Learning Agile: Understanding Scrum, XP, Lean, and Kanban

Learning Agile is a comprehensive guide to the most popular agile methods, written in a light and engaging style that makes it easy for you to learn.

Agile has revolutionized the way teams approach software development, but with dozens of agile methodologies to choose from, the decision to "go agile" can be tricky. This practical book helps you sort it out, first by grounding you in agileâ s underlying principles, then by describing four specificâ and well-usedâ agile methods: Scrum, extreme programming (XP), Lean, and Kanban.

Each method focuses on a different area of development, but they all aim to change your teamâ s mindsetâ from individuals who simply follow a plan to a cohesive group that makes decisions together. Whether youâ re considering agile for the first time, or trying it again, youâ ll learn how to choose a method that best fits your team and your company.

  • Understand the purpose behind agileâ s core values and principles
  • Learn Scrumâ s emphasis on project management, self-organization, and collective commitment
  • Focus on software design and architecture with XP practices such as test-first and pair programming
  • Use Lean thinking to empower your team, eliminate waste, and deliver software fast
  • Learn how Kanbanâ s practices help you deliver great software by managing flow
  • Adopt agile practices and principles with an agile coach
  • 1117797135
    Learning Agile: Understanding Scrum, XP, Lean, and Kanban

    Learning Agile is a comprehensive guide to the most popular agile methods, written in a light and engaging style that makes it easy for you to learn.

    Agile has revolutionized the way teams approach software development, but with dozens of agile methodologies to choose from, the decision to "go agile" can be tricky. This practical book helps you sort it out, first by grounding you in agileâ s underlying principles, then by describing four specificâ and well-usedâ agile methods: Scrum, extreme programming (XP), Lean, and Kanban.

    Each method focuses on a different area of development, but they all aim to change your teamâ s mindsetâ from individuals who simply follow a plan to a cohesive group that makes decisions together. Whether youâ re considering agile for the first time, or trying it again, youâ ll learn how to choose a method that best fits your team and your company.

  • Understand the purpose behind agileâ s core values and principles
  • Learn Scrumâ s emphasis on project management, self-organization, and collective commitment
  • Focus on software design and architecture with XP practices such as test-first and pair programming
  • Use Lean thinking to empower your team, eliminate waste, and deliver software fast
  • Learn how Kanbanâ s practices help you deliver great software by managing flow
  • Adopt agile practices and principles with an agile coach
  • 49.99 In Stock
    Learning Agile: Understanding Scrum, XP, Lean, and Kanban

    Learning Agile: Understanding Scrum, XP, Lean, and Kanban

    Learning Agile: Understanding Scrum, XP, Lean, and Kanban

    Learning Agile: Understanding Scrum, XP, Lean, and Kanban

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    Overview

    Learning Agile is a comprehensive guide to the most popular agile methods, written in a light and engaging style that makes it easy for you to learn.

    Agile has revolutionized the way teams approach software development, but with dozens of agile methodologies to choose from, the decision to "go agile" can be tricky. This practical book helps you sort it out, first by grounding you in agileâ s underlying principles, then by describing four specificâ and well-usedâ agile methods: Scrum, extreme programming (XP), Lean, and Kanban.

    Each method focuses on a different area of development, but they all aim to change your teamâ s mindsetâ from individuals who simply follow a plan to a cohesive group that makes decisions together. Whether youâ re considering agile for the first time, or trying it again, youâ ll learn how to choose a method that best fits your team and your company.

  • Understand the purpose behind agileâ s core values and principles
  • Learn Scrumâ s emphasis on project management, self-organization, and collective commitment
  • Focus on software design and architecture with XP practices such as test-first and pair programming
  • Use Lean thinking to empower your team, eliminate waste, and deliver software fast
  • Learn how Kanbanâ s practices help you deliver great software by managing flow
  • Adopt agile practices and principles with an agile coach

  • Product Details

    ISBN-13: 9781449331924
    Publisher: O'Reilly Media, Incorporated
    Publication date: 11/30/2014
    Pages: 417
    Product dimensions: 6.90(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.90(d)

    About the Author

    Andrew Stellman is a developer, architect, speaker, agile coach, project manager, and expert in building better software. He has over two decades of professional experience building software, and has architected large-scale real-time back end systems, managed large international software teams, been a Vice President at a major investment bank, and consulted for companies, schools, and corporations, including Microsoft, the National Bureau of Economic Research, Bank of America, Notre Dame, and MIT. He's had the privilege of working with some pretty amazing programmers during that time, and likes to think that he's learned a few things from them.

