Do you want to deliver projects on time and set your team up for success? A big part of delivering projects on time is using the right tools (kit). And I don’t just mean software. There are plenty of physical tools or kit that can help your team to be highly organized and efficient.
The right tools help you to do the right things which lead to an efficient, well planned project. I’ve put together a list of some items every team should start with so they can deliver and get quicker results. Check them out:
1. White Board
The white board is important because it is usually used to create the task board for the team. The task board is the one place that the whole team can see their progress. It also often serves as a central point of conversation. The team (or pair within the team) often gather around the task board to discuss their current task, next task or simply how to solve a problem. If paper cards are being used to write user stories, they are usually arranged on the whiteboard after the sprint in order to form a task board. If digital story cards are preferred, a projector can be used to project the digital cards onto the board.
(NOTE: Want to learn how to explode your team’s productivity, get them solving their own issues and get them planned for the day? Check out the Daily Scrum Checklist so you can learn the steps you REALLY need to co-ordinate and communicate with your team every day! Get your Daily Scrum Checklist now.)
2. Index Cards (3×5)
OK. I know what you are going to say. What good is the whiteboard without the cards to put on it? Well the industry standard cards to use on your white board are “3×5 index cards”. The cards are used to write stories and are then usually laid out on a planning table, grouped into a backlog or arranged with tasks as a “task board” on a whiteboard. The size matters here because the cards should be large enough for the team to be able to read them at stand-up but small enough that it constrains them from writing too much acceptance criterion (assuming they are being used as story cards). I recommend coloured cards because it allows the team to categorise stories however they would like. Coloured cards look more fun too!
Click to get index cards
3. Planning Poker Cards
You would be surprised at the number of people who have thought that I am promoting the card game poker. Yes, really. I am not promoting poker, but the game “planning poker” which is used as a fun way for a team to estimate their work. Planning poker cards are used as a basis for an estimate of the size of a feature. The numbers are relative, so a 2 point feature is twice as much effort as a 1 point feature. Story cards are essential for planning poker and are often a source of fun and debate for the team.
Click to get planning poker cards
(NOTE: Want to learn how to explode your team’s productivity, get them solving their own issues and get them planned for the day? Check out the Daily Scrum Checklist so you can learn the steps you REALLY need to co-ordinate and communicate with your team every day! Get your Daily Scrum Checklist now.)
