In this session, Dipesh Pala will explore how organizations can create cultures, nurture individuals, and build teams to create high performing Distributed Agile teams in a globally competitive world. Dipesh will also share some innovative ideas in addition to tricks, tips, and proven methods that have inspired and helped people and organizations to 'be Agile' rather than just 'do Agile'. The Agile Manifesto puts more emphasis on individuals and interactions over processes and tools and we want to keep it that way no matter where they are!

1. @DipeshPala
@DipeshPala
Unleashing the full potential of your
Distributed Agile Teams
Dipesh Pala
Agile Capability Leader - Asia Pacific
Agile India 2016
A workshop for those working in complex environments

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PART ONE
Background and Introductions
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@DipeshPala
Our Expectations
What do we want to get out
of this workshop?

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@DipeshPala
Why would an organization consider to
do Distributed Agile?
EXER CISE

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@DipeshPala
Why Distributed Agile?
• Reduced Costs
• Expanding for Innovation and Thought Leadership
• Access to Talent
• Access to New Markets

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@DipeshPala
1. Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.
2. Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer's competitive
advantage.
3. Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter timescale.
4. Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project.
5. Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job
done.
6. The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face
conversation.
7. Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant
pace indefinitely.
8. Working software is the primary measure of progress.
9. Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.
10. Simplicity – the art of maximizing the amount of work not done – is essential.
11. The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams.
12. At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.
Do the Agile Principles align to Distributed Agile?

7. @DipeshPala
@DipeshPala
Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
Working software over comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Responding to change over following a plan
Agile
Manifesto
Values
Satisfy the Customer
Our highest priority is to satisfy the
customer
through early and continuous delivery
of valuable software.
Welcome Change
Welcome changing requirements, even late
in development. Agile processes harness
change for the customer's competitive
advantage.
Deliver Frequently
Deliver working software frequently,
from a couple of weeks to a couple of
months, with a preference to the
shorter timescale.
Business + Development
Business people and developers must
work
together daily throughout the project.
Trust the Team
Build projects around motivated
individuals.
Give them the environment and
support they need,
and trust them to get the job done.
F2F Communication
The most efficient and effective method
of
conveying information to and within a
development
team is face-to-face conversation.
Working Software
Working software is the primary
measure of progress.
Sustainable Pace
Agile processes promote sustainable
development.
The sponsors, developers, and users
should be able
to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.
Technical Excellence
Continuous attention to technical
excellence
and good design enhances agility.
Simplicity
Simplicity--the art of maximizing the
amount
of work not done--is essential.
Self Organizing
The best architectures, requirements,
and designs
emerge from self-organizing teams.
Reflections
At regular intervals, the team reflects on
how to become more effective, then tunes
and adjusts its behavior accordingly.
Do the Agile Principles align to Distributed Agile…

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PART TWO
Common reasons for Distributed Teams
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@DipeshPala
Which is better?
Going Agile first than Distributed
or
Distributed first than Agile?
G RO U P D I S C U S S I O N

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@DipeshPala
Benefits of doing Distributed Agile

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@DipeshPala
What is the greatest challenge
that your Distributed
teams (might) face?
EXER CISE

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@DipeshPala
1
Considerations for Distributed Agile
!

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@DipeshPala
1
Considerations for Distributed Agile

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@DipeshPala1
4
! One team culture
! Two-way flow
! Minimise hands-off
! End-to-end and capability within each location
! Innovation
! Share and learn
! Continuous knowledge transfer
! Empowered
! Willing to do everything
! T-shaped skills
! Courage to challenge, and be challenged
! Being able to start/stop work at low cost
! Move from Push-to-Pull culture of Self-Service
! Deliver Business Value rather than Projects
! Funding of work is conductive to the Agile
ways of working
! Agile Demand Management
! Single consistent way of working across all
locations
Guiding
Principles for
Distributed
Agile
! End-to-end capability within teams
! Long lived teams
! “you build it, you maintain it”
! Capacity and Dependency
Management
PASSIONATE
PEOPLE
CONTINUOUS
IMPROVEMENT
DISTRUBUTED
DELIVERY
CUSTOMER
VALUE
SCALING
TEAMS
AGILE
GOVERNANCE

