SCRUM - Quick Reference Guide (Part One)

Scrum is being used widely in software & IT industry to define, measure & deliver business requirement in working software.

Scrum controls the risk associated with long term planning & big commitments by constraining the product development into shorter iteration called sprints.

source: internet

Scrum is founded on empirical process control theory or empiricism: -

·      Transparency

·      Inspection

·      Adaptation

Empiricism asserts that knowledge comes from experience and making decision based on what is known.

Scrum compromised of: -

·      Roles

·      Rules

·      Events

·      Artefacts

Scrum team Role: -

·      Scrum Master

·      Product Owner

·      Development Team

Scrum Events consists of: -

·      Sprint planning

·      Sprint retrospective

·      Daily Scrum

·      Sprint Review

·      Sprint

Sprint Planning consists of two sections: THE WHAT & THE HOW.

Duration of Sprint planning depends on Sprint

Sprint Duration	Hours for planning
2 weeks sprint	4 hours
3 weeks sprint	6 hours
4 weeks sprint	8 hours

Daily Scrum (stand-up): - 15 minutes time boxed

ü  What did you do yesterday?

ü  What will I do today to help?

ü  Impediments.

Team model is scrum: -

    Productivity

    Flexibility

    Creativity

Five powerful things about the sprint: -

o   Focus

o   Predictability

o   Control

o   Freedom

o   Opportunity

Product Backlog features: -

§  It is never complete.

§  It is dynamic.

§  As long as Product exists, its Product backlog also exists.

Product backlog refinement usually consume no more than 10% of the capacity of the development team.

Note: It is OK for the Product owner and the scrum master to be in development team.

Product backlog refinement is the act of: -

Ø  Adding details

Ø  Estimates

Ø  Order    to the backlog.

To be continue......

Thank you!

Satender Kumar Mall
Twitter: @satenderiiit

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Satender-Kumar-Mall-Blogs

The real Problem Vs an imaginary problem!

If we happen to analyze bit more closely, we will discover that 40% of our time we are trying to settle/battle  out imaginary problem. The problem that we think may encounter in future, which is again an imaginary fear.  This drains our energy to large extent.

What could be the reason that even wise men too fall in this trap?

source:Internet

Let’s understand with short extract from great Hindu Epic Mahabharata.

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(Bhism Pitama and Barbarik  meeting before start of kurukshtra war) 

Introduction:-

Bhism was the greatest as well as longest living warrior of his times, who had blessing to decide his own death. 

Barbarik was four generation younger to Bhism, but he too was skillful and equally trained & powerful warrior equal to stature of Bhism.

Meeting:-

Barbarik to Bhism: As my wish to see you has fulfilled, I want to make a request to you!

Bhism: Request, what kind of request son?

Barbarik: I have heard that you are commander-in-chief of Kuruvas.

Bhism: That's right my son, you have heard it correct.

Barbarik: That is the reason for my request! I do not want to use my extra ordinary power on someone, who is far skillful, knowledgeable, someone who is symbol of keeping his words & promise. Moreover world will forever in all ages to come, will have high regard. Hence I pray that you should not take part in war.

Bhism: Calmly replied- Son there is one more way to fulfill your wish! If you back- out from the war.

Barbarik: That’s not possible my fore-father! I am helpless and have committed to my family. Hence I cannot back out.

To this Bhism: replied-> The thing which you cannot do your-self, then why are you requesting me to do that?

Barbarik: I am simply begging before you?

Bhism: One should not beg someone's character or duty (DHARMA) in begging.

Barbarik: Apologies! I simply do not want that my extra power and blessing become obstacle for you.

Bhism: I have blessing of deciding my own death, hence any obstacle, power or problem of any kind cannot withstand in front of me or kill me.

Barbarik: Then what should I do?

Bhism: You should do you duty my son. And also never try & find answer to all questions yourself. Few questions should be left for time and luck to decide the answer. As they are the only one who has the answer.

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So how do we identify the real and imaginary problem? 

The last recitation given by Bhism about not finding solution to every question ourselves is the key. As this gives HOPE & realization that we are not the best of universe, though you may be best of you. 

Time and luck answer few questions the best.

This gives us opportunity to look around, learn and move on. 

Instead of hanging over to something and finish ourselves in false believe of being decider yourself.

Thank you!

Satender Kumar Mall

Twitter : @satenderiiit

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Satender-Kumar-Mall-Blogs

Individuality & Personality

Sometime we get lost in personality cult and loose our identity to be identified with something and end up becoming person.

Person is a collection of identities which help in identify as personality. Person usually lacks clarity as it tries to protect its collection of identities. It's usually an ingredient of what one is exposed to until current life tenure.

Individual being is a quality that cannot be further broken down. It's is fundamental unit within. It is in-divisible any more.

 

source: internet

Let’s analyze with following famous story of Akbar and BeerBal:-

Akbar as young infant was separated by his mother for period of time due to some political reason. Hence they brought another women, she also had a boy few month elder to Akbar. The women breast feed both Akbar as well as her own child during that care period.

Later Akbar mother came and at age of 12, Akbar was corona-ted as Emperor. By the time he was 25 years of age, He was known all across the world as great emperor.

Somewhere on the way Akbar, gave few villages as gift to that carer lady's son, feeling that we both drank the milk of same mother, hence we both were brother.

By the time Akbar turned 30, his elder brother lost everything , again turned penny-less. The man decided to visit Akbar so that something can be done about his poverty.

As Akbar was deeply identified with this man as brother since they both had drank milk of same mother, hence gave grand welcome honor that should be given to an elder brother and brought him to his court. But his elder brother was fool, who did not know anything from other. He gazed around in court and looked around various happening in Akbar court. 

Akbar had gathered enormous talent of musicians, mathematician, and nearly all kind of talent in his court.

Then the time to leave was coming for this man. He turn around to Akbar and told that reason why you are doing good in life is because you have got really smart people around you.

If I had such people around me, I too can become such as great emperor. Akbar listened to his elder brother patiently. The man said especially due to this smart man BeerBal. If I had the similar guy with me, I too can succeed like you.

Akbar felt very guilty that his elder brother is feeling dishearten like this. Out of attachment, Akbar told, if you want you can take BeerBal with you. The man felt very encouraged and said YES.

Then Akbar called BeerBal and commanded him to go with his elder brother and do whatever with him. BeerBal rolled his eyeball and was thinking what I am going to do with this fool.

BeerBal said, Lord! Why me? If you re-consider, I can send my elder brother with your elder brother.

Even Akbar felt relieved as he too didn't wanted to loose BeerBal, so he asked the fellow, if that is OK? The man thought as BeerBal is so smart then his elder brother surely be super-smart. So he happily agreed to new proposal.

Next day morning, in send-off party, BeerBal walked in the court with a BULL on rope. 

Akbar looked at him & said:  what is this? 

BeerBal said Lord - you wanted my elder brother to go with your elder brother. Here is my elder brother.

Akbar got really angry: - Are you insulting my elder brother?

BeerBal said: No my Lord. He is my elder brother as we both drank the milk of same mother.

The moment you get identified with something, your intelligence is wrapped around that identity and web of complex identities is formed and we lose the main point/focus.

Personality is that which society manages to make you!

Individuality is that which society is afraid of 

Thank you!

Satender Kumar Mall

Twitter : @satenderiiit

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Satender-Kumar-Mall-Blogs