Jump on!
Joining an agile team and want to nail it?
When I was little, I loved the roundabout in the park. The thrill of it getting faster and faster and spinning around was awesome! What I didn’t like so much was arriving at the park and kids were already playing on it. “Jump on!” they’d shout. I’d ask them to stop the ride so I could get on. Of course they’d built up so much momentum they weren’t going to slow it down just for me.
I had 2 choices. 1. Wait for it to stop, or 2. Build up my own speed so I’d be brave enough to take the leap. Option 1 was never that appealing. If they stopped the ride, they’d get bored and get off. I’m a thrill seeker right, so option 2 was always going to win. I’d need to dig deep for courage, and run alongside it, until I felt brave enough to jump on. Once on, I’d think “What was I scared of?”. I’d soon be shouting “Faster! Faster!”
Joining a team who are already working in an agile way can feel like this. It looks like fun from a distance. You can spot the ones whose heads are spinning, and you need to find a bit of courage to take the leap.
I promise you the thrill of the ride is definitely worth it. So here’s how to build up speed so you feel brave enough to jump.
Get your kit on
Just as you’d choose your best trainers to go to the park; joining an agile team sometimes needs a bit of kit. Get signed up to Slack, Trello and Google Hangouts. My team work remotely — so ask your Scrum Master what you need. Find out when all the ceremonies take place. (That’s a posh word for meetings to you and me!). They’re simply planning meetings, daily standups on how things are going, showcasing the team’s talents to the customer, and reflecting on how it went (retro’s). Get all these in your diary and get used to the team’s rhythm.
Learn from the Pro’s
My 4 brothers are daredevils. I wanted to be one too. I’m a girl and they told me I couldn’t be. Nobody puts baby in the corner right? So of course I was on a mission to prove otherwise. I watched them and their friends make it look so easy. I copied them running alongside the roundabout, grabbing the bars, swinging a leg up and jumping. It took a few goes, and I had a few stumbles, but with practice and some more courage I did it! So when it came time to join my team who were sprinting already, watching the pro’s felt like a no brainer.
In my research phase, I jumped on a couple of sprints that were running at the same time. I watched the roles, the Trello board, learned about features (smaller goals), how tasks were divided up, how standups ran, and took part in all the ceremonies. The amount of work they got through was amazing! It was like traditional project management supercharged! But it was also so different. It was driven by what our customers wanted, rather than what we assumed they wanted. That got me hooked instantly!
Get mentally ready
It’s going to be different. That might sound obvious but it’s a really important point. You’re going to go round the change curve a few times (so maybe reflect on how you do that), and you’re going to deal with lots of ambiguity. Our team experiments — constantly. We don’t know the answers, and are frequently solving problems, taking learning from other worlds and applying them to something new. Experimenting means MVP (you’ll quickly learn what this is). I saw so many in my team have internal battles with their desire for perfection and quality. You’ll release just enough in stages, testing as you go. That can mean failing. If you’ve high standards in how you do your job that’s a really weird concept to get your head around. I remember my manager saying “If we don’t fail and fail often, we’re not trying hard enough!” When have you ever heard managers say that? Instead of it feeling alien, I find it hugely empowering.
Get physically ready
You’re probably thinking what has this got to do with agile and sprinting? Just like running sprints, agile takes energy. You’ll work at a fast pace, so remember the tech phrase GIGO — Garbage In, Garbage Out. Eat well. Sleep well. Take breaks. And remember Ben Zander rule number 6! (Go google him, promise it will make your day and give you an energy boost.) You also need to think about the flow. Sprinting week after week with no down time burns athletes out. Rest time in between sprints is needed too. You need these to get across BAU and importantly implement all the great work that’s come out of the sprint.
Learn the rules of the game
I’ve developed teams to be successful for a long time, so I felt at an advantage on being able to assess team dynamic quickly. However, I still needed to learn the new rules round here. Take time to learn what each role is e.g. a Scrum Master, Product Owner, Decider, and how you work with customers etc. The team is self-managed. This might be a big change for you in that your manager isn’t telling you what to do; with a deadline looming. How do the team decide who does what? (Tip: Grab the things that appeal to you, based on your strengths, and the things you’d just like to have a go at. There’s no hierarchy, and no-one has a claim on a piece of work.) Learn how the team use the scrum board (we use Trello). When does something go into review? When is done really done? How do the team communicate? Do they @each other on Trello, or use Slack? When doesn’t that work, and it’s time to jump on a Hangout? Your Scrum Master will cover all of this, but it’s worth asking each time until it becomes a habit. Ask lots of questions — it will always help the team.
Jump on!
Like the roundabout, you can study the form from the outside, but you’ll only have fun when you actually make the jump. Get stuck in quickly as a real sprinter. Sign up to the tasks that suit your skills, and when you’re more confident, push your comfort zone. Teaming up with someone on a task can also be a great way to start.
Sum up the ride
I remember the kids on the way home saying how great a day it was. Reflect on what worked in the sprint, and what would make it even better next time. You’ll do this in the retro. Be prepared to give feedback. The team need it, and expect it from you. Celebrate what works, and don’t shy away from what could make it an even better ride!
Finally, is it worth it?
You bet it is! I’ve worked in high performing teams all my life — I’ve made sure of it. I can honestly say I have never seen a team get through so much work. Work where decisions are driven by data and evidence. Work that is truly grounded in what customers need, and importantly love. Work that people feel really proud of!
Jump on board — you’ll have the ride of your life!