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@DipeshPala
1
TEAM 2
Core team
members
Non-Core
team members
Core team
members
Non-Core
team members
TEAM 1
Rotation type 1
non-core team member rotation
Frequency: 3 months
Percentage: Max 30%
of the team
Accelerating
velocity and
minimising the
impacts of peaks
and troughs
Rotation Model
Rotation type 2
core team member rotation
Frequency: 6 months
Percentage: Max 10%
of the team
Capability that has both depth and breadth across the domain
providing greater scalability and flexibility

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@DipeshPala
AS IS
Capability that has both depth and breadth across the domain
providing greater scalability and flexibility

17. @DipeshPala
@DipeshPala
IDEAL
More Accountability
Less Coordination
More Transparency
Reduced Cycle Time
Capability that has both depth and breadth across the domain
providing greater scalability and flexibility

18. @DipeshPala
@DipeshPala
How do we set up Distributed Agile Teams?
!
Sydney Melbourne Pune
!
Sydney Melbourne Pune

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@DipeshPala
!
Getting Started with Distributed Agile

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PART THREE
Distributed Agile Exercise
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@DipeshPala
Timings
Event Duration
Release Planning 15 mins
Sprint (including Sprint Planning) 5 mins
Sprint Review 3 mins
Sprint Retrospective 3 mins
Final Production Release (Demo) 5 mins
Game: Miniature Farm
The aim is to create a miniature farm with using the Distributed Agile methods.

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@DipeshPala
Inputs
• Product Backlog
• Product Vision
• Team Capacity
• Risks, Issues, Dependencies
Agenda
• Product Owner presents the product vision and goals
• Product Owner reviews key milestones and dates
• Product Owner presents the first cut of the
Product Backlog
• Team asks questions to understand the stories
• Team estimates the stories at a high level
• Team estimates initial capacity/velocity per sprint
• Team produces a Release Plan
• Key Risks, Assumptions, Risks and Dependencies are
recorded
Miniature Farm – Release Planning (15 mins)

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@DipeshPala
Miniature Farm – Product Backlog
Item
#
Descrip7on
Business
Value
1
Farmer
and
his
wife
1000
2
Sheepdog
50
3
Scarecrow
100
4
Barn
to
store
hay/grains
300
5
Farm
House
for
Farmer's
family
800
6
Veggie
patch
for
the
Farmer's
family
(including
spring
onion,
cabbage,
carrots)
200
7
Tractor
for
hauling
(2
front
wheels
smaller
than
the
2
rear
wheels)
700
8
Windmill
for
milling
grain
(with
3
sails)
600
9
Square
Hay
Bales
(x5)
50
10
Hay
Barrack
with
roof
moving
up
down
as
the
hay
level
changes
500
11
Fence
to
protect
the
livestock
300
12
Duck
pond
(with
2
ducks)
400
13
Farm
pick-­‐up
truck
200
14
Large
trees
(x2)
to
provide
shade
100
15
Stool
-­‐
to
sit
on
while
milking
400
16
Pail
-­‐
to
put
milk
in
while
milking
(x2)
500

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@DipeshPala
Miniature Farm
HighlyFlexible
NotsoFlexible

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@DipeshPala
Miniature Farm – Risk Register

26. @DipeshPala
@DipeshPala
Miniature Farm – Sprit Planning
Inputs
• Product Backlog
• Prior velocity
• Team capacity
• Risks, Issues, Dependencies
Agenda
• Product Owner proposes the Product Backlog for review
• Product Owner and Team review and clarify each item
• Larger Stories are broken down if necessary
• Team and Product Owner clearly define the Acceptance
Criteria for every story
• Team estimates all resultant stories
• Team selects the stories they can complete within this sprint
• Team identifies the Sprint Goal or Theme
• Product Owner agrees with the order in which work will be
completed

