Timeboxing: The Key to On Time Delivery

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TimeboxingThe Key to On Time Delivery

• Keith Richards
• Director
• www.keithrichardsconsulting.co.uk

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Presentation Structure

• Introduction
• What is Timeboxing?
• What do we do when Timeboxing?
• Timeboxing levels
• Realities of Timeboxing
• Golden Rules

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KRC - About Us

• UK based consultancy company specialising in
  project and programme management
• Areas include - DSDM, Agile, PRINCE2,
  Facilitation, People Skills
• DSDM Board Director
• APMG - Agile Special Interest Group Chair
• Leading edge method development in partnership
  with clients

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The History of Timeboxing

• There isnt one!
• Steve McConnell
• James Martin.

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Timeboxing Today

• Many people have heard of it
• Some people are using it
• Few people find it easy.

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What is a Timebox?

• A period of time by which to achieve an objective
• A box of time by which to produce something
• In general a Timebox can be of any length of time
  1 year, 1 month, 1 day
• Specifically, a low-level Timebox should be 2
  to 4 weeks.

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What goes into a Timebox?

• Stuff!
• High level Timeboxes may contain requirements
• Low level Timeboxes may look like a To-Do list.

10 days
4
X
X
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How might a project look?
A Project
8m
FS BS
2m
Incr. One
3m
Incr. Two
2m
Incr. Three
1m
T.BOX
1m
T.BOX
1m
T.BOX
1m
Control is achieved at the lowest level of
timeboxing
t.box
t.box
2wk
2wk
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What happens when Timeboxing?

• Example
• Set an objective for a 10 day Timebox
• Load the 10 day Timebox with 10 days work
• Then do 10 days work!
• If you are falling behind, drop something out.

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Low level Timeboxing
You can run, but you cant hide!
!
2
1
3
5
6
4
Waterfall
Waterfall
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High level Timeboxing
Increment Three
Increment Two
Increment One
M
S
M
S
S
M
C
C
C
Do you really do a COULD before a MUST?
The answer is YES.
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Things people say

• We cant do it now, well do that in the next
  Timebox
• Well catch up!
• Well extend the Timebox

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The Realities of Timeboxing

• Hard and uncompromising esp. DSDM
• Dropping a bit out is OK
• Dropping a lot out is not!
• Estimation must be reasonable
• Estimation cannot be miles out
• Gives focus
• Keeps you honest.

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Is it in your culture?

• Media
• A newspaper
• The six oclock news
• I.T.
• Usually late?
• You do this at home!
• Remember to drop the dead donkey.

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Some Golden Rules

• Never say well catch up
• Build the boxes as a team get ownership
• Listen to the Timebox!
• Understand the laws of physics
• One week lasts about a week
• Eureka (displacement)
• but one last thing

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Should you extend a Timebox?

• In theory, no.
• In practice, NO!
• But why
• Once you extend one Timebox, you are giving off a
  very dangerous signal!
• Your choice Timebox or Pandoras Box!

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Finally

• Thank you any questions?

www.keithrichardsconsulting.co.uk