Topics

    Initiating an Appian Project (Sprint 0)

    Sprint 0 is an intense two to three week period during which the team initiates new projects to get them ready for the first application release. Projects do not typically go through Sprint 0 more than one time and instead use backlog grooming and other planning techniques to drive the future direction of the application. Sprint 0 takes place after the project contracting phase and prep work (i.e. travel logistics, system access, background checks, etc.) have been completed.

    Objectives

    The primary objectives of Sprint 0 are to identify the Project Goals and define a Release Plan to meet these goals. Additional objectives include:

    • Setting realistic project expectations
    • Identifying and immediately driving down risk
    • Building relationships and trust
    • Establishing the Agile approach the team will leverage to accomplish the Release Plan

    Key Deliverables: The typical key deliverables in order of importance include:

    • Product Backlog (stories with acceptance criteria)
    • Release Plan
    • Sprint 1 Plan
    • Charter

    Implementation

    The implementation of Sprint 0 is a compilation of various workshops the core project team participates in along with independent working sessions. Given the highly collaborative aspect of Sprint 0, it is important to have everyone in the same geographic location. It is also imperative that participants allocate dedicated time to the workshops or independent working sessions and set this expectation with their colleagues.

    Preparation: Prior to starting Sprint 0, the following should have already been completed:

    • Defining the team
    • Team member onboarding, if needed
    • Defining travel logistics
    • Scheduling team kick off dinner
    • Blocking team member calendars for meetings
    • Reserving conference rooms and ensuring projector access
    • Team prep work (e.g. Requirements review)
    • Determining delivery team testing strategy
    • Technical prep (e.g. Tool setup, share drives, environment setup, etc.)
    • Creating the Kick Off Deck
    • Creating Sprint 0 Draft Documents
      • Project Charter, Personas, Sprint 0 Schedule, Sprint Cadence, Contact List, Sprint Velocity, and Release Plan

    See Pre-Sprint 0 Logistics Checklist and Sprint 0 Schedule sample and the Project Initiation Best Practices Checklist.

    Agenda: The typical Sprint 0 agenda includes the following activities:

    SPRINT 0 ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION TYPE OF SESSION & PARTICIPANTS
    Introductions / KickOff Important step in starting to build relationships and understanding the various perspectives that will be included in the project. Everyone - team & all stakeholders
    Charter Provides high level information about what the project is, why it is being done, and, most importantly, the project goals. Workshop session with the whole team
    Personas Helps to understand the various users and groups that will interact with the application and possibly help drive requirements. Workshop session with the whole team
    Existing Application(s) or Processes Present what systems, processes, or techniques are currently used to complete the activities that Appian will help improve. Workshop session with the whole team
    Agile Training Session to describe what Agile is and how Appian leverages it. Workshop session with the whole team
    Story Mapping A technique used to break down high level requirements into smaller features (e.g. stories) that can be more effectively prioritized and sized. Teams can do this manually with index cards or using a tool such as CardBoard or StoriesOnBoard. Workshop session with the whole team
    Proofs of Concept

    Proofs of concept allow the team to evaluate the viability of the more complex features that have been identified during story mapping. Proofs of concept should be used when the delivery team is uncertain about design concepts to prove their functionality.

    		 Independent working session with the Delivery team
    Mock Ups Mock ups are a visual tool best created by the delivery team, whose Appian experience will ensure speed and maximize Appian’s design capabilities. Mock ups should be discussed with the relevant stakeholders to help convey and confirm the Appian presentation of specific features to avoid disconnects. Independent working session with the Delivery team, broader discussion with the whole team
    Story Creation Translates the information identified during the Story Mapping into documented features (e.g. stories) in the Agile tool (e.g. JIRA). Independent working session with the Delivery team
    Acceptance Criteria Review Discussion to review each story created and confirm the requirements that must be met to consider the story complete. Workshop session with the whole team
    Definition of Ready & Definition of Done Creation Discussion to create the Definition of Ready (DoR) and Definition of Done (DoD) to align team and stakeholder expectation on the criteria that must be met for a backlog item (e.g. story) to enter or exit a sprint respectively. Workshop session with the whole team
    Velocity Planning The Delivery team defines how many story points they can complete in a given sprint and corresponding release using agile techniques. Independent working session with the Delivery team
    Story Sizing The Delivery team evaluates and estimates the stories in story points using an agile technique called Planning Poker. Only the team members who will actually be doing the work participate in creating the estimates. Other stakeholders should avoid biasing how long stories should take. See this article for more information about the value of Agile estimation. Independent working session with the Delivery team
    Prioritization / Release Plan The goal of this session is to identify the stories that are the highest priority and fit into the capacity that exists for the overall release. This is one of the most challenging aspects to Sprint 0 as there is always more work than time to complete. It is important to establish up front that new information is often discovered throughout the release, as stories are worked, and may require changes or enhancements. If this occurs and the new items are deemed important to the release, there are two options. The first option is to remove existing stories of the same size from the release plan to accommodate the new item(s). The second option is to include buffer stories in the release plan to account for changes that may occur. Workshop session with the whole team
    Sprint 1 Plan Further prioritize the items defined in the release plan to what will be completed in the first sprint. Workshop session with the whole team
    Agile Tool (JIRA) Training Teach all team members how to create stories, find stories, add comments, etc. in the Agile tool (typically JIRA for Appian Expert Delivery projects). Workshop session with the whole team
    Sprint Cadence Communication of how each week is planned in terms of work and recurring meetings. A team member is also assigned to set-up the recurring meetings.

    Workshop session with the whole team
    Periodic Retrospectives With a frequency of the team's choosing (daily, twice a week, etc.), all Sprint 0 participants should spend a few minutes to discuss what in the Sprint 0 process is going well, what can be improved, and any action items that are outstanding. This will increase efficiency and promote positive collaboration in Sprint 0. 

    Discussion with the whole team

    Note: The documents provided in links are templates and examples only and should be adjusted as necessary based on project specifics.

    Facilitation: The facilitator needs to spur conversation by asking questions and calling on individuals that may not volunteer information freely to ensure all perspectives are heard and included. This is another step towards building relationships and trust.

    Virtual/Remote Sprint 0

    Virtual or remote Sprint 0 sessions seek to achieve the same goals outlined above, but have different set of demands. Successful virtual Sprint 0 session double down on the fundamentals of collaboration, trust and productivity. In order to emphasize these fundamentals organizations should:

    • Provide the structure and rules of engagement needed for collaboration of your virtual teams. For example, Daily 'Standup' meetings provide the natural forum to ensure close management and transparency of progress and blockers; Similarly, the Product Backlog is the definitive truth for sprint planning, etc.
    • Build trust across your teams to continue ‘business as usual’ in a virtual format, rather than inventing an entirely new way of working.
    • Leverage existing Scrum tools to ensure virtual team productivity and enhance virtual communication.

    In response to increased demand, Appian has created a presentation deck to help organizations:

    • Organize and plan for Sprint 0 needs in a virtual format.
    • Identify and mitigate potential roadblocks and challenges (such as tools, scheduling/time management, etc.).
    • Facilitate discussion and communicate changes to your development teams.

    This deck contains best practice guidance, actionable collaboration and engagement tips coupled with real-world examples, templates and checklists that you can use at your organization. Download the deck below:

      

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