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Agile release planning game downloads

There are now three versions of my agile release planning game so I thought I would add them to the site so people can download them directly:

The original version

The basic game covers release planning and also the challenge of planning for new features, fixing defects and being impacted by technical debt. It works well when leading discussions about velocity charts, replanning and technical debt.

The latest version

The game has evolved as people play it and redesign it.  This is probably the most playable and latest version of the full game … with thanks to Philippe Krutchen

https://philippe.kruchten.com/articles/mtm/

The original version

It is set on Mars and involves the team planning how to survive or leave Mars.  The version attached contains additional complexity around having the team set clear priorities (survive, continue with a scientific mission or work on leaving).  But some people prefer to ignore the scientific goals of the project to simplify the game, in which case they tell the team to focus only on surviving.  The components are:

ARPG facilitators guide v1.1     ARPG game board v1.1     ARPG glossary v1.1

ARPG iteration instructions v1.1    ARPG status report v1.1

An older version of the game had events the impact the team as well as defects and stories.  Generally I have ignored the events so I have removed them from the following folder.  So the following folder contains stories and defects … although you may find that the status report is all you need to track defects: ARPG Story Cards and events v1.1

The iteration planning / Kanban extension

The following version can be played on its own (though you will need to read the facilitators guide above and use the story cards).  Alternatively it can complement the game above if you use it to replay a couple of the iterations in the orginal game.

It is designed to focus on storywalls and resource allocation during the iteration.  The team allocate people to different stages of story development (effectively – elaboration, build and test/deploy).  Then, during the life of the iteration they encounter bottlenecks and re-assign people to provide better flow through the team.

Debriefing this extension can lead to great conversations about “activity versus throughput” and the potential issue of testers sitting idle for a week and then being flat out for a week (and hence becomming a bottleneck).

ARPG game extension – iteration storywall v1.1

The lost alphabet extension

The latest addition to the family comes from Brazil and was created by Eduardo Meira Peres.

Eduardo has created a simplified version that can be explained and played quicker than the original. He has also changed the problem the team face.  They no longer have to survive on Mars, but instead they must work with a tribe here on earth who have lost their alphabet.

The intriguing problem that the team must now solve is to use an agile process to help the team re-invent the alphabet from scratch.

I believe this extension is available in both Portugese and English, though I have only provided the english version here:

EMP_ARPG_facilitators_guide_english_v1.2

EMP_ARPG_game_board_english_v1.2

EMP_ARPG_iteration_instructions_english_v1_2

EMP_ARPG_status_report_english_v1.2

EMP_ARPG_Story_Cards_and_events_english_v1.2

Please feel free to use any of these versions – and let me know how you go.

I created a (very slightly) modified version of the lost alphabet game and you can find that here

 

11 responses to “Agile release planning game downloads”

  1. Tweets that mention Agile release planning game downloads « James King — Topsy.com

    […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Eduardo Meira Peres, jamesking42. jamesking42 said: Agile release planning game downloads: http://wp.me/pCUax-2H […]

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  2. Eventos de TI » DBServer patrocina Jornada Acadêmica da PUCRS

    […] Marcelo Farias e André Piegas, ScrumMasters da DBServer, ministrarão o mini curso “Jogos de Negócio – Simulando o Ciclo de Vida de um Projeto Ágil”, que acontece no primeiro dia da Jornada Acadêmica. A atividade terá como base uma dinâmica nova, desenvolvida pela empresa, para introduzir a utilização de metodologias ágeis. Os ministrantes apresentarão a versão do Agile Planning Game adaptada pela DBServer. O objetivo proposto no jogo é reconstruir a comunicação em uma tribo que esqueceu completamente o seu alfabeto. A partir disso, são trabalhadas questões como planejamento de releases, mudanças, defeitos e débito técnico. A versão original, elaborada por James King, e a adaptada pela empresa estão disponíveis em https://kingsinsight.com/2010/08/08/agile-release-planning-game-downloads/. […]

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  3. Dan Prager Avatar
    Dan Prager

    Looks great James.

    Running time?

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    1. James King Avatar
      James King

      Hi Dan

      The alphabet version is easy to do in half an hour, while the original version will take from half an hour to a full hour. But with some tweaking the orignal version can be run a couple of times to introduce different concepts during the day.

      Like

  4. A slightly modified release planning game – the lost alphabet 2018 version – James King Avatar
    A slightly modified release planning game – the lost alphabet 2018 version – James King

    […] invented a release planning game many years ago and I have used it in training quite a few times.  Then Eduardo Meira Peres […]

    Like

  5. Jake Wauchope Avatar
    Jake Wauchope

    Hi James,
    I’ve just started reading through your blog and this really caught my attention! I’m looking to run a session or two with my team and wondered whether you had any suggestions or improvements from the sessions detailed in the downloads?

    Like

    1. James King Avatar
      James King

      Hi Jake
      My main advice is to read through it first and maybe do a practice run for yourself. It is also good to cut out the letters if you have time and to give teams 2 dice of different colors. Last time I ran it I just had the goals on a flip chart and so people did not read all the material. It still worked well.

      Like

  6. A slightly modified release planning game – the lost alphabet 2018 version – Revolt Coach

    […] invented a release planning game many years ago and I have used it in training quite a few times.  Then Eduardo Meira Peres […]

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  7. Oleg Avatar
    Oleg

    Hi James,
    Great job, thank you for this work.
    Can I use these games in my commercial trainings?

    Like

    1. James King Avatar
      James King

      Hello Oleg. Thanks, and yes the games are free even if you are making money from using them. I hope they are useful in your training

      Like

      1. Oleg Avatar
        Oleg

        Thank you! Be sure that participants will be informed about the game author ;)

        Liked by 1 person

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