The meeting topic: Why Agile Works; Theoretical Explanations and Experimental Evidence to Lay Before Skeptics

Agile works, but can you explain to a skeptic why? Anecdotes are fine, but what experimental evidence would you present? Can you throw equations on the board and speak intelligently about them? Mark Randolph will provide persuasive experimental and theoretical evidence to lay before the most hardened skeptic demonstrating why Agile succeeds. Here are his talking points:

* Pair Programming: After extensive and carefully conducted field research published in peer reviewed journals, it is possible to say with near certainty that using peer programming doesn't hurt and might help ... occasionally.

* End arguments about story sizes: If estimates are within a hand grenade's radius of accurate, the forecast is close enough. Here is the formula to prove it.

* Queing theory and probability: If your opponent advocates waterfall, take the bet. The deck is stacked in your favor.

One last freebie to take home; a calculation for evaluating risk that you can do in your head.

Bring a calculator! See you there!

Our speaker, Mark Randolph, is best known as the Agile Programming “go-to” guy at his current job where he has been advocating the approach since his arrival 4 years ago. Prior to that, Mark was responsible for piloting Scrum (an Agile Programming method) at the SAIC Lenexa facility, where he arranged training for 12 team leads, and organized and ran 7 Scrum teams, not all of which were successful, an experience which Mark found profoundly instructive. Mark is also very active in the KC Agile User Group where he is a frequent presenter, and has published articles on the Scrum Alliance web site. Mark was certified by Mike Cohn as a ScrumMaster 6 years ago. Interestingly,

Mark is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Missouri, and possesses MSc and BSc degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois. Despite that inauspicious start, this slacker has accumulated a fair amount of experience in software engineering. At one time or another, Mark has been a team lead for Test planning and management; Software Configuration Management; Document management; Process re-engineering, and is a former computer programming instructor. His skill set includes master level knowledge of Object Oriented Analysis & Design with UML (OOA&D); Master level knowledge of C++; and he is a Sun Certified Java Programmer (SCJP 6.0). Mark currently works for the Federal Government as a Senior IT specialist.

Hope to see you there!