I've noticed that it's always a good time to go back to basics. So I recently took a quick look at some Scrum framework diagrams. In all of them, with minor variations, we can find: A vision A product backlog A sprint backlog Iterative sprin...

In a Scrum context, the definition of a “spike” is “a story or task aimed at answering a question or gathering information, rather than at producing shippable product.” In this article, Bill Ambrosini discusses how to manage them and when to use this activity. Spikes might be used for reducing technical debt or creating a “proof of concept”. They should have two major characteristics: 1. Have clear objectives and outcomes 2. Be timeboxed Some of the smells that might indicate that you need a spike are: * The team has difficulties to estimate the stories * ...

Atlassian has unveiled the latest version of JIRA, its project and issue management software used by more than 19,000 companies worldwide. Wrapped in a brand new, modern user interface, JIRA 6 features faster navigation and editing, simplified workflow creation and powerful mobile functionality so teams building software can get more done with less effort. To get teams up and running quickly, JIRA 6 is available OnDemand – Atlassian’s cloud offering – or behind the firewall starting at just $10 for 10 users. “We built JIRA 6 to make every software development ...

Scope creep is a term that I see being used by Scrum teams. I've always wondered if this term smells of inadequate Scrum implementation. It's an indication of traditional project management that's disguised in the appearance of Scrum. To explai...

In my journey from a small town and poor farmer family of India to the Big B's (Bosses) of the world's largest corporations, I've seen some strange behaviors. Whenever I set up an Agile transformation workshop or an Agile center of excellence i...

It’s fairly hard to know what solid testing is all about within Agile and Scrum teams. What traditional practices are fine to continue, which ones need modification and what totally new approaches are necessary. Moving from traditional to agile testing is often a high-wire balancing act to some degree with no clear direction. This video presents the critical lessons from teams that have successfully made the transition. We’ll explore the requisite team skills, how to deal with agile requirements, the right strategies for developing agile automation, how to plan and test ...

The concern about continuous improvement has been a constant at Facta TI since the company's inception. This concern made some practices emerge in a natural way, and they quietly became part of our days. In fact, they became so natural to us tha...

Let's face it: People skills is not an area in which the software development community has traditionally excelled. The very traits that can help a developer excel at technical problem solving can often make him or her challenging to work with day...

Backlog refinement is an important part of the Scrum team activity as it allows to gain a shared understanding of the work flow. Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) is a technique that use a business language to define acceptance testing (test cases) of requirements. In this article, Zia Malik explains how teams can use BDD to support product backlog refinement. At the beginning of each sprint, the Scrum team members and the product owner meet to discuss and write out the conditions of acceptance testing for the next-highest priority Product Backlog Item (PBI), ...

We know that self-organization is a critical aspect of every successful Agile and Scrum team and we also know that it takes trust, respect, openness and responsibility; so why many teams have a hard time to achieve it? Self-organization changes the dynamics between the manager and the team and between the teammates themselves. Resistance may arise and the source is frequently rooted in mental habits, such as a latent blaming culture, confusing guidance and command, fear of taking responsibility or losing status, unconscious agendas. Through real stories from the field and ...