    Jennifer Greene is an agile coach, development manager, business analyst, project manager, tester, speaker, and authority on software engineering practices and principles. She's been building software for over twenty years in many different domains including media, finance, and IT consulting. She's worked with teams of excellent developers and testers to tackle tough technical problems and focused her career on finding and fixing the habitual process issues that crop up along the way.

    Table of Contents

    Foreword xiii

    Preface xv

    1 Learning Agile 1

    What Is Agile? 2

    Who Should Read This Book 7

    Our Goals for This Book 8

    Getting Agile into Your Brain by Any Means Necessary 8

    How This Book Is Structured 12

    2 Understanding Agile Values 15

    A Team Lead, Architect, and Project Manager Walk into a Bar… 16

    No Silver Bullet 19

    Agile to the Rescue! (Right?) 22

    A Fractured Perspective 26

    The Agile Manifesto Helps Teams See the Purpose Behind Each Practice 33

    Understanding the Elephant 39

    Where to Start with a New Methodology 45

    3 The Agile Principles 51

    The 12 Principles of Agile Software 52

    The Customer Is Always Right…Right? 53

    Delivering the Project 55

    Communicating and Working Together 64

    Project Execution-Moving the Project Along 74

    Constantly Improving the Project and the Team 78

    The Agile Project: Bringing All the Principles Together 81

    4 Scrum and Self-Organizing Teams 87

    The Rules of Scrum 89

    Act I I Can Haz Scrum? 92

    Everyone on a Scrum Team Owns the Project 94

    Act II Status Updates Are for Social Networks! 109

    The Whole Team Uses the Daily Scrum 110

    Act III Sprinting into a Wall 119

    Sprints, Planning, and Retrospectives 120

    Act IV Dog Catches Car 129

    5 Scrum Planning and Collective Commitment 137

    Act V Not Quite Expecting the Unexpected 138

    User Stories, Velocity, and Generally Accepted Scrum Practices 140

    Act VI Victory Lap 159

    Scrum Values Revisited 160

    6 XP and Embracing Change 175

    Act I Going into Overtime 176

    The Primary Practices of XP 178

    Act II The Game Plan Changed, but Were Still Losing 187

    The XP Values Help the Team Change Their Mindset 189

    An Effective Mindset Starts with the XP Values 195

    Act III The Momentum Shifts 200

    Understanding the XP Principles Helps You Embrace Change 201

    7 XP, Simplicity, and Incremental Design 219

    Act IV Going into Overtime, Part 2: Second Overtime 220

    Code and Design 222

    Make Code and Design Decisions at the Last Responsible Moment 237

    Incremental Design and the Holistic XP Practices 245

    Act V Final Score 260

    8 Lean, Eliminating Waste, and Seeing the Whole 269

    Lean Thinking 270

    Act I Just One More Thing… 279

    Creating Heroes and Magical Thinking 280

    Eliminate Waste 283

    Gain a Deeper Understanding of the Product 288

    Deliver As Fast As Possible 295

    9 Kanban, Flow, and Constantly Improving 315

    Act II Playing Catch-Up 317

    The Principles of Kanban 318

    Improving Your Process with Kanban 325

    Measure and Manage Flow 339

    Emergent Behavior with Kanban 358

    10 The Agile Coach 369

    Act III Just One More Thing (Again?!)… 371

    Coaches Understand Why People Don't Always Want to Change 371

    Coaches Understand How People Learn 376

    Coaches Understand What Makes a Methodology Work 380

    The Principles of Coaching 382

    Index 387

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