Chesapeake Chapter Workshop: Lean Startup Method and Agile for Initial Project Planning

Abstract: This Interactive Workshop will provide attendees with knowledge and practice in using a facilitated hybrid approach for Initial Project Planning (IPP). The approach uses best practices from the Lean Startup Method (LSM) and Agile (Systems Engineering, Software Engineering, and Project Management). The approach is employed by bringing together project planners at the decision-making level in one or more collaborative and facilitated, “IPP Meetup Workshops”.

The primary outcome of these IPP Meetup Workshops is a set of consensus Project Focus Mechanisms including:

  • Project Title and Purpose Statements,

  • Project Vision (in the form of a Project Vision Board Extended (PVBE)),

  • Project Stakeholder Groups List (aka Personas List),

  • Example Stakeholder Group Details (aka Example Persona Templates),

  • Project Target Groups (i.e., Persona List and Details ‘binned’ into a smaller list of Common Target Groups), and

  • Initial Set of System-Level Capabilities.

This interactive workshop will show attendees how any project (e.g., develop new or updated product or service, conduct feasibility study, make operational or strategic decision, etc.) can use this hybrid IPP approach in the exploratory research phase (e.g., concept definition, business or mission analysis, stakeholder needs, etc.) to develop a consensus set of Project Focus Mechanisms. Any project can then use these mechanisms to focus development efficiently and effectively throughout the project development life cycle—not matter what development method is used (e.g., Waterfall, Lean, Agile, etc.).

Instructor: Michael E. (Mike) Pafford has over 48 years of military, government, industry, and research center experience in the concept, analysis, architecting, design, development, testing, operations, and management of complex socio-technical and cyber-physical system solutions. He holds a BS in Business from the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) and an MS in Information Systems from the Naval Postgraduate School. Mike is a long-time member of INCOSE (2017 Chesapeake Chapter President), and member of the International Association of Facilitators (IAF). He is a Retired Navy Cryptologic Officer, Retired JHU/APL Staff Member, and former JHU Software Systems Engineering Instructor. Since 2015 Mike has facilitated workshops nation-wide for Systems and Software Systems Engineers, as well as Project and Program Managers, in using the Lean Startup Method (LSM) and Agile to enhance Initial Project Planning.

Registration and Cost:
$30 per registrant | $15 for students
Click here to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/incose-chesapeake-chapter-20045722646

All Workshop materials will be made available for download from a Dropbox Public Folder; URL provided to all Registrants prior to Workshop starting.

Download the Cheseapeake Workshop Event Flyer

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