Case Study: Google AdWords
Google AdWords is an online advertising platform that helps businesses create and display ads on Google search engine results pages and on other websites that are part of the Google Display Network. The platform uses a combination of Scrum and Kanban methods to manage its development process.
Scenario:
As a Product Manager at Google AdWords, you have been tasked with improving the delivery time for new features and reducing the backlog of customer requests. Your team is currently using a combination of Scrum and Kanban methods, but you believe there is room for improvement.
Question:
Analyze the current development process of Google AdWords using Scrum and Kanban methods.
Identify the bottlenecks in the current process and propose solutions to address them.
Calculate the lead time and cycle time for a new feature in the current process, and propose ways to reduce them.
Develop a roadmap for implementing the proposed changes and measure their effectiveness.
Note: You can assume the following data for your analysis and calculations:
Average backlog size: 500 customer requests
Average cycle time: 20 days
Average lead time: 60 days
Average team size: 8 developers
Solution:
1. Analyze the current development process of Google AdWords using Scrum and Kanban methods.
Scrum is currently used to manage the product backlog and sprint planning, while Kanban is used for the development process. The development team uses a visual board to track their work and limit work in progress (WIP). The board includes columns for "To Do," "In Progress," "Testing," and "Done."
2. Identify the bottlenecks in the current process and propose solutions to address them.
Bottlenecks identified include the large backlog size and long lead times. Solutions to address these issues could include:
Prioritizing the backlog based on customer value and urgency, and limiting the size of the backlog to the top priority items.
Implementing a continuous delivery process to reduce lead times and improve customer feedback.
Introducing automation tools to reduce manual testing and deployment tasks.
Conducting regular retrospectives to identify and address issues in the development process.
3. Calculate the lead time and cycle time for a new feature in the current process, and propose ways to reduce them.
Assuming an average backlog size of 500 customer requests, cycle time of 20 days, lead time of 60 days, and team size of 8 developers, the lead time could be reduced by implementing a continuous delivery process, automating testing and deployment tasks, and prioritizing the backlog based on customer value and urgency.
4. Develop a roadmap for implementing the proposed changes and measure their effectiveness.
The roadmap could include the following steps:
Conduct a retrospective to identify issues in the current process.
Prioritize the backlog based on customer value and urgency.
Implement a continuous delivery process and automation tools.
Conduct regular retrospectives to identify and address issues in the development process.
Measure the effectiveness of the changes by tracking lead time, cycle time, and customer feedback.
Overall, by prioritizing the backlog, implementing a continuous delivery process, and regularly conducting retrospectives to identify and address issues, the development team at Google AdWords can reduce lead times and improve customer feedback.
0 Comments