Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Agile and our Company

If you are a software professional of a medium/large scale company and are connected with development, you must be familiar with a term - "Agile". Nowadays most of the companies are shifting their development methodology to Agile. It is improving their productivity significantly!But what is "Agile"? What is the significannce of this new methodology?
Agile is the symbol of "flexibility", It's the symbol of "collaboration", It's all about "team-effort". And everybody knows, if you all don't do any work as a team, any job will not be finished successfully or promisingly. And the best and important part of this methodology is that every team member is equal,there is no senior, no junior, no team leader, no manager, no commanding officer :D . Everybody is the owner of his/her task. Everybody has to take the responsibility of the task. Any problem must have to be sorted out within the team.If there is any good or bad, only team will take the responsibility.
But the main problem is, it is really nice to hear all these things. But in reality is it really possible? I can still remember an event during a training session on "Agile" in our company. A fresher recruitment process was going on. So I was asking one of our trainers on half time that I can take the interview in the meantime.But surprisingly trainer told me, "I can't tell you the time. And in the middle of training I can't leave you". So I asked for the reason and he told me , "I am the trainer now.what I will tell you,it's final".Is it funny nah??Who is giving the lesson on Agile, such powerful word is coming out from his mouth.Somehow it's going on in his mind that he's the trainer, he is master, so he got the power and what he will tell, it's final word. :D Problem at the root!!!
Scrum(one of Agile methods) says, all the decision will be taken by team, yes only by team!There will be no "one man army". And in reality, it's true that a product will be best, based on outcomes of different ideas. But if you see most of the teams of our company, you can understand, how far they are from reality(Implementation of scrum)!!Only senior members, sometimes team leaders only take the decision.Hey!! 1 minute!! "Senior , Teamleader?? Amazed to hear these terms nah!!I wrote earlier, there is no senior, junior, alls are same.So?? At this point a BIG Q will be raised!!Another one!! Scrum says anybody can be the owner of the task and no body will assign the task to other. Anyone can take any task, which he/she wants!! But at this point also this thought fails in our most of the teams!! Only team leader(!!) can assign the task.
I can also remember another event,our CEO was asking to our team, whether we are maintaining the scrum rules or not. It seemed, to him scrum means only "Backlog", "Daily standup","sticky notes"etc. Yes!! It's true that these also are the main parts of the Scrum, but can he show another team, where new and old members together are taking the decision, are giving their valuable opinions and all over they are taking their tasks according to their wishes/working ability!!
Also another thing,our team is the only the team of our company, if we face any problem whether it's related to professional or personal, we share our problems to our team members.Personal problem!!!It should be included into professional area?? Yeah. I believe ,personal thing can hamper work ability as well as team ability. You can't believe me nah!! Because I forget to tell you about a vital component,ScrumMaster and his role!He's just the body guard of the team.He will take care of the team.If any problem is raised, whether it's personal or professional related, he will try to solve that.
So is our company maintaining scrum rules?? But one thing, am I myself maintaining the scrum rules?? I think "No"!!! Surprised nah!! Ok. If I assume our company as a scrum team, how can I reveal our company's weakness!! Because, Scrum says any problem should be resolved within the team,outside of the team will not be aware of the problem of the team. So at the end of the day, can I put a question nah!!In reality, is it possible to implement scrumonology for a company specially for indian company?

Thursday, August 19, 2010

A true fact

Today I was returning back to my home by cab.I was on the front seat of the cab and a lady just sat beside of me.She was continuously talking on phone. Suddenly some words reach to me.Probably She's demanding to someone for necklaces.She was crazy for getting it. Everyday whenever by cab I return back to my home, always I hear someone is demanding.Someone is demanding for new attire, Someone is demanding for new flat or new car or demanding for new offer(job).Always they are demanding for themselves.They are not happy.They requires more and more.The don't know the limit, at which point they should stop.
But why they don't think of that boy, who spents every night on ripped cloths but sees the dream of becoming rich man.Why they don't think, how can we make a smile on his face.Why they don't think ,how we can fulfill his dream.But only why I always think of that poor boy.I can make a smile on that pitiable man, who lives in a old-age home and expects some enjoyable moment from his own child.I can make that guy smile, who begs door to door(read company) for a job.With our limited power, If we can do something for them, If we can bring a smile on their face,at the end of the day we can say , "Yes!! we have done something for making the better world".We should always think,we are the happiest person in the world.So for what ,we are waiting?Hey, I am already started.You also start nah!!! ;)