Estimating and Planning Agile Projects

Estimating and Planning Agile Projects is designed to give students a more complete and in-depth understanding Agile planning and estimating topics that are commonly a source of struggle and frustration within project teams. This course addresses what constitutes ‘Just Enough’ when it comes to upfront requirements, upfront sizing and design, and planning. By incorporating real world examples and approaches into the curriculum students are able to think practically about these issues. Participants will learn the six levels of planning which include: Strategic, Portfolio, Roadmap, Release, Iteration, and Daily.

Learning objectives

• Address challenges with traditional planning and estimating.
• Define what Agile is and why it is used.
• Implement Agile estimating and planning principles.
• Implement the six levels of planning.
• Use the Agile Life Cycle Diagram and know what happens when.
• Write stories and break down EPICs.
• Implement Agile sizing methods and know when to use what.
• Implement Affinity Sizing, Poker Planning, Complexity Buckets, and Ideal days.
• Explain velocity and capacity and estimate initial velocity.
• Implement planning and release.
• Plan for fixed date and fixed scope.
• Implement multi-team program release planning.
• Use EPIC sizing buckets and re-estimation and calibration.
• Implement distributed teams release planning.
• Describe Agile metrics-what is measured.

Behavioral Competencies

• Directs work
• Plans and aligns

Skills

• Action planning
• Backlog management
• Costing and budgeting
• Define product/process change strategy
• Information management
• Project cost and budget management
• Project estimating
• Project management
• Project schedule management

PDUs

• Onsite instructor-led: 2 days - 15
• Virtual instructor-led: 2 days - 15