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Card Type Configuration Templates

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Introduction

In this article the most common Card-Type configurations are explained. 

The basis for configuring a Card-Types are the implementation choices, using the following two articles as the starting point:

It is also required to define a Workflow  through a "Status" Unit-of-Measure, and to associate this workflow with a Card Type. If you have multiple Card Types and Workflows, you have the option to:

  • define a Generic Status Unit-of-Measure
  • define a Workflow Specific Unit-of-Measure

Refer to the following article, explaining both options: LYNX TameFlow Configuration Options

In the examples in this article we are using two Status Unit-of-Measures:

  • Status st (subtask)
  • Status ft (feature)

Card Type Configuration Settings

The following tables contain the fields and settings required for configuring Card Types:

  • Units-of-Measure
  • TameFlow Kanban
  • Cards configuration
  • Custom Fields
  • Skills (Team Skills)

mceclip0.png

Units of Measure definition and Cards Configuration Settings

To start, we open the Unit of Measure table (Configure -> Unit of Measure). Within this table, you can define fields (using you own terminology or language) that you need to control the workflow, the size and the progress measurements of cards. Besides this information you can also add other fields that are relevant for you. These terms need to be coupled to the Data types as shown in the Units-of-Measure table as well, see figure:

mceclip4.png

Once you have defined the Units-of-Measure, you can use the Custom Fields (via Configure) to add them to Projects, Tasks, Notes or Cards, see figure:

mceclip3.png

After you have added the Unit of Measure via the Custom Fields, you can link them to any card you like via the Card configuration, see figure:

mceclip6.png

To add the Property to the card, check the box: include. 

LYNX Object Data Types with Subproperties

The following Data Types with Subproperties can be selected for a Unit-of-Measure field:

  • System User
  • Team(s) (= Skill)
  • Workpackage (= Task)

These three data-types represent LYNX objects for which the field values are set and changed via the standard LYNX functions. For example a Workpackage can have multiple statuses (like not started, started). By defining a workpackage field "WP Status" and selecting as Subproperty Status, the status of the WP will be automatically populated and updated, when the status of a Workpackages changes from Not started to started. 

In the example below a WP size field is created and the WP size is auto-filled on the card:

Subproperty_size.png

WP_size_autofilled.png

You can use this mechanism for example for:

  • Automatically filter cards that are shown on a Kanban board: show only cards for "Software Team" (Skill)
  • Pass the Workpackage Status to for example JIRA: also in JIRA it then know if a workpackage was already started (see LYNX TameFlow - JIRA Integration Setup)

TameFlow Kanban Settings

The TameFlow Kanban setting allow you to control the workflow and also create multiple streams and multiple boards (by stream. The configuration in the example below, achieves the following:

  • all column are displayed (per selected status field): Open, In progress, Review and Done - You can deselect columns as well, to exclude columns appearing on the Kanban Board
  • the "Active"  columns are In Progress and Review. Cards in this column count as WIP and also require a token
  • the Review  column has a hand-over waiting column, which is positioned before review and after In progress

TameFlow_Kanban_Settings.png

Skills (Team Skills)

The templates assume in principle the use of "Team Skills", including a definition of the "Output" parameters:

Team_skill_-_example.png

Templates with Time-Based Sizing of Card-Types

Time-based Templates Overview

The templates in this section all use the "Original Estimate" for setting the size of a card expressed in hours. 

We have identified the following Templates:

  • T0: do not use any estimate - only identify cards (not further discussed in this article)
  • T1. Template: Cards with Original Estimate only
  • T2. Template: Cards with Original Estimate and Ettc
  • T3: Template: Cards with Original Estimate, Ettc and Buffer Management
  • T4: Template: Cards with Original Estimate, Ettc and Time Spent
  • T5. Template: Cards with Original Estimate, Buffer Mgmt and Time Spent
  • T6. Template: Cards with Original Estimate, Ettc, Buffer Mgmt and Time Spent

The Templates T2, T3, T5 and T6 will be explained in more detail below. More Templates and combination are certainly possible as well. 

T1. Template: Cards with Original Estimate Only. 

Template T1 is the most straightforward using the Original Estimate for the sizing from cards, and the identification of the build-up and burn-down:

T0_Subtask.png

T2. Template: Cards with Original Estimate and Ettc

With this template each card gets gets an Original Estimate, with an Ettc to be updated by the user. Both Estimate and Ettc are set as required fields and must be added when a card is created. 

