Get best of the week

We set development goals (in a bloody enterprise and not only)

A young guy rushes into the hospital:
- Doctor, castrate me, urgently!
- ???
- Urgent, doctor, there is no time to explain!
The doctor does castration. The next morning, the guy comes to himself from anesthesia, he is asked what is the matter, actually?
- You see, I’m going to marry a Jewess, they have such a religion.
- So maybe you needed circumcision?
- What did I say? !!!
Most of the problems arise due to misunderstandings. You set the task for a subordinate or allies, and then swear, because people did the wrong thing, because they misunderstood you. Faced this? If you are a manager and solving a problem was part of your responsibilities, then you probably know that incorrect execution is your mistake, not the mistake of the executor.

The note contains a framework of questions, the answers to which should be written in the task if you are a problem taker. If you are a performer, then the answers to these questions will help you better understand the task. For most of the questions, practical examples have been collected, negative and positive.


Often the reason for the problems is that the task is set in terms of “what needs to be done”, and not “what kind of result you need to get” and “why this result is needed”.

To understand the possibilities, labor costs and deadlines, the performer will ask you many different questions (especially if he is not in the subject). Correspondence will eat time, and therefore money. You can speed up the task if you formulate what needs to be done in more detail. But what exactly needs to be deployed? Not every task manager understands this.

There are different types of tasks.

Tasks for fixing a defect in which it is known how the error should be and what is manifested are not considered in this article.

In the article we will analyze the tasks for changes, including work within the framework of projects, system improvements, organizational and other non-standard tasks (tasks like “solve the problem” will remain outside the scope, they will be discussed in subsequent articles), consider the framework of the problem statement and give examples. The framework is synthesized from various methodologies and frameworks.

The contractor can perform the task himself, but can manage a team of artists (for example, developers).

Tasks may be specific.

Software development challenges require answers to a host of additional questions. We will not focus on specific tasks and will consider general issues related to the process of change.

Why article to the author?
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Problem statement framework


Not all points need to be described, not for each task, not for each performer. A number of points can be fixed in the regulations

The content of the task


  1. Terms and abbreviations
  2. What to do
  3. What for

    1. Task Level (Root / Subtask)
    2. (For the subtask) As part of the project. What is the subtask (What task are you solving, in the framework of which you set this subtask)
    3. (For the root task) Business effect
    4. (For the root task) Will be achieved in this way
    5. (For the root task), the business effect will be measured in this way
    6. The reasons for the belief that this task will allow you to get a business effect
    7. If the task is not done, then (the company will lose / not receive this, in such and such cases arising then ...)
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Customer requirements (resources, information, credentials)


It is filled by the contractor when processing the task.

Background


A brief overview of some concepts
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Description of the main frame


The content of the task


What to do


What needs to be done = list of work that needs to be done as part of the task. If you add an artist and deadlines, you get a plan for solving the problem. Often this ends the production.

“Do it,” the manager writes. Based on personal experience, this is the first thing that comes to mind when there is a desire to set a task. We write down what needs to be done, and later we will return to this point to clarify or rewrite, if necessary.

“Make me castration.”

Perhaps the full list of what needs to be done is not clear and then only the first steps for the solution are indicated. But in this case, so that there are no misunderstandings, it is worth making the postscript “identify and take such and such next steps”.

The description should be based on commonly used terms and abbreviations. Otherwise, it is worth creating the subsection “Terms and concepts”.

What for


First of all, the point “Why” is needed to explain to the performer your goal setting, so that, starting the task, he can analyze the list of works from “What to do” and check them for adequacy and completeness and can better understand what goal you want to achieve.

The task “Make me castration, because I was going to marry a Jewess, and they have it”, a competent doctor will raise the question of the adequacy of the wording and prevent the catastrophe.

Secondly, the description should give an understanding of the priorities of this particular task.
Imagine yourself in the role of an artist who “flies a lot of tasks.” What task should he take first, how to prioritize tasks? If you are its leader, you can indicate priorities directly, but what if it is not?

The contractor may have the right to decide what to do in the first place and what to leave for later. In this case, he is responsible for the correctness of such a choice.

In the framework of a bloody enterprise, it happens that prioritization is carried out on the basis of the “operational situation” or what is needed right now, who shouts louder. It can also degenerate into "I am you, you are mine" or "let's be friends against that," but in the face of the general director it is better to use other methods of prioritization.

Options for defining a run queue
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Task Level (Root / Subtask)

A task is a specific event that has SMART goals and the boundaries of what needs to be done.

An example of a task with unclear goals: Increase sales in the 1st quarter (increased by 1 rub = solved the problem?).

The root task is aimed at directly obtaining the final effect (in another way - the task of the first level). The effect may or may not be expressed in business metrics.

