This document summarizes an IBM presentation on backlog management and release planning for agile ALM teams. It discusses how the IBM Rational Solution for Agile ALM supports product backlog management and release planning through features like the Scrum-Agile ALM process template and in-context guidance. It also provides exercises for attendees to practice these techniques using Rational Team Concert, including populating and refining the product backlog and release backlog. The goal is to help agile teams implement transparent and collaborative backlog management.

1. © 2013 IBM Corporation
Agile ALM Virtual Study Group Series
Part 2: Backlog management and release planning
Jean-Louis (JL) Marechaux, Worldwide Technical Enablement Lead (CLM segment)
IBM Software, Rational
October 1, 2013

2. © 2013 IBM Corporation
Accelerating Product and Service Innovation | Rational
Agile ALM Workshop2
Virtual Study Group Series: Agenda
 Part 1: Overview of the Agile ALM technical Assets (Sept 24, 2013)
– Study group agenda, intro to Scrum, overview of Agile ALM technical assets
– Homework / Self-study
Presentation material, demos, and recording: http://bit.ly/Aalm_S1
 Part 2: Getting started with backlog management and release planning (Oct 1, 2013)
– Rational Team Concert project for Agile ALM / product backlog and release planning
– Homework / Self-study
 Part 3: Sprint activities for Agile ALM Teams (Oct 8, 2013)
– Sprint planning, sprint management, review, and retrospective
– Homework / Self-study
 Details and registration links at http://bit.ly/AalmStGrp

3. © 2013 IBM Corporation
Accelerating Product and Service Innovation | Rational
Agile ALM Workshop3
Agile ALM Virtual Study Group
Part 2: Backlog management and release planning
(October 1, 2013)
Worldwide Technical Enablement | IBM Rational Software
Jean-Louis Marechaux (aka JL)
Worldwide Technical Enablement and CoP leader
(Collaborative Lifecycle Management segment)
Study Group on DevOps & Agile Community: http://bit.ly/AalmStGrp
Email: jl.marechaux@ca.ibm.com
Twitter: @JLmarechaux

4. © 2013 IBM Corporation
Accelerating Product and Service Innovation | Rational
Agile ALM Workshop4
Session 2: Agenda
Previously, on “Agile ALM Virtual Study Group”
– Brief recapitulation of what was covered during the first part of the series: http://bit.ly/Aalm_S1
Backlog Management and Release Planning
Homework / Self-study

5. © 2013 IBM Corporation
IBM Rational solution for Agile ALM with Scrum
Backlog management and release planning
An IBM Learning Asset

6. © 2013 IBM Corporation
Accelerating Product and Service Innovation | Rational
Agile ALM Workshop6
Objectives
1. Review the key elements in an Agile ALM project
• Review assets to support Agile ALM projects
• Understand mandatory and optional project configuration
2. Explore how the IBM® Rational Solution for Agile Application Lifecycle
Management (Agile ALM) supports:
• Product Backlog management
• Release planning
3. Acquire skills on using IBM® Rational Team Concert for Agile ALM projects
• Hands-on exercises / demos

7. © 2013 IBM Corporation
Accelerating Product and Service Innovation | Rational
Agile ALM Workshop7
Agenda
 Create and configure an Agile ALM Project
 Product backlog management
 Release planning
 Summary

8. © 2013 IBM Corporation
Accelerating Product and Service Innovation | Rational
Agile ALM Workshop8
Product
Backlog
Sprint
Backlog
Daily Scrum
Meeting
Potentially Shippable
Product Increment
Sprint Goal
Release
Backlog
Rational Team Concert
Scrum
Product Vision
Release
Planning
Sprint
Planning
Sprint
Review
Sprint
Retrospective
Agile ALM Process Overview
The IBM Rational Solution for Agile ALM with Scrum

9. © 2013 IBM Corporation
Accelerating Product and Service Innovation | Rational
Agile ALM Workshop9
Rational solution for Agile ALM with Scrum (Free)
Agile ALM Process Template
– RTC product extension
Agile ALM with Scrum Practices
– In-context guidance
Agile enablement assets
– Scenario
– Tutorial
– Agile Learning Circle
(Learning roadmap)
 https://jazz.net/downloads/agile-alm-scrum/latest
Agile ALM project

10. © 2013 IBM Corporation
Accelerating Product and Service Innovation | Rational
Agile ALM Workshop10
Configuration of an Agile ALM project
 Create Project Area based on the Scrum – Agile ALM process template
 Create a Team Area.
• Required to leverage the custom Agile ALM team dashboard
• Associate the new team to a work item category
 Add Members to the Team Area
 Assign Agile ALM Roles to team members
 Review Timelines and dates
Optional configuration:
 Create Work Item Categories (a default category is defined for your project)
 Create Project Area releases
 Customize predefined queries
 Review and customize the Agile ALM Team Dashboard

