Comments on: Addition and Subtraction in Scrum http://agilethinking.net/blog/2008/03/03/addition-and-subtraction-in-scrum/ Tobias Mayer's Blog Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:47:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: Bob Smiley http://agilethinking.net/blog/2008/03/03/addition-and-subtraction-in-scrum/#comment-87103 Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:03:54 +0000 http://agilethinking.net/blog/2008/03/03/addition-and-subtraction-in-scrum/#comment-87103 I'm reminded of a famous quote by someone like Einstein (but I'm not sure it was really him, it may have been someone else): _____ "Make the system as simple as possible, but no simpler!" ------ I’m reminded of a famous quote by someone like Einstein (but I’m not sure it was really him, it may have been someone else):

_____
“Make the system as simple as possible, but no simpler!”
——

]]> by: Bob Smiley http://agilethinking.net/blog/2008/03/03/addition-and-subtraction-in-scrum/#comment-87102 Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:01:59 +0000 http://agilethinking.net/blog/2008/03/03/addition-and-subtraction-in-scrum/#comment-87102 Well done. There are a lot of ways people try to "embellish," and your point about masking dysfunctions hits right on the mark. One other big way of "embellishment" is to add tools. Tools are good if they are the right tool for the job, but often with Scrum we try to add tools before we know how to do the job well. I think this fits into Dave's reference of "it's just too simple..." Our human nature tends to want to add complexity to anything simple. If it's simple, it must not be good enough! Well done. There are a lot of ways people try to “embellish,” and your point about masking dysfunctions hits right on the mark.

One other big way of “embellishment” is to add tools.

Tools are good if they are the right tool for the job, but often with Scrum we try to add tools before we know how to do the job well. I think this fits into Dave’s reference of “it’s just too simple…” Our human nature tends to want to add complexity to anything simple. If it’s simple, it must not be good enough!

]]> by: Wolfgang Schulze-Zachau http://agilethinking.net/blog/2008/03/03/addition-and-subtraction-in-scrum/#comment-70990 Wed, 09 Apr 2008 09:57:15 +0000 http://agilethinking.net/blog/2008/03/03/addition-and-subtraction-in-scrum/#comment-70990 We have dropped the tracking of remaining hours and replaced it with 3 states: INIT, WIP, DONE. We only do one initial estimation of task sizes, when the sprint backlog is created. The excel spreadsheet used for the burndown chart shows two stacked lines for the sum of (initially estimated) hours in the states WIP and INIT. Works wonderfully and is very efficient. And I couldn't agree more with Tobias. Shu-Ha-Ri. Learn, Apply, Transcend. And well written. Wolfgang We have dropped the tracking of remaining hours and replaced it with 3 states: INIT, WIP, DONE. We only do one initial estimation of task sizes, when the sprint backlog is created.
The excel spreadsheet used for the burndown chart shows two stacked lines for the sum of (initially estimated) hours in the states WIP and INIT. Works wonderfully and is very efficient.
And I couldn’t agree more with Tobias. Shu-Ha-Ri. Learn, Apply, Transcend. And well written.
Wolfgang

]]> by: Boris Gloger http://agilethinking.net/blog/2008/03/03/addition-and-subtraction-in-scrum/#comment-66040 Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:35:46 +0000 http://agilethinking.net/blog/2008/03/03/addition-and-subtraction-in-scrum/#comment-66040 Tobias, I like the way you try to make clear, that we need to sharpen the way we do Scrum, by removing and by adding new ideas. I wish I could write so clear as you. Boris Tobias, I like the way you try to make clear, that we need to sharpen the way we do Scrum, by removing and by adding new ideas. I wish I could write so clear as you. Boris

]]> by: Brian Bailey http://agilethinking.net/blog/2008/03/03/addition-and-subtraction-in-scrum/#comment-65972 Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:37:32 +0000 http://agilethinking.net/blog/2008/03/03/addition-and-subtraction-in-scrum/#comment-65972 Excellent post. I've enjoyed the rest of your blog as well. I'm growing increasingly convinced of the benefits of story points, as well as not estimating and tracking hours for individual tasks. My question is how do you measure the remaining work throughout a sprint? Another way to put it is, what does the burndown chart look like in this scenario? Obviously the daily stand-up will give a good overview of how things are going, but I do appreciate how a quick glance at a spreadsheet or chart can show that what we've committed to may not be achievable. Excellent post. I’ve enjoyed the rest of your blog as well.

I’m growing increasingly convinced of the benefits of story points, as well as not estimating and tracking hours for individual tasks. My question is how do you measure the remaining work throughout a sprint? Another way to put it is, what does the burndown chart look like in this scenario?

Obviously the daily stand-up will give a good overview of how things are going, but I do appreciate how a quick glance at a spreadsheet or chart can show that what we’ve committed to may not be achievable.

]]> by: Ken Schwaber http://agilethinking.net/blog/2008/03/03/addition-and-subtraction-in-scrum/#comment-62332 Tue, 04 Mar 2008 16:52:18 +0000 http://agilethinking.net/blog/2008/03/03/addition-and-subtraction-in-scrum/#comment-62332 Well said. My favorite is the team that doesn't need daily scrums, because they are just "administrative overhead." They rarely can answer the question, "How are you doing on meeting your Sprint committments, and what can you do to optimize your chances of delivering as much as possible of what you committed to. Show me." Ken Well said. My favorite is the team that doesn’t need daily scrums, because they are just “administrative overhead.” They rarely can answer the question, “How are you doing on meeting your Sprint committments, and what can you do to optimize your chances of delivering as much as possible of what you committed to. Show me.”
Ken

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