Examples of root tasks

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If the results of the task directly affect business indicators, then you need to specify the task level “root task” .

Often, solving the root problem requires the help of other employees. In this case, to solve the problem, a hierarchy of subtasks is formed.
If the results of the task are needed to solve some root problem, then you need to specify the level of "subtask" .

A task / project and why do you need this task (for a subtask)

If you set a subtask within the framework of the first level problem that you are solving, then you need to indicate which task you are solving this.

If the task is carried out within the framework of the project and there are cross-cutting priorities for the projects, then specifying the project allows the work centers to complete the tasks in the correct order.

If you are a performer and use the formulation framework to find out the parameters of a task, you can ask you: “Why do we need this task, how will you use the result? I need to know this in order to better understand how to do the task. ”

After receiving the answer, 5Why's technician recommends to go deeper and deeper into the goal-setting: “And why do you need this” and so on 5 times.

Imagine a conversation in a sporting goods store
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In reality, after the second why, the task manager begins to get very nervous.

The question that can be asked: “I understand why you need it, (you can repeat your understanding why). Choose what we will do next: move on to discuss the details of this task, or I can help find simpler alternatives for solving the task. ”

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Make me a castration, I will marry a Jewess.

Business effect (for the root task)

What business effect does the task have, will we measure it and how.

Examples of business indicators
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If the impact of the task on business indicators is difficult to evaluate (for example, this is an improvement in the usability of the operator interface that does not lead to faster order processing), then it is worth indicating why the task is important for its consumer.

Decomposition of the solution to the problem or how do you plan to use the results of the task

Difficult tasks (for example, application integration tasks) need to be discussed with performers - to develop a decomposition of your task (task) into performers' tasks.

But it so happens that the performer is given a task without explaining how you plan to use the results of his work to solve your problem.

Often this leads to problems: the results of the task cannot be used in the future, which leads to loss of time or “crutches” that have to be redone.

Example
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Why is it for the client (consumer)

Who is the consumer of the task? Why is it for the consumer?
Why is a circumcised husband important to a bride from a joke?

If the task concerns the client, then you should definitely indicate why this is for the client.

It happens that system changes worsen the experience of a client interacting with you. This is due to the desire of some managers for local optimization, especially if these leaders do not interact with the client directly.
Example 1. A task from logisticians (selling electronics).
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Example 3. A task from the financial director.

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Future use cases

As the main character will use the results of the solved task. What is the future use case for?

It is especially important to indicate if the main actor in the scenario is your client.

Example. Payment via QR code
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If not done

Indicate what will happen (or what will not, see “Decartes Square Decision Making”) if the task is not completed. This is necessary so that the contractor better understands what task is best to proceed with in the first place.

This uncomfortable question often gives the most understandable answer to the question “Why.”

Compare examples:

  • The company will not receive 0.1% of profit, which is X million rubles. per month.
  • An employee (operator) will spend an average of 15 minutes a day on manual input of payment data, which costs the company 3,000 rubles. per month.
  • Failure to introduce improvements in the electronic fiscal registration of checks under FZ-54 will result in fines of the company in the amount of a double turnover of the company.

If I am not castrated, I will deceive my faithful bride and her father and will not receive a rich dowry.

Criteria of readiness (result)


This is a description of the expected result.

In its entirety,
“ You need this to take advantage of this so-and-so. Necessarily, since ... The way to check such and such. ”

Necessary

What kind of result do you want to get? (Same as definition of done + acceptance criteria).
When will you consider that the task is 100% ready?

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In order for the contractor to agree with the criteria of readiness or offer a different (best) option for evaluating the work, he must understand why the customer needs these criteria.

Without an understanding of why this or that criterion is so important, it is likely that the performer will ignore it (or turn on the Italian strike mode). Therefore, it is better to describe the criteria based on the phrase “to”.

Required

Not all criteria are equally important, some are required = must have, some are desirable = nice2have (especially for tasks with deadlines). The more you limit the performers in choosing the implementation method, the greater the risk of non-fulfillment and reduction of employees ’initiative (or a scenario is possible where the performer will pull you more, forcing you to solve problems, since you have limited it). For mandatory criteria, it is worth indicating why they are mandatory.

Example. Find 1C developers
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Verification Method


It is worth pointing out if this is not obvious.

The task of organizing a New Year corporate party.
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It is important to indicate the criteria for the preparedness of the result, and not the way to solve the problem. Often this is the most difficult, since it is very unusual to go into a supersystem.

It is advisable to indicate not negative (so that something does not happen), but positive “so”. In perfect shape.

Example. Nail in the wall
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The readiness criteria should be tried to be formulated in terms of the final result, without indicating how this result should be obtained.

