Connecting Product Vision to Everyday Agile Work. Kelly R. Looney, Principal Process Engineer, Valtech US Kelly.Looney@valtech.com Agile Day 2012 Valtech

1. Product Vision as a Tool
in everyday Agile work

2. Introduction
! Who am I?
! What is my Vision?
! PO/PMs are overwhelmed with details
! Need = strategic AND practical
! Make vision a widespread iterative tool
! Lots of Examples...one constraint

3. Overview
! Developing a product vision
! Communicating your ideas and plans
! Using vision everyday
! When vision meets reality

4. Markets are Conversations
So what do
you have to
say?

5. Developing a Product Vision
! A vision should be an opinion.
! Should be expressible on an elevator ride
! If it is unique it separates you from the pack
! Examples:
! You should control your online Presence .
! Portability is the key to harness changing
technology - Oracle/Java/ParcPlace

6. How do you see the world?
! Worldview : What do you believe? Who else sees things
the way I do?
! What does the future look like?
! Given your worldview, what is
needed and most important?

7. Typical Visions
! Leading Provider...
= “I want to win”
! Increase ROI
= “... more money”
! Be a market leader
= “... be successful”
! To be recognized
= “...be important”

8. Thinking Different
! Not enough to have an opinion, it needs to
stand out.
! Sometimes be a contrarian!
! What makes you capable/
interesting?
! Partners rather than
competitors?

9. Cluetrain
! Companies attempting to position
themselves should take a position.
! Optimally it should relate to something
the market actually cares about.
! Bombastic boasts do not = a position

11. What are you doing
about what you believe?
! Building a product that is needed
! Your Worldview builds the case
! prioritize vs ignore vs outsource
! Scholastic - What is changing about the
world of children s learning?
! How can we uniquely contribute?
! Parent AND Teacher relationships

12. Another Example
- Simple Sync
! Envisions a world with people
having many devices
! Solution: Seamless and effortless
syncing and backup across devices

13. Communicating
! Who and How
! You need several kinds of people: customers,
supporters, investors, partners
! Internet is great but it still takes looking to find
YOUR people
! Drawing your Worldview
! Statements, Papers, Talks, Screencasts, Demos
! Thought leaders, Communities, Reviews

14. Vision Examples
! DataHero Brings Analytics to Everyone
! Organize the world s information and make it
universally accessible and useful. - ??
! Our values reflect those of a business started by a
band of climbers and surfers, and the minimalist style
they promoted. The approach we take towards product
design demonstrates a bias for simplicity and utility.
- ??
! A place where incredibly talented individuals are
empowered to put their best work into the hands of
millions of people, with very little in their way. - ??

15. Vision as a Tool
! Motivation - Eyes on the prize
! Prioritization and evaluation
! Integration and Testing
! DevOps & Continuous Deployment
! Baby steps into the future

16. Motivation
! Vision needs to be reinforced!
! Every planning meeting
! Start with big picture -> current
sprint
! Other reminders - flags, posters, talks

17. Prioritization
! If this process is mysterious you have a problem
<- smell
! Test each story - perhaps do a rating
! Does it support your Worldview? - upgrade
! Is it beside YOUR points - downgrade
! Be creative about focusing on your vision!
! Minimizing effort on everything else

18. Scientific Method for
Development
! Customer Development
! Validated Learning

19. Integration and Test
! Q: Do your tests PROVE your vision?
! Example: The future of education is a custom
learning plan for every child.
! Tests (focus of testing your core assumptions)
! Practical for one teacher to create 20-30
plans?
! Assign and track?
! Schools managing hundreds of plans?
! Parent communication? Support?

20. DevOps, Continuous Deployment
! Presents its own vision of software development without
complex and risky releases
! Small incremental features delivered as they are built -
always integrating and testing
! Build your vision in small
steps rather than all at
once
! This is win since your
vision is likely to evolve
! Up front investment is
often wasted

21. When Vision meets Reality

22. Market Reactions
! Your own Sales force - help them tell the tale
! Customers, Partners, Upper Mgmt
! Press, Analysts
! They want a story , give them yours
! Wild-eyed supporters
and trolls
! Productive use of
feedback

23. Dealing with Events
! You won t always be the freshest idea out there
! Others will always make claims that they have
it all figured out
! Easy to panic...
! Go back to your Worldview
! Are your assumptions still valid?
! Do other products fit or conflict?
! Do you still believe in your story?
! Ok to change and evolve.

24. In Summation...
But have something to say...

25. Thanks!
BTW Valtech is just starting to work in Hawaii...
kelly.looney@valtech.com