Gaming Velocity – DZone – Uplaza

Think about your group’s line supervisor insists {that a} profitable group improves velocity commonly. How might you, as a group, fulfill this unusual, unsuitable demand with out working extra? How will you make gaming velocity a actuality?

I run this train with my college students of entry-level Scrum Grasp and Product Proprietor lessons to assist them mirror on the tough nature of measuring success, metrics, and, after all, Goodhart’s Legislation: “When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.”

For the next article, I aggregated solutions from greater than 50 lessons on easy methods to “best” sport velocity.

Why Velocity Is a Problematic Metric

Earlier than we leap to the solutions, allow us to analyze why velocity is a difficult metric:

• Crew-specific nature: Velocity is inherently particular to every group, influenced by their distinctive estimation practices, work processes, and particular person talent ranges.
• Deceptive comparisons: Utilizing velocity to match totally different groups might be deceptive, as greater velocity doesn’t essentially point out greater productiveness or effectivity.
• Totally different definitions: Every group might outline story factors in a different way, invalidating cross-team comparisons.
• Counterproductive behaviors: An overemphasis on velocity can result in inflating estimates to spice up numbers or specializing in straightforward duties slightly than delivering actual worth.

Lastly, counting on velocity for broader comparisons or efficiency evaluations undermines Scrum’s core rules and may hurt group morale and effectiveness.

Consequently, a group ought to use velocity — if in any respect — internally to assist plan and observe progress.

The Gaming Velocity Train

The state of affairs is as follows: Your group’s line supervisor is satisfied {that a} profitable Scrum Crew in software program improvement steadily will increase its velocity Dash after Dash. Your job as a group is easy: Determine ways in which enable a Scrum group to report a daily enhance in velocity with out working extra on the group member stage.

Gaming Velocity for a Common Improve With out Rising Your Workload

Now allow us to take a look at 13 methods of gaming velocity:

Estimate and Re-Estimate Story Factors

• Systematically enhance the estimation of things from Dash to Dash.
• Re-evaluate and enhance the story factors of previous accomplished objects.

Break up Consumer Tales

• Break down bigger objects into smaller ones and assign greater story factors to every smaller half.
• Divide current work objects into even smaller elements, creating extra granular duties.

Embrace Non-Improvement Work

• Depend bugs and fixing technical debt with story factors.
• Issue within the complexity of accomplished analysis by assigning story factors to spikes or analysis duties.
• Embrace routine upkeep or administrative duties and estimate them.

Gaming Velocity by Creating Dummy or Pretend Duties

• Add dummy duties to the Dash that don’t require precise work.
• Invent duties that aren’t important to the product however might be accomplished rapidly.

Automate Common Duties however Report Them as Handbook

Automate repetitive duties however report them as in the event that they had been manually accomplished.

Alter the Definition of Accomplished (DoD)

• Decrease high quality requirements or loosen up the DoD to finish objects quicker.
• Alter the DoD to incorporate extra duties as carried out, even when they aren’t absolutely accomplished.
• Simulate technical debt when finishing duties.

Prolong Dash Length

Quietly enhance the length of Sprints, leading to greater reported velocity.

Overlapping Sprints

Work on duties that span a number of Sprints and depend them in direction of all Sprints.

Alter Velocity Calculation

• Change the strategy of calculating velocity, comparable to utilizing a rolling common over fewer Sprints.
• Embrace buffers or contingency factors in planning that seem as further velocity when not used.

Deal with Simple Wins for Gaming Velocity

• Prioritize less complicated duties that may be accomplished rapidly and simply.
• Select solely straightforward work objects to make sure fast completion.

Report Unfinished Work as Full

Mark unfinished duties as full to spice up the reported velocity.

Create Tales From Minor Duties

• Construct work objects out of insignificant duties to extend the variety of accomplished objects.
• Flip trivial duties into tales and estimate them.

Process Recycling

• Reintroduce duties that had been already current however unestimated in earlier Sprints.

A Word of Warning: Whereas these strategies can technically inflate reported velocity, they could compromise the integrity and transparency of the Scrum course of. Contemplating the long-term influence on group morale, product high quality, and stakeholder belief is essential. Ideally, it will be extra useful to debate and align expectations with stakeholders about lifelike measures of Scrum success—comparable to delivering useful Increments and sustaining a sustainable work tempo.

Don’t undermine Scrum’s core rules as a substitute!

Extra Concerns Relating to Gaming Velocity

Whereas velocity could be a useful metric inside the context of a single group, it’s necessary to grasp its limitations and use it properly. Listed here are some further concerns:

1. Context issues: Velocity ought to all the time be interpreted within the context of the group’s particular circumstances, together with group measurement, expertise, and the character of the work being carried out.
2. Complementary metrics: Relying solely on velocity might be deceptive. Complement it with different metrics like buyer satisfaction, high quality of deliverables, and group morale to get a holistic view of group efficiency.
3. Deal with outcomes: The last word aim of any Scrum group is to ship worth. Deal with outcomes and impacts slightly than simply output. Excessive velocity with out useful deliverables is meaningless.
4. Steady enchancment: Use velocity as a steady enchancment device slightly than a strict goal. Replicate on fluctuations and perceive the underlying causes to enhance processes and effectivity.
5. Communication and transparency: Make sure that all stakeholders perceive the nuances of velocity. Clear communication can forestall misunderstandings and unrealistic expectations.
6. Keep away from strain: Excessive strain to extend velocity can result in burnout and decreased high quality. Preserve a sustainable tempo and prioritize the well-being of group members.

By contemplating these concerns, groups, and organizations can use velocity successfully whereas avoiding the pitfalls of “gaming” the metric.

Conclusion

Whereas velocity is useful for inside group planning and progress monitoring, it turns into problematic when used for severe purposes comparable to evaluating totally different groups. The train I conduct with my college students demonstrates how simply velocity might be manipulated, revealing the pitfalls of over-reliance on this metric. Goodhart’s Legislation states, “When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.” (See above.) That is notably true for velocity, which may drive groups to interact in counterproductive behaviors, comparable to inflating estimates and specializing in low-effort duties.

In the end, velocity ought to stay a device for inside use, guiding a group’s progress with out changing into a benchmark for efficiency comparisons. By understanding its limitations and potential for misuse, organizations can keep away from the entice of “gaming velocity.” As a substitute, concentrate on delivering precise worth.

Nonetheless, the train is an effective thought experiment that discusses the character of measuring success. By the best way, once I play the sport with managers, they understand how gaming velocity may work.

How are you measuring your group’s success? Please share with us within the feedback.