Example. Pay on site using a QR code
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Context


Context is some description of the situation as it is now (As is).

If the contractor is not aware of your current processes, then he often will not understand what you really need.

  • What kind of business
  • How the activity in question is being conducted now
  • How is the reviewed activity conducted by referents
  • What is bad in the current situation

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What kind of business (for an external contractor)

Setting the task to an external executor, it is worth providing basic information about what your business is.

It happens that it is enough to write “Pyaterochka Shop”, and it will become clear to the contractor what the problem is about (if the area where the processes considered in the task take place is close to the contractor’s experience).

If not, then you should specify the business canvas (canvas) [see 8]:

  1. Business type
  2. What is your product, (product), what types of products are (lending, CTP, insurance, ...)
  3. what is the specialization of the business, what is the highlight (UTP), what is the value (we deliver quality goods in a short time)
  4. Who are your consumers (retail customer, distributors, shops, ...)
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Indication of the state of As Is will show the performer what, in fact, needs to be done, what kind of “gap” is to be overcome. Depending on the current state, the operation may vary greatly.

Roughly speaking: the task of achieving a turnover of 1 million rubles for a company having a turnover of 900 thousand rubles or having a turnover of 100 thousand rubles is completely different tasks.

An indication of who is solving the problem now will immediately indicate the key executor who has the greatest amount of information on the task.

If an analogue of a problem has already been solved in a neighboring unit or at a reference company, this is also worth mentioning.

Example. Make a calculation of delivery times
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What is regulated by the activity and what documents accompany the activity

For instance. When automating order processing, the necessary information can often be found in the manager’s instructions, which are issued when hiring.

What prevents the achievement of the goal now

Why the existing methods, taking into account the necessary quality parameters, cannot achieve the same goals.

Example. Make a calculation of delivery times
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What work on the task has already been carried out and is it possible to see a formalized result.

Task name


After creating the “Why” and “Readiness Criteria” blocks, you can also write the name of the task. It should be short, capacious and standard.

Organizational part of the task


Under the conditions (Rights and restrictions)


A basic paradigm must be adopted or indicated (one of two):
“All that is not forbidden is permitted” or “All that is not permitted is forbidden”.
Regulations
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How urgent?


If the task has a high urgency, indicate this and explain why the task has such an urgency. For example, if the task is needed for the organization of “Black Friday”, then indicate this and the time when Black Friday comes.

There are special deadlines, after which the task is objectively not needed. For example, the duration of the speech at the conference. For example, if you need a landing page for an advertising company, then deadline for it is the time of paid advertising that cannot be shifted.

For tasks such as software development, why is it important to specify deadline only where it really is, and how management of such tasks differs
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Task of particular importance


If the implementation of tasks is delivered to the conveyor by the contractor, then it may be necessary to push some tasks faster than usual.

Highlight such tasks with the label “Special Control”, which will allow the contractor to organize tasks management in a different way, and the task manager will separately monitor such tasks. For each such task, contact the contractor and say its importance so that the contractor postpones it. But remember - there should not be many such tasks.

Why is this required and where do delays in performing common tasks come from?
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Money limit


For tasks with a spending limit, specify this limit. A limit can mean both unnecessary tasks if expenses go beyond the limit (buying materials is more expensive than selling a finished product), as well as other reasons.

The presence of a limit affects either the scope or the timing.

For instance:

  • You need to buy a birthday present for the collected amount.
  • Improvements to your own site can be done in between projects (for free, since the payroll has already been paid).
  • Implementation of a corporate portal can be postponed if there is no contractor willing to do this at a minimum.
  • Spare laptops can be purchased at the lowest price that you can wait for a while.
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If the contractor may need to attract additional employees to solve the problem, and they are overloaded, this can become a problem.

In this case, you should indicate “Decide on your own” or “Do not distract such and such an employee”.

The reverse situation: some tasks must be solved brilliantly, for which you need to attract an expert. Then we indicate “Attract such and such an employee”.

For example, “Write an article for the Internet for such and such a site, take information from such and such an expert on such and such a case.”

If the company is prohibited from attracting external experts, but this is required to complete this task, it is worth mentioning this.

For example, “Find a senior Java developer with Hybris experience to recruit recruiting agencies.”

Coordination of the method of execution


Choose one of three:

  1. Agree on a plan before implementation.
  2. Tell after completion.
  3. Not interested.

Why is it important? If you do not trust the executor, and you need to complete the task the first time, then you should try to figure out exactly how it will be solved before the work starts. It will take time, but as a result you will get an acceptable quality of work.

When is coordination of a method of execution required? In cases where the risk of failure is so great that it threatens with serious losses (for example, your dismissal or loss of confidence in your leadership). It is also worth thinking about specifying this item for some complex tasks assigned to the employee who does them for you for the first time.
(In [4] this item is called insurance).

