Comments on: From sprints to pull-based flow http://lostechies.com/jimmybogard/2011/05/13/from-sprints-to-pull-based-flow/ Strong opinions, weakly held Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:39:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Tom Gutteridge http://lostechies.com/jimmybogard/2011/05/13/from-sprints-to-pull-based-flow/#comment-3650 Tom Gutteridge Tue, 02 Aug 2011 02:41:00 +0000 http://lostechies.com/jimmybogard/2011/05/13/from-sprints-to-pull-based-flow/#comment-3650 I see your point and I like the analogy (though I haven't seen the episode). However, I don't think it should be "someone else" who ratchets up the pace. Rather the team, encouraged by the warm reception of last sprint's pies, agree to try and cook up an even more impressive feast this time around. If, come sprint review, not everyone has been fed they can choose to rein in their ambitions a touch. This shouldn't be seen as a failure, after all they still baked some fine pies! It's all part of inspection and adaption. It's not necessarily that they slacked off. Perhaps, for example, their estimates were a little out. With the additional knowledge they've gained, estimates for subsequent similar tasks should be more accurate. I see your point and I like the analogy (though I haven’t seen the episode). However, I don’t think it should be “someone else” who ratchets up the pace. Rather the team, encouraged by the warm reception of last sprint’s pies, agree to try and cook up an even more impressive feast this time around. If, come sprint review, not everyone has been fed they can choose to rein in their ambitions a touch. This shouldn’t be seen as a failure, after all they still baked some fine pies! It’s all part of inspection and adaption. It’s not necessarily that they slacked off. Perhaps, for example, their estimates were a little out. With the additional knowledge they’ve gained, estimates for subsequent similar tasks should be more accurate.

]]> By: Jimmy Bogard http://lostechies.com/jimmybogard/2011/05/13/from-sprints-to-pull-based-flow/#comment-3648 Jimmy Bogard Tue, 02 Aug 2011 02:20:00 +0000 http://lostechies.com/jimmybogard/2011/05/13/from-sprints-to-pull-based-flow/#comment-3648 Ever see that classic I Love Lucy where Lucy is making the pies and the machine gradually speeds up? That's what I felt like when the sprint point commitment was raised after the team did well. The team never felt like they won, just that someone else had ratcheted up the pace. Ever see that classic I Love Lucy where Lucy is making the pies and the machine gradually speeds up? That’s what I felt like when the sprint point commitment was raised after the team did well. The team never felt like they won, just that someone else had ratcheted up the pace.

]]> By: Tom http://lostechies.com/jimmybogard/2011/05/13/from-sprints-to-pull-based-flow/#comment-3647 Tom Tue, 02 Aug 2011 00:45:00 +0000 http://lostechies.com/jimmybogard/2011/05/13/from-sprints-to-pull-based-flow/#comment-3647 Interesting post. Thanks Jimmy. If I may add my reaction: Scrum is a pull-based flow. It's just that work is pulled in chunks. This allows you to set and work towards goals of a convenient granularity. Plus, it provides a routine for assessing and demonstrating progress and reflecting on the process. I think it's more fun than the relentless monotony of Kanban ;) If they are repeatedly completing all the stories in each sprint with time to spare then I'd expect the team to commit to more points in the next sprint. There's nothing wrong with identifying a couple of bonus stories that don't form an essential part of the Sprint goal but you'll start work on if all goes well. Interesting post. Thanks Jimmy. If I may add my reaction: Scrum is a pull-based flow. It’s just that work is pulled in chunks. This allows you to set and work towards goals of a convenient granularity. Plus, it provides a routine for assessing and demonstrating progress and reflecting on the process. I think it’s more fun than the relentless monotony of Kanban ;)

If they are repeatedly completing all the stories in each sprint with time to spare then I’d expect the team to commit to more points in the next sprint. There’s nothing wrong with identifying a couple of bonus stories that don’t form an essential part of the Sprint goal but you’ll start work on if all goes well.

