18 Nov Assignment 4: preparing for the sprint

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Assignment 4: preparing for the sprint

Create a 10-12 slide PowerPoint presentation for a Sprint meeting.

 

Introduction

Note: The assessments in this course are based upon a scenario at CapraTek. You must complete the assessments in this course in the order in which they are presented.

 

Planning in advance of the first project Sprint affords the project manager an opportunity to prepare a space to meet, create the project schedule, document product features, and consider questions for team members that will allow them to define the product backlog.

 

An effective Sprint requires preparation. Preparation entails a solid understanding of product requirements, deadlines, the development team, and if available, previous Sprint Retrospectives. Having a detailed plan on how to present critical information to your Sprint team in an effective way is central to proper planning, as is knowing how to communicate effectively with the team to understand their skills, needs, and ideas, as well as possible challenges for the upcoming Sprint.

 

Overview

Once you understand the high level basics of a project, you are ready to begin working with your team. Your first Scrum meeting is your opportunity to set the tone for the entire project. During this meeting it is important to set expectations, processes, roles, and schedules, as well as share product information and develop relationships. Preparation is critical.

 

Background

Because Scrum is a new process at CapraTek, your boss is interested in how you plan to conduct your first Sprint meeting with your relatively inexperienced (at Scrum) team. He asks you to submit an outline of your plans for the first meeting. You plan to present to the group using PowerPoint to introduce the product, project, schedule, and process by which you will work together. You offer to share the presentation and a description of your meeting plan with him. He accepts.

 

The meeting should also allow an opportunity for interaction with the development team in order to understand their needs and get feedback to fine tune the project schedule.

 

One of your project developers is located in India. Make sure you suggest how you will make accommodations to assure the effectiveness of that team member.

 

Directions

Create a two-part PowerPoint presentation.

 

Part 1 – Presentation to the Boss

Describe your plan for your first Sprint meeting. Minimally, this plan should include:

 

A meeting outline.

A description of the environment where the meeting will take place, and why it is appropriate. Include tools or materials that you plan to use on an ongoing basis.

How you plan to address the needs of your remote stakeholder. (State assumptions as necessary to support your plan.)

Questions you plan to ask your team that will help you understand their abilities and how they will approach the project.

Part 2 – Presentation to the Team

Create slides that you plan to share with your team during the first Sprint meeting. The goal of this part of the presentation is to inform your team about how they will work together and about the project. Minimally, the presentation should include:

 

A brief introduction to the Scrum methodology.

A description on how and with what frequency that Sprints will be conducted.

The Project Schedule and Backlog you created for Assessment 3.

Submission Requirements

Create introductory slides for each part of the presentation. Make sure to include detailed speaker’s notes to expound upon complex information or concepts.

Submit a single PowerPoint file containing both parts of this assessment.

Length: 10–12 slides.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

 

Competency 1: Apply the principles of Agile project management.

Address the location-related needs of a remote team member.

Competency 4: Develop an Agile project management plan.

Plan a Sprint meeting that effectively serves a project and its stakeholders.

Create a list of questions for a project team that are designed to reveal information that is key to a project’s success.

Competency 5: Communicate effectively.

Create a presentation that effectively informs project stakeholders.

 

 

The resources provided here are optional. You may use other resources of your choice to prepare for this assessment; however, you will need to ensure that they are appropriate, credible, and valid. The Project Management Research Library Guide can help direct your research.

 

Rizvi, B., Bagheri, E., & Gasevic, D. (2015). A systematic review of distributed agile software engineering. Journal of Software: Evolution and Process, 27(10), 723–762.

This article examines how Agile methods can be used in distributed software development efforts using remote teams.

Thompson, L. (2013). Give workers the power to choose: Cave or commons. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2013/03/give-workers-the-power-to-choose-cave

This article discusses how giving team members the opportunity to choose where they work, can enhance productivity.

Huether, D. (2012). Simple cheat sheet to sprint planning meeting. LeadingAgile. https://www.leadingagile.com/2012/08/simple-cheat-sheet-to-sprint-planning-meeting/

This short article lists and discusses the steps necessary for developing an effective Sprint planning meeting. It includes a handy downloadable Sprint Planning checklist.