknowns• Validated technical approach• Better organised and planned tasks

How?

H o w To R u n a S p i k e

What tasks appropriate for spikes?• Almost anything• Technically difficult tasks• Integration tasks with a lot of

dependencies• Time critical tasks where accurate

estimates required

H o w To R u n a S p i k e

Indicators that spikes will be useful

H o w To R u n a S p i k e

Indicators that spikes will be useful• Spec has a lot of questions

H o w To R u n a S p i k e

Indicators that spikes will be useful• Spec has a lot of questions• Working with new libraries, new code,

unfamiliar part

H o w To R u n a S p i k e

Indicators that spikes will be useful• Spec has a lot of questions• Working with new libraries, new code,

unfamiliar part• Implementation uncertainties

H o w To R u n a S p i k e

Indicators that spikes will be useful• Spec has a lot of questions• Working with new libraries, new code,

unfamiliar part• Implementation uncertainties • New team• Team cannot agree on approach/

estimation during planning

H o w To R u n a S p i k e

Establish Spike Goals

H o w To R u n a S p i k e

Establish Spike Goals

H o w To R u n a S p i k e

Schedule Spike as Task

H o w To R u n a S p i k e

Timebox Spikes

H o w To R u n a S p i k e

Plan Forward: stay 1 sprint ahead

H o w To R u n a S p i k e

Unplanned Spikes

How to run an effective spike:• Establish spike goals• Record spike goals• Schedule spikes as tasks in sprints• Timebox spikes

Start Spiking

S p i k e s i n Yo u r Te a m

You Do it Already

S p i k e s i n Yo u r Te a m

You Do it Already• When creating a tech requirements

document

S p i k e s i n Yo u r Te a m

You Do it Already• When creating a tech requirements

document• When architects designs system

interactions

S p i k e s i n Yo u r Te a m

You Do it Already• When creating a tech requirements

document• When architects designs system

interactions• As a part of working on a big task

S p i k e s i n Yo u r Te a m

Dedicate Time

S p i k e s i n Yo u r Te a m

Plan and Schedule Spikes

S p i k e s i n Yo u r Te a m

Avoid ‘Production’ Code

S p i k e s i n Yo u r Te a m

Avoid ‘Production’ Code

S p i k e s i n Yo u r Te a m

Specify Deliverables

S p i k e s i n Yo u r Te a m

Specify Deliverables

S p i k e s i n Yo u r Te a m

Demo Results of the Spikes

S p i k e s i n Yo u r Te a m

Throw Spike Code Away

S p i k e s i n Yo u r Te a m

Throw Spike Code Away

S p i k e s i n Yo u r Te a m

Adjust

Anatol i Kazatchkov • Dev Manager • Atlassian • @tolks

Thank you!