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The process of performing any long tasks needs to be controlled.

If the task is posed to the performer, then often in the first place it is necessary to control the availability of competencies to complete the task (see [10]).

If it is possible to monitor the execution of the task through the available reporting on hand, this is fine, make a note in the calendar and check (or ask the head of the reporting department to prepare a report with an analytical note by this time). But most often there is no ready-made reporting.

The method of controlling the work depends on the method of organizing the work of the contractor and should be fixed in the regulations.

The easiest way is to define at least one next control point (working for one task of highest priority).

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Monitoring should be organized as assistance in problems that the employee is not able to cope with to solve the problem.

The control point is the time, place and method of control.

A place is how communication will take place.

  • Go to the office and show
  • Call and report
  • Chat and report

Regulation on the place of control
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Method of control - determination of what needs to be controlled. Most often it is the implementation of items from the plan, if the point is set as a control of their implementation. But if the task is urgent, then it is possible to control the composition of the intermediate results for the task at the appointed time, so that you understand where it is moving. This is longer, but the first time.

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How to determine the next point? Depends on the choice of type of coordination of the implementation plan and management method.

For tasks of special importance, managed individually:

  • If you agree on a plan of implementation before implementation, then at the moment when the contractor will present this plan and the method of implementation, you can determine the point of control.
  • If you do not plan to check the execution method, then let the contractor indicate the time and place of the next control himself and indicate this.

For other tasks - determined by the regulations.

Who checks the quality


Usually the first thing that is standardized in companies is quality control.

For instance. The quality of the generated code is checked by the tester and sometimes the development manager. The legal purity and compliance of the agreement with the reached agreements is checked by a lawyer. When concluding the contract, you ask the contractor to verify the contract with the lawyer and at the next control point look at the comments of the lawyer.

You do not control quality yourself, but with the help of another employee. Typical control centers should be recorded in the regulations.

An example of regulations.
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But if the processes have not yet been established at all, or if the task is not typical, then it is worth indicating who will control what.

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What if it goes wrong


Example. Buy the same gifts for the new year, the amount - 2000 rubles. per child. And if 2050 rubles - are we buying?

It is worth considering and indicating:

  • How much you can overspend
  • How much can you delay
  • What minimum can be done (this is the reason for the breakdown of the readiness criteria into must have, nice2have).

If you can’t overspend, be sure to do everything and on time with high quality, then often a more or less difficult task is doomed to failure. Why? Cognitive bias “Planning error” pushes you and the performer to think about an optimistic successful scenario for completing a task without thinking about possible problems. But problems do happen. If you think about them in advance, you can, firstly, more soberly assess the timing and required resources.

Secondly, this will make it possible to respond more quickly in the event of these problems. Why is this possible.

For instance. If you do not specify permissible deviations, then by default, the contractor will run to you for each case when something goes beyond the specified limits. Each such case leads to delays at least due to communications (you are not idle), which breaks the deadlines.

What can go wrong and how to react to it (and whether to react)? Most risks are standard and should be described in regulations.

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Why the author does not name this item risks
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Solution Creation Group (Solution Plan)


When working out solutions to some problems, someone’s interests should be taken into account. If so, then indicate the list of responsible (so-called stakeholders). If this is not generally known, indicate which of them has the most expertise.

For a number of tasks, these persons can be determined by the contractor independently based on the work process.

But sometimes these individuals are not identified explicitly. To avoid a situation when someone forgot to ask someone’s opinion, you need to specify a list.

Examples of tasks where stakeholders are not obvious
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Deployment Wishes


Some changes cannot be entered at any time. If there is no regulation, then these restrictions must be indicated.

For example, changes to the site code must be made when the site has a minimum of users in order to minimize loss of orders.

Who and how to notify about the decision


If the regulation is not defined, then it is worth indicating when the results.

It happens that people are not in the know, although the solution to the problem concerns them. If this occurs, then it is worth specifying explicitly.

For example, a change in the regulations on working with Jira tasks concerns employees of all departments organizing their work through Jira. At the same time, employees must sign a change to this regulation.

Executor


Contractor is an employee who undertakes the task. It may not be known during the statement of the problem and is defined later, for example, if several people of the same group do tasks of this type.

Task Acceptance Organizer


Completed tasks are accepted by the employee, the person who set the task. The taker got what he wanted?

But on whose side is the responsibility for the task? The contractor did the work (handed over the ball?), The task manager took the task for verification (did he really take it?).

If the task is set via task-tracker, that is, the current responsible field, which determines on which side the ball is.

But if not, then it happens that the tasks freeze for a long time, especially if there are no rules and regulations (which is useful even if there is a task-tracker).

