Technical Spikes: How to?

Sprint with Zero Out come or No Demos, maybe the reason was the team was busy implementing a POC (Proof Of Concept) or contemplating architecture or new methodologies or design pattern or any technical challenges for the next architectural work or a new approach or a new complicated work package.

If all the above sounds familiar, then your team needs direction how to manage technical spikes. Note that the following is the focus or outcome of Tech Spike

1) It is to understand how/what is needed to make working product or understanding why a methodology should work or be abandoned.

2) The findings should be peer reviewed by the whole team

3) Discuss the merit//demerits of the approach/method/arch/tech etc.

4) Build a working and tested product increment with constraints

5)Note that the commit can be pulled into the trunk if team agrees

6) Wiki, wiki, wiki, yes make a page there

One can try the following approach for tech spikes:

Before-Spike:

• Contemplate what problem are we trying to solve?
• How does this falls into our software strategy/software architecture?
• How it affects the increment/outcomes of the product?
• What work packages in the backlog/roadmap can we not complete because of this?
• What is value projected?
• What is the time-box/frame?
• What software/materials/equipment/man hours do you need to support the spike?
• Will it help the COE or benefit a large team?

After-Spike:

• Demo the working and tested increment/software.
• what we learned?
• How the spike made a difference to the as is status?
• What work packages in the backlog we could not complete?
• If it doesn’t work, do you need more time/resources?
• How does this tie into our software strategy/software architecture?
• What is the value added?
• What would it take to roll this out to the Org?
• Ask Peers for feedback?

In Short, spikes could be tracked in a central wiki, to manage multi team learning and understanding of architectural discussions, patterns or POC or an investigation

Whats your experience in doing Tech Spikes, share if have done some.