Inside ASI-AP

A number of you have asked me recently how come my blog here is not getting updated as often as it used to.

The main reason is that I have moved to a new tool called Yammer (www.yammer.com) which is like Twitter but it is internal to ASI. Which means I can talk about confidential goings-on at customers and it stays confidential within ASI staff. We have been using Yammer for about 3 months now.

I like Yammer because you can post short snippets, like Twitter, and post often. It requires a lot less thinking than putting together a blog entry.

Of course the downside is that outside of ASI you can't see what is going on, which was the whole point of this blog in the first place ....

Hosted by Bob Alves and Paul Ramsbottom
at the offices of EMA Central, Wellington, NZ
1 day 9.30am to 4.00pm Exec Forum agenda

The notes below are the ones I wrote down during each of the open discussion sections - the introductions, the share your strategy session, and the closing/feedback session.

1. Notes from INTRODUCTION section:

a. William – NZVA / VetLearn

30 FTEs – with 3 in the IT team

Purchased iMIS 2007 as part of a single repositories project

Currently on 10.6 with i15 iBOs for website integration

Substantial $$ spent

Want to hear about the ASI vision for a stronger customer focus – “disenfranchised” at the moment – a) have to lead things themselves with regard to implementation and b) oversold on the level of efforts required to get things done

Z1 - Populate task data / customer names for next 2 sprints
As a scrum master I will execute the necessary steps to populate the backlog by matching a feed from the data sources to the master set of stories for the coming 2 sprints
Data feed source for org name: SQL scripts / written procedures
Relative size: 5

O1 - Non-specified sales task
As a sales exec in a global operation I will be assigned specific tasks from time to time that will need to executed timely with courage, respect and excellence to further ASI goals
Data feed source for org name: Added at sprint meeting

A1 - Identify business initiative/s
As a sales exec I want to understand the business initiative that is driving a research, purchase or review project at an account so that I can properly plan my approach and lead the account to invest in iMIS
Data feed source for org name: tba
Relative size: 5

B1 - Maintain iMIS - RTCs
As a sales exec I want review an RTC case, or a case that was open too long, so that I can better understand the issue a customer is facing with a view to seeing how ASI could take a bigger picture approach to satisfying that customers business problem
Data feed source for org name: RTCs created in past 14 days
Relative size: 3

B2 - Maintain iMIS - Training
As a sales exec I want to review the iMIS skills at a customer organisation and provide the necessary leadership to ensure the customer has correctly trained and skilled staff using iMIS so that the customer is making the most of their investment in people and systems

E1 - BAU - Tech support
As a sales exec I want review a recently surveyed tech support case, or a case that was open too long, so that I can better understand the issue a customer is facing with a view to seeing how ASI could take a bigger picture approach to satisfying that customers business problem
Data feed source for org name: Tech support surveys and too long open cases - last 14 days
Relative size: 3

E2 - BAU - Hosting
As a sales exec I want review a hosting support case, or a case that was open too long, so that I can better understand the issue a customer is facing with a view to seeing how ASI could take a bigger picture approach to satisfying that customers business problem

I1 - Kick off
As a sales exec I want to attend the project kick off meeting to make certain the transition into the installation phase is open, trusting and aligned with the promises I made during the purchase phases
Data feed source for org name: Clarity schedule
Relative size: 5

I2 - Project status / Phase closure meeting
As a sales exec I want to attend the key project meetings of an account to ensure the installation team remains focused on the bigger picture business initiatives so that the account realises the benefits of their purchase over time

P1 - Fit Analysis - iMIS - Requirements survey
As a sales engineer I want to complete a requirements survey with the account which is of relevance to their business initiative so that the account will be satisfied our products address the functional needs of the business initiative(s) once they see the demonstration
Data feed source for org name: All stage 3+ opps with odds less than 60%
Relative size: 8

P2 - Fit Analysis - iMIS - Demonstration
As a sales engineer I want to complete a demonstration of our products with key staff at the account and which is of relevance to their business initiative(s) so that the account will be satisfied our products address the functional needs of the business initiative(s)

R1 - ASI created research enquiry
As a sales exec I want to follow up timely a lead generated by ASI so that I can identify an opportunity and link it to a business initiative
Data feed source for org name: Opps created in past 14 days
Relative size: 3

R2 - Inbound research enquiry
As a sales exec I want to follow up timely an inbound lead so that I can identify an opportunity and link it to a business initiative
Data feed source for org name: Opps created in past 14 days
Relative size: 3

R3 - Web research resources
As a sales engineer I want to ensure an account has utilised all web resources available including webcasts, docs.imis.com, case studies and NiUG.org so that they are properly educated on the products and services available to them in the iMIS community that will help address their business initiative(s)

One of the main differences between the Scrum methodology for development and how we do it for sales will be in the backlog.

For Development, the backlog is a list of features/functions required to be implemented in the product, with a priority and level of effort ranking - each of these items is called a "user story" and usually written up on a physical card called a "story card". Of course in Development, once those features are built, they are complete and they are no longer on the back log. And on the scrum board, the story cards are moved from the "in-process" column to the "done" column and then removed all together once a new sprint starts.

To briefly summarise how we got to this point ...

1. A number of our key BSC measures are declining in 2009 - including license revenues, customer retention, customer satisfaction and customer participation

2. After intensive 1-on-1 work focus meetings with each member of the AP sales & marketing teams it was clear that our workloads are not evenly balanced (some are busy, some are not), our peer-to-peer team communication is not strong, and there is a sense of urgency lacking in daily duties.

3. Our 12 person sales & marketing team are essentially working as 12 independents across 5 departments, and there is no opportunity or ability to leverage the enormous amount of talent and knowledge we have in over 90 years of iMIS experience within those 12 people.

The figure below provides the organisational structure for the AP sales & marketing scrum teams established on August 3, 2009. Access to each team's collaboration site is available via the links under the figure.

Product Owner: Paul Ramsbottom

Alpha team
Scrum Master: Mick
Team: Kelly, Kevin, Liza

Beta team
Scrum Master:
Team:

Gamma team
Scrum Master:
Team:

Zeta team - Scrum of Scrum Masters
Scrum Master: Paul Ramsbottom
Team:

Our adoption of the scrum approach is focused on the achievement of the following BSC goals:

As standards evolve that cover how all teams are expected to do their work, they will be posted here. We anticipate this area to initially be quite sparse as each team experiments with what does and does not work for them through their first several sprints. As the superior techniques, methods, best practices, and tools reveal themselves, we will formalize their standard use across all teams and document as much. This area likely will see some flux also as we settle into the best way of conveying this information.

Definitions of Done

As described in all the Scrum literature, an organisation must have a clear and unambiguous definition of what "done" means. In the context of Scrum, "done" means that something is complete as mutually agreed to by all parties and conforms to the organization's standards, conventions, and guidelines. At ASI, different definitions of done exist for a story and sprint.

This page contains resources that may be relevant and/or useful to each Scrum team in the performance of their tasks. Usage of any resource found here is at the sole discretion of each Scrum team. Candidate contributions of additional resources for inclusion here should be brought forward through the Scrum Of Scrums for consideration.

How to implement scrum in 10 easy steps - www.agile-software-development.com/2007/09/how-to-implement-scrum-in-10-...

Scrumy - online tool for managing backlogs and sprints - www.scrumy.com

Scrum for sales blog article - http://jeffsutherland.com/scrum/2008/04/what-to-do-when-sales-guys-are.h...