Course Overview

Azure DevOps Services provide a set of cloud-hosted tools that software teams can use as an end-to-end solution to plan, develop, test, and deliver value in the form of working software. Azure Boards enable an agile team to plan, track, and discuss work across the entire development effort. This one-day course will demonstrate how an agile team can configure and use Azure Boards effectively. To maximize learning, students will work in teams, in a common team project, on a common case study.

Key Learning Areas

  • Introduction to Azure Boards
  • Process Overview
  • Planning and Managing a Sprint

Course Outline

Introduction to Azure Boards

  • Azure DevOps Services overview
  • Azure Boards overview
  • The team project
  • Creating and configuring a team project
  • Securing a team project
  • Teams, profiles, and notifications
  • Extending Azure Boards
  • Creating and using a Wiki
  • Hands-on

The Product Backlog

  • Process overview
  • Working with the backlog
  • Product Backlog Item vs. Bug work item type
  • Features and Epics backlogs
  • Decomposing large items
  • Kanban board
  • Tagging, querying, and charting work items
  • Hands-on

Planning and Managing a Sprint

  • Setting up a new sprint
  • Forecasting work in the backlog
  • The sprint backlog
  • Creating a sprint plan
  • The Task work item type
  • The Test Case work item type
  • Working with the Task Board
  • Collaborating as a team
  • Daily activities
  • Implementing a definition of “Done”
  • Completing a sprint
  • Splitting an unfinished item
  • Hands-on

Who Benefits

This course is appropriate for all members of a software development team, especially those who are actively involved with creating and refining a product backlog as well as planning and executing work within a sprint. This course will also provide value for individuals outside the development team (managers, Scrum Masters, coaches, and other stakeholders) who want hands-on exposure to the capabilities of Azure Boards.

Prerequisites

Having some project management and software development experience, either as a team member or as a manager, is recommended. Experience with Agile software development, Scrum, and Visual Studio are also helpful, but not required. Attendees should read and be familiar with the Scrum Guide prior to class.