Regulations for the acceptance of tasks.
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Recycling allowed


Processing employees must be paid if the employer requires them (by law). At the same time, the employee may stay at work as he wishes, but whether such processing will be paid for depends on the organization.

The process of processing needs to be managed = to allocate tasks that need to be done on time, including through the processing of ordinary tasks that are done during working hours.

Customer requirements


The contractor may indicate what he needs from the customer to successfully complete the task.

In a nutshell, it requires:

  • Information
  • Resources
  • Credentials.

For instance. To launch the website of the online store, the customer must prepare for the IT company creating the site information on product cards with prices.

We do not paint this section in detail.

Description of the staging process


How does the manager assign the contractor?

The manager solves the tasks or problems set before him by constructing a solution model in his head, decomposing the task into sub-tasks or defining the next sub-task. After that he gives tasks to the performers, collects the results, again setting the tasks and so on until he solves the problem / task for which he is responsible. The results of the execution of his task either directly affect business indicators, or someone needs to improve business indicators, or he thinks that the task is needed, but he didn’t ask himself why.

Let's say the manager is you.

The most important thing in the task is to give a qualitative descriptive part of the task.

  1. , . ( ). , . ( – ).
  2. . , . . . . ( – ).
  3. . , . , , ? – . , – , . ( ).
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Not all items in the task description are required. Obligation depends on the task itself and the level of the performer (less experienced ones need to write more detailed statements). The most important points are “Why” and “Criteria of readiness”. But first, look at the list of items for each task.

What to describe depends on the level of the artist.

If the performer is a June / beginner, then most likely he does not know what and how to do to achieve a result. For such people, the What to Do block is more important.

If the contractor has sufficient experience and the task can be delegated to him, then it is enough for him to write “Acceptance criteria” (as an image of the results) and he will figure out how to achieve this.

And for both, the “Why” block is important, which provides goal-setting and motivation.

The contractor, upon receipt of the task, indicates what he needs from the customer to complete the task and there is a bargain between the customer and the contractor.

Examples


Below are a number of examples. Some examples are completely unsightly, but they are all based on real events that took place some time ago in different companies with different tasks and performers.

We will designate Z - the assignor, And - the performer.

Example. Fill in scale data for settlements


What to do : Fill in all the values ​​of the YZOOM parameter for settlements on the battle server = 11. For Moscow and St. Petersburg, set 9.

Why: For users to have a map with the availability of goods in stores displayed on a normal scale.
Within the framework of the project Implementation of self-delivery from stores
If the task is not done, then the client sees the map in a minimal approximation (the whole world), which makes it difficult for him to navigate on the phone with one finger and leads to a decrease in conversion
Acceptance criteria: Open the site in cities by default, on the “ Availability in stores ”for one product, which is available in only one store, the card opens so that the city center is visible.
Dates for the task:make up to the X number, since at this time all the self-delivery functionality on the combat site will be enabled

Example 1. Transfer bugs from Google.Docs programs to Jira


Z: There is a Google Docs table in which testers fixed tasks for fixing defects on the site. Transfer these tasks from Google Docs to Jira (new task management system).
And: Moved. And what to do with them next? The tester says that they are not relevant.
Z: Then there was no need to transfer
And: You said to transfer, and I transferred.
Z: I had to think “why am I doing this”. If you don’t know why you are doing something, do not.

Morality. In this task, you can guess the readiness criteria: all tasks from the table are listed as tasks in the new task management system. What for? This item was not indicated, which led to a loss of energy and time.

How to set the task correctly

What to do:There is a Google Docs table in which testers fixed tasks to fix defects on the site. Transfer these tasks from Google Docs to Jira (new task management system).

Why: Jira should have all the urgent tasks to fix defects found earlier.

Acceptance Criteria:

  • Jira has started defect correction tasks in compliance with the new defect writing rules so that defects can be corrected in the right priority.
  • Jira does not have duplicate defects, so as not to create conflicts for fixing defects ..
  • New tasks should be relevant so that developers do not waste time.

Example 3. Developer to developer


Z: Hold the task.

What to do: Analyze and refactor a piece of code.

Why: According to the monitoring results, a problematic piece of code was found. It greatly slows down the loading of the site, making it unstable.

Criteria of readiness: In a piece of code, one query should be made to the database, the results of which should be cached.

And: I do not know what to do. You can fix this piece of code in different ways, which one to choose?
Z: Think for yourself.
And I went to escalate to leader U. We
gathered a discussion.
And: The problem can be solved in different ways, for example, method 1, method 2, method 3 (the methods in the programming language are described below).
Z: We need to solve the problem as quickly as possible, with a patch, in order to be in time for Black Friday.
Q: Well then, this is method 1.
Z: And what effect does this method have on business?
And: When prices change, the data on the site at prices will not be updated within an hour.
Z: Since prices change at night, during a period of minimal customer activity, this method is acceptable.

