Enabling Distributed Agile TeamsAtlanta Scrum Users Group
September 25th, 2013
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Shameless Self Promotion• I have been in and around agile for years• Recently joined LeadingAgile• Been a CSM, CSP, trying out for the PMI-ACP
to see what it’s like• Blog: agiledude.blogspot.com• Twitter: @timswise• Link up with me on LinkedIn
Here’s what we will do• Have fun!• Talk a little bit about distributed teams (10
mins)• We’ll play the negation game to gain a shared
understanding of distributed teams (20 mins)• We’ll reflect on our newly found shared
understanding (10 mins)• I’ll talk more about how to enable your teams(10 mins)
Distributed TeamsDefinition – Distributed teams are teams that have something preventing them from collaborating in person and face to face
Distributed TeamsYou can be distributed while working in the same room
If you don’t talk face to face, you are distributed
ComplicationsLet’s talk about them and identify a few more
ComplicationsTime - Time zones
By TimeZonesBoy (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
ComplicationsTeanga or translated from Gaelic to English, Language
By Seahen (Gnome-globe.svg Globe of letters.png) [LGPL (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/lgpl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons
ComplicationsTrust – Breeding ground for Us vs. Them
By Voir les pages liées (Modification de File:Collaboration logo.svg) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
What did I miss?• A bunch of things• Your turn!
The Negation GameDescription - This is a game of discovery.
Instead of asking how we can make things better, we'll ask how we can make things horrible. Sometimes it's easier and can even be a little fun to be negative.
ExampleHow can we make our pair programming partner miserable?
• We can refrain from taking a bath.• We won't brush our teeth.
NegationOur original horrible ideas…• We can refrain from taking a bath• We won't brush our teeth
Become good rules…• We will take a bath• We will brush our teeth
NegationAfter Negation• Establish “rules”• Try to get to a shared understanding or
state• Prioritize the shared understanding• Could produce action
Game Agreements• Be respectful, don't go too far• Take turns • Time boxed to 10 minutes • Write big!• Only 1 “ridiculous” answer allowed
King for a Day - Game
By Heinrich Klaffs [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Line up Line up Everybody Line upArrange yourselves from 1 to 10• 1 means that you would never use
distributed teams• 10 means that you would always use
distributed teams
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzlyQYn-BZE
Let’s Play
The Negation Game - ResultsIdeally, given this context, we will have a working agreement for different perspectives on how we want to treat others.
• We have been the distributed person• We have interacted with the distributed
person• We have all been distributed• We have had a distributed “twin”
King for a Day - ResultsWe have been a CIO that is struggling to determine why we are or why we are not doing distributed agile
Enablers
Why are you communicating?• Privacy• Team Collaboration• Collective Wisdom– Documentation– Code– Test Cases– Process
Higher Bandwidth is Better• Face to face• High bandwidth, high resolution, large screen,
hi-fi, always on connection• Low bandwidth, low resolution, small screen,
low-fi, dial / setup costs• High quality voice only• VOIP with poor equipment• IM, text, chat• Wiki, discussion boards• E-mail
Voice
F2F
How are you communicating?Since face to face may be out. Let’s try some alternatives.• Always on window for the teams• Wide angle web cams for team rooms• Flat Screen TVs for both locations• Small webcams for every person• Online white boarding• High quality conferencing• Skype or another alternative
Working Agreements• Agree on the preferred mode of face-to-
face• Display Good/favorite and bad modes
(texting, home phone, cell phone, email) and times of day / after-hours– Preferences will differ per person
Quick Wins• Put the distributed team members on
every speed dial for the home team• Using Outlook? Display time zones on the
calendar• Have a clock with each time zone on every
desktop and in the taskbar
The Communication KataGoal of reducing the time it takes to hold a distributed meeting• Before you start find a
buddy• Time box to 4 minutes• Begin: Schedule a
video conference with audio
• Call in• Share your screen• Share an online
whiteboard
• You draw• They draw• Save the drawing• Shut down the call• Shut down the video
Building Trust• Visits with social activities• understand realities of life in other locale
• Deliberately get over communication gap / fear
Some Cool Tools• planningpoker.com (everyone should have this)• ScribLink.com (Online white board)• Mural.ly (sticky notes, images, go visit, it’s
cool)• Board.net (Collaborative writing with
etherpad.org)• Scribblar.com (Online white board) -free for 2
users• LisThings.com (Free corkboard)• Coggle.it (Collaborative mind mapping)
Resources• http://www.leadingagile.com• http
://www.goodagile.com/distributedscrumprimer/
• http://agiledude.blogspot.com
Questions/Discussions
Upskill with Agile Training www.leadingagile.com/agile-training
Certified Scrum Product Owner Orlando, FL October 10-11Certified ScrumMaster Atlanta, GA October 17-
18Certified Scrum Product Owner Denver, CO October 24-25Certified Scrum Product Owner Washington,
DCNovember 4-5
Agile Certified Professional (PMI-ACP)
Orlando, FL November 18-19
Certified ScrumMaster Orlando, FL December 2-3Agile Certified Professional (PMI-ACP)
Atlanta, GA December 5-6
Agile Certified Professional (PMI-ACP)
Washington, DC
December 9-10
Certified ScrumMaster Atlanta, GA December 12-13
Certified ScrumMaster Washington, DC
December 16-17
Agile Certified Professional (PMI-ACP)
Denver, CO December 19-20
Accelerated. Accredited. Acclaimed.