Assignment 1: Your Best Backlog
For this assignment, you’ll develop:● A kanban board using the free online tool Trello to manage your sprint and product backlogs using previously developed (or new) problem scenario, epic, and child stories
Assignment Instructions
1. Write up one problem scenario, including the current alternatives. Feel free to use ones you’ve already created.
Answer:
Finding up to date IT reference documentation in a usable format.
2. Write up one of your epics and at least four child stories. For clarity on the next items, please number the epic 1 and the child stories under it 1.1, 1.2, etc. Ditto on reusing your previous work.
Answer:
1.) As Ben an IT technician I want to identify a part that needs replacing so I can decide my next steps.
1.1) 'As Ben an IT technician I know the part number and I want to find it on the system so I can figure out next steps on the repair.'
Acceptance criteria:
- Make sure it's possible to search by part number.
1.2) 'As Ben an IT technician I don’t know the part number and I want to try to identify it online so I can move the job forward.'
Acceptance criteria:
- Make sure it's possible to search by model of units. - Make sure it's possible to search by manufacturing date. - Make sure it is possible to search by type.
1.3) 'As Ben an IT technician I don’t know the part number and I can’t determine it and I want help so I can move the job forward.'
Acceptance criteria:
1.4) 'As Ben an IT technician I want to see the cost of the part and time to receive it so I decide on next steps and get agreement from the customer.'
Acceptance criteria:
- Make sure it is possible to indicate priority delivery option.
- Make sure overall costs associated with priority delivery option are available.
3. Explain: How did you decide that these problem scenarios and stories are the best items to include on your next iteration? How will you evaluate the value of the outcomes they create for the user?
Answer:
This problem scenario and the related stories have actually the highest value in comparison to other problem scenarios and related stories (Prioritization). It is very important that the IT technician is able to identify a part that needs replacing to bring the job fast forward and resolve his customer technical problem.
In this problem scenario and related stories the value of outcomes for the user could be evaluated by:
Necessary time identify a part that needs replacing without a solution based on above defined stories in comparison to the time identify a part that needs replacing with a solution based on above defined stories.
In case that the IT technician is able to find up to date IT reference documentation in a usable format in fast time he will be satisfied and works cost effective.
4. Re-watch the “Demo: Using Trello for Agile” video to understand how Trello boards function and review the Sample Problem Scenario, Epic, Stories and Kanban to get a sense of one way to set up a kanban board.
Answer:
Done
5. Log in to Trello or set up a free Trello account: https://trello.com/
Answer:
Done
6. Create a first column on the far left labeled ‘Product Backlog’. Note: The main reason for this configuration is to make peer reviews manageable. Generally, teams use a separate board to manage the product backlog and then to move those items into a sprint backlog board at the sprint planning meeting.
Answer:
7. Add cards for the (minimum) four child stories you wrote. Prefix the stories with their numbers from the submission above (1.2, 2.1, etc.) so that your reviewer can easily understand their context within your epics and problem scenarios.
8. Prioritize your stories within the product backlog column, so that you can “slice the lasagna” as thinly as possible and make sure that even if you don’t finish everything that you’re still
delivering something whose value you can assess with the user.
Answer (same Prioritization like in above Screenshot) :
a. Explain: What are the highest priority narratives that you should implement to create a coherent, testable version of the epic? Which stories from the epic are not critical to a minimum testable version of the epic and why?
Answer:
The highest priority narrative that should be implemented is the story 1.1). The IT technician
would be able to search on his own by a defined part number. This would be a first high value for the IT technician.
The story 1.1) is not critical to a minimum testable version of the epic. In this case there has to be ensured that only a search after a defined part number is possible (minimum). For example story 1.2) the search after manufacturing date, model of units or type is certainly more complex than story 1.1) and therefore less prioritized than story 1.1).
9. Create columns for the sprint backlog that reflect the steps in your development process. Include work-in-progress (WIP) limits if desired.
Answer:
a. If development is underway on this project, focus on making sure you’re reflecting the process as it really works .
Answer:
Successive flow:
1. Sprint Backlog: Stories that are determined by development team in case of planning
meeting (for example sprint planning at scrum) for current iteration (or derived tasks based on selected Product Backlog stories if development team works this way).
2. Working: Carrying out the the Development Activities. 3. Testing: Carrying out the Testing Activities.
4. PO-Review: Review of results by Product Owner after finish Development and Testing
Activities.
5. Done: Finished.
b. If this is a new project, think about what realistic steps you’d want to propose to your team for discussion, and why.
Answer:
The answer depends on the use-case of the new project. The steps should be individually defined for that specific use-case (Example: Technical Integration Project). And after that proposed and discussed with the team.
10. Answer the following questions about your backlog:
a. Explain: Why are these the right steps during the sprint? What should you focus on measuring and observing to assess the process and improve it?
Answer:
Measurements and observing of lengths of queues, cycle time and throughput are beneficial. These measurements and observations can determine how well the work is organized and if something could be improved.
b. Explain: Did you include WIP limits? If so, how did you settle on the WIP limits? If not, why not and how instead will you manage flow and avoid stack up’s?
Answer:
The number of stories that can be processed simultaneously at a process step are limited (WIP). For example if the process step Working is currently processing a story and the limit for this process step is two, it shall not be allowed to pass a third story, even if Spring
Backlog provides another stories. In this problem scenario and my opinion the development team has to focus on two stories simultaneously (small team) to provide results fast equal to the requirements of the story.
General: With the usage of WIP Limits it is possible to avoid stack up's.
11. Submit your trello board along with your written explanation for peer review. You can
a. Take a clear screenshot (or shots) and add it to your problem scenario/epics/child stories and explanations and submit as a PDF
b. Make the board public and include the link with your PDFed problem scenario/epics/child stories and explanations
Answer:
