1. COLLATERAL
AGILE METHOD OLOGY BEST PRACTICES AT SYMBIOUN
Service providers have become too entrenched with the waterfall model and variations of the
iterative waterfall model. However, the challenges of rolling out a new product and the need for
translating product vision into a working product require a completely different mindset to product
engineering. Weekly sprints and frequent product releases have become the norm among our
customers and we have recognized this from the day we started our operations.
Symbioun has invested a lot in building a team that lives and breathes the agile development model.
Here are some of the best practices we have adopted to keep pace with our customers.
 First and foremost, product stakeholders may not know all requirements up front. Hence, it
is not possible to create an exact specification for what a product has to be. Rather, a
suitable approach would be to grow an evolving product that is showcased for feedback and
course correction on a continual basis as necessary.
 Second, precedence of work product over documentation. An interactive customer-partner
session to clarify the functionality and implementation adds a lot more value for the time
than a write up that may not capture all nuances of the application.
 Third, the development methodology should allow for self-organization of the teams as
opposed to rigid top-down project management model. The development team is also more
intimately aware of every individual’s capacity in the team and can take a more informed
decision on work allocation.
SCRUM BEST PRACTICES: PEOPLE
 Symbioun places a great emphasis on the selection of team members for a project. Apart
from a thorough technical scrutiny, the candidate is assessed for attitudes of task ownership
and team play. These attributes play a significant role in the successful execution of Scrum.
 New hires are given training session on the Scrum methodology as a part of induction
program.
 Periodic agile lab sessions are held to train team members on the methodology and share
collective experiences in the implementation.
 A key charter for Symbioun is to have select members of the project teams Scrum certified.
Symbioun Technologies, Inc. 770.755.7557 | info@symbiountech.com | www.symbiountech.com
Atlanta |Silicon Valley| Belgium | Chennai

2. SCRUM BEST PRACTICES: TOOLS & PROCESS
 Symbioun has implemented an open source based project management tool called ProTi to
manage all aspects of the software development process.
 ProTi allows for creation of product backlog and user stories. The tool acts as a platform to
access backlog, assign them to sprints, and to monitor their completion. Less formal user
stories to structured use cases can be associated with the backlog using ProTi.
 The tool allows for the creation of Sprints targeting specific backlog items. Sprints are in
general broken down for a project as follows:
o A combination of ProTi and the project development practice captures some of the
key aspects of a project during the inception:
 Project Background, Customer Background , budget and scope
 Identification of team members and their roles
 Sprint plan, release schedule
 Customer communication and delivery mechanism
 Hardware /Software requirements
 Project Metrics
o Product backlog is prioritized and assigned to Sprints based on risk and significance.
As a first step, the Scrum Master ensures that the high level descriptions of the
requirements are in place. Detailed functional descriptions are elicited further down
in the project timeline as subsequent Sprints are taken up to address specific
functionality.
o During the execution of the project, stand up meetings are conducted daily by the
Scrum Master to quickly cover accomplishment of activities and obstacles which
may need escalation. Activity is captured in ProTi by individual team members so
that there is effort Vs completion visibility.
o A weekly Scrum of Scrums takes place to assess the overall status of projects and for
sharing learning across projects.
o Symbioun project teams use UML design tools such as Enterprise Architect to
introduce a discipline and formality without compromising on the flexibility required
of an agile method.
o Test scripts with a continuous integration server ensure that the code is checked
continuously and facilitate refactoring based on design or architecture
modifications.
o Deliveries are done over an online interactive demo (IDEM) sessions over WebEx.
Symbioun Technologies, Inc. 770.755.7557 | info@symbiountech.com | www.symbiountech.com
Atlanta | Silicon Valley| Belgium | Chennai

3.  Project teams at Symbioun, working in remote locations, have sufficient time overlap with
the customer teams. Alternatively, a Symbioun team member deployed onsite, participates
in Scrum meetings with the customer team and conducts another Scrum meeting with the
offshore team.
 A designated Product Owner that will play the role of the client and provide feature
clarifications on the product functionality to the offshore development team. The Product
Owner will understand the expected functionality thoroughly by engaging with the customer
on an ongoing basis.
ProTi Product Backlog Management ProTi Product Burn down Chart
ABOUT SYMBIOUN
Symbioun is a software product engineering service provider with a successful track record of over
5 years. We build software products for Startups, established Independent Software Vendors
(ISVs), and Fortune 1000 companies. Symbioun has significant domain expertise in eLearning,
Mobile Platforms, and Social Media segments.
Symbioun Technologies, Inc. 770.755.7557 | info@symbiountech.com | www.symbiountech.com
Atlanta | Silicon Valley| Belgium | Chennai