User-Centered Agile Method

✍ Scribed by Dominique Deuff, Mathilde Cosquer(auth.)

• Publisher: Wiley-ISTE
• Year: 2013
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 118
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Agile development methods began to emerge around 20 years ago. However, it was not until the early 2000s that they began to be widely used in industry. This growth was often due to the advent of Internet services requiring faster cycles of development in order to heighten the rate at which an ever-greater number of functionalities were made available. In parallel, user-centered design (UCD) methods were also becoming more and more widely used: hence, user-centered design and agile methods were bound to cross paths, at least in the telecoms industry! During this period, in the field of telecommunications, the explosion in the number of connected terminals, Web applications, new use environments (particularly in a domestic setting), etc., meant it was crucial to gain a fuller understanding of users’ requirements and better evaluate the relevance and acceptance of services’ attempts to cater for these requirements. Thus the user-centered agile method, as proposed in this book, aims to mutually integrate two existing methods: user-centered design – as used by ergonomists – and the agile Scrum method – as used by developers. The user testing method is also covered.
Analyzing work on this subject spanning the past 10 years, the authors also provide an assessment of the feedback on the user-centered agile method. The method described in this book has been based on all these sources. It is a framework relying on the logic introduced by Scrum, i.e. a framework based on project management. The method proposed is seen as an extension of Scrum which is “centered on humans” because of the integration of user-centered design and user-testing. Therefore the description of the user-centered agile method is based on the basics of the agile Scrum method and uses its terminology and elements. As well as descriptive elements of the user-centered agile method, practical examples of how to implement it are also provided.

Contents:

1. Introduction.
2. Intrioduction to the Methods Employed.
3. Sources for this Work.
4. Description of The User-Centered Agile Method.
5. Case Studies.

Content:
Chapter 1 Introduction (pages 1–3): Dominique Deuff and Mathilde Cosquer
Chapter 2 Introduction to the Methods Employed (pages 5–19): Dominique Deuff and Mathilde Cosquer
Chapter 3 Sources for this Work (pages 21–39): Dominique Deuff and Mathilde Cosquer
Chapter 4 Description of the User?Centered Agile Method (pages 41–83): Dominique Deuff and Mathilde Cosquer
Chapter 5 Case Studies (pages 85–105): Dominique Deuff and Mathilde Cosquer

✦ Table of Contents

Title Page
......Page 2
Copyright
......Page 3
Contents......Page 4
Foreword......Page 6
1. Introduction......Page 9
2.1.1. Fundamental elements of agile methods......Page 12
2.1.2.1. An iteration-based process......Page 14
2.1.2.2. Fundamental elements and progression of the Scrum method......Page 15
2.1.2.3. Question that arises regarding the period before the sprint planning meeting......Page 18
2.1.3. Scrum method as a framework for the User-Centered Agile method......Page 19
2.2. User-Centered Design method......Page 21
2.3. User testing method......Page 24
3.1. State of the art......Page 27
3.1.1.1. D. Sy’s model......Page 29
3.1.1.2. Other models......Page 31
3.1.1.3. Evaluative comparison of the models......Page 33
3.1.2.1. Phase prior to development......Page 35
3.1.2.2. Involvement of end-users......Page 37
3.1.2.3. Positioning of the UX experts......Page 38
3.1.2.4. Viewing of the user testing by the development team......Page 40
3.1.2.6. Need for a common working framework......Page 41
3.2. Feedback on application of the first version of the UCA method......Page 42
3.3. Elements retained for the construction of the UCA method......Page 44
4. Description of the User-Centered Agile Method......Page 46
4.1. Roles present......Page 47
4.2. Ceremonies......Page 48
4.3. Artifacts......Page 49
4.4.1.1. Reason for retaining a phase of UCD......Page 53
4.4.1.2. Implication: interlocking of the UCD and the pre-sprint in two stages......Page 54
4.4.1.3. Implication: mutual familiarity......Page 60
4.4.2.1. An agile team......Page 63
4.4.2.2. A progressive final design......Page 64
4.4.2.3. Mini-user testing during each sprint......Page 66
4.4.2.4. Mini-user testing at the start of the sprint......Page 71
4.4.2.5. Mini-user testing at the end of the sprint......Page 75
4.4.2.6. Mini-user testing during the inter-sprint period......Page 79
4.4.3. Phase 3: validation......Page 84
4.5.1. Phase 1: design of a global view of the product......Page 85
4.5.2. Phase 2: development......Page 86
4.5.3. Phase 3: validation......Page 87
5.1.1. Overview of the project......Page 89
5.1.2. Actors involved in the project and their roles......Page 91
5.1.3.1. Phase 1: design......Page 92
5.1.3.2. Phase 2: development......Page 93
5.1.3.3. Phase 3: validation......Page 96
5.1.4.1. A number of difficulties encountered......Page 97
5.1.4.2. Positive aspects expressed......Page 98
5.2.1. Overview of the project......Page 99
5.2.2. Actors involved in the project and their roles......Page 101
5.2.3.1. Phase 1: design......Page 102
5.2.3.2. Phase 2: development......Page 104
5.2.4.1. Difficulties encountered......Page 106
5.2.4.2. Positive elements expressed......Page 107
5.3. Balanced evaluation of the case studies......Page 108
Conclusion......Page 110
Bibliography......Page 112
Index......Page 117