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Distributed Agile: An oxymoron?
elizabeth.keogh@thoughtworks.com
patrick.kua@thoughtworks.com
© ThoughtWorks 2008
Agile = Co-locatedAgile = Co-located
© ThoughtWorks 2008
Agile Manifesto Principles
Business people and developers must work
together daily throughout the project.
The most efficient and effective method of
conveying information to and within a development
team is face-to-face conversation.
© ThoughtWorks 2008
On-site
customer
Collective Code
Ownership
XP Practices
Osmotic Communication
Easy access to
expert users
Crystal Clear
(principles)
Active user involvement
DSDM
(principles)
Unnecessary Movement
Lean Software
Development
Waiting
Unnecessary
Transportation
Agile = Co-located
© ThoughtWorks 2008
Distributed = Different locations
Distributed Agile = An Oxymoron?
Enterprise Software
Large
Sometimes
Distributed
Business critical
Enterprise Software
© ThoughtWorks 2008
Complex
Heavily dependent
Our experience…
Large
Business critical
Sometimes
Distributed
Our experience…
© ThoughtWorks 2008
Complex
Heavily dependent
Distributed development looks easy
© ThoughtWorks 2008
Distributed development looks easy
(a slightly fictional story)
Once upon a time…Once upon a time…
© ThoughtWorks 2008
there was a team…there was a team…
© ThoughtWorks 2008
© ThoughtWorks 2008
working together on the same project…working together on the same project…
© ThoughtWorks 2008
……
……
Same project at the
same location
© ThoughtWorks 2008
…… ……
……
everyone understood each other…everyone understood each other…
© ThoughtWorks 2008
© ThoughtWorks 2008
some people wanted the project distributed…some people wanted the project distributed…
© ThoughtWorks 2008
= ££££££
+
= ££ + $$$$
© ThoughtWorks 2008
= ½ £££
(of course, it might be more than just £££s)(of course, it might be more than just £££s)
© ThoughtWorks 2008
they started work with new
people in another place...
© ThoughtWorks 2008
© ThoughtWorks 2008
New
New New
New
life was great!life was great!
© ThoughtWorks 2008
they would talk over the phone...they would talk over the phone...
© ThoughtWorks 2008
……
…… ……
© ThoughtWorks 2008
……
and send email...and send email...
© ThoughtWorks 2008
© ThoughtWorks 2008
type type type…
sometimes things would take some time...sometimes things would take some time...
© ThoughtWorks 2008
I wonder what
Jane meant by
I wonder what
Jane meant by
© ThoughtWorks 2008
Jane meant by
that. I better send
an email...
Jane meant by
that. I better send
an email...
… what’s the
gobbleflux about …
That’s an
easy one.
Here you go.
That’s an
easy one.
Here you go.
… Gobbleflux? On
the left …
© ThoughtWorks 2008
the left …
© ThoughtWorks 2008
On the
left?
On the
left?
… on the left
of what? …
something that should have been ten minutessomething that should have been ten minutes
© ThoughtWorks 2008
stretches to several days...stretches to several days...
© ThoughtWorks 2008
!!!!!!
… To the left of
the widget …
© ThoughtWorks 2008
the widget …
There’s a
widget?
There’s a
widget?
She’s
not even
She’s
not even
© ThoughtWorks 2008
widget?widget?
… What widget are
you talking about? …
not even
trying...
not even
trying...
Why doesn’t he
understand?
Why doesn’t he
understand?
… The breadcrumbs
widget …
© ThoughtWorks 2008
widget …
things continue like that for three months...things continue like that for three months...
© ThoughtWorks 2008
until...until...
© ThoughtWorks 2008
I can’t wait to see...I can’t wait to see...
They’re going to be
impressed by this...
They’re going to be
impressed by this...
© ThoughtWorks 2008
A KEY LESSON
every physical boundary increases noise
© ThoughtWorks 2008
every physical boundary increases noise
© ThoughtWorks 2008
http://www.agilemodeling.com/essays/communication.htm
© ThoughtWorks 2008
cost of distributed development
© ThoughtWorks 2008
cost of distributed development
(is more than just people)
A more realistic formula
= ££££££
+
= ££ + $$$$
½On-shore Distributed
© ThoughtWorks 2008
= ££££££ = ££ + $$$$
+ Cost of (timely response
and shared understanding)
Challenges of Distributed Development
Timely decisions
Trust and rapport
Visibility into progress
© ThoughtWorks 2008
Challenges of Distributed Development
Look familiar?
Shared understanding
Working in the same way
It’s (almost) the same as co-located development... just much harder.
Must haves for successful distributed development
Division by role
Functional teams
© ThoughtWorks 2008
Analysts Developers Testers Infrastructure
Must haves for successful distributed development
© ThoughtWorks 2008
Cross functional teams
Division by feature, not by role
Must haves for successful distributed development
© ThoughtWorks 2008
Excellent relationship
with the business
Must haves for successful distributed development
© ThoughtWorks 2008
Speedy Escalation Paths
Must haves for successful distributed development
Shared Culture
© ThoughtWorks 2008
Example: Sharing culture
© ThoughtWorks 2008
Must haves for successful distributed development
© ThoughtWorks 2008
Shared Environments
Must haves for successful distributed development
Shared sense of 3 P’s (Purpose, Priority, Plan)
© ThoughtWorks 2008
Must haves for successful distributed development
© ThoughtWorks 2008
Frequent software demos
Must haves for successful distributed development
Continuous Reflection
and Improvement
© ThoughtWorks 2008
Must haves for successful distributed development
© ThoughtWorks 2008
Frequent visits
Must haves for successful distributed development
Cross functional teams
Excellent relationship with the business
Speedy Escalation Paths
Shared culture
Shared environments Shared purpose, priority, plan
© ThoughtWorks 2008
Shared purpose, priority, plan
Frequent showcases Continue Reflection and
improvement
Frequent visits
Good practices still hold
Tools that support distributed teams
Agile development
practices
JIRA
Good practices still hold
© ThoughtWorks 2008
Visibility and transparency
of informationFace to face time
Frequent rotationPrinciples of
good teams
Conclusion
Distributed Agile: An oxymoron?
© ThoughtWorks 2008
Questions and Comments?
© ThoughtWorks 2008
Questions and Comments?
elizabeth.keogh@thoughtworks.com
patrick.kua@thoughtworks.com
Flickr Creative Commons
• Alarm: http://flickr.com/photos/chidorian/7666930/
• Masonic handshake: http://flickr.com/photos/gaetanlee/159591865/
• Plane: http://flickr.com/photos/volodimer/400350015/
• East meets west: http://flickr.com/photos/evanosherow/2280507811/
Photo Credits
Free wallpaper
• Matrix wallpaper: http://www.wallpaperbase.com/wallpapers/movie/matrix/matrix_5.jpg
© ThoughtWorks 2008

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Distributed Agile: An oxymoron?