Gaming Velocity – DZone – Uplaza

Think about your staff’s line supervisor insists {that a} profitable staff improves velocity frequently. How may you, as a staff, fulfill this unusual, unsuitable demand with out working extra? How will you make gaming velocity a actuality?

I run this train with my college students of entry-level Scrum Grasp and Product Proprietor lessons to assist them mirror on the tough nature of measuring success, metrics, and, in fact, Goodhart’s Legislation: “When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.”

For the next article, I aggregated ideas from greater than 50 lessons on methods to “best” sport velocity.

Why Velocity Is a Problematic Metric

Earlier than we bounce to the ideas, allow us to analyze why velocity is a difficult metric:

• Workforce-specific nature: Velocity is inherently particular to every staff, influenced by their distinctive estimation practices, work processes, and particular person ability ranges.
• Deceptive comparisons: Utilizing velocity to match completely different groups will be deceptive, as increased velocity doesn’t essentially point out increased productiveness or effectivity.
• Totally different definitions: Every staff could outline story factors otherwise, invalidating cross-team comparisons.
• Counterproductive behaviors: An overemphasis on velocity can result in inflating estimates to spice up numbers or specializing in straightforward duties reasonably than delivering actual worth.

Lastly, counting on velocity for broader comparisons or efficiency evaluations undermines Scrum’s core rules and might hurt staff morale and effectiveness.

Consequently, a staff ought to use velocity — if in any respect — internally to assist plan and monitor progress.

The Gaming Velocity Train

The state of affairs is as follows: Your staff’s line supervisor is satisfied {that a} profitable Scrum Workforce in software program growth steadily will increase its velocity Dash after Dash. Your job as a staff is easy: Establish ways in which permit a Scrum staff to report a daily improve in velocity with out working extra on the staff member stage.

Gaming Velocity for a Common Improve With out Growing Your Workload

Now allow us to take a look at 13 methods of gaming velocity:

Estimate and Re-Estimate Story Factors

• Systematically improve the estimation of things from Dash to Dash.
• Re-evaluate and improve the story factors of previous accomplished objects.

Break up Person Tales

• Break down bigger objects into smaller ones and assign increased story factors to every smaller half.
• Divide present work objects into even smaller elements, creating extra granular duties.

Embody Non-Improvement Work

• Depend bugs and fixing technical debt with story factors.
• Issue within the complexity of accomplished analysis by assigning story factors to spikes or analysis duties.
• Embody routine upkeep or administrative duties and estimate them.

Gaming Velocity by Creating Dummy or Pretend Duties

• Add dummy duties to the Dash that don’t require precise work.
• Invent duties that aren’t important to the product however will be accomplished rapidly.

Automate Common Duties however Report Them as Handbook

Automate repetitive duties however report them as in the event that they had been manually accomplished.

Alter the Definition of Performed (DoD)

• Decrease high quality requirements or loosen up the DoD to finish objects quicker.
• Alter the DoD to incorporate extra duties as completed, even when they aren’t absolutely accomplished.
• Simulate technical debt when finishing duties.

Lengthen Dash Period

Quietly improve the length of Sprints, leading to increased reported velocity.

Overlapping Sprints

Work on duties that span a number of Sprints and depend them in direction of all Sprints.

Alter Velocity Calculation

• Change the tactic of calculating velocity, reminiscent of utilizing a rolling common over fewer Sprints.
• Embody buffers or contingency factors in planning that seem as extra velocity when not used.

Give attention to Straightforward Wins for Gaming Velocity

• Prioritize easier duties that may be accomplished rapidly and simply.
• Select solely straightforward work objects to make sure fast completion.

Report Unfinished Work as Full

Mark unfinished duties as full to spice up the reported velocity.

Create Tales From Minor Duties

• Construct work objects out of insignificant duties to extend the variety of accomplished objects.
• Flip trivial duties into tales and estimate them.

Activity Recycling

• Reintroduce duties that had been already current however unestimated in earlier Sprints.

A Word of Warning: Whereas these strategies can technically inflate reported velocity, they might compromise the integrity and transparency of the Scrum course of. Contemplating the long-term influence on staff morale, product high quality, and stakeholder belief is essential. Ideally, it will be extra helpful to debate and align expectations with stakeholders about practical measures of Scrum success—reminiscent of delivering precious Increments and sustaining a sustainable work tempo.

Don’t undermine Scrum’s core rules as a substitute!

Further Issues Concerning Gaming Velocity

Whereas velocity is usually a precious metric inside the context of a single staff, it’s vital to grasp its limitations and use it properly. Listed below are some extra concerns:

1. Context issues: Velocity ought to all the time be interpreted within the context of the staff’s particular circumstances, together with staff dimension, expertise, and the character of the work being completed.
2. Complementary metrics: Relying solely on velocity will be deceptive. Complement it with different metrics like buyer satisfaction, high quality of deliverables, and staff morale to get a holistic view of staff efficiency.
3. Give attention to outcomes: The last word objective of any Scrum staff is to ship worth. Give attention to outcomes and impacts reasonably than simply output. Excessive velocity with out precious deliverables is meaningless.
4. Steady enchancment: Use velocity as a steady enchancment software reasonably than a strict goal. Mirror on fluctuations and perceive the underlying causes to enhance processes and effectivity.
5. Communication and transparency: Be certain that all stakeholders perceive the nuances of velocity. Clear communication can forestall misunderstandings and unrealistic expectations.
6. Keep away from stress: Excessive stress to extend velocity can result in burnout and decreased high quality. Preserve a sustainable tempo and prioritize the well-being of staff members.

By contemplating these concerns, groups, and organizations can use velocity successfully whereas avoiding the pitfalls of “gaming” the metric.

Conclusion

Whereas velocity is useful for inner staff planning and progress monitoring, it turns into problematic when used for severe functions reminiscent of evaluating completely different groups. The train I conduct with my college students demonstrates how simply velocity will be manipulated, revealing the pitfalls of over-reliance on this metric. Goodhart’s Legislation states, “When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.” (See above.) That is significantly true for velocity, which may drive groups to interact in counterproductive behaviors, reminiscent of inflating estimates and specializing in low-effort duties.

Finally, velocity ought to stay a software for inner use, guiding a staff’s progress with out turning into a benchmark for efficiency comparisons. By understanding its limitations and potential for misuse, organizations can keep away from the entice of “gaming velocity.” As an alternative, concentrate on delivering precise worth.

However, the train is an efficient thought experiment that discusses the character of measuring success. By the way in which, after I play the sport with managers, they know the way gaming velocity may work.

How are you measuring your staff’s success? Please share with us within the feedback.