I’m back to basics at my new job.  We haven’t really needed to oversee our project with process, not really, until recently. Things are ramping up.  We’re launching an amazing product and there are several opportunities on the heels of it.  Some of them may actually involve generating revenue.  We are a start up in every sense of the world: pre money, pre market.

Our new Process

I’ve used Scrum for the last few years, and with much success.  To capture and track work details, I’ve used Rally and, most recently, Mingle.  Both products are best of breed.  I’ve tried lots of others, none measure up.

Agile Software Tools

Here’s the easy way to choose which one to use:
a) If you are new to, or have less than a year or more of solid, successful agile experience and/or your team is of varying degrees of agile expertise, choose Rally.  Rally provides solid guidance and the tool fits the process very well.  By using the tool and following the extensive guidance provided, you’ll get better at your own agile process and learn more easily and quickly.  I would then also recommend some training from Rally, they are very, very good and very down to earth.

b) If you have been an agile nut for two or more years ad you KNOW how to run an agile shop.  Now, dont lie for my sake, you’re not telling me, your telling yourself.  If you really have a solid grasp of the principle concepts behind agile development process and methodology, Mingle is superior simply for its flexibility.  You can set it up how you prefer and the interface is very clever.

The Rusty Factor

So, which do you use, Rusty?  Neither!  I brought these tools to the table at my new company and got everyone to commit to using them.  They never did, but they committed.  Yesterday, Bill and I planned the remaining work we knew had to be done this month.  Even in an agile shop, deadlines can be set in stone, right?  We have a date to meet where there just isn’t any wiggle room.  He and I story carded on 4×6 note cards and then went across the street to the cafe to estimate.  An hour later, we had a very confident estimate for how much work we had remaining.  We brought this back and then leveled with the boss.  During this short meeting, I explained that someone had to enter the details into Mingle (the tool that won the dice toss).  Christian explained that he would rather call and ask where we stand than log into some tool, like it or not.  Actually, kind of like it.  When I explained that the tool gave us reporting and history and documentation, he said, "so what, who cares?" 

Forgetting to Think before we Believe

Up until that minute, I felt that being able to report velocity and back test estimates and track defects against features was important.  Is it?  Really?  Not really.  Its important to get the job done, do the right job and work as efficiently as possible.  Its important to pull your weight and grow so that you can earn increases in comp.  However, reports, burndown charts, etc. are mechanisms for managers to herd cattle.  They need to know which cattle have strayed and need a zap on the ass.  They need to know when the herd could be herding faster and when they can whip and when they should not.  However, a good teem needs none of this.  A good team is empowered and motivated by self interest that aligns with company strategy.  A good employee is one that wants to succeed as a business as much as the owner does.  So don’t believe the masses that you need reports and projections of velocity based on historical tracking.  Believe you need great people and nothing less.

So I am using 4×6 note cards on a cork board to plan and track projects.  How refreshing.

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 3rd, 2008 at 7:40 pm and is filed under Agile. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.