Agile Development Methodologies - A Practical Guide and Case Study for Agile Delivery with Jira

Based on a presentation at MageTitans MX for Adobe Commerce and #Agile which you can view here on #Youtube and here for the slides via #SlideShare .

In the rapidly evolving digital space, Agile project management has become a pivotal approach to creating exceptional products and delivering customer engagements using Agile development methodologies. With the ability to accelerate product development, improve team collaboration, and increase customer satisfaction, Agile project management is a key driver of success for any development team.

Understanding Scrum: Key Team Players and Core Principles

One of the most popular Agile methodologies is Scrum, a framework that promotes iterative development, collaboration, and efficient decision-making. The Scrum team comprises the Product Owner, Scrum Master, and the development team. The Product Owner is the visionary and strategist driving the product, while the Scrum Master is the facilitator managing information exchange. The team is a self-organizing group of developers, testers, and designers.

Scrum operates on core activities called ceremonies which include a Backlog of User Stories, Sprints (organized user stories), Sprint Planning meetings, daily Scrum meetings, and a Retrospective meeting. These activities support ownership, continuous improvement and progression towards the product goal.

User Stories, Tools, and Reporting in Scrum with Jira

User stories in Scrum serve as action stories for software users, describing the type of user, what they want, and why. Traditionally, user stories were written on sticky notes and placed in swim lanes from 'to-do', 'in progress', to 'done' on a whiteboard. However, with digitalization, Scrum tools such as Jira and Assembla are now popularly used. These tools offer comprehensive reports, aiding in effective project management and decision making. It is important that User Stories be clearly defined with

Key reports in Scrum include the Velocity Report and the Burndown Report. The Velocity Report shows the amount of work completed in hours or story points for a Sprint, while the Burndown Report illustrates how much work has been completed per Sprint and how much is left to complete the product. If tickets are managed properly in Jira, this report can be used to predict a completion or release date for this version.

Agile: Adapting to What Works for Your Team

Embracing Agile not only entails adhering to a specific methodology but also requires adapting to strategies what works best for your team. Agile teams typically comprise a product manager, tech lead (who acts as the Scrum master), and the development team. Key methodologies in Agile include the backlog of carefully pruned tickets with estimates, sprints, and daily stand-ups. However, the frequency and structure of these meetings can be adapted to fit the team's needs.

The Backlog and Anatomy of a Ticket

The Agile backlog consists of User Stories broken down into tickets of more straight forward tasks for developers, providing a clear description of what needs to be developed.

In Jira, tickets have a summary, description, attachment(s), and estimates. The description includes requirements, and the attachments could be interfaces, screenshots, wireframes, or designs. Estimates should be provided for all tickets.

The ticket workflow often follows a process of:

To-do -> In Progress -> Dev Complete -> Test -> Done

This workflow applies to building new products, client websites, and maintenance for a simple definition of done (DoD), and can be adapted to each team's agreed on DoD.

Sprint Planning

Sprint Planning plays a critical role in the Agile process. The entire team should meet once per Sprint for planning to select the tickets for the next Sprint and commit to completing the Sprint. It is crucial that tickets are pruned and estimated prior to this meeting so that the team can select tickets in priority order. The team should review the backlog with the product owner and select tickets based on priority and estimates to commit to this sprint. The meeting provides and opportunity to discuss any questions, but if there is not enough information on a ticket it should not be selected into the Sprint. The team's velocity informs the total time (either hours or points) of tickets selected for the new Sprint. For example if a team of 3 developers velocity is 21 points, then select x tickets that add up to 21 points.

Case Study: Laces, a sneaker brand, needs an online store

"Laces.", a sneaker brand, would like to create on online store that has a modern look and feel, a shoe customizer feature, and a smooth user experience for the checkout experience. By using Agile methodologies and tools like Jira, the project team can efficiently manage tasks, monitor progress, and adapt to changing requirements.

1. Introduction

The Laces project aims to create an online sneaker store that offers customers a modern look and feel, a seamless user experience, and a unique shoe customizer feature. To achieve these goals, the project team will implement Agile project management methodologies to ensure flexibility, adaptability, and effective collaboration.

2. Agile Methodologies and Tools

To manage the Laces project, the team will adopt Agile methodologies and tools like JIRA for task management and progress tracking. Key Agile practices to be implemented in the project include:

a) Sprint Planning: The project team will conduct sprint planning meetings to prioritize tasks, estimate effort, and agree on the scope of work for each sprint.

b) Daily Stand-ups: Regular stand-up meetings will be held to review progress, identify roadblocks, and ensure team members are on track.

c) Sprint Review and Retrospectives: At the end of each sprint, the team will review the work completed, discuss lessons learned, and plan improvements for the next sprint.

The project team will implement Agile methodologies using JIRA to manage tasks, monitor progress, and adapt to changing requirements. Key activities include:

a) Creating Epics and Tickets: The team will create epics and tickets based on project requirements and assign them to team members.

b) Sprint Planning and Execution: The team will conduct sprint planning meetings and execute tasks within each sprint.

c) Monitoring Progress: Progress will be monitored using JIRA boards, Scrum boards, and burndown reports.

d) Estimation and Tracking: The team will estimate the effort required for each task in hours and track actual time spent to ensure accurate resource planning and project completion forecasts.

Implementing Agile methodologies in the Laces project offers several benefits, including:

a) Greater visibility into project status at any given time.

b) Ability to determine project completion estimates using Agile reports.

c) Improved team morale and productivity due to a well-defined, collaborative process.

The Laces project is an excellent example of how Agile project management methodologies can be applied to deliver a successful eCommerce solution. By adopting Agile practices and using tools like JIRA, the project team can efficiently manage tasks, monitor progress, and adapt to changing requirements, ultimately ensuring a successful project outcome.

In conclusion, Agile product management offers a versatile and effective approach to building great products. By leveraging key methodologies such as Scrum and Agile, teams can streamline their development processes, improve collaboration, and ultimately deliver high-quality products that meet customer needs.

For more Jira Tips watch the full presentation or contact me!