Configure Stage - Design Sprint (Kubernetes management focus) (#3) · Epics · Configure

Configure Stage - Design Sprint (Kubernetes management focus)

## Background ### Context Following the many conversations that we recently had around the Configure stage vision a great next step to align the team on the vision and reach a unanimous goal is to do a remote Design Sprint. The focus of this design sprint will be the Kubernetes integration but the exact goal of the Sprint will be decided as part of the Sprint by all the participants. Related issues: * [Product Category clean-up in the Configure stage](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/Product/issues/858) * [Configure stage vision and strategy](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/configure/general/-/issues/44) * [Discuss the Big Hairy Ambitious Goal for Configure Stage](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/Product/issues/542) * [A collection of feedback-issues around Kubernetes and Auto Devops](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/configure/general/-/issues/49) ### Objective & Outputs **Objectives** To discuss our directions and approach with respect to Kubernetes integration, including the users, companies we would like to serve primarily. **Outputs**: * An Epic that describes the direction in details * One or more Storyboards to be tested with users. * User testing flow. * Backlog of issues derived from conversations ready to be refined further with engineers. * Update to the Handbook for [Kubernetes configuration category](https://about.gitlab.com/direction/configure/#kubernetes-configuration) and other applicable areas. ### Ground Rules * Honor the Facilitator's directions. They're the guide for the entire process. * Minimise distractions: During the week you will need to dedicate some hours to the Sprint for async tasks and sync video conferences. During this time we recommend blocking time in your calendar and having devices or apps with notifications turned off during that time. * All opinions are valid and are equally important, however, the Decider has the ultimate, final decision. * Everyone is an active participant in a sync activity (with the exception of the Observers). * One conversation at a time. * Document as much as you can: We should have concrete outputs to share with broader team. Also interesting ideas or fixes should be documented to be transferred in issues for our backlog. * Stick to scheduled breaks during sync calls. The Facilitator will guide each session and set break times. * The Sprint is one of the few chances we get to work so closely together. Have fun! ## Details * **WHEN:** April 27 - May 1 * **WHERE:** Sync and async (Remote) * Sync meetings 9pm UTC * **WHO:** - Maria `@mvrachni` - Facilitator - Viktor `@nagyv-gitlab` - Decider - Kenny `@kencjohnston` - Co-decider - Thong `@tkuah` - Sprint team member - Mikhail `@ash2k` - Sprint team member - Graeme `@ggillies` - Sprint team member - Cristiano `@ccasella` - Sprint team member - Nicholas `@nicholasklick` - Sprint team member - Kevin `@kbychu` - Sprint team member - Justin `@jmandell ` - Co-facilitator ## Tools Here is the list of tools for the Sprint preparation, collaboration and documentation. Prior to the Sprint make sure you have access to all of the following: * **GitLab**(that's easy) Each Sprint day outcomes and material will be documented in a separate issue under the Design Sprint epic. * **Mural** (You can join as anonymous but we need to be able to identify input against names, so please create an account beforehand. We will use Mural for most of the Sprint collaboration. Some of the things we will do in Mural: create artefacts like affinity diagrams from participants' input, use post-its to comment on each other's points and to add notes, vote on ideas and solutions, create the first draft of the storyboard. The Mural link to the collaboration project will be provided in the issue before the start of the Design Sprint. * **Video and/or screen recording tool** (Loom, Quicktime, Zoom or another tool you are using). As part of the pre-Sprint homework, you will be asked to record a short Lightning Walkthrough video. You can use any tool you feel comfortable with that can capture your screen and your audio. * **A4/Letter sized paper (preferably white blank), Sharpies/Pens** (please don't use a pencil because it doesn't create enough contrast for photos). Day 2 of the sprint involves some (async) ideation via sketching so you will need a writing utensil (Sharpies are preferred) and some paper. This is the most fun part of the Sprint where you get into a design thinking mindset and can appeal to your creative self. * **Camera (phone or other) or scanner** You will need to upload sketches as images for the facilitator to prepare the material before the next sync meeting. You can take a photo with your phone or use a scanner if available. * **Post-it notes (Optional)** If you enjoy taking notes using post-it notes make sure you have available some of them as well. The upside is that they will make you feel more like you are in a workshop and will help the ideas flow (I find that typing is distracting while ideating). The downside is that you will have to digitalise the ones you want to share with the team in Mural. ## Agenda ### Day 1 | Activity | Duration | Tool | Description | |---|---|---|---| | Warm-up exercise | 5 mins | Mural | Write 1 post-it answering the questions: "My name is…" "My role is…" “Something about myself you may not know is…” "My wish for this workshop is…" | | Summarise the async activities & complete Map | 20 mins | Mural | The Map is intended to show the focus of the Sprint and doesn't need to be complete or detailed. Steps: Go through the Map and the top voted How might we’s tree as a warm-up/reminder. • Make appropriate adjustments and additions to the map based on the reviews from the team. • Add the most voted HMWs to the most relevant area on the Map. If a HMW can go to more than one place, add it to the most left area. | | Long term goals/Deciding the Sprint goal