27. @DipeshPala
@DipeshPala
Miniature Farm – Product Backlog
Item
#
Descrip7on
Business
Value
1
Farmer
and
his
wife
1000
2
Sheepdog
50
3
Scarecrow
100
4
Barn
to
store
hay/grains
300
5
Farm
House
for
Farmer's
family
800
6
Veggie
patch
for
the
Farmer's
family
(including
spring
onion,
cabbage,
carrots)
200
7
Tractor
for
hauling
(2
front
wheels
smaller
than
the
2
rear
wheels)
700
8
Windmill
for
milling
grain
(with
3
sails)
600
9
Square
Hay
Bales
(x5)
50
10
Hay
Barrack
with
roof
moving
up
down
as
the
hay
level
changes
500
11
Fence
to
protect
the
livestock
300
12
Duck
pond
(with
2
ducks)
400
13
Farm
pick-­‐up
truck
200
14
Large
trees
(x2)
to
provide
shade
100
15
Stool
-­‐
to
sit
on
while
milking
400
16
Pail
-­‐
to
put
milk
in
while
milking
(x2)
500

28. @DipeshPala
@DipeshPala
Miniature Farm – Sprit Review
Product Demo

29. @DipeshPala
@DipeshPala
Miniature Farm – Sprit Retro
How can we get better?

30. @DipeshPala
@DipeshPala
Miniature Farm – Product Backlog
Item
#
Descrip7on
Business
Value
1
Farmer
and
his
wife
1000
2
Sheepdog
50
3
Scarecrow
100
4
Barn
to
store
hay/grains
300
5
Farm
House
for
Farmer's
family
800
6
Veggie
patch
for
the
Farmer's
family
(including
spring
onion,
cabbage,
carrots)
200
7
Tractor
for
hauling
(2
front
wheels
smaller
than
the
2
rear
wheels)
700
8
Windmill
for
milling
grain
(with
3
sails)
600
9
Square
Hay
Bales
(x5)
50
10
Hay
Barrack
with
roof
moving
up
down
as
the
hay
level
changes
500
11
Fence
to
protect
the
livestock
300
12
Duck
pond
(with
2
ducks)
400
13
Farm
pick-­‐up
truck
200
14
Large
trees
(x2)
to
provide
shade
100
15
Stool
-­‐
to
sit
on
while
milking
400
16
Pail
-­‐
to
put
milk
in
while
milking
(x2)
500
*
17
*
Farm
House
to
have
an
opening
door
and
2
opening
windows
500
*
18
*
Farmer's
wife
has
just
had
twins
-­‐
2
baby
boys!
1000

31. @DipeshPala
@DipeshPala
Miniature Farm – Sprit Review
It’s Showtime!

32. @DipeshPala
@DipeshPala
Miniature Farm – Sprit Retro
How can we get better?

33. @DipeshPala
PART THREE
Types of Distribution
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34. @DipeshPala
@DipeshPala
! Team is aware of how their work
addresses the needs of end users.
! Dependencies are reduced.
! Handoffs are reduced.
! Planning is easier.
! Design issues are found and
corrected earlier.
Administer user accounts
Administer Web server accounts
Bill for services
Administer email accounts
Feature teams work on customer-
centric capabilities delivered as
features in the final product.
Feature Teams

35. @DipeshPala
@DipeshPala
Where teams are focused primarily on “layers”
or components rather than features:
• Limited understanding of problem
• Increased dependencies
• Delays for feature teams
• Bottleneck for feature teams that use the
components
• Slower to detect and correct design flaws
• Creates risk
Feature:
Administer
user accounts
Component Team:
Database Team
Component Team:
Web Services Team
Component Team:
Billing System Team
Feature:
Administer Billing
details
Component Teams
Component Teams

36. @DipeshPala
PART FOUR
Choosing Your Method for
Communicating and Collaborating
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37. @DipeshPala
@DipeshPala
Strive for the Richest Communication Channel Possible

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@DipeshPala
Edward T. Hall (1959), a
renowned social anthropologist,
argued that in a normal
conversation:
“More than 65 percent of social
meaning occurs through the
nonverbal channel.”
Nonverbal Communication

39. @DipeshPala
PART FIVE
Dealing with Time Zone Issues
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40. @DipeshPala
@DipeshPala
Use a
Liaison
Whole team
Consistent Date/time
Whole team
Alternating
Meeting Times
Documentation
(and chat)
Approaches to Time Zone Issues

