Collaboration is a foundational aspect of our projects at RoleModel. It's a core value for us, and it shapes the way we interact internally but also how we want to collaborate with you, our end customer. In order to facilitate that well, we want to have a shared understanding of the concepts that we're going to experience in our work together.
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Collaboration is a core aspect of our projects at RoleModel. It’s a core value for us and shapes how we interact internally and want to collaborate with our partners. To facilitate that well, we want to have a shared understanding of the concepts we will experience in our work together.
We’ve compiled some key terms to help us understand each other as we partner on your software development project.
The concept of MVP is a focusing mechanism; it helps us ask the question, what is most important here? What needs will drive value in your initial investment so we have more return to invest further into the software as we go?
MVP - Minimum Viable Product
Minimum - what is the absolute minimum we can start with?
Viable - it has to actually work, be functional, and provide value
Product - it has to be a partially complete product
Trade-offs (in the large) - Decisions impacting MVP goals based on budget, time, and scope
Epics - The main project features essential to your MVP
User Stories - Abstract description of system functionality
Format: As a [persona], I need [to perform this action], so that [I can accomplish this goal].
Roadmap - The plan comprised of epics and goals to reach your MVP
A misconception about MVPs is that they are the final solution to your business problem. They are not. They are the first step to starting business value flowing to you. But they also build a foundation for growing your software asset beyond your MVP and capturing even more business value. Ultimately, your MVP is not your final solution. It’s a foundation we’ll build on together through our final iteration. Software is never done; it's just released, and the MVP is your first release.
Ultimately, iterations are a tool to help us plan and stay on track with your project goals. They provide constant validation and a feedback loop so that we can sustainably deliver iterative value in your project.
When we start an iteration, we'll take a step back and examine the bigger project goals, the roadmap, and our current position. We'll then set a target for what we'll achieve in the next chunk of work. We'll manage the trade-offs, reprioritizing what's most important now within the project's scope and what we can accomplish in this iteration.
Iteration - A segment of time of development, not a feature set (usually about two weeks)
Trade-offs (in the small) - As we progress through an iteration, we may not complete everything we plan for. Short-term tradeoffs are decisions we make to change course during an iteration for that iteration’s work.
Retrospective - A meeting involving the entire team (RoleModel and the partners) where we all gather to provide honest feedback about how the recent iteration went.
What went well? What could have gone better? Are there any problems we need to address?
Planning meetings - Going over iteration proposals and summary reports
Iteration proposals - Document prepared by your Project Delivery Manager to align iteration goals.
Summary reports - Detailed report of the work we completed in this iteration.
Validation - You, as our partner, interact with recently built features and give us feedback.
Great collaboration depends on each person understanding their unique roles and responsibilities within a broader team. The product owner plays a critical role for us. They are the liaison between the partner we're serving and our team, functioning as the single point of contact for determining the trade-offs we need to make and decisions to help us stay aligned with the business goals and what's most important now. The PO is a single person empowered to make decisions about the project's direction.
Ultimately, they're looking at how the project will be successful in their organization, focused on the rollout, and how we validate that early and often in the project.
Scope creep - This happens when the initially agreed-upon goals shift over time. This poses a threat to our ability to complete your project within the constraints of time & budget.
Project Delivery Manager (PDM): This person keeps your project on track regarding budget, timeline, etc.
Craftsman: The Leader of the development team and project infrastructure; they’re ultimately in charge of your project's technical implementation and development.
Developer - Team member actively working on the codebase.
Designer - Team member focused on delivering UX/UI (user experience/user interface) design to be implemented by developers.
Iterative approach: We drive towards small ‘increments’ of value that provide a high level of visibility and keep a project on track.
We’re excited to begin our collaboration with you and your project. We believe that sharing a foundation of these concepts (the MVP, iterations, and your role as the product owner) will result in a fruitful and effective collaboration experience in which we learn from each other and continually increase the value we can deliver for your business.
With 25 years of refinement, our proven approach with agile software development enables us to efficiently deliver sustainable software projects. We start by collaborating with you to clarify your needs and explore your options. Then we work together to build your solution, delivering value quickly without surprises, so you can be confident in your investment.
