AIAA Jam 2

Have you ever wondered why you are working in Agile?

This should be a simple question to answer; hopefully, it is because you can increase value meaningfully.

But is it easy, though?

Have no fear! If you struggle to find that answer, in my experience the answer lies in one place: the Epics.

Don’t limit the Epics to just being a collection of user stories and features. It should provide a place to answer a simple question: Hey, I’m giving you this much $$$. How can this result in a profit for the company?

In real-world Agile, this isn’t true. The most underdeveloped part is the Epics. The purpose is to proceed to the development part quickly. Instead of moving towards a Technological Business, a badly done Epic reinforces the idea of standalone areas.

Well done Epics foster visibility and meaning.

Badly done Epics obscure.

Then, we ask ourselves: how can we determine if our Epics are good enough?

Let’s try to do so again using AIAA.

For this example, I will use a very simple approach. I will use another AI tool (Google Gemini Advanced) to process a list of Epics that I wrote, which you can access here.

You can see that they are six Epics, which I wrote in a descending order of correctness. The first two are good, the next two are okay, the fifth one is bad, and the last one is messy. But in order to read them, of course, you will need context. Let’s explain the fundamental technique we’ll be applying today, specifically the Roleplaying point of view. To generate value, User Stories require contextualization; instruct the AI to adopt a viewpoint. In these examples, I’ve used the point of view of a Leasing Product Owner, working to generate products for individuals in a Chilean Bank. How can we make Gemini understand this?

Let’s try this: “First, imagine yourself as an Agile Coach working in a bank in Chile.”

This creates a scenario in which Gemini comments on what could be the major challenges. Ok, we can work with that.

Focus on what we want to do: “I have this list of epics. As an Agile Coach working in the Leasing Product Cell, what would you say about them? Are they all well written?”

This is what Gemini says:

“As an Agile Coach in the Leasing Product Cell, here’s my assessment of the provided epics:

Overall Impression: The list presents a mix of well-structured epics and some that need refinement to truly embody Agile principles. It’s evident that there’s a drive towards digital transformation and customer-centricity, which is positive. However, some epics lack the clarity and conciseness that facilitate effective Agile execution.

Specific Feedback on Each Epic:

Epic 1: Digital Leasing Application for Individuals: This is a well-structured epic. It has a clear business case, a concise description, and measurable success criteria. The inclusion of sizing, team composition, and risk mitigation demonstrates a good understanding of Agile planning.

Epic 2: Leasing Customer Loyalty Program: Another well-defined epic with a strong business case and clear objectives. The focus on customer retention and lifetime value aligns well with the bank’s strategic goals.

Epic 3: Quick Approval for Returning Customers: This epic, while capturing a valuable idea, lacks the structure of the first two. It’s presented more as a casual conversation than a formal epic. It needs a clearer business case, more specific success criteria, and a better definition of scope.

Epic 4: Leasing Mobile App: Similar to Epic 3, this one needs more structure. While the idea is sound, the ‘Why’ and ‘What it needs to do’ sections are quite broad. Defining specific features, target audience, and measurable outcomes would enhance its effectiveness as an epic.

Epic 5: Online Lease Calculator: This is a straightforward epic with a clear objective. However, it might be too small to be considered an epic on its own. It could potentially be incorporated as a feature within a larger epic related to enhancing the online leasing experience.

Epic 6: Leasing Chat: This is the least defined epic. It’s essentially a request to explore a solution rather than a well-articulated epic. It needs a clear problem statement, potential solutions, and measurable goals to guide its development.

Recommendations for Improvement:

Consistent Structure: Ensure all epics follow a consistent format, including a clear business case, description, scope, success criteria, and risk mitigation.

User-Centricity: Frame epics in terms of the value they deliver to customers. Use user stories and personas to capture user needs and expectations.

Measurable Outcomes: Define specific, measurable success criteria for each epic to track progress and demonstrate value.

Right-Sizing: Ensure epics are appropriately sized for Agile development. Break down large epics into smaller, more manageable user stories.

Collaboration: Involve cross-functional teams in epic creation and refinement to ensure diverse perspectives and buy-in.

Overall, while the list contains some promising ideas, refining the less structured epics will significantly improve the Leasing Product Cell’s ability to deliver value through Agile practices.”

Excellent, what do we have now? We have both an assessment of them and a way to improve them. We can try to get them to do a report.

“Create a report for the Epics using a maturity scale, where 5 is written very well and 1 is poor. Include also the main actions where do you think the stories beneath 4 in the scale could be improved”

This is what Gemini creates.

There you have it. An easy, hassle-free way to create a report on the overall health of your Epics.

Next time: sizing!