SPA2005 session: Project Mapping

One-line description:Using maps to understand our experience and plan the next expedition
 
Session format: Workshop [read about the different session types]
 
Abstract:This workshop introduces a new technique that graphically illustrates either the past or the future of a software development project. People often find it helpdful to use real world metaphors to describe their experiences. Using map notation to represent a project as a journey feels quite natural and gives us a way of creating a shared visualisation of our experience.

Project mapping can help us understand what we learned during a project, looking back to move forward, in a Retrospective ritual. It can also help us project forward what we're going to accomplish, aligning the objectives of the whole project community, in a Project Chartering session.

The presenters learned about this technique at the 2004 Retrospective Facilitators Gathering and believe it can be used to help a team to share their common experience to discover what was learned along the way and put project events into perspective. Interesting work on this topic can also be found at:

* http://www.grove.com/portfolio/storymapping.html
* http://www.frankwestphal.de/Software-Expedition.html

The process for the session is to start with a short slide presentation with examples followed by the main project mapping exercise. Finishing with feedback on what the work groups thought about the project mapping technique.
 
Audience background:The session is aimed at all team roles although maybe of special interest to facilitators, team leaders and project managers. This session is suitable for all experience levels.
 
Benefits of participating:To learn how this technique can be used to align project teams and reveal winning team strategies.
 
Materials provided:Short slide presentation.
 
Process:The process for the session is to start with a short slide presentation with examples followed by the main project mapping exercise.
The exercise is to split into groups to build a map of a project journey and then use this map as an aid to mining techniques that helped teams over obstacles met on the way. These insights will be captured as inputs into a project charter.
Finishing with feedback on what the work groups thought about the project mapping
technique.

Timetable:
00:00 - 00:05 Introduction
00:05 - 00:30 Presentation
00:30 - 00:40 Time for Questions
00:40 - 00:45 Split into groups
00:45 - 01:15 Exercise part 1 build map
01:15 - 01:40 Exercise part 2 mine map for techniques
01:40 - 02:00 Exercise part 3 charter for the next expedition
02:00 - 02:30 Presentation/Observations from each group
 
Outputs:Outputs from the session will be used to make a poster per workgroup that can be displayed at the conference.
Maps drawn in the session may be re-drawn using mapping software (FractalMapper) and made available on the wiki.
 
History:This session was presented with Nynke Fokma at XPDay Benelux in Nov 2004.
 
Presenters
1. Rachel Davies
Agile Experience Ltd
2. 3.