11. © 2013 IBM Corporation
Accelerating Product and Service Innovation | Rational
Agile ALM Workshop11
Agenda
 Create and configure an Agile ALM Project
 Product backlog management
 Release planning
 Summary

12. © 2013 IBM Corporation
Accelerating Product and Service Innovation | Rational
Agile ALM Workshop12
Product Backlog and Agile ALM activities
 Share and explain product vision
 Create product backlog
– Single source of requirements for any changes to be made to the product
– Living artifact (never complete)
 Refine product backlog (grooming) – Ongoing activity (<10% of team capacity)
– New epics / stories (features, technical debt, enhancements…)
– Details for epics / stories (decomposition, details, estimates)
– New order (ranking)
 The Product Backlog is ready for the upcoming Release

13. © 2013 IBM Corporation
Accelerating Product and Service Innovation | Rational
Agile ALM Workshop13
Exercise: Manage the product backlog
 “As the Product Owner, I am responsible for maximizing the value of the product.”
 “As a Stakeholder, I want to have an easy access to the product backlog.”
 “As a Scrum Master, I must ensure that the product backlog is available for inspection and adaptation”.
 “As members of the Development Team, we are responsible of all the estimates.”
Share product vision
Review Agile ALM
guidance
Add vision to the
product backlog Import backlog items
Detail and estimate
stories
Add new backlog items
Set business value
Populate product backlog Refine product backlog
Rank backlog items
Review in-context
guidance
(ongoing)

14. © 2013 IBM Corporation
Accelerating Product and Service Innovation | Rational
Agile ALM Workshop14
Agenda
 Create and configure an Agile ALM Project
 Product backlog management
 Release planning
 Summary

15. © 2013 IBM Corporation
Accelerating Product and Service Innovation | Rational
Agile ALM Workshop15
Release Backlog and Agile ALM activities
 Define release goal
– Objectives that the release should achieve
 Create release backlog
– Select items from the ordered Product Backlog (achieve the release goal)
– Rule of thumb: choose items from the top first (higher ranking)
 Refine release backlog (grooming) – Ongoing activity (<10% of team capacity)
– New epics / stories (features, enhancements…)
– Details for epics / stories (decomposition, details, estimates)
– New order (ranking)
 The Release Backlog is ready for the upcoming Sprint

16. © 2013 IBM Corporation
Accelerating Product and Service Innovation | Rational
Agile ALM Workshop16
Exercise: Manage the release backlog
 “As the Product Owner, I must identify the features needed for the release.”
 “As an Agile ALM team, we can define release milestones and deliverables.”
 “As members of the Development Team, we are responsible of all the estimates.”
 “As a Scrum Master, I can help the team calculate its velocity”.
Plan the release
Review Agile ALM
guidance
Define release goal and
planning Update backlog ranking
Add details to backlog items
Refine release backlog
Refine backlog based on
team velocity
(ongoing)
Select items from the
product backlog

17. © 2013 IBM Corporation
Accelerating Product and Service Innovation | Rational
Agile ALM Workshop17
Agenda
 Create and configure an Agile ALM Project
 Product backlog management
 Release planning
 Summary

18. © 2013 IBM Corporation
Accelerating Product and Service Innovation | Rational
Agile ALM Workshop18
Summary
 The Rational Solution for Agile Application Lifecycle Management (Agile ALM)
supports agile teams for product backlog management and release planning:
• “Scrum – Agile ALM” process template (RTC extension)
• In-context process guidance
• Technical enablement material for Agile ALM teams
 Rational Team Concert provides a collaborative environment for agile ALM teams:
• Transparency
• Inspection
• Adaptation

19. © 2013 IBM Corporation
Accelerating Product and Service Innovation | Rational
Agile ALM Workshop19
Session 2: Agenda
Previously, on “Agile ALM Virtual Study Group”
– Brief recapitulation of what was covered during the first part of the series? http://bit.ly/Aalm_S1
Backlog Management and Release Planning
Homework / Self-study

20. © 2013 IBM Corporation
Accelerating Product and Service Innovation | Rational
Agile ALM Workshop20
Homework / Self-Study
Activities to complete before the next session (October 8, 2013)
 Complete the survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/76L7YXB (5 min)
 Hands-on exercises from Agile ALM tutorials (https://jazz.net/downloads/agile-alm-scrum/latest) (90 min)
- Backlog management and release planning with RTC
 Review published material from session 2
- Link to material will be posted on our DevOps/Agile community: http://bit.ly/Aalm_S2
 Post comment/questions on the blog entry: Agile ALM Series Part 2
Part 2

21. © 2013 IBM Corporation
Accelerating Product and Service Innovation | Rational
Agile ALM Workshop21

22. © 2013 IBM Corporation
Accelerating Product and Service Innovation | Rational
Agile ALM Workshop22
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