GET AGILE! (SUMMARY)
Get Agile! is a book written by Pieter Jongerius (et al.)
2. WHAT, WHEN AND WHY?
2.1 IT ALL BEGAN WITH WATERFALL
The Waterfall Model has the following steps:
Strategy > interaction design > visual design > development.
The main disadvantage of this model is not being able to react to problems that appear once the
project is underway or to changes to the assignment down by the client. This results in delay due to
having to redo certain deliverables or solve situations.
2.2 WHAT IS AGILE?
Agile is a way of thinking, in which you embrace the changes you might encounter and adept to them,
rather than following a strict scheme and having to deal with them afterwards. Scrum is based on Agile.
There are some Agile principles Scrum is based on:
1. Scrum should focus on the needs of the end-users.
2. Scrum focuses on embracing change and solving
problems while it’s still small (freedom vs.
commitment)
3. Scrum focuses on eliminating waste by
prioritization and short discussions.
4. Scrum allows the team to be self-propelled (each
member should be motivated to work)
5. Timebox everything to prevent dwelling and
encourage fast progress
6. Every sprint should result in a completed Figure 1 The Agile Manifesto
(shippable) product
2.3 WHAT IS SCRUM?
Scrum (originally a rugby term) focusses on the overall vision and the changes the team may encounter.
This avoids ending up with a product that no longer meets the user’s needs. Scrum is also multi-
disciplinary: different disciplines (designers, developers, artists etc.) work on the project at the same
time.
1
,2.4 WHEN TO SCRUM
Working with Scrum has the following advantages for the client:
Scrum delivers fast results
Scrum delivers high quality as the team has more control of the final product and work very
close with each other
Because Scrum focuses on making progress, there is a certain delivery assurance
Scrum embraces change, transparency and close communication with the client.
Scrum is useful if:
Your project needs a lot of reworking
Your projects tend to run over
The different disciplines involved in your project don’t work well together (Scrum forces them
to work together)
Designers design things that are difficult to build
Developers have problems implementing certain designs (Scrum causes disciplines to work and
find solutions together)
The project is slowed down by people who constantly want to have their say (Scrum offers
focus)
2.5 WHEN NOT TO SCRUM
Scrum is not useful if:
Your project requires a lot of thinking and realization.
The quality or seniority is too low
The client constantly has trouble making decisions
There is too much democracy and every decision has to be made with the whole team
The project has formal atmosphere and requires a lot of documentation
3. HOW TO SET UP A PROJECT
3.1 A PROJECT IS MADE UP OF SPRINTS
Sprint (a.k.a. unit)
A sprint is a unit of 2 to 4 weeks, in which a part of the project is produced. Sprints have tight deadlines
and running over is not an option.
Iteration
A sprint is called an ‘iteration’ when they are carried out when a project is already out there and the
sprints are focussed on improving the product step-by-step.
Product backlog
A list made by the product owner (client), which contains the things (user stories) they want to realize.
2
, User Stories
The independent units of a product backlog. Multiple user stories can be realized in one sprint.
Figure 2 The process of Scrum
Task
A task is anything that needs to be done to bring a user story to the ‘done’ state. Tasks are often divided
into the following categories:
Interaction Design and Usability checks
Visual Design and VD checks
Front-end development
Back-end development
Work for the client/ external parties
Copywriting
Testing
The PO’s tasks are:
Discuss results with stakeholders
Create, arrange and deliver content
Deliver communications calendar
Set up maintenance program
Arrange contact with third parties
3.2 SPRINT SETUP
Rules of thumb while planning a sprint:
A project has a fixed sprinting pattern: the sprint is always executed on the same days every
week (often 3 to 4 sprint days per week).
Demos and other tests are planned ahead.
Depending on the size of the project, the sprint takes between 2 and 4 weeks.
Sprint 0 often lasts as many days per team member as there are sprints in the project.
ÜberScrum
3
Get Agile! is a book written by Pieter Jongerius (et al.)
2. WHAT, WHEN AND WHY?
2.1 IT ALL BEGAN WITH WATERFALL
The Waterfall Model has the following steps:
Strategy > interaction design > visual design > development.
The main disadvantage of this model is not being able to react to problems that appear once the
project is underway or to changes to the assignment down by the client. This results in delay due to
having to redo certain deliverables or solve situations.
2.2 WHAT IS AGILE?
Agile is a way of thinking, in which you embrace the changes you might encounter and adept to them,
rather than following a strict scheme and having to deal with them afterwards. Scrum is based on Agile.
There are some Agile principles Scrum is based on:
1. Scrum should focus on the needs of the end-users.
2. Scrum focuses on embracing change and solving
problems while it’s still small (freedom vs.
commitment)
3. Scrum focuses on eliminating waste by
prioritization and short discussions.
4. Scrum allows the team to be self-propelled (each
member should be motivated to work)
5. Timebox everything to prevent dwelling and
encourage fast progress
6. Every sprint should result in a completed Figure 1 The Agile Manifesto
(shippable) product
2.3 WHAT IS SCRUM?
Scrum (originally a rugby term) focusses on the overall vision and the changes the team may encounter.
This avoids ending up with a product that no longer meets the user’s needs. Scrum is also multi-
disciplinary: different disciplines (designers, developers, artists etc.) work on the project at the same
time.
1
,2.4 WHEN TO SCRUM
Working with Scrum has the following advantages for the client:
Scrum delivers fast results
Scrum delivers high quality as the team has more control of the final product and work very
close with each other
Because Scrum focuses on making progress, there is a certain delivery assurance
Scrum embraces change, transparency and close communication with the client.
Scrum is useful if:
Your project needs a lot of reworking
Your projects tend to run over
The different disciplines involved in your project don’t work well together (Scrum forces them
to work together)
Designers design things that are difficult to build
Developers have problems implementing certain designs (Scrum causes disciplines to work and
find solutions together)
The project is slowed down by people who constantly want to have their say (Scrum offers
focus)
2.5 WHEN NOT TO SCRUM
Scrum is not useful if:
Your project requires a lot of thinking and realization.
The quality or seniority is too low
The client constantly has trouble making decisions
There is too much democracy and every decision has to be made with the whole team
The project has formal atmosphere and requires a lot of documentation
3. HOW TO SET UP A PROJECT
3.1 A PROJECT IS MADE UP OF SPRINTS
Sprint (a.k.a. unit)
A sprint is a unit of 2 to 4 weeks, in which a part of the project is produced. Sprints have tight deadlines
and running over is not an option.
Iteration
A sprint is called an ‘iteration’ when they are carried out when a project is already out there and the
sprints are focussed on improving the product step-by-step.
Product backlog
A list made by the product owner (client), which contains the things (user stories) they want to realize.
2
, User Stories
The independent units of a product backlog. Multiple user stories can be realized in one sprint.
Figure 2 The process of Scrum
Task
A task is anything that needs to be done to bring a user story to the ‘done’ state. Tasks are often divided
into the following categories:
Interaction Design and Usability checks
Visual Design and VD checks
Front-end development
Back-end development
Work for the client/ external parties
Copywriting
Testing
The PO’s tasks are:
Discuss results with stakeholders
Create, arrange and deliver content
Deliver communications calendar
Set up maintenance program
Arrange contact with third parties
3.2 SPRINT SETUP
Rules of thumb while planning a sprint:
A project has a fixed sprinting pattern: the sprint is always executed on the same days every
week (often 3 to 4 sprint days per week).
Demos and other tests are planned ahead.
Depending on the size of the project, the sprint takes between 2 and 4 weeks.
Sprint 0 often lasts as many days per team member as there are sprints in the project.
ÜberScrum
3