What is wrong: The problem was identified, but it was not indicated what to do with it, how to solve it, the performer was given the choice of how to do the task himself. At the same time, the goal is insufficiently marked - to do as quickly as possible in order to catch Black Friday (PE), the performer could not choose.
Also, the solution to the “catch the emergency” task is not the type of problem, the price of error (the success of the entire company), it is too high. Therefore, it was imperative to add a step to the acceptance criteria: “Agree on a decision plan before implementation.”

Black Friday comes in two weeks. The task must be kept under special control, since there is no right to be late. We add “On special control”.

Optimization is largely a research task with an unclear amount of work. Research needs to be limited in time, so we add "tomorrow at 9:20 you contact and check the status of the solution."

Example 4. Developer to developer


Z. Improve this piece of code. Here's a diagnosis from the profiler
I. Improved. Instead of 32 requests, 17 is done.
Z. There should be 0 requests, the data must be completely taken from the

Morale cache . It is not indicated why the task is needed, but in the context, since the main task of the entire team is to speed up the site, but this is not required. But readiness criteria are not indicated.

We rewrite

What to do : Improve this piece of diagnostic code from the profiler
Why : Speed ​​up the site
Acceptance criteria : All requests should work on cache, if there is data in the cache

Example 5. The head of developers - developer


Z. Understand how this piece of code
I. works .
Z. An hour has passed, where are the results?
I. I solved another problem.

What is wrong: Without indicating the importance of the task, the performer did not understand which task is more important.
There is a well-known management triangle: Resources - Scope - Time.

Resources. The contractor (if this is not a manager who can attract someone other than himself to perform) can rely only on himself, the resource is set.

The choice remains - scope or time.

Research tasks (for example, understand what is happening) are usually difficult to evaluate by labor costs, and optimization research can take weeks (including studying and testing new libraries and technologies), so research tasks need to be managed with the help of time.

This task is therefore important. Throw everything and do it, after an hour control.

We reformulate the problem:

What to do . Understand how a piece of code works.
Why . According to the profiler, this piece slows down the page loading by 7 seconds, which blocks the launch of the site into battle
Acceptance criteria . Tell the logic of this code and give comments on how to fix it.
Priority (the boss can determine the priority) - you drop all other tasks, since this is the only task that blocks the launch of the site, the
Control task - after an hour you will call and report what you managed to find out.

Example 6. Connecting a remarketing service on a site


Product owner sets the task.
What to do : Connect the remarketing service for the site.
Why : Recommendations will increase sales through advertising on the Internet.
Criteria of readiness : On the combat site on all pages of the site there is a counter that creates events when all clients open pages (who do not have an ad blocker).
Customer : Direct Internet Marketing Specialist.

What did you forget this time? Since the task looks simple, a new, not very experienced developer took it to work and inserted this script into synchronous execution before opening the site page in the client’s browser. As a result, the pages of the site started loading slower for 1.5 seconds, and when the counter script started to generate errors, the pages stopped opening at all. The ecommerce director is furious.

Product owner, like any other business customers, did not think (if the business thought about it, it would work poorly as a business) about speed and fault tolerance. These criteria are not spelled out in the requirements, and there are no documented requirements for the site, and no one even in words instructed the developer about this.

How to get out of such situations: formalize non-functional requirements, and while the formalization process is ongoing, hold a discussion of the problem with the developer and tester, in which the developer tells how he will do the task, and the tester does not forget to ask how the proposed implementation method will affect the quality attributes ( performance, speed, fault tolerance, security, etc.).

Example 7. Correction of errors in the mechanics of promotional codes


Task: “Now there is an error on the site, discounts for promotional codes for subscription are summed up with discounts for special offers, correct it.”

The problem is described, but what needs to be done is not described.

After finding out from the customer what the task was meant, it was rewritten as follows:

What to do:

- To come up with a mechanism for determining how the site should apply promotions in cases when there are several different promotions in one basket.
- Consider the possibility of summing up discounts as well as the possibility of applying discounts with a higher priority.
- Conduct A / B testing that the company is more profitable - to sum up the discounts (higher turnover, but lower margin) or leave one discount.

What for

The last campaign, which took place from September 1 to October 10, had 1,100 orders in which promotional codes for subscription were applied and goods with special offers were bought, which should not be, which resulted in a loss of X million rubles that could have been prevented. At the same time, there would be no loss of turnover, since the significance of the discount on special offers is sufficient so that the client does not require additional motivation (this is a hypothesis).

If this is not done, then the following companies (carried out to increase the number of subscribers) planned in February and June will give losses estimated at XX rubles.

Acceptance criteria The

ability to control how promotional codes and promotions interact with each other without the participation of programmers.

A / B mechanism for testing interaction options.

After such a statement, it became clear to the contractor that there was no need to solve the problem, since in April it was planned to transfer the calculation function of promotions to a centralized software solution, which would depreciate the solution to this problem.

An example of a task from and to. Optimize warehouse space by 15%


We give an example of a complete description of the formulation (in places redundant).

Context


Business canvas (beyond the production, for the reader)


- B2B distributor,
- selling furniture accessories (hinges, pantographs, drawers and shelves, storage systems (disassembled))
- quality brands from Germany with a low mark
- up - to wholesale customers (local distributors, furniture stores, self-employed craftsmen),
- through an order on the site and through direct contact with the manager
- with payment upon sale or by installments (B2B)
- having discounts depending on the amount of the transaction and contractual conditions with the client;
- through the purchase from factories, transportation and import by an external transport company, customs clearance by external forces, storage at our Moscow warehouse, shipment in Moscow by our own transport and to Moscow by registered transport.

Situation description


How it works now : There is a warehouse on which different goods are stored on different racks. Warehouse does not include ABC.
Volume and frequency of operations : 10 shipments per day, one shipment - from the heel to the gazelle.
How it works for referents : their warehouse is optimized for different types of goods turnover.
What is regulated by the activity : (the regulations of the warehouse employee are attached).
What prevents to achieve the goal now : there has been no work on the turnover of goods. All goods were stored equally.
On the task done : negotiations were held with the landlords, an agreement was reached to reduce the cost. An ABS analysis was carried out, which revealed 30% of low-turnover goods.
Where to see the formalized results: the protocol of negotiations is the conversation in the application. ABS analysis is applied to the task, article by article.

What to do


By sealing the storage of segment C, free up space and prepare them for transfer to the lessee.

What for


- The subtask of the task is “To reduce costs by optimizing the warehouse due to the ABC analysis”.
- The business effect will be achieved by 100,000 rubles per month, due to a reduction in the warehouse rental area.
- Justification of the calculation : ABC analysis showed the presence of 30% of low-turnover goods. Let's reduce the area occupied by these goods by half due to storage compaction.
- The results are needed to transfer the released space to the lessor.
- If the task is not done, then the company will pay 100,000 rubles / month more, which makes the company insufficiently profitable
- Future work scenarios: Warehouse workers more densely store the least turnover goods.

Readiness criteria


- The area for transfer from our side is vacated and ready for transfer to the lessor.
- A signed deed of transfer and a signed dopnik with the tenant were received so that new conditions were legally recorded.
- A decrease in the warehouse rental rate by 15% was recorded so that we would pay less. The percentage reduction is calculated approximately, so by assuming a double compaction of goods of segment C. When reduced by 5%, the work does not make sense.
- The reorganization plan has been worked out and agreed taking into account the recommendations of the expert Semyon Semenovich, in order to check the maximum release of the area, provided that the warehouse productivity is maintained.

Organizational part of the task


Customer : owner of the company.
Under restrictions / in the conditions :
- Monetary restrictions : the costs of reorganization should not exceed the profit from a decrease in the rental rate for six months.
- Time constraints : the reorganization period is 2 months, since this time should be enough (agreed with the lessor for these periods).
- Attraction ext. resources are acceptable within the budget.
Coordination of the plan
- Before the implementation, coordinate the reorganization plan with the owner.
- Plan creation group(who should be agreed with whom to notify): warehouse manager, head of sales, financial director.
- Group contacts (submitted).
- Communication : through what's up, a group is made.
- Change approval status: agreed upon with all.

Wishes for deployment : to spend during working hours, so as not to pay for processing.
The next control point : at the next meeting once a week.
- What should be ready for the next control point : the goods of group C are divided into groups according to size and fragility, the calculation of the possibility of compaction is made.
Quality check: fire safety manager, labor protection manager.
How will the rollback be made if this does not work : we will move everything back. To do this, the plan must take this opportunity.

What to do if it goes wrong


What could go wrong
- Duration. Not critical for the result. What we will do: we’ll negotiate with the landlord.
- The goods may be damaged when moving. Not critical for the result. How to prevent: instruct people about caring for valuable products.
- The new storage organization may block the operation of the warehouse. For the result, it is critical that in order to prevent this, the reorganization plan must be agreed with the warehouse manager and the storage organization expert found by the owner.

Additions


Standard Availability Criteria


Some readiness criteria may be skipped if the company has developed standards for readiness criteria for different types of tasks.

