Scum Tools (or Lack thereof)

Let me just say that on the tool front, Scrum leaves something to be desired. I know everyone says you only need a spreadsheet for the product backlog, sprint backlog, and burndown chart, but I don't wish to spend a day learning the finer points of excel.

I downloaded an excel spreadsheet by Craig Murphy , but it is taking me more than 15 minutes to figure it out, so I probably won't use it. The white board is starting to look pretty good.

Does anyone know any good tools or understandable spreadsheet templates? I guess I could sit down and figure out excel, but lets hope not...

Applying Scrum Gradually

I have been thinking about how I can implement Scrum at work without everyone on the project getting religion. I have some people interested, but no one has time (so they say) to change the way they do things at the moment.

So what I am doing in the short term is scruming myself. I know that sounds silly, but my plan is to be my own scrum master. To write the answers to the three questions every morning.

What did you do since the last Scrum?
What are you doing until the next Scrum?
What prevented you from doing work?

I am hoping when everyone else sees the progress I am making on tasks, they will want to jump in (with some gentle prodding).

If any one gone through this sort of thing, comments are welcome.

I will let you know how it goes (both of you ;) )

Anarchy vs. Democracy: What is Self-Organization

I was reading Macro Abis's BrainScrum and he has an article on Self-Organization. Some of his friends attended ScrumMaster Certification training and after the event the comment "I like the idea but I'm a control freak, I cannot leave he team in anarchy."

Macro's response to this is "I don't see self-organization as anarchy even if I agree that different situations ... need different degrees of independency."

Just to throw my two cents into this, Self-organizing groups of people are not anarchists. The most useful definition of anarchy in this context is "Absence of any cohesive principle, such as a common standard or purpose." Sounds like my last job ;)

On the other hand, a similar definition (again in this context) of democracy reads "The common people, considered as the primary source of political power." In other words, the common people organize themselves into a common political power. Self-organization, as it were.

So if you are scared of giving up control (personal problems aside), don't. As far as I can tell, at least politically, self-organization has worked out pretty well for me.

Why Scrum in the Army

Scrum, in my experience, is a powerful method of developing software in small, flexible groups. However, I am currently working as the software lead over fifteen developers on a communications project for the Army PEO-Missiles & Space. I am attempting to apply the principles of Scrum and agile methods in general to our project.

If you have never worked for DOD, let me tell you, that is not an easy goal.

Having the customer on-site is difficult, since "who is the customer" is a little vague. The user (or soldier in this case) is more specific, but often they are in Korea or Fort Bliss. Co-location with a Patriot battalion is a little difficult.

Now the three question daily Scrum is certainty doable, if we could get a task list solidified. With priorities changing daily, it is hard to get "the customer" to nail down what they want the system to do in the near term.

Also, the documentation we have to generate is almost a law from congress (and in some cases actually is). So I would like to get the computer to do as much of that as I can. If anyone has suggestions, I welcome them.

What I would like this blog to be is my lessons learned and (hopefully) some of your lessons learned. If you have worked Scrum in a DOD type setting, let me know how you did it. No use reinventing the horse.

Here we go...