Agile Myth Busters

Lance B. Young (Seattle Agile, Seattle APLN board member, Solutions IQ), Monica Yap (Wireless Data Services Global)

Discovery Sessions · Individuals & Teams

Monday, 16:00, 1 hour 30 minutes | Renaissance East

Prepare to use and learn an Agile process to help us debunk a number of Agile myths. You will gain experience in following an Agile process while learning how to combat common myths that you have or will face while discussing or practicing Agile. Myths often have a basis in truth in that someone has experienced it and told others about it. What makes the statement a myth is when it is believed to be an absolute when the findings are not universal or correct. Take the old myth that Agile developers are just Cowboy programmers who don’t want to follow a process. It is true that we have seen cases were developers use Agile as an excuse to toss out all processes and practices that they don’t want to follow. What makes it a myth is that Agile in no way supports or approves of Cowboy programming and is in fact a highly disciplined process. We have seen members of our Agile teams profess a number of incorrect statements that are attributed to Agile. We fully expect audience members to argue that some of these myths are valid and true and not myths at all. We will keep the discussion productive by following an Agile process to find solutions or cures for these myths within a one hour iteration. 1. We will post the myths on large Story cards on a Story board with one freebee solution/test on the reverse. 2. We will hold a planning session where the facilitators will act as customers to introduce the iteration and explain the stories. (15 minutes) 3. We will start an iteration where each table of participants acts as a pair. 4. Each table will send a member to select a Story to work on. 5. The table will work on the Story for one pairing session posting their solutions on stickies on the card and onto the Story board and selecting a new story. There should be time for three pairing sessions. (3x15 minutes) 6. At the end of the third pairing session will we do an iteration review where the customers will review and accept the results (15 minutes) 7. Finally, we will end with a retrospective, discuss and share additional Agile development myths. (15 minutes)

Lance has over 15 years of software development experience in a wide range of projects using traditional and Agile methodologies. Lance began using pure Agile development practices 8 years ago and has been using Scrum, XP, and combinations of Agile practices exclusively since that time. Lance is currently a consultant at SolutionsIQ in Seattle working on outsourced custom developed business applications as a Development Lead and Enterprise Architect. Lance is a regular presenter at free seminars (including Agile2006) and volunteer technical and process groups including; the Seattle Agile user group, Seattle Java user group, Seattle APLN and the Seattle chapter of the International Association of Software Architects. Lance’s current focus areas are bringing financial metrics into an Agile process and selling the business value of Agile practices to traditional waterfall companies.

Monica Yap is the Global Development Operations Consultant for WDS Global, focus on aligning the distributed global development teams with common Agile practices. Monica has over 7 years of experience leading Agile teams providing quality products through the use of continuous refactoring, unit testing, pair programming, small releases, and an evolving architecture.