Examples of standards for availability criteria, depending on the type of task:

Task Type - Any Task


- The results of the execution are agreed with the customer of the task
- If the deadlines are promised for the task, then the timing changes are agreed with the customer of the task
- If the promised deadlines are missed for the task, the contractor informs the customer of the task and offers the following steps to achieve these goals (Why) as much as possible earlier but no later than the end of the next business day

Type of task - software development


- The modified program code is deployed (installed) on the battle servers and is available for use
- On the battle servers all the necessary settings are made to ensure the process
is working correctly - The refinement does not worsen the previously formed system (non-functional) requirements (it is revealed a bit below)
- Before the deployment support server documentation has been updated on combat servers
- A brief description has been attached to the software change that has changed and the support documentation items where indicated
- The First Day Analyst and First Day Developer documentation has been updated
- Integration changes agreed with the IT architect The

item on non-functional requirements can be disclosed:

- The software should be convenient (UX guideline runs),
- The work interfaces for the client should be coordinated with the product owner, designer, system analyst,
- The work interfaces for the company employee (not retail) should be coordinated with the head of the employee,
- The work interfaces for the employee the company’s retail store should be coordinated with the person responsible for the technological development of retail,
- the IT system should have such and such performance parameters and not go beyond the restrictions on the processor, memory, I / O and the number and volume of external requests under such a load, such and such data volumes, such and such requirements for data relevance
- the IT system must be able to scale under such and such conditions
It should be possible to transfer irrelevant IT system data to the archive on a regular basis, data from which has been available for reporting systems for some time
- the IT system should not violate the law
- the IT system should be protected from such and such attack models
- The IT system should not be hardcoated constants. They should be made out and available for configuration in the form of a configuration file stored in the repository or system settings
- Fault tolerance of the IT system should be 99% (business loves the language of nine), although this criterion is better described in a more understandable form for use (see below).

Criteria of fault tolerance in an understandable for IT form:

- in the event of failure of any one element of the server configuration (server, disk subsystem, network router), the IT system should continue to provide the required scenarios,
- in the event of a failure of the external CRM system service, the system may make it impossible to register, view bonuses, calculate and spend points upon purchase, but should minimally support the main main road - allow placing an order with the message “We’re sorry, the bonus program is temporarily unavailable, the manager will contact you and clarify the amount of debiting and crediting points

However, it is not enough to formulate an extensive list, it is necessary to establish a control process (although often in our reality they do just that: they introduce a standard, but they cannot set the process) For example, to fulfill the requirements for performance parameters, you need to create a test bench, load scripts, a load tool and measuring performance parameters.

Standard Risk Response Actions


- If an employee is ill, then he warns in the general communication channel in advance or at the worst, within an hour of absence from the workplace, indicating feelings of getting to work, so that the rest of the team can organize the work in which he participates, also taking into account the period of absence ( wait or pass on to another).
- If an employee fell ill and did not notify within an hour, the project manager will learn from him (within an hour) and inform the general channel about the illness so that the team can organize work, taking into account the planned period of absence (wait or transfer). If he does not answer, then RP writes to the general channel “The employee has disappeared, does not get in touch” so that the team can transfer his work to another employee.
- If the task hung on the dismissed employee, then the RP should redistribute it to another employee or transfer it to the buffer of some work center or cancel the task so that task management is not lost and the task management system does not turn into garbage

Bibliography


  1. Article about non-functional requirements habr.com/en/post/231961
  2. The article about the TOTE method habr.com/en/post/339556
  3. E. Goldratt, Target. The process of continuous improvement. www.ozon.ru/context/detail/id/141279570
  4. Blanchard, Onken, Burroughs. One-minute manager and monkeys www.labirint.ru/books/682838
  5. Eliezer Yudkovsky. Harry Potter and the methods of rational thinking.
  6. Patton Jeff. User stories. The art of agile software development. Briefly here: habr.com/en/post/459872
  7. INVEST habr.com/ru/company/luxoft/blog/84030
  8. -. | , . : smartarchitects.ru/business-model-canvas, — : , . -. |
  9. « . »
  10. . , . .
  11. . . ? medium.com/it-analyst/client-quiestions-30cf76275ad3


Many thanks to the members of the KiFB club, special thanks to Ivan Kopylov for a thoughtful and useful feedback, as well as Ulyana Leonova, Danila Golubtsova, Maxim Sinksas, Kseniia Meshkova, Denis Beskov, Serg, Mikhail Sorokin, Step_By_Step, Sergey Titkov and my wife Natal the preparation of the article, as well as the great Olga Levina for competent proofreading (if you find errors, then these are my mistakes due to corrections to the final text).

And special thanks to Andrei Prudovsky, whose constant nit-picking made me think about the need to think in terms of results and tasks before setting a task, which many years later led to the writing of this article.

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