]]> By: Anonymous http://lostechies.com/jimmybogard/2011/05/13/from-sprints-to-pull-based-flow/#comment-3400 Anonymous Mon, 16 May 2011 17:54:00 +0000 http://lostechies.com/jimmybogard/2011/05/13/from-sprints-to-pull-based-flow/#comment-3400 I couldn't say, I don't know enough about kanban to say one way or the other. This was really just based on that book The Goal.  I couldn’t say, I don’t know enough about kanban to say one way or the other. This was really just based on that book The Goal. 

]]> By: Anonymous http://lostechies.com/jimmybogard/2011/05/13/from-sprints-to-pull-based-flow/#comment-3399 Anonymous Mon, 16 May 2011 16:55:00 +0000 http://lostechies.com/jimmybogard/2011/05/13/from-sprints-to-pull-based-flow/#comment-3399 We sit at our own offices. The principals/analysts travel to customer sites when needed. With 1 or 2 exceptions, all of our clients are in the same city (by design), so that we don't travel. All stuff for a future post I think... We sit at our own offices. The principals/analysts travel to customer sites when needed. With 1 or 2 exceptions, all of our clients are in the same city (by design), so that we don’t travel.

All stuff for a future post I think…

]]> By: jlembke http://lostechies.com/jimmybogard/2011/05/13/from-sprints-to-pull-based-flow/#comment-3398 jlembke Mon, 16 May 2011 16:21:00 +0000 http://lostechies.com/jimmybogard/2011/05/13/from-sprints-to-pull-based-flow/#comment-3398 Jimmy, isn't this just Kanban?  Jimmy, isn’t this just Kanban? 

]]> By: Anonymous http://lostechies.com/jimmybogard/2011/05/13/from-sprints-to-pull-based-flow/#comment-3397 Anonymous Mon, 16 May 2011 13:00:00 +0000 http://lostechies.com/jimmybogard/2011/05/13/from-sprints-to-pull-based-flow/#comment-3397 Yes, and it's one of the reasons we adopted 10% self-improvement time.   Yes, and it’s one of the reasons we adopted 10% self-improvement time.  

]]> By: Frank L. Quednau http://lostechies.com/jimmybogard/2011/05/13/from-sprints-to-pull-based-flow/#comment-3396 Frank L. Quednau Fri, 13 May 2011 21:45:00 +0000 http://lostechies.com/jimmybogard/2011/05/13/from-sprints-to-pull-based-flow/#comment-3396  Just wondering about some basics. Do you guys sit at your own offices, are you out at the customer? If you're in your own space, does the customer come daily? How far is the customer away?  Just wondering about some basics. Do you guys sit at your own offices, are you out at the customer? If you’re in your own space, does the customer come daily? How far is the customer away?

]]> By: Paulo http://lostechies.com/jimmybogard/2011/05/13/from-sprints-to-pull-based-flow/#comment-3395 Paulo Fri, 13 May 2011 20:19:00 +0000 http://lostechies.com/jimmybogard/2011/05/13/from-sprints-to-pull-based-flow/#comment-3395  Hi Jimmy! Just a little question: don't you think this pulling model _may_ eventually collide with the principle of "keeping a sustainable pace indefinitely" ? How the team members find time to self-learning, research, improvements, etc., if their extra-time is now filled with new stories? Thank you, and what an amazing  thought-provoking series of posts! --Paulo  Hi Jimmy!

Just a little question: don’t you think this pulling model _may_ eventually collide with the principle of “keeping a sustainable pace indefinitely” ?

How the team members find time to self-learning, research, improvements, etc., if their extra-time is now filled with new stories?

Thank you, and what an amazing  thought-provoking series of posts!

–Paulo

]]> By: Jonty http://lostechies.com/jimmybogard/2011/05/13/from-sprints-to-pull-based-flow/#comment-3394 Jonty Fri, 13 May 2011 16:11:00 +0000 http://lostechies.com/jimmybogard/2011/05/13/from-sprints-to-pull-based-flow/#comment-3394  We use that period of the sprint to analyse and confirm conditions of acceptance (in our case Given When Thens in Specflow) for the next sprint. Does that amount to the same thing?  We use that period of the sprint to analyse and confirm conditions of acceptance (in our case Given When Thens in Specflow) for the next sprint. Does that amount to the same thing?

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