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Project management for perfect software
Software Project Management: Advantages of the Scrum Model
Milestones and waterfalls, scrums and sprints: project management methods work with very different images. And yet it is always about realizing a project within the time, financial and personnel framework. The IT industry developed its own approaches early on to master the special challenges of developing software. In addition to classic project management methods such as the waterfall model, agile approaches have proven to be particularly effective here. For example, the Scrum method.
In rugby, there is the so-called scrum: the players gather in a “tight scrum” around the ball.
The Scrum project management method is all about team success – just like rugby. Only when all players play the ball back and forth together and act as a unit can a point be scored or, in our case, a project be successfully implemented.
How exactly does Scrum work?
In project management for the development of software, it is important to control sometimes extensive and complex projects whose outcome cannot be defined in advance, or only to a very limited extent. In order to retain the necessary flexibility in the use of resources such as budget, time and personnel, a model is needed that enables fast interim results and agile project adjustments. This is exactly what the Scrum method offers.
Here, projects, such as the new development of an individual web application, are divided into sub-projects, which are then worked on within a fixed time frame. These time intervals are usually between one week and a maximum of one month long and are referred to as “sprints” in the Scrum method. The project team orients itself to this fixed rhythm and can thus realize fast interim results in particular.
Project manager? Not necessary!
For software to be developed successfully using the agile Scrum method, it is important to precisely define all the roles involved in advance. While in classic project management the project manager, the team and possibly an internal client fulfill functions, in Scrum there are three fixed roles:
The product owner sets the project requirements, determines priorities and controls whether all requirements are met during the sprints.
In software development, for example, this can be the customer or user of the application. The Scrum Master assumes operational control. He ensures that the team can work productively and adheres to the “rules” of the Scrum method. Finally, the team. Due to the rather small team size, conceptioners and programmers can organize themselves – completely without a superior project manager.
Events instead of meetings
In software development using the Scrum method, there are no longer any classic meetings. Instead, in Scrum, four events represent different forms of work meetings. To ensure that the project progresses efficiently and quickly, all Scrum events have a time constraint, the so-called time box.
Sprint Planning:
This is where the next subproject, the sprint, is planned. The respective requirements are divided into small work chunks, the tasks. The goal should be that the tasks can be completed within one day. All tasks are recorded in the Sprint Backlog. Tip: Always hold the sprint planning meeting in person so that questions can be clarified directly in the meeting.
Daily Scrum:
The quick team update in the morning. In the Daily Scrum, all team members meet in the morning for a maximum of fifteen minutes to exchange ideas. Everyone reports on the completed tasks, the open To Do’s and any obstacles.
If a problem cannot be solved directly, the Scrum Master comes into play and tries to find a solution in the follow-up of the Daily Scrum.
Sprint Review:
After the sprint is before the sprint. What went well? Where were the stumbling blocks? In the sprint review, the development team shows the so-called product increment, i.e. the sum of all product backlog entries that have been completed so far. The review examines whether the results to date meet the project requirements. It also provides an opportunity to adjust the Product Backlog if necessary. This decision is always made by the product owner.
Sprint Retrospective:
While the Sprint Review focuses on the achievement of goals for the client, the Sprint Retrospective is about reviewing how the project team is working – without the client’s involvement. With the support of the Scrum Master, the team asks and answers internal questions. What worked well?
Where can cooperation be improved? This event serves to provide transparent and open criticism. The discussion points should be documented in any case – for example in the Sprint Backlog.
Advantages for customers
For customers, this form of project management has a number of advantages:
More structure:
Small tasks can be bundled in one subproject. Very time-consuming tasks can be distributed over several subprojects. Peak loads that endanger the success of the project are avoided.
Less effort:
The customer only has to define the requirements for the next subproject in one month.
Better utilization:
Programmers program, consultants advise: The dovetailed way of working guarantees that the project teams are always well utilized and can always work in their core area.
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Create and develop software
The development of software can be well organized with the Scrum method. However, the work is often not yet done with the completion of the application. This is because individually programmed software is usually continuously developed further – sometimes over several years. There are many reasons for this: new legal requirements, such as those relating to data protection, changes in requirements from specialist departments, and changes in products and technologies.
The trinidat team has developed a hybrid model of the classic waterfall model and Scrum for this purpose. The core is the interlocked working method of project teams.
First, fixed time intervals and tasks are defined. The time interval is usually one month, and a subproject comprises three months. In the first month, the customer defines his requirements for the first subproject.
In the following month, trinidat specifies the implementation of this. This can then lead to an implementation concept, which serves as the basis for the cost calculation. In the next step, the programming capacities can be defined. Finally, in the third month, it’s time for programming – i.e. the implementation of the subtasks. The three-month subproject concludes with a joint review by the customer and the project team.
With this model, the special requirements of software development can be achieved particularly well. In this way, a team can develop the implementation concept and optimize it according to customer feedback, while the programmers lose no time and can quickly start implementation.
Perfect software thanks to agile project management
trinidat uses this method to plan all the requirements of a development project. From the programming of new software features, through field tests and rollouts, to documentation, refactoring, performance optimization and improvement of user interfaces.
When developing individual software, agile project management is the basis for successful completion. The Scrum method is very well suited here for the efficient and rapid achievement of goals. trinidat has further developed this model specifically according to customer requirements and combines classic project management methods with agile approaches. This means that customers have less effort in defining requirements and benefit from more structure and better utilization at the service provider.
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We would be happy to show you in an initial meeting how our project management ensures that your software is always developed on schedule, cost-efficiently and to your complete satisfaction.