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Agile Team Jumpstart Bundle

The Agile Team Jumpstart Bundle is designed to help your team accelerate the adoption of Agile methodologies. It provides you with seven days of on-site and remote coaching and mentoring, including:

  • Five days on-site coaching and mentoring (Parts I, II, and III)
  • One day remote coaching and mentoring (Part IV)
  • One day remote coaching and mentoring (between Part II and Part III)

Part I: Assessment

Day One: Team Assessment

Your Seapine Agile coach assesses your team's unique set of problems and Agile capability, using methods ranging from in-person interviews to facilitated workshops with both the project team and management. Your coach will also work with you to develop a road map for future needs.

Expected outcomes:

  • Understand your team's view of Agile methods
  • Understand your external stakeholders' view of Agile methods
  • Determine where the weak areas are in your team's current process
  • Make recommendations on moving forward

Note: Day One can be performed remotely, if requested. However, Seapine recommends an on-site assessment to get the full value.

Part II: Overview and Planning

Part II provides your team with an overview of the Agile philosophy and establishes a common understanding of what Agile is and what it isn't. Your team will also learn how to plan effectively. 

Day Two: Agile Overview

Your team will be introduced to Agile methodologies and concepts through a lecture and facilitated workshops. At the end of the overview, your team will have a better understanding of Agile methodologies and how they can be applied to your team's unique situation.

Expected results:

  • What Agile is and isn't
  • The effects of Agile on team roles
  • How to plan for an Agile project
  • Agile estimating techniques
  • Agile inspect and adapt methodologies
  • Reporting on an Agile project (stand-ups, burn downs, etc.)

Day Three: Planning

Your Agile coach sets up and facilitates your team's first planning session, which involves both release and iteration planning. Your team will establish their definition of "done", estimate stories (or product backlog items) in the product backlog, and establish an initial velocity target. The team will then populate their iteration backlog with the highest value stories that match their velocity target. Finally, the team will complete their iteration backlog by breaking down the stories into their subsequent tasks.

After Day Three, your team will perform the iteration work without on-site coaching support. Your coach will remain available for remote support via phone and web conference. While it's not required, we highly recommend that you include your Agile coach in your stand-ups.

Note: Your Product Owner is expected to have a pruned list of initial stories (or product backlog items) for estimating for the planning session. Additional consulting time may be required if the Product Owner doesn't understand how to create and prune a product backlog.

Expected results:

  • Determine product backlog priorities
  • Establish definition of done
  • Estimate product backlog items
  • Determine initial team velocity
  • Commit to iteration stories and break down into tasks
  • Populate iteration backlog with stories and tasks

Part III: Iteration Review, Retrospective, and Iteration Two Planning

Part III brings the inspect-and-adapt cycle full circle. The team should already be inspecting and adapting daily through their daily stand-up. A well-functioning Agile team will strive for continuous improvement, and this part educates the team on how to make the most of their learning to drive the project forward for the most successful outcome.

Day Four: Iteration Review and Retrospective

At the end of your team's iteration, your Seapine Agile coach returns to help set up the iteration review and facilitate the iteration retrospective. The purpose of this day is to make sure your team is capturing feedback from the project stakeholders and adapting their process for continuous improvement.

Expected results:

  • Demonstrate accepted iteration commitments
  • Capture feedback and roll into the retrospective
  • Perform the retrospective and identify necessary changes
  • Agree to adapt based on capacity for change

Day Five: Iteration Two Planning

Your Seapine Agile coach facilitates the team's second planning session, which is the day after the iteration review and retrospective. Unlike the first planning session, your team's Iteration Facilitator is responsible for running the session. Your Seapine Agile coach will be available for general questions and advice on next steps.

Note: Because Seapine is process-agnostic, Iteration Facilitator refers to a role similar to the Scrum Master role. You can name this role whatever makes the most sense for your organization. We discourage using the title Project Manager because this role often has a different function.

Expected results:

  • Provide continuing support for planning
  • Provide an on-site resource to support your team when they take control

Part IV: Continued Mentoring and Coaching

Part IV provides additional mentoring and coaching through eight hours of phone and web support. Your Agile coach will be available for scheduled meetings to answer questions related to your team's adoption of Agile. The time can be used however you like, but must be used within the first six weeks after Day Five is completed.

Ad Hoc Services

In addition to the Agile Team Jumpstart Bundle, the following services are available from the Agile Services team:

Visit Agile Services for more information.

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