AGILE Transformation - II

AGILE Metrics

AGILE Assessment

Define the Improvement Points

Select the Framework

Different Types of framework available in AGILE model.

1. SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework)
2. LeSS (Large enterprise Scalable Scrum)
3. DAD (Disciplied Agile Delivery)

LeSS literally scales up the activities in scrum, applying them at the team-of-teams level. In LeSS, large-scale planning takes one or two members from each team to form a second meeting; there is a daily standup that does the same as the daily scrum. The “overall retrospective,” which happens the week after the end a sprint, likewise pulls representatives from each team to discuss large program issues. On top of these, LeSS also adds open space, town hall meetings and other coordination and communication activities.

Implement AGILE in the rest of the Organization

Once the pilot is completed. Gradually it can spread over to rest of the organization.

AGILE Transformation - I

AGILE Strategy

Strategic Planning is important for AGILE Model.  Organization has to take the steps to change and adopt into AGILE model rather than Traditional Model. Most importantly, it should align with Business Goals. Rather than Technology specific Teams.

Training

AGILE Training is important for the entire organization. Because the mindset of team has to get changed. This would be first step to change their mind. And understand the real benefit of AGILE.
Training is important in all the levels like Business, IT and support organization too.

Pilot Projects and Introduce AGILE Model

Select the Right projects for AGILE pilot.  We should see the parameters of criticality, complex, duration , business readiness etc. Most important things, select the project(s) which can be made into small products. And select projects from different portfolios. For example, if its bank, select the project from Payments, Cash Services, Asset Management, Risk and Finance, Lending etc.

Define the AGILE Roles in the projects

Though Traditional Model has Program Manager, Project Manager, Team Lead, Developers and Testers, Its important to define the AGILE roles before start the AGILE way of working. Product owner should be from Business Team and also directly facing the client(s) too.  Scrum Masters is depends upon the team. Team Members can be Developers, Testers. But all should be multifunctional person.

Define the Product Backlog with Product Owner

Select the SCRUM Masters

Scrum Masters can be dedicated for the Team. OR can be shared with other SCRUM Teams. Scrum Master also can be from the team itself depends on the maturity.

Sprint Duration

Duration of the sprint, can be vary from 1 week to 4 weeks. But preferable duration is 2 or 3 weeks. Here's the reasons.

User Stories

AGILE Tools

JIRA is one of the preferable tool in the AGILE Model. Its widely used in across all the organization. Microsoft TFS also being used in few organizations.

AGILE Transformation

Few Important Steps to define AGILE Transformation for any organization.

1.  Define a AGILE Strategy
2. Train the Associates
3. Select the projects which can get into PILOT.
4. Introduce AGILE into the selected projects.
5. Define the AGILE roles in the selected projects.
6. Define the Product Backlog along with product owner.
7. Select the dedicated Scrum Masters (For Initial Period).
8. Define the Sprint Duration
9. Define the User Stories
10. Select the AGILE Tools like JIRA, TFS
11. Define the AGILE Metrics which can be followed in the AGILE Model
12. Periodically do the AGILE Assessment with Framework (which is available in the market)
13. Based on the AGILE Assessment score and Improve the points.
14. After its reached the preferable score. Implement the AGILE Model in the rest of the organization
15. Select the Best Framework for the Organization. Like SAFe, LeSS etc.

CORDOVA

What is Cordova?

Apache Cordova is an open-source framework for creating mobile applications with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. You do not need to know about native application programming for iOS or Android to create a Cordova application. Cordova generates the native apps with command-line tools.

Which Bluemix Mobile Services support Cordova?

• Push Notifications: Send and manage mobile push notifications that are targeted to iOS and Android platforms.
• Mobile Client Access: Configure client authentication, identity providers, monitoring, and logging for your mobile app.

Getting started with Cordova

If you’ve never worked with Cordova before, start out with our Cordova Hello World sample app. The documentation for this sample walks you through how to create a mobile backend on Bluemix and how to connect your Cordova application with the mobile backend without security enabled. The Cordova SDK is embedded in the sample; seeGetting started with the HelloWorld sample for step-by-step instructions

What is IBM Watson?

Watson is an IBM supercomputer that combines artificial intelligence (AI) and sophisticated analytical software for optimal performance as a “question answering” machine. The supercomputer is named for IBM’s founder, Thomas J. Watson.


The Watson supercomputer processes at a rate of 80 teraflops (trillion floating-point operations per second). To replicate (or surpass) a high-functioning human’s ability to answer questions, Watson accesses 90 servers with a combined data store of over 200 million pages of information, which it processes against six million logic rules. The device and its data are self-contained in a space that could accommodate 10 refrigerators.

Watson's key components include:

• Apache UIMA (Unstructured Information Management Architecture) frameworks, infrastructure and other elements required for the analysis of unstructured data.

• Apache's Hadoop, a free, Java-based programming framework that supports the processing of    large data sets in a distributed computing environment.

       - SUSE Enterprise Linux Server 11, the fastest available Power7 processor operating system.

• 2,880 processor cores.

       -  15 terabytes of RAM.

• 500 gigabytes of preprocessed information.

IBM'sDeepQA software, which is designed for information retrieval that incorporates natural language processing and machine learning.

API performance...

Web API

What is Web API? API stands for Application Programming Interface. A Web API is an application programming interface for the Web. A Browser API can extend the functionality of a web browser. A Server API can extend the functionality of a web server.

Web API can be hosted only on an Internet Information Service (IIS) or self that supports XML and JSON requests. In contrast, REST API can be hosted only on IIS that supports standardized XML requests.

There are four principal types of API commonly used in web-based applications: public, partner, private and composite.

Web API is a programming interface/application type that provides communication or interaction between software applications. Web API is often used to provide an interface for web sites and client applications to have data access. Web APIs can be used to access data from a database and save data back to the databas