41. @DipeshPala
@DipeshPala
• Anyone who cannot attend documents their answers
in an e-mail or wiki
• The Scrum Master reads their answers in the meeting
BUT…
• Lack of opportunity for QA
• Less rich communication vehicle
• People don’t always read about what team mates are doing
• Reduces the whole team experience
• Reduces peer pressure
Using Documentation

42. @DipeshPala
@DipeshPala
• Transcript of session produce notes for the meeting
• Makes the meeting easier for non-native speakers
BUT…
• Complete loss of non-verbal communication
• Difficult to gauge if everyone is paying attention
• Depends on the Scrum Master to start on time
• Hard to follow if the meeting is not structured
Instant Messaging
Meeting via instant messaging (form of documentation)

43. @DipeshPala
@DipeshPala
• Team schedules the meeting at
two different times
• Team members attend at the meeting
time most convenient to them
• One team member serves as a liaison
and attends both meetings
• Liaison communicates information
from the other meeting
Taking a Liaison Approach

44. @DipeshPala
@DipeshPala
Pros
• Better for sustainable pace
• Allows for a degree of visibility on
everyone’s work
• Can be better than docs because people
can ask questions.
• Richer communication medium.
Cons
• The liaison is basically “playing telephone”
• The liaison may not present all the details
• Risk of fracturing of the team
• Negative impact on “whole team” view
• Negative affect on the work-life balance
of the liaison
Taking a Liaison Approach

45. @DipeshPala
@DipeshPala
1
3 Important Questions
What days/times work best for you
(including hours outside of normal hours)?
2 Which days/times are okay?
3 Which days/times are off limits?

46. @DipeshPala
@DipeshPala
• Team identifies two different times
for the meeting
• Team alternates the time used for
the daily scrum at a set frequency
(every day, every week)
• Everyone is encouraged to attend
• Anyone who cannot attend
documents their answers in an
e-mail or wiki
• The Scrum Master reads their
answers in the meeting
Or, you can alternate meeting times for whole team

47. @DipeshPala
@DipeshPala
Pros
• Everyone shares equally in the
compromise
• Aligns best with interactive spirit of Scrum
and Agile
• Verbal communication
• Opportunity for QA
• Greater pressure to deliver on
commitments
Cons
• Challenging for sustainable pace
• Some may not be willing to share the pain
• Loss of information from members if team
members don’t show up during the hours that
are bad for them
Alternating Meeting Times

48. @DipeshPala
@DipeshPala
Don’t expect offshore development to be cheap:
- Overall costs could be lower than if you hired an equivalent number of staff on site,
but don’t expect it to be a cheap option.
- Need to budget for travel, communications and potential training.
The Agile Manifesto:
The values and principles of the manifesto remain foundational to Distributed Agile. And while “the most
efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face
conversation” is one of the primary principles, there are new ways of working and communicating that
reduce the impact where this is not possible.
Consistency all around:
A single, consistent, and Agile way of working across all locations will increase the effectiveness across
the project teams.
1
Key Takeaways
1
2
3

49. @DipeshPala
@DipeshPala
End-to-end delivery capability by team by location:
Teams should be loosely coupled with highly integrated, end-to-end, capabilities in each team/
location to reduce hand-offs and dependencies between teams.
Invest in people, tools and technology:
Tools are critical, but they are not the only answer. It is necessary to have good processes in place,
and for team members to meet in person as frequently as possible. Technology will help bridge
most obstacles; so code review, wikis, discussion forums, bug tracking, requirement tracking,
Continuous Integration tools are very important.
Everyone on a single platform:
Having one integrated collaboration platform helps align the team and improve transparency,
productivity, efficiency and trust across projects and organizations.
Key Takeaways
4
5
6

50. @DipeshPala
@DipeshPala
Related Books

51. @DipeshPala
Dipesh Pala
Agile Capability Lead
IBM GBS Asia Pacific
dipeshpala@au1.ibm.com
@DipeshPala
slideshare.net/DipeshPala
au.linkedin.com.com/in/dipeshpala