Scrum Shortcuts without Cutting Corners: Agile Tactics, Tools, & Tips / Edition 1

by Ilan Goldstein

Overview

Practical, Step-by-Step Scrum Techniques for Improving Processes, Actions, and Outcomes

The widespread adoption and success of Scrum can be attributed in large part to its perceived intuitiveness and simplicity. But when new Scrum practitioners attempt to apply Scrum theory and high-level approaches in actual projects, they often find it surprisingly difficult. In Scrum Shortcuts without Cutting Corners, Scrum expert Ilan Goldstein helps you translate the Scrum framework into reality to meet the Scrum challenges your formal training never warned you about.

Drawing on his extensive agile experience in a wide range of projects and environments, Goldstein presents thirty proven, flexible shortcuts for optimizing Scrum processes, actions, and outcomes. Each shortcut walks you through applying a Scrum approach to achieve a tangible output. These easy-to-digest, actionable patterns address a broad range of topics including getting started, quality and metrics, team members and roles, managing stakeholders, estimation, continuous improvement and much more.

Whatever your role, Scrum Shortcuts without Cutting Corners will help you take your Scrum skills to the next level and achieve better results in any project you participate in.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780321822369
Publisher:	Pearson Education
Publication date:	07/16/2013
Series:	Addison-Wesley Signature Series (Cohn)
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	9.16(w) x 6.94(h) x 0.44(d)

About the Author

Ilan Goldstein is a globally recognized Certified Scrum Trainer (CST) with extensive experience working with start-ups, market leaders, government agencies, and public companies, helping them to improve their agility through the implementation of Scrum. He is a regular conference speaker, guest university lecturer, and founder of both AxisAgile–a leading provider of agile training and consulting services–and Scrum Australia–a national not-for-profit organization focused on growing and enriching the Scrum community.

Table of Contents

Foreword xvii

Preface xix

Acknowledgments xxiii

About the Author xxv

Chapter 1: Scrum Startup 1

Shortcut 1: Scrum on the Pitch 1

Shortcut 2: Fragile Agile 5

Shortcut 3: Creative Comfort 11

Wrap Up 15

Chapter 2: Attitudes and Abilities 17

Shortcut 4: Masterful ScrumMaster 17

Shortcut 5: Rock Stars or Studio Musicians? 21

Shortcut 6: Picking Your Team Line-Up 25

Wrap Up 31

Chapter 3: Planning and Protecting 33

Shortcut 7: Setting the Scrum Stage 33

Shortcut 8: Plan the Sprint, Sprint the Plan 37

Shortcut 9: Incriminating Impediments 42

Wrap Up 45

Chapter 4: Requirement Refinement 47

Shortcut 10: Structuring Stories 47

Shortcut 11: Developing the Definition of Done 51

Shortcut 12: Progressive Revelations 57

Wrap Up 61

Chapter 5: Establishing Estimates 63

Shortcut 13: Relating to Estimating 63

Shortcut 14: Planning Poker at Pace 69

Shortcut 15: Transitioning Relatively 75

Wrap Up 81

Chapter 6: Questioning Quality 83

Shortcut 16: Bah! Scrum Bug! 83

Shortcut 17: We Still Love the Testers! 87

Shortcut 18: Automation Nation 91

Wrap Up 98

Chapter 7: Monitoring and Metrics 99

Shortcut 19: Metrics That Matter 99

Shortcut 20: Outstanding Stand-Ups 107

Shortcut 21: Taming the Task Board 111

Wrap Up 115

Chapter 8: Retros, Reviews, and Risks 117

Shortcut 22: To-Dos for Your Sprint Reviews 117

Shortcut 23: Retrospective Irrespective 122

Shortcut 24: Risk Takers and Mistake Makers 129

Wrap Up 133

Chapter 9 Managing the Managers 135

Shortcut 25: Perception Is Reality 135

Shortcut 26: Our Lords and Masters 140

Shortcut 27: Morphing Managers in the Matrix 145

Wrap Up 152

Chapter 10: Larger Lessons 153

Shortcut 28: Scrum Rollout Reckoning 153

Shortcut 29: Eyes on the Prize 158

Shortcut 30: Shortcut to the Final Level 162

Final Wrap Up 165

References 167

Index 171

Editorial Reviews

Great books give you advice you can follow, and Scrum Shortcuts without Cutting Corners most definitely does. Written to suit newcomers or experienced practitioners who have a healthy interest in Scrum, the knowledge contained in this book can be game changing. Ilan Goldstein shares his extensive global experience to produce a well written and valuable insight into practicing and sustaining effective agile practices.”

–Kevin Austin, Agile coach and transition lead, Fortune 50 investment bank

“A software team succeeds because it has the right people who are allowed to do their best work. Understanding the patterns and anti-patterns (my favorite anti-pattern–‘test sprint’) in this guidebook will help you know who the right people are and how to help them work well. These shortcuts focus on people, and that’s why they work. Get your team (and the rest of your company) reading and discussing this today.”

–Lisa Crispin, coauthor with Janet Gregory, of Agile Testing: A Practical Guide for Testers and Agile Teams

“Ilan Goldstein has earned a loyal following in the Agile community for his no nonsense advice and practical solutions that deliver real results for teams. I’m thrilled that he’s been able to distill this expertise into a book that’s rich with insights and also very readable. I can’t wait to use all his best ideas in my own practice!”

–Pete Deemer, CEO of Stormglass and author of The Scrum Primer

“This book is an outstanding reference for anyone using Scrum to build software. Whether you are an experienced practitioner or a beginner just starting out, you’ll find something worthy in here that you can learn and apply right away. Ilan’s casual and engaging writing style describes perfectly the real-world challenges that you may face when using Scrum, and gives you practical guidance for working through them.”

–Ryan Dorrell, CTO, AgileThought

“I especially like the essay style. It invites me to skip around to find topics of interest, and makes it easy to find what Ilan thinks about things. Ilan takes us over ground we’ve covered before, but he gives us a fresh look at things. Very valuable!”

–Ron Jeffries, coauthor of The Agile Manifesto and founder of xprogramming.com

“Scrum is not a solution. Your solution will only become clear through a journey of inspection and adaptation. The journey is not straightforward, and you will make some mistakes as you try to customize Scrum to your organization. Ilan’s work for me is a Hitch Hiker’s Guide to Scrum, giving you insights, tools, approaches, and belief to support you. I really appreciate the openness in Ilan’s stories and how he shares his experiences. I don’t have to agree with every technique or idea, as Ilan is not trying to instruct. He is asking you to think; to challenge your assumptions and help you on your way.”

–Martin Kearns, Scrum trainer and national Agile and innovation lead at SMS Management & Technology

“Most books about Scrum are on theory and speak from a distant third-person perspective. They are hard to read. Ilan has created the opposite. He has created a book that feels like a conversation. I kept nodding in recognition at all the real-world problems he identi

From the Publisher