Post on 11-Apr-2017
Principles of Effective Agile Project Governance
Building an effective Enterprise Governance model
Chris Davies@aterny
www.aterny.co.uk
So… Governance?
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What do you believe?
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Governance is essential for all projects in one way or another
Governance is not applicable in an
Agile environment
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The Project Manager
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Regulations & Standards
Why Govern?
• Ensures strategic alignment of IT with the business• Minimise the risk of bad outcomes
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Business-driven pipeline Project vision aligned with
corporate strategy Vision clear to all
Outcome-based metrics Iterative demonstrations Continuous improvement
Stable teams Roles and responsibilities Professional discipline
Active involvement Firm Foundations Iterative development,
integrated testing
Early, incremental delivery Requirement prioritisation Responsive to change
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Does Agile need governing?
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Agile Projects Fail too
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Characteristics
Of Bad Governance• Document-driven• Autocratic• Process heavy• Subjective• Inefficient• Often ineffective
Of Good Governance• Consensus-driven• Equitable & Inclusive• Transparent• Objective• Efficient• Effective
“Trust, but Verify”
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The Framework
8 Principles 1 Governor
Virtual Governance
Authority
3 Checkpoints
The 8 Principles
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Appropriate Accountability
Resource Projects adequately
Scale the Governance
Ensure Adequate Contingency
Planning Throughout
Transparency of Process & Progress
Outcome-based Reporting
Review Viability Frequently
1. Appropriate Accountability
• Professional Accountability• Who cares??
The Virtual Governance Authority under one Governor
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PMO?IT Security
Enterprise Architecture
Finance
Compliance
Infrastructure
Marketing
Production Support
2. Resource Projects adequately
• Commitment vs “giving it a go”• Ensure reasonable chance of success
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• Stable teams • Cross-functional• Active Business Involvement• All required skills
3. Scale the Governance
“That governance is best that governs best with least.” Eric Marks, CEO of AgilePath Corporation
• Self-scaling• Event-driven• Virtual Group
– Not static– No regular meetings
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4. Ensure adequate contingency
• Realistic contingency – time, cost, or features?
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Traditional Agile
5. Planning throughout
• ‘Just enough’ planning• Are plans sensible?
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6. Transparency
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Process and progress
Tools for remote collaboration
VGA members attend
7. Outcome-based reporting
• Beware an ‘alternate reality’• Report value delivered, not effort or activity• Consider the source• The convenience of iterations and user stories
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CompleteTesting CompleteIn TestingReady For Test-ingIn DevelopmentNot Started
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8. Review viability frequently
• Project environment is rarely stable• Are success factors still in place?
– People– Scope– Design– New constraints
• Use Agile cadence for checkpoints• Role of the VGA – question, challenge, assist
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Governance Checkpoints
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How Checkpoints work
• 30-minute audio-conference• Governor asks questions of the VGA • Checklist based, e.g.
Feasibility• All• Architecture• Business Sponsor• All
• Is the business problem understood?• Is there a viable solution?• Is there a business case for this?• Stop or Go?
Foundations
• Product Owner• Architecture• IT Security• Compliance• All
• Has the breadth of scope been captured?• Have you cleared the technical design?• Are security requirements captured?• Are regulatory requirements captured?• Is the Release plan sensible?
Deployment• Product Owner• Architecture• IT Security• Customer Support
• Satisfied with the value and quality?• Solution complies with roadmap?• Solution tested as secure?• Have staff been trained?
Building the model
“People and Interactions over Processes and Tools”
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Identify Governor and the VGA
Create Checklists
Schedule Checkpoints
Collect Metrics
Publish the model
Review the model
Embed the process
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The Agile PMO
Team
Remove Impediments
Facilitation
Training & Coaching
Portfolio
Dependencies
Help Business integrate
Maintain MI, reporting
Transformation
Tracking
Reporting
Conclusion
Agile is collaborative and iterative
Agile Governance should be too
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Contact me
Email Chris@aterny.co.ukwww.aterny.co.ukwww.twitter.com/aterny
• Agile Training• Agile Coaching• Transformation Consultancy