sf-agent-framework/sf-core/data/agile-methodology.md

AI Agent Orchestration Framework for Salesforce Development - Two-phase architecture with 70% context reduction

# Agile Methodology Reference

## Overview

This reference guide provides comprehensive information about Agile methodology
as applied to Salesforce development projects.

## Agile Principles

### Core Values

1. **Individuals and interactions** over processes and tools
2. **Working software** over comprehensive documentation
3. **Customer collaboration** over contract negotiation
4. **Responding to change** over following a plan

### 12 Agile Principles

1. Customer satisfaction through early and continuous delivery
2. Welcome changing requirements, even late in development
3. Deliver working software frequently
4. Business and developers work together daily
5. Build projects around motivated individuals
6. Face-to-face conversation is most effective
7. Working software is the primary measure of progress
8. Sustainable development pace
9. Continuous attention to technical excellence
10. Simplicity—maximizing work not done
11. Self-organizing teams
12. Regular reflection and adaptation

## Scrum Framework

### Scrum Roles

- **Product Owner**: Manages product backlog, prioritizes features
- **Scrum Master**: Facilitates process, removes impediments
- **Development Team**: Cross-functional, self-organizing team

### Scrum Events

- **Sprint**: Time-boxed iteration (typically 2-4 weeks)
- **Sprint Planning**: Define sprint goal and select backlog items
- **Daily Scrum**: 15-minute synchronization meeting
- **Sprint Review**: Demonstrate completed work to stakeholders
- **Sprint Retrospective**: Team reflection and improvement

### Scrum Artifacts

- **Product Backlog**: Prioritized list of features/requirements
- **Sprint Backlog**: Items selected for current sprint
- **Product Increment**: Potentially shippable product at sprint end

## User Stories

### User Story Format

```
As a [type of user]
I want [goal/desire]
So that [benefit/value]
```

### Acceptance Criteria

- Clear, testable conditions
- Define "done" for the story
- Written in Given/When/Then format
- Agreed upon by team and Product Owner

### INVEST Criteria

- **I**ndependent: Stories can be developed in any order
- **N**egotiable: Details can be discussed and refined
- **V**aluable: Delivers value to end users
- **E**stimable: Team can estimate effort required
- **S**mall: Can be completed within one sprint
- **T**estable: Clear criteria for testing and acceptance

## Estimation Techniques

### Planning Poker

- Team consensus-based estimation
- Uses Fibonacci sequence (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21)
- Encourages discussion and shared understanding
- Reduces anchoring bias

### T-Shirt Sizing

- Quick, relative estimation
- Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL
- Good for initial backlog grooming
- Less precise but faster

### Velocity Tracking

- Measure completed story points per sprint
- Use rolling average for planning
- Account for team capacity changes
- Improve estimation accuracy over time

## Agile in Salesforce Context

### Salesforce-Specific Considerations

- **Platform Limits**: Consider governor limits in estimation
- **Declarative vs Code**: Balance configuration and customization
- **Release Management**: Align with Salesforce release cycles
- **Sandboxes**: Plan for environment management
- **Testing**: Include unit tests and UAT in Definition of Done

### Sprint Activities for Salesforce

1. **Configuration**: Point-and-click development
2. **Customization**: Apex, Visualforce, Lightning development
3. **Integration**: API development and third-party connections
4. **Data Migration**: Planning and execution
5. **Testing**: Unit, integration, and user acceptance
6. **Documentation**: User guides and technical documentation
7. **Training**: End-user and admin training

## Metrics and KPIs

### Team Metrics

- **Velocity**: Story points completed per sprint
- **Burndown Rate**: Progress toward sprint goal
- **Cycle Time**: Time from start to completion
- **Defect Rate**: Bugs found post-deployment
- **Technical Debt**: Accumulated shortcuts needing attention

### Product Metrics

- **Feature Adoption**: User engagement with new features
- **Customer Satisfaction**: NPS or CSAT scores
- **Business Value Delivered**: ROI of completed features
- **Time to Market**: Release frequency and speed
- **Quality Metrics**: Production incidents and severity

## Scaling Agile

### SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework)

- **Team Level**: Standard Scrum teams
- **Program Level**: Agile Release Trains (ARTs)
- **Portfolio Level**: Strategic themes and epics
- **PI Planning**: Program Increment planning sessions

### Scrum of Scrums

- Coordination between multiple Scrum teams
- Daily or frequent sync meetings
- Focus on dependencies and impediments
- Shared release planning

## Common Anti-Patterns

### Process Anti-Patterns

- **Mini-Waterfall**: Phases within sprints
- **Scrum-But**: Selective Agile adoption
- **Zombie Scrum**: Going through motions without value
- **Velocity Obsession**: Focus on points over value

### Team Anti-Patterns

- **Absent Product Owner**: Lack of guidance and prioritization
- **Overcommitment**: Taking on too much work
- **Technical Debt Ignorance**: Never addressing debt
- **Silo Mentality**: Lack of cross-functional collaboration

## Best Practices

### Sprint Planning

- Clear sprint goal
- Realistic commitment
- Consider dependencies
- Include buffer for unknowns
- Define clear acceptance criteria

### Daily Standups

- Keep to 15 minutes
- Focus on impediments
- Update task board
- Park detailed discussions
- Everyone participates

### Retrospectives

- Safe environment for feedback
- Focus on improvement
- Action items with owners
- Follow up on previous actions
- Celebrate successes

## Tools and Techniques

### Agile Tools for Salesforce

- **Jira**: Popular for Salesforce teams
- **Azure DevOps**: Microsoft's integrated solution
- **Copado**: Salesforce-native DevOps
- **Gearset**: Deployment and release management
- **Flosum**: Native Salesforce ALM

### Communication Tools

- **Slack**: Real-time team communication
- **Microsoft Teams**: Integrated collaboration
- **Confluence**: Documentation and knowledge sharing
- **Miro/Mural**: Virtual collaboration boards

## Continuous Improvement

### Kaizen Principles

- Small, incremental improvements
- Everyone contributes ideas
- Focus on eliminating waste
- Data-driven decisions
- Sustainable change

### Innovation Time

- Dedicate time for exploration
- Hackathons and innovation sprints
- Technical debt reduction
- Learning and development
- Process improvements

## Agile Transformation

### Change Management

- Executive sponsorship
- Training and coaching
- Pilot teams
- Gradual rollout
- Success metrics

### Cultural Shift

- From command-and-control to servant leadership
- From individual work to team collaboration
- From big-bang releases to incremental delivery
- From detailed plans to adaptive planning
- From blame culture to learning culture