Project Management
An agile approach that flexes with changing priorities and requirements.
A FRAMEWORK that embraces change
Cynerge Consulting leverages an agile Scrum project management methodology across all development projects. Used in both digital as well as physical product development, agile Scrum relies on incremental development, with each iteration consisting of one- to four-week sprints. The goal of each sprint is to build the most important feature first and come out of the sprint with a shippable and functional product. More features are built into the application in subsequent sprints and are adjusted based on customer and user feedback.
Agile Scrum embraces change. Change, to any application, should happen all the time. New ideas and updates to your products are expected. This framework also goes hand-in-hand with Human-Centered Design and DevOps principles, promotes collaboration and client transparency, and ensures viable software is delivered early and often throughout the project.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Agile Scrum is a collaborative approach that requires dedicated and daily client involvement. Here’s what you can expect when we roll up our sleeves:
SHARING A VISION
Setting and sharing a project vision identifies the organization’s goals or needs. This vision will help steer us throughout the project. We then go to the whiteboard and begin brainstorming “epics” or bodies of work that can then be broken down into user stories. User stories are short, simple descriptions of a feature told from the perspective of the person who desires the new capability, usually a user or customer of the system. User stories then form the basis of a backlog that can be sized and organized within a given sprint.
SPRINT PLANNING
Each iteration consists of one- to four-week sprints, where each sprint’s goal is to build and deliver high-priority functionality. Each sprint begins with the sprint planning process, where the user stories (based on size and complexity) are determined to help focus development efforts and eliminate potential distractions. We then break down user stories further into specific tasks and action items for the team.
IMPLEMENTATION
As functionality is built, it is then implemented and tested to the satisfaction of the client and end users. During implementation, quick, daily standups are used to further focus the team’s efforts. Any obstacles are logged (known as impediment logs), discussed, and mitigated. Progress is tracked using a burndown chart, which demonstrates the remaining work, timeline, and budget. This provides a digestible and graphical representation of the project, promoting visibility and transparency into our work.
REVIEW
After the user stories for a given sprint are complete, a sprint review meeting will be held. During this time, we go over what has been done, and collaborate on what the focus and next important feature is for the following sprint.
RETROSPECTIVE
Upon sprint completion, a retrospective meeting is held that formally concludes the sprint. In this meeting, the team will discuss what went well in the sprint, what could be improved, and apply these learnings for subsequent sprints.
Meet the “MVP”
Agile limits work in progress, empowers scrum teams and product owners to self-organize, and focuses on delivering high-priority functionality early. What this means is a functional, marketable product (a minimum viable product or “MVP”) is available sooner. While it may not include every requested feature, it will deliver the most important functionality for end users or customers to accomplish their goals.
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