PGMADS an agile postgraduate course retrospective... under an agile approach Authors: Catarina Reis and Ricardo Martinho

1. PGMADS
an agile postgraduate course retrospective
…under an agile approach
Catarina Reis - catarina.reis@ipleiria.pt
Ricardo Martinho - ricardo.martinho@ipleiria.pt

2. CONTENTS
• concept
• product backlog
• release planning & sprints
• retrospective

3. PGMADS – CONCEPT 1/3
A postgraduate course from (agile) software developers to
software developers, under three main perspectives:
1. Agile methods (mainly XP and Scrum);
2. Software Testing (ISTQB and experience-based);
3. Soft skills (communication, negotiation, profiling…);

4. PGMADS – CONCEPT 2/3
• stakeholders?
Trainees with considerable background in software
analysis, development, testing and software
project management.
Trainers with considerable background in agile/
testing/soft skills…

5. PGMADS – CONCEPT 3/3
PGMADS - Pós-Graduação em Métodos Ágeis de
Desenvolvimento de Software
• 1 release
• April 2012 – 1st postgraduate agile software developers
• 3 sprints
• 7 working saturdays
• 22 trainees + 14 trainers
• School of Technology and Management – Polytechnic Institute of
Leiria (nice place in), Portugal

6. PRODUCT BACKLOG
• Epic 1 – As a trainee, I want to learn agile so that I can earn more money!
• Main Confirmation – Given that I’m learning agile, when I finish it, then I
might as well add some Certifications (such as PSM);
• Epic 2 – As a trainee, I must learn testing so that I can stop calling testers
names!
• Main Confirmation – Given that I’m a software developer, when I
understand what testers do, then hopefully, I’ll value more testers work
• Epic 3 – As a trainee, I want to learn soft skills so that I can gently call
customers names!
• Main Confirmation – Given that I’m a software engineer, when I can
speak with people, then maybe I’ll understand customers

7. PRODUCT BACKLOG
• Epic 4 – As an agile trainer, I want to teach agile so that I can convince
trainees that this really works!
• Main Confirmation – Given that I’m teaching agile, when students’
feedback is positive, then I’m very happy!
• Epic 5 – As a software tester trainer, I want to teach testing so that every
developer stops calling me names!
• Main Confirmation – Given that I’m teaching testing, when I show the
importance of tests, then hopefully my trainees will understand how
difficult it is to be a tester
• Epic 6 – As a soft skills trainer (and often non-software developer), I want to
teach soft skills so that I can finally talk to and understand software
developers!
• Main Confirmation – Given that I’m teaching soft skills, when I see that
no one falls asleep, then I’ll know how interested my trainees are

8. 3 SPRINTS à 7 WORKING SATURDAYS
Agile sprint # 1
Methods epic 1 + epic 4
sprint # 3
epic 3 + epic 6 PGMADS sprint # 2
epic 2 + epic 5
Software
Soft Skills testing

9. 1ST PGMADS RELEASE RETROSPECTIVE
• What worked well:
• The soft skills sprint was very successful!!!
• Trainees loved the change of mindset (embrace change),
and working Saturdays became desirable!
• Trainees loved thinking exercises (programming, testing,
origami, etc…)
• Trainers were wonderful!!
• Excellent group spirit, everyone sharing and in a win-win
attitude
• Trainers from distinct software backgrounds (diversity)

10. 1ST PGMADS RELEASE RETROSPECTIVE
• What challenged us:
• Some sessions were postponed L (Agile but no so much…)
• Assessment…(too much work out of Saturday…)
• Implementing an agile course in a traditional organization

11. QUESTIONS ?

12. PGMADS
an agile postgraduate course retrospective
…under an agile approach
Catarina Reis - catarina.reis@ipleiria.pt
Ricardo Martinho - ricardo.martinho@ipleiria.pt