Vertical Slice Sorcery, One Layer at a Time!

In the world of Agile development, let's buckle up as we dive headfirst into Dave Thomas's mind and his algorithm, which sounds so simple even your grandma could understand it. We'll uncover the hidden assumptions, dodge UX team hurdles, and even break a sweat with cross-functional team acrobatics.

So, what's this algorithm for agility that Dave cooked up? Here it is:

1. Figure out where you are: Imagine you're in a dark room with a map but no flashlight. Find that "You are here" spot.
2. Take a small step towards your goal: Think of it as tiptoeing into the unknown. Baby steps, folks!
3. Adjust your understanding based on what you learned: Like learning that the darkroom has furniture when you stub your toe. Ouch!
4. Go back to step 1: It's a loop, people! Keep stepping, learning, and evolving.

But hold on! This might look very easy but there's more to this than meets the eye.?For example, let's talk about UX teams. They're like design experts, but they can't exactly take a step all by themselves. They create fancy mockups, sure, but those won't benefit much. They need UX research, stakeholder meetings, and retros to keep their feedback loops spiffy. But hey, even the best-designed mockups might not survive the harsh wilderness of production. Users have their own way of using systems, you know?

This is where agility kicks in. And for that Cross-Functional team serves the purpose. Here we need to understand that team of UI/UX or Devs is not cross-functional. A team of? UX designers, devs, and QA wizards unites to create a Cross-functional team. They're the dream team that can take those required steps together, without waiting for the baton to be passed.

But wait, there's a twist! If your UX team passes the designs to the dev team, and then the dev team does a high-five with the QA team, and then... you get the idea – it's a relay race, not a sprint. In fact, you might be in a more than two weeks-long sprint before you even know it!

So to overcome this we need to understand the art of vertical slicing. They're like layers of a cake, but each layer is a small, scrumptious bite. And oh, the debates these slices trigger!?UX folks shout, "We need time for research and ideation!" Software architects chime in, "We need time for grand plans!" Devs join in, "We need to build layers upon layers!" It's a symphony of excuses! But guess what? It's not easy for anyone. We're all relearning our dance moves in this agile disco.

And here's the secret sauce: Evolutionary view ! It's about creating these nifty vertical slices that are like a bunch of puzzle pieces making the whole picture. Think of it like putting sprinkles on your cupcake – not too big, not too small, just right!

Oh, but don't think this transformation is a cakewalk. We've been brainwashed by the old-school waterfall, that big, bulky method. It's like trying to use a typewriter in a world of voice assistants. It's time to change the tune and embrace those tiny vertical slices. No more waterfall, people – it's time for a waterfall-free future!

Introducing vertical slicing – the ultimate potion for agile development.?

Imagine you have a cake with layers – except each layer isn't just sugar and flour, it's a slice of functionality. Instead of building database layers, business logic layers, and user interface layers separately, we're slicing through them all at once.

Now, hold onto your hats once more, because here comes the magical debate! Is vertical slicing easy? Heck no! It's like learning to ride a broomstick when you're used to riding horses. Developers are notorious for loving their horizontal slices, which means building each layer at a time – think of a house being built floor by floor.

But, lo and behold, vertical slicing is the true enchantress here. It's the Hermione of development methods, breaking down backlogs into manageable chunks that resemble this:

• Implement A from start to finish
• Implement B from start to finish
• Implement C from start to finish

Why the fuss? Because creating those vertical slices isn't as easy as waving a wand. It's about understanding the end goal and carving out paths to it – one magical brick at a time.

User story and Vertical Slicing

User stories are fantastic tools for helping us make vertical slices. Let's take an example of a following user story.

User Story: As a user, I want to create and manage a to-do list with tasks of varying priorities on a task management application.

With a vertical slicing approach, the development team focuses on delivering a minimal yet functional version of the to-do list feature across all layers of the application. In the first iteration, they start by implementing a basic UI that allows users to add a task to their to-do list. The UI consists of an input field for entering task details and an "Add Task" button. When a user adds a task, the UI sends the task information to the backend.

The backend, in the first iteration, is responsible for processing the incoming task data, storing it in the database, and responding with a success message. The database holds a simple table to store task details like task name, priority, and completion status.

Iteration 1 (Initial Slice): Users can add tasks to their to-do list. UI sends task data to the backend, which stores it in the database.

As this initial slice is completed, subsequent iterations can build upon this foundation to provide more value to users like this:

Iteration 2: Users can view their list of tasks in the UI. The backend retrieves tasks from the database and sends them to the UI for display. Tasks are listed in the order they were added.

Iteration 3: Users can mark tasks as completed. The UI adds a checkbox next to each task, and the backend updates the completion status in the database. And so the process goes on…..

By following this incremental approach, the task management application gradually evolves, ensuring that users receive increasing value with each iteration while allowing the development team to make improvements and optimizations at each step. Oh, and don't worry if there's a bit of waste along the way. Remember, we're not building Hogwarts overnight. Sometimes, you'll create a basic version of a room, knowing you'll spruce it up later. It's like painting the walls white before choosing the perfect shade of blue.

Let's Wrap up

Why bother with all this slicing? Because it's the very essence of Agile methodology. It's like giving customers a mini spell-book of functionality. Delivering something that works, even in baby steps, is the true essence of magic here. It's like handing someone a potion that cures a bit of their ailment, even before the full cure is ready. In other words, slices. People don’t eat layers of cake. We don’t eat all the top layers before we start eating the second layer – we cut the cake into slices (thin or thick, depending on your preference and diet) and then eat those. Again, looking at the cake as the whole product, a vertical slice of cake means a user story should contain work for as many of the different layers as possible.

So, here's the bottom line: vertical slicing isn't just about creating working software; it's about creating an experience. It's about turning abstract ideas into tangible reality, one spell at a time. So grab your coding wands, summon your cross-functional team, and let the vertical slicing adventure begin!