So today we are talking about something called Agile Modeling.
It is a concept that has been spearheaded in our industry by a guy named Scott Ambler. It is not some place for hot young women to send their modeling portfolios (when I worked with Scott, this happened on many occasions [if there are hot women who want to send me their pics please send them here (smile)]).
Sorry got a bit off topic.
So.
What is this Agile Modeling stuff and how does it pertain to Scrum?
Think about how we do things in Scrum (and a lot of other agile software development techniques).
We inspect and adapt.
Agile Modeling uses a lot of the same concepts.
Except this is looking at the documentation and modeling techniques within agile software development.
Something that Scrum does not really talk about but it something that is needed when actually developing software for a living.
There is a concept called Agile Modeling Driven Development (AMDD). More information about it can be found here.
Read it. Learn it. Use it.
Really. It is an incredible resource for agile teams.
One of the things that irks me (bad) when I walk into an agile team and they say, “Oh, we are using Scrum we do not DO documentation.”
What?
Ug.
Everyone does.
We do some type of modeling throughout the entire project lifecycle; this includes project initiation (or startup or “Sprint Zero”), during Sprint Planning, and on a just-in-time basis throughout a Sprint (Scott calls this “model storming”).
And this leads to Agile Modeling. Something more of us can all learn a little more about.
It will also help keep you out of heat with your “Compliance People.” You can read a little more about that here.
And what about this reference to Luke and Leia in the cartoon this week?
Ah.
You will have to keep coming back to learn more about that connection.
The plot thickens.
Have a great day!
Gotta run!.Please send comments, questions, criticisms, ideas, or whatever here.
You can also enter The Scrum Community to discuss this entry and other Scrum topics. Thank you!
January 8, 2008
This is The Podcast — the first one on www.implementingscrum.com — based on the blog entry and comic from this past Monday
.
And no, I am not going to tell Scrum Teams to “just ignore it, and it will go away.”
But I am going to challenge the system. At least a little bit (smile).
Before delving into this further.
Think about the importance of customers.
Really think about this.
Not “IT” versus “Business” or whatever you call it internally… but REAL customers who PAY your company REAL money.
In the beginning, as either an entrepreneur, recent university graduate, or single person…. you were accountable to basically you. And oh, the IRS (or whoever collects taxes). And maybe a puppy. When you delivered services you were paid.
Then…
You started growing. Your company added people. You were responsible for payroll — making sure your employees received a regular paycheck; and it had to clear. Or you got married (or had a civil union if it is legal where you live). Your puppy starting growing up.
Then, one day, you decided to take the company public. Or have kids. Your puppy turned into an adult dog.
All of the sudden, you look for your customer — remember, the people that actually PAY you for services rendered — and see that now you have a lot of oversight.
From “stake holders.” Be it the IRS, your board of directors, your shareholders, your clients, you internal teams, bla bla bla.
Where the hell did your customers go in all of this. Remember…. little Joe (or Jane) customer who actually pays the bills for all this new overhead? Hmmm… people lost sight.
Empires started to grow.
People — not resources (smile John) — that are paid (ultimately by a customer who uses your services and could give a rats ass about what happens behind the scenes) start building empires. And this is not just with public companies (sad, but true, and I have been there).
One of the many empires that emerge is something called “Compliance.”
There job is to create and publish policies, procedures, standards, guidelines…. bla bla bla. Your customers (who pay you) do not care.
Ah.
But another empire — the auditors — who compliance can then “blame” start making sure you are following ALL of the darn things that they (compliance) created.
This, my dear reader, is the agile police.
And, breath here….
It is a cost of doing business.
That being said, remember that you can be 100% compliant. And have no customers. Then what?
But… until that message gets across within your organization, here are a few tips:
1) Become compliant.
2) Stay compliant.
3) Work with compliance.
4) THEN… start questioning compliance.
I know. I know.
Compliance is important.
Very important.
Is it worth going out of business to be “compliant”?
I will leave you with this.
For now.
Gotta run…
Oh…. want to hear the Podcast of this entry? Click The Podcast.
Please send comments, questions, criticisms, ideas, or whatever here.
You can also enter The Scrum Community to discuss this entry and other Scrum topics. Thank you!
April 9, 2007
