About the Topic:

Many of the leading IT organizations around the world are rapidly adopting a new breed of “agile” software development methods that promise substantially reduced cycle times with higher quality.  The best known of these methods is “Extreme Programming (XP)”.  This seminar will explain the underlying values, principles, and practices of XP from the standpoint of project management.  The seminar will also describe potential benefits of XP together with real world results. This seminar includes an effective hands-on exercise that demonstrates and reinforces the principles and practices discussed.

Door Prize: we will raffle off one or more copies (depending on the number of registrations) of a popular XP textbook at the end of the workshop.

Intended Audience:

Technical managers/directors, project managers, quality assurance engineers, analysts, and developers.

Course Description:

• History and motivation of Agile methods

• Comparison to more traditional methodologies, CMM Model, and to RUP

• Practices and values

• Hands-on exercises

• Reported benefits

Learning Outcomes:

• Learn why so many forward-thinking companies are turning to Agile Methods

• Participate in XP exercises requiring no software expertise

• Learn the answers to the most common questions about XP including:

• How to map project deliverables to a schedule and consistently deliver on time and within budget

• How to manage risk

• How to improve productivity

• How to establish and maintain high quality

• How to reduce reliance on individuals

• Learn what results have been achieved to date

• Learn how to get started using these practices and techniques

Prerequisites:

A basic understanding of the objectives and challenges of producing quality projects on schedule, and a desire to learn how to improve those processes.

About the Speakers:

Kyle Larson has seventeen years of IT software development expertise and specializes in object-oriented and component-based systems.  He has led teams using agile processes on five projects over the past three years.  Project environments ranged from startup dot-coms to fortune-100s, with on-site and off-site development teams.  Kyle mentors and teaches agile development methods and founded the Agile Experience Group, which continues to meet monthly in the Twin Cities.

Steve Pine, Ph.D. has over 25 years of experience in developing and managing software development projects.  His experience includes managing systems software research department, serving as Director of PC and Workstation Engineering, and Director of the Office of Technology and Architecture for a Fortune 100 corporation.  Dr. Pine has extensive experience with software and project management methodologies and tools and has been involved with numerous XP projects. He has given many XP seminars and  written several papers on XP.

Cost:

$45 if registered by noon on or before Monday 10/28/2002.  $50 if registered later.  In either case, the fee is payable at check-in for in cash or by check.  Sorry, we do not have the ability to accept credit cards at this time.  (The admission price includes lunch and 2 breaks).

NOTE: BECAUSE OF THE HANDS-ON WORKSHOP COMPONENT REGISTRATION IS LIMITED TO 40 PEOPLE ON A FIST-COME FIRST-SERVED BASIS. PLEASE REGISTER EARLY TO ENSURE YOUR PLACE IN THIS CLASS.