Ed, You are probably doing 50% agile already. Stories are how the user describes what they want. It makes the user write out what they want. If they say "I want an accounting system", we would tell them that is an epic and make them go back and write specific stories and prioritize them. Note: We don't write application code, but the concepts are the same.
Standups are not cumbia gatherings. 10 minutes. We are on two continents over 7 time zones. Germany to Nebraska. Manager is in the UK. Keeps everyone in sync. Agile is more a formalization of what you are probably doing. Chris Blaicher Technical Architect Mainframe Development P: 201-930-8234 | M: 512-627-3803 E: [email protected] Syncsort Incorporated 2 Blue Hill Plaza #1563 Pearl River, NY 10965 www.syncsort.com Data quality leader Trillium Software is now a part of Syncsort. -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Edward Gould Sent: Friday, December 8, 2017 11:22 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Agile Project management in Mainframe System project > On Dec 8, 2017, at 8:44 AM, Christopher Y. Blaicher <[email protected]> > wrote: > > Yes you can. We are transitioning to using agile. I say transitioning > because even though we use the agile methodologies of sprints, daily standup > meetings, stories, epics and all that goes with it, we don't have it > perfected, yet. Stand up meetings???!!! WTF,,, I have been doing MVS updates for 30+ years and I have *NEVER* seen a use for stand up updates. Everybody does their job, if one person needs help another helps him/her out. As project manager I can tell day in and day out how the project is going because I talk with the people or what I hear in the office. The only need for stories is a waste of time, it does not help the goal of the team. If you mean getting a comedian up there, sorry we are here to work not get chuckles out of bozo the clown. I have been through so many of these that I know what is going on and if there are issues within a few minutes of the time they arise, not days later while some comedian gives a song and dance. I have never been blind sided as I know the people and they know they can come and talk and vice versa. I have had people that should have been capable of doing their job and weren’t and I have dealt with them in a variety of ways, usually (not always) I find someone that has done it before and let them partner together. I run on tight deadlines and as I tell the people, if you are here till 2AM do it, but let me know that you have been burning the midnight oil and lets see why and how we can change things around to help you out or is this an extremely important issue that may need outside people for this point come in and help out. Example: The JES2 update was going to make a change in some JECL and the person was mashing their heads trying to figure a way around it i.e. exits etc. We brought in from our production control department and let him help out on how to handle these changes. Chris, I clearly now nothing about your project management system, but if something works well why change it just to have some clown make you smile or have stand up meetings when all they do is waste time and really don’t accomplish anything that a project manager should have already accounted for a week or more back. Also I am not into the Japanese meetings where they stand around and make speeches and clap a lot. This does not breed camarderie it ends up making everyone feel good but does not get work out and you do not learn how Alice in shipping is having swollen feet. So someone is going to help her lift some manuals. Ed ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN ________________________________ ATTENTION: ----- The information contained in this message (including any files transmitted with this message) may contain proprietary, trade secret or other confidential and/or legally privileged information. Any pricing information contained in this message or in any files transmitted with this message is always confidential and cannot be shared with any third parties without prior written approval from Syncsort. This message is intended to be read only by the individual or entity to whom it is addressed or by their designee. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are on notice that any use, disclosure, copying or distribution of this message, in any form, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please immediately notify the sender and/or Syncsort and destroy all copies of this message in your possession, custody or control. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
