David Studer - AgileBusinessAnalysis/01_TEAM GitHub Wiki

What was my role in the project?

The objective of our ABA group assignment was to conduct general elicitation, requirements analysis, design definition, solution evaluation, software prototype design and software prototype evaluation activities regarding the identified customer need in an agile way. Based on the fact that there were no methodological prerequisites from the FHNW side (except of the fact that the project had to be split into three sprints), we did not only have to conduct the mentioned activities, we also had to define the way how we wanted to achieve them. Considering this information, there were many tasks to do and many needed project roles. At the beginning of the project, we as the team decided against allocating clear and static roles to us team members. We rather preferred a way in which everyone should take over different roles in different phases of the project to ensure that we can learn as much and as many different things as possible.

For my individual report, I divided the project into the following four phases: Project setup (Sprint 0), Sprint 1, Sprint 2 and Sprint 3. After the four phases, I conducted a short retrospective to reflect on my way of working.

Project setup (Sprint 0)

I was the only group member that already works in an agile project environment and has extensive project experience in agile software development projects. I worked for over a year as a software developer in an agile environment with Scrum and Kanban and work as a Business Analyst at a professional service provider since 2018. Early in our ABA group assignment, I took over the leading role and helped the team to form the project scope, project methodology and the overall objectives of the three sprints. Based on my experience in the role of an agile Software Developer, Scrum Master and Scrum Product Owner, we decided to conduct our project according to the Scrum methodology but with a strong focus on the lean principles of the Google Design Sprint framework. We identified the following roles: Product Owner, Scrum Master, Designer/Developer, Customer Representative and Content Creator.

Sprint 1

For the first sprint, I primarily took over the role as the Scrum Master together with Laura. We ensured that the defined methodology is followed and figured as the agile facilitator in the first team meetings. Like that, I was able to ensure that agile and lean principles are upheld and that the project team understands how our project methodology works in practice. Furthermore, I supported the other team members in the Product Owner and Designer/Developer role.

Sprint 2

During the second sprint, I primarily took over the role as Designer/Developer. The focus laid on enhancing the digital prototype. As mentioned, as a former software developer, I could add much value to the team in this more technical role. In addition, I supported the team in executing the other Scrum roles.

Sprint 3

In the third and last sprint, I took myself back and did not conduct a specific project role. The project team was already enough experienced to conduct the Scrum roles themselves and I could focus on enhancing the wiki page, doing some visual work and was only partially supporting the other team members in executing the Scrum roles.

Retroperspective

In retroperspective, I very much like our approach and how we distributed and exchanged roles. Of course we probably would have been more efficient and effective assigning fix roles to the team members, but we for sure would have not learned as much as we did on an individual level. Maybe my role could have been more passive at the beginning of the project, so that the other team members could have a bigger influence on the chosen approach. Anyway, I still like the way we managed our project roles and the results we achieved.

What was my contribution?

First and foremost, I was able to contribute value based on my already gained experience in the agile environment. Like that, we as a team did not have to spend too much time in organising ourselves but could start to quickly work on our product. In my view, my biggest contribution to the team was that I helped ensuring that we do have an agile methodology that is realistic within the project’s environment and that the methodology is followed.

Similar to the previous questions, I will split more information regarding my contribution along the four project phases. And again after the four phases, I reflect on my way of working.

Project setup (Sprint 0)

Before we started with sprint 1, I was able to contribute my experience with project management tools and agile methodologies. Based on my experience with the tools, I helped the team to setup and understand Git, the GitHub Wiki page structure and the Trello board. Over the period of the whole project, I had a look at the use of tools and tried to ensure proper usage. Other contributions regarding the methodology are mentioned within the previous question.

Sprint 1

In the first sprint, I predominantly contributed to the team with my technical knowhow. I digitalised our first paper prototype, so that we had a digital counterpart to already collect target customer feedback over the different digital channels. I searched for a proper tool to deign a digital mobile prototype as fast as possible and designed the first draft version.

Sprint 2

During sprint 2, I continued to further develop and enhance the digital prototype as well as ensured that the feedback from the sprint 1 draft prototype is considered in the enhancements.

Sprint 3

For the third sprint, I did contribute by visualising our survey results and by presenting them to the stakeholders at the Sprint Review meeting. Furthermore, I ensured that all required information for our group level report is present in an adequate way on our wiki pages.

Retroperspective

I am happy with my level of contribution. Normally, I tend to do most of the project work myself, especially if I know exactly how to structure and conduct it. I was afraid that this will be the same in this project, because of the fact that I was the only project member with extensive agile software project experience. In this project however, I contributed most of my work within the early stage of the project and was very happy with the level of my teammate's contribution in the course of the project. Therefore, I could lean back in later stages of the project and "let the machinery run itself". Probably, I could conduct even less activities myself and be more in a managing and supervising role. Still, I am happy with the result and how we got there.

What were my learnings?

Even though it was not the first time I conducted such a project, I could learn a lot. As mentioned in answering the first two questions, we conducted first and foremost activities in the BABOK's knowledge area of elicitation and collaboration, requirements analysis and design definition and solution evaluation (and based on the nature of the knowledge areas, we also conducted some activities of the other areas). For me, it was the first time to conduct such a project as the only person who already has experience in it. This was a new situation for me (normally, I am under the least experienced members in such a project). While explaining the other team members how such projects normally work and what we should do when, how and why exactly, I looked at these things in a novel way. This helped me to go back to the basics and look at certain things from a different perspective.

Nevertheless, my biggest learning was regarding our overall process and progress. It was incredible to see how fast the team adapted itself to the agile way of working and how much this improved the overall performance. Especially the fact the we tried to deliver as frequently as possible and measured the progress directly with customer feedback was immensely helpful for the project’s success. At the beginning of the project, this meant that we had to put a lot of work into our project so that we were able to (already after the first sprint) evaluate a first prototype – a prototype based on the elaborated and analysed customer need. We could gain many external insights from the beginning on and it was appreciable that the workload reduced itself automatically once the process and the team started to work more fluently with time.