This document discusses an agile development process used by Tech Propulsion Labs (TPL). It outlines key aspects of TPL's agile approach, including that it optimizes for flexible, business-driven projects and adapts to new insights. A major role discussed is the Product Owner, who acts as the customer representative and makes decisions for the development team. An optimal development path aims to get critical features launched quickly while deferring less important features.

1. Tech Propulsion Labs Confidential 2011 Tech Propulsion Labs, Inc. A Sample of our Agile Processes

2. Confidential 2011 Tech Propulsion Labs, Inc. The Agile Manifesto We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it. Through this work we have come to value: Individuals and interactions processes and tools over Working software comprehensive documentation over Customer collaboration contract negotiation over Responding to change following a plan over That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more

3. TPL’s ‘Agile’ Focus We practice Agile Development Optimizes for flexible, business-driven projects Adapts to new market insights or strategies Our Processes (Scrum, BDD/TDD, reporting, estimation, demo) all follow from business needs Customers play a crucial role Steer development toward highest ROI features Determine final scope and price Role is known as “Product Owner” in Agile Time-consuming but generally better results Agile estimates are a range from ‘Minimum Viable Product’ to ‘Fully-loaded Deluxe’ Product Owner chooses path to final result Confidential 2011 Tech Propulsion Labs, Inc.

4. TPL Dev Process – Product Owner PO acts as customer rep and decision maker for the dev team Must prepare requirements for the team detailed enough for them to complete work (See ‘Addendum – Sample PO/Team Workflow’ Slide) This is a lot of work! The PO must work ahead of the development team to make sure that upcoming features are well enough defined for the dev team to start work. If the requirements are well understood and the PO is available for clarification, TPL canspec out and deliver only what’s actually needed, in a “just in time” manner. If they are not ready, the PO must be able to make a decision on call for the team, or accept that the team will work at reduced efficiency Participates in Planning and Review meetings Answers the team’s questions about the domain Given conflicting goals and opinions, makes decisions for hard product choices Reviews and accepts the team’s work at each delivery Sprint – Available to the Team Post sprint - Acceptance Pre sprint - Planning Confidential 2011 Tech Propulsion Labs, Inc.

5. Addendum Finding the optimal dev path The Optimal Path to launch must take into account… Scope issues (limiting refinements…what we want vs. what we need) Dev issues (preparing requirements & design for the dev team, cost of doing different things at different times) Business realities (budget, time to value, dev vs. operational cost) Deferring features and limiting refinements are the Product Owner activity very much in sync with the Agile Process front load the critical features get to initial beta or launch in as little time as possible Defer heavily dependent or lower value features until later when the needed features are better understood Knowing exactly what/how much to add later beats doing everything at once up front Confidential 2011 Tech Propulsion Labs, Inc.

7. design iteration 2 features

8. support iteration 1 development

9. gather user input for iteration 4 features

10. design iteration 3 features

11. support iteration 2 development

12. validate iteration 1 features

13. gather user input for iteration 5 features

14. design iteration 4 features

15. support iteration 3 development

16. validate iteration 2 features

17. planning

18. data gathering

20. architectural “spikes”Confidential 2011 Tech Propulsion Labs, Inc.