Agile State of the Art Survey November 2010

Scott W. Ambler
www.ambysoft.com/scottAmbler.html

Copyright 2010 Scott W. Ambler www.ambysoft.com/surveys/

 How To Use These Slides

• I have provided these slides, and the raw data behind

them, so that others can use them in their own work.
• You may reuse all, or a part of, this slide deck as long as
you provide a clear reference to the source.
• The suggested reference is: Results from Scott Ambler’s
November 2010 Agile State of the Art Survey posted at
www.agilemodeling.com/surveys/

Some slides have notes

Copyright 2010 Scott W. Ambler www.ambysoft.com/surveys/

 About the Survey

• Survey ran from October 28 to November 12 2010

• Survey link:
– Sent out to several agile mailing lists, including the
agileprojectmanagement@yahoogroups.com, and
ambysoft@yahoogroups.com
– Posted a message on the Agile Alliance LinkedIn discussion forum
– Linked to from www.ambysoft.com/surveys/ page
• Data, summary, and slides downloadable from
www.ambysoft.com/surveys/
• 180 respondents
– 19% were programmers or agile team members, 36% were
managers or team lead/Scrum masters, 13% were
architects/architecture owners
– 71% had 10+ years in IT
– 21% worked in orgs of 500+ IT people
– 55% North American, 29% European, 6% Asia Pacific

Copyright 2010 Scott W. Ambler www.ambysoft.com/surveys/

 Team Experience with Agile

Mature agile Just starting

14% 18%

Mostly agile
27% Some agile
techniques
41%

Copyright 2010 Scott W. Ambler www.ambysoft.com/surveys/

 Who Received Agile Training?

Team lead/Scrum
71%
Master

Team members 55%

Product Owner 43%

Senior IT Mgmt 25%

Stakeholders 24%

Senior business
21%
mgmt

Outsiders who
19%
interact with team

Copyright 2010 Scott W. Ambler www.ambysoft.com/surveys/

 Who Received Mentoring in Agile Strategies?

Team lead/Scrum
64%
Master

Team members 59%

Product Owner 43%

Senior IT Mgmt 24%

Stakeholders 23%

Senior business
19%
mgmt

Outsiders who
18%
interact with team

Copyright 2010 Scott W. Ambler www.ambysoft.com/surveys/

 Funding Strategy on Experienced Agile Teams

• 66% of teams provided an initial estimate/budget. Of

those:
– 67% evolved their estimate throughout the project
– 51% did staged funding
• 66% of teams did evolutionary funding
• 48% of teams did staged funding
• 20% of teams did either evolutionary funding or staged
funding, but did not provide an initial estimate

Copyright 2010 Scott W. Ambler www.ambysoft.com/surveys/

 Iteration Length on Experienced Agile Teams
Average = 2.3 weeks

1 day or less 0%

1 week or less 15%

2 weeks 51%

3 weeks 15%

4 weeks 10%

5 weeks 0%

6 weeks 0%

7 weeks+ 2%

Variable 3%

No iterations 3%

Copyright 2010 Scott W. Ambler www.ambysoft.com/surveys/

 Transition/Release Phase on Experienced Agile Teams
Average = 4.6 weeks

1 day or less 24%

1 week or less 12%

2 weeks 7%

3 weeks 3%

4 weeks 10%

5 weeks 2%

6 weeks 9%

7-8 weeks 7%

9-12 weeks 14%

12+ weeks 7%

Copyright 2010 Scott W. Ambler www.ambysoft.com/surveys/

 Transition/Release Frequency on Experienced Agile Teams
Average = Once every 11.4 weeks

Daily 3%

Weekly 12%

Monthly 41%

Quarterly 25%

Bi-annually 5%

Annually 3%

Less often 3%

Copyright 2010 Scott W. Ambler www.ambysoft.com/surveys/

 Funding Strategy on Inexperienced Agile Teams

• 72% of teams provided an initial estimate/budget. Of

those:
– 62% evolved their estimate throughout the project
– 49% did staged funding
• 56% of teams did evolutionary funding
• 49% of teams did staged funding
• 12% of teams did either evolutionary funding or staged
funding, but did not provide an initial estimate

Copyright 2010 Scott W. Ambler www.ambysoft.com/surveys/

 Iteration Length on Inexperienced Teams
Average = 2.6 weeks

1 day or less 2%

1 week or less 9%

2 weeks 34%

3 weeks 24%

4 weeks 15%

5 weeks 0%

6 weeks 2%

7 weeks+ 1%

Variable 7%

No iterations 5%

Copyright 2010 Scott W. Ambler www.ambysoft.com/surveys/

 Transition/Release Phase on Inexperienced Agile Teams
Average = 6.0 weeks

1 day or less 14%

1 week or less 18%

2 weeks 6%

3 weeks 5%

4 weeks 6%

5 weeks 1%

6 weeks 6%

7-8 weeks 2%

9-12 weeks 14%

12+ weeks 19%

Copyright 2010 Scott W. Ambler www.ambysoft.com/surveys/

 Transition/Release Frequency on Inexperienced Agile
Teams (Average = Once every 13.8 weeks)

Daily 2%

Weekly 11%

Monthly 32%

Quarterly 27%

Bi-annually 9%

Annually 8%

Less often 1%

Copyright 2010 Scott W. Ambler www.ambysoft.com/surveys/