Can distributed teams

do estimates?

10th September 2013, Oslo

A tale of a team separated by 8000+ km

Anuradha Gajanayaka

Delivery Manager @ Exilesoft

About me

• Working with Nordic region from 2005

• Working as a delivery manager @ Exilesoft

The context

The context

10 Dev

4 POs

4 Dev

Estimates ???

Estimation considered harmful

Remote estimation challenges

Remote context challenges

• Common ground of knowledge

– Knowledge imbalance

• Consistency in remote context

– Get all the views counted & control the influence

• Different view of effort

• Remote communication & Language

– Physical writing tools are ineffective so as their digital

counterparts

– Long tiring calls (50+ hours of video calls)

– Lack of non-verbal communication

Other challenges

• Establishing the new model & this is product planning

• Immature requirements

• Management acceptance

How did we overcame these

challenges?

Establishing the common ground

• Worksheet to guide

Establishing the common ground

Establishing the common ground

Ensuring the consistency

Ensuring the consistency

• Only 2 teams

• Define the lower and upper bound

• 2 & 40

Ensuring the consistency

The result

Further …

• Velocity ???

• Management ???

Communication

Photo credits

• http://agile101.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/velocity.jpg

• https://gcps.desire2learn.com/d2l/lor/viewer/viewFile.d2lfile/6605/466

1/eye%20with%20hat.png

• http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20070227141127/matrix/images/

d/df/Matrix_High.jpg

• http://i1-news.softpedia-static.com/images/news2/Computer-Tomography-

Used-in-Car-Crash-Testing-Will-Improve-Passenger-Safety-2.jpg

• http://en.rian.ru/images/15756/18/157561824.jpg

• http://www.wpclipart.com/signs_symbol/optical_illusions/relative_size_illusio

n.png

Takeaways …

• Use of a collaboration tool

• Getting all the views counted

• Get the everybody involved

• Use proper communication equipment

Norway

+47 959 23 712

oslo@exilesoft.com

Stortorvet 10

0155 Oslo

Norway

Sweden

+46 8 340490

stockholm@exilesoft.com

Linnegatan 76

115 23 Stockholm

Sweden

Australia

+61 412 446 105

sydney@exilesoft.com

Suite2.14, 32 Delhi Road

North Ryde, NSW 2113

Australia

Sri Lanka

+94 112 300 900

colombo@exilesoft.com

201, Sir James Peiris Mw.

Colombo 02

Sri Lanka

Anuradha Gajanayaka, Delivery Manager @ Exilesoft

Email: anu@exilesoft.com Skype: anu_cg Twitter: anu_cg

Visit us: www.exilesoft.com