Process considerations: card-sizes vary significantly and tracking of Ettc is required to detect progress once a card is started

T2._Subtask_with_Org.Estimate_and_Ettc.png

T3. Template: Cards with Original Estimate, Ettc and Buffer Management

T3. Template Settings

In this Template Buffer Management is added. Enabling Buffer Management requires that a 'Due-date" field is added and "Buffer Management" is configured. 

The following settings have been applied:

  • Card type properties:
    • Auto-update has been set for the Original Estimate and Ettc field. These fields are auto-updated from the Card Size  (2 days /16 hours), set under "Buffer Management" 
  • TameFlow Buffer Management:
    • Card Size is set as 2 days, with 3 days as  "allowed" Services days, which represents an implicit buffer of 1 day or 50%)
    • As buffer management type "Workpackage" is selected, which means that a cards receives the so-called "Scheduled Stop Date" from the Workpackage position, within its project schedule

Process considerations:

  • Cards can be sized in T-shirt sizes, with each size having a default Card-size and Services days. Qualifying a card-size as Small, Medium or Large is good enough as an estimate and as basis for TameFlow buffer management. 
  • If it concerns long duration cards, with variable durations, for example 2 - 4 weeks, the number of services days can be set at for example 10 days: 10 days before the due-date buffer management will be triggered 

T3_Template.png

 The TameFlow Buffer management settings are as follows: 

 T3_Buffer_management.png

T3. Template: LYNX TameFlow Taskboard

In the picture below, Card 2 has inherited the default due date for all cards in a Workpackage, which is the scheduled stop date of the Workpackage.  Card 1 has started and has received a due-date automatically of today + 3 services days. 

T3_on_Task_Board_v2.png

When buffer-management is implemented also the multi-project Fever chart can be populated: 

T3_on_Task_Board_with_Fever_Chart.png

 

T5. Template: Cards with Original Estimate, Buffer Mgmt and Time Spent

In this Template the field "Time Spent" is added. Time Spent is the time a card spends in an "Active" column, which is measured automatically. 

The remaining work of a card is automatically reduced and counted down to zero: Original Estimate -/- Time Spent. The benefit for the Team Member is that manual updating of Ettc is prevented. 

Process Considerations:

  • In this example auto-update of the Original Estimate is not selected, and it is up to the user to enter an estimate
  • Time Spent configuration does not require Buffer Management - this is optional
  • If cards have long lead-times (e.g. 20 days), buffer management can be "plotted" to a period starting X-days before the due-date set by a user

T5_Template.png

The TameFlow Buffer management settings are in this example as follows: 

T5_Buffer_management.png

A Service Level of 10 days means that a buffer management is spanning 10 days, counted backward from the due-date.  When a card is started the due date can be set:

  • automatically as today + 10 services days. In this case the buffer zone and measurement starts when the card starts
  • set manually, like today + 20 days (= one month). In this case the buffer zone and measurement starts working from the due-date minus 10 days 

The manual example is illustrated in the following picture:

Tameflow_buffer_zone.png

NOTE: 

  • buffer management considers only "Time Distances" as a function of Services Days versus Due-date. The size or workload of a card is not explicitly taken into account
  • the "Card size (days)" value is not considered (see picture below), when calculating the TameFlow Buffer consumptionCard_size_and_buffer_management.png

Time Spent in Active Columns

In the example below, Card A has spent 2 hours in an active column (In Progress), not being a "Waiting column". 

Time_Spend_in_active_column.png

The 2 hours time spent are used to count down the remaining duration of a Workpackage, as is illustrated below:

Spent_time_is_reduced_from_Estimate.png

T6. Template: Cards with Original Estimate, Ettc, Buffer Mgmt and Time Spent

Template T6 is as Template T5, but also with the Ettc field added. You can therefore:

  • keep the Original Estimate as the baseline
  • update the Ettc value as is needed
  • Time Spent is deducted from Ettc value

If the countdown of the Ettc with the Time Spent is nearing 0, but the cards still needs more time to complete, the user can increase the Ettc field again as is needed.  After which the countdown continue again. 

T6._Cards_Configuration.png

 

Templates with Unit-Based Sizing of Card-Types

The templates in this section all use "Units" for setting the size of a card, like Points or Developer Days (DD). 

U1. Template: Cards with Points only

With this template each card is sized in units, and size and progress are measured through the "Build-up and Burn-down".  Points is set as a required field.

Process considerations: works well if many cards, with relatively short and equal touchtimes

 Feature_cards_with_points_only.png

U5. Template: Cards with Points/Original Estimate/Ettc/Time Spent and /Buffer Management

This Template is like a "Maximum" variant, where most of the control fields for the workflow, sizing and progress are used. 

The following setting have been applied:

  • Card type properties:
    • In this "Developer days" has been selected as size-unit: this unit o measure is often used by software teams for easy estimating
    • Auto-update has been set for the Original Estimate, Ettc field and Developer Days. These fields are auto-updated from the Card Size  (2 days /16 hours), set under "Buffer Management" 
    • property for Original Estimate is set to "No special meaning".  This ensures that the Size Warning and Scope Buffer calculation is done with the size unit of measure, in this case "Developer Days"
  • TameFlow Buffer Management:
    • Card Size is set as 2 days, with 3 days as  "allowed" Services days, which represents an implicit buffer of 1 day or 50%)
    • As buffer management type "Workpackage" is selected, which means that a cards receives the so-called "Scheduled Stop Date" from the Workpackage position, within its project schedule

Process Considerations:

  • Cards can be sized in T-shirt sizes, with each size having a default Card-size in Developer days and Services days. Qualifying a card-size as Small, Medium or Large is good enough as an estimate and as basis for TameFlow buffer management
  • Individual sizing of cards independent from buffer management values is also possible, if categorizing cards in T-shirt sizes is not possible.  See under buffer-management values and auto-update settings

U5._Configuration.png

For setting Individual Card-Size and Due-dates, see explanation also under T5. Template: Cards with Original Estimate, Buffer Mgmt and Time Spent: 

Tameflow_buffer_zone.png

Default Card Sizes and Auto-update process

Auto-update from buffer-management settings

The buffer management settings in the example above are as follows:

Buffer_management_settings_-_developer_days.png

The Auto-update logic is as follows. This U5. Feature Cards, gets the following values from the "Card Size":

  • Developer days: Card size
  • Original Estimate: Card size * 8 = 16 hours
  • Ettc: Card size * 8 = 16 hours

NOTE: card-size can also be set with decimals, like 1,5 days is converted two 12 hours

Auto-update from user-defined size (alternative)

The following settings have been applied:

  • in buffer management, no size property is selected
  • auto-update is set for Ettc and Estimate
  • skill conversion rate is set at 5 developer days which converts to 40 hours per week

Auto-update_individual_size.png

Skill_conversion.png

The auto-update process takes place in the Project Cards-view, when adding a card (and the Workpackage has as status "Not started"): 

Cardsview_-_Auto-update.png

More Template options with Unit-Based Sizing of Card-Types

Other template configurations that can be considered include:

  • U2. Cards with Units(e.g.Points)/Ettc
  • U3. Cards with Units/Org.Estimate/Ettc
    • U3.1: Original Estimate has no special meaning
    • U3.2: Original Estimate holds original estimate of the card
  • U4. Cards with Units/Org.Estimate/Ettc/Buffer Management
  • U6. Cards with Units/Org.Estimate/Time Spent./Buffer Management

Explanation:

  • If you use an Original Estimate Field, apply property type "No special meaning" in order to maintain the size warning, scope buffer and progress measurement process. 
  • in template 3.2 the Original Estimate has Property Type "Holds the original estimate of the card". In this case for example no scope buffer is maintained.  See example below:

Template 3.2 Original Estimate holds original estimate of the card - no scope buffer

U3.2_-_No_scope_buffer_maintained.png

Explanation:

  • Estimated Size of the Workpackage is 40 pt. From Cards 15 pt have been defined.  The Workpackage Ettc is now calculated as 3,8 days, without scope buffer

 

Card Templates with Standard Skills

Workpackages with Standard Skill Assignments

Assignment of Team Skills is optional and assigning standard Skills only (normal or virtual) is perfectly possible. 

The main differences in behavior are:

  • Ettc for the workpackage need to be updated manually (e.g. by a Task Manager), like for any other  "normal" task 
  • A scope buffer is not being maintained, once the Workpackage has been started

All other behavior, including the "counters" and the size warning process, is fully available as well. This is illustrated in the example below, with two standard Skill assignments:

Workpackages_with_standard_Skill.png

Team Skill and Standard Skills assignments combined

It is also possible to mix Standard Skills and Team Skill assignment. This option still requires manual Ettc updates for the Standard Skills. 

The benefit is that through the Team Skill a Task Manager has more information available, about progress from cards: 

Team_skill_and_standard_skill.png

Download a detailed Overview of Card Type configuration options below!

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