You’ve been working for several months on a key software initiative for the company and leadership has decided they want it faster than projected, so the team has been told they’re getting “the agile” installed next week. “Great.”, you think, “Right in the middle of the project. Nothing like changing horses in midstream. One way or another, this will go swimmingly.” Sarcasm and puns aside, you’ve got a point. It isn’t easy to switch methodologies in the middle of a project. Doc shares some stories from his own experiences helping teams make this change and provides a few pointers that can help you do the same. While this talk is focused on testing, it involves the whole team, as agile methods usually do.

1. S W I T C H I N G H O R S E S I N M I D S T R E A M
F R O M WA T E R FA L L T O A G I L E O N A N E X I S T I N G P R O J E C T
S W I T C H I N G H O R S E S I N M I D S T R E A M
F R O M WA T E R FA L L T O A G I L E O N A N E X I S T I N G P R O J E C T
D O C N O R T O N - C T O 2D O C N O R T O N - C T O 2

2. Doc Norton
@DocOnDev
http://www.docondev.com/
TALENT & TECHNOLOGY
http://www.wearecto2.com/
#UNICOMTesting

3. P L A N N E D , S T E A D Y, P R E D I C TA B L E
O U R P R O J E C T

4. Y O U ’ R E N O T
M O V I N G
FA S T
E N O U G H !

5. B U T, W E ’ R E A L L S U P E R B U S Y !
N O T M O V I N G FA S T E N O U G H ?

6. C Y N E F I N
A C O M P L E X I T Y M O D E L
• Work falls into different complexity
domains
• Different styles are most appropriate
for each domain

7. O B V I O U S
WAT E R FA L L

8. C O M P L I C AT E D
A G I L E ( S C R U M )

9. C O M P L E X
A G I L E ( L E A N - S TA R T U P )

10. C H A O T I C
C O M M A N D A N D C O N T R O L

11. C O M P L I C AT E D O R C O M P L E X
M O S T S O F T WA R E I S E I T H E R

12. WAT E R FA L L

13. …the implementation described [is] risky and invites failure. The testing phase which occurs at
the end of the development cycle is the first event for which timing, storage, input/output
transfers, etc., are experienced as distinguished from analyzed. [If] these phenomena fail to satisfy
the various external constraints, then invariably a major redesign is required. [The] required design
changes are likely to be so disruptive that the software requirements upon which the design is
based and which provides the rationale for everything are violated. Either the requirements must
be modified, or a substantial change in the design is required. In effect the development process
has returned to the origin and one can expect up to a l00-percent overrun in schedule and/or
costs.
- Dr. Winston W. Royce
WAT E R FA L L

14. WAT E R FA L L ?

15. I N S TA L L T H E A G I L E
O K A Y, I G E T I T. I T ’ S T I M E T O

16. W H AT W E H O P E T O G E T
G O I N G A G I L E

17. W H AT I T F E E L S L I K E
G O I N G A G I L E

18. C H A N G E H O R S E S I N M I D S T R E A M
T H I S I S W H A T C A N H A P P E N W H E N Y O U

19. N O W I N E E D T O D O A L L T H I S ?
WA I T A M I N U T E
• Define requirements
• Estimating
• Test Automation
• Three Amigos
• Pair Programming
• Verify Acceptance Criteria
• Attend all those meetings

20. D E F I N E
R E Q U I R E M E N T S
• Help document scenarios
• Focus on edge cases
• Think critically
In order to _______
As a _____________
I want ___________
Given _____, When ____, Then ____

21. E S T I M AT I N G
• Estimate in Points
• Estimate relatively
• Planning Poker
• Include QA in estimate

22. R E L AT I V E
E S T I M AT I N G
• Establish a baseline (your 1)
• Estimate all others compared to 1
• We are better at relative than
absolute

23. T H R E E A M I G O S
• Business, Tester, Developer
• Review feature and specs
• Shared agreement / understanding
• Make sure all agree it is ready for Dev
• Should happen before planning
• Can happen again at story start

24. U N I T T E S T L E G A C Y C O D E ?

25. U N I T T E S T I N G
L E G A C Y C O D E
• Avoid it if at all possible

26. S P R O U T T E C H N I Q U E
U N I T T E S T I N G L E G A C Y C O D E

27. U N I T T E S T I N G
L E G A C Y C O D E
• Small steps via the Mikado Method
• Create a Behavioral Profile of the
code

28. M I K A D O M E T H O D
U N I T T E S T I N G L E G A C Y C O D E

29. C O D E P R O F I L I N G
U N I T T E S T I N G L E G A C Y C O D E

30. PA I R P R O G R A M M I N G

31. PA I R P R O G R A M M I N G L O O K L I K E ?
W H A T D O E S

32. PA I R P R O G R A M M I N G L O O K L I K E ?
W H A T D O E S

33. P I N G P O N G S T Y L E
PA I R P R O G R A M M I N G

34. W E C A N G E T H E R E
G O I N G A G I L E

35. S W I T C H I N G H O R S E S I N M I D S T R E A M
F R O M WA T E R FA L L T O A G I L E O N A N E X I S T I N G P R O J E C T
S W I T C H I N G H O R S E S I N M I D S T R E A M
F R O M WA T E R FA L L T O A G I L E O N A N E X I S T I N G P R O J E C T
D O C N O R T O N - C T O 2D O C N O R T O N - C T O 2
Thank You!
#UNICOMTesting

36. R E S O U R C E S
• Dr. Royce on Waterfall
• Mikado Method (GitHub)
• Mikado Method (Web)
• True QA in an Agile World
• Agile Testing: A Practical Guide…
• Incorporating QA in an Agile
Process
• Cynefin in Software Testing
• HBR Article on Cynefin
• Wisdom of Crowds
• Three Amigos Meeting
• Working Effectively with Legacy
Code
• Mikado Method

37. I M A G E S
• Cover Photo
• Pack Ride
• Angry Boss
• Trojan Horse
• Horse Race
• Ostrich Race
• Horse in Water
• Horse Fall
• Office Fire
• Wisdom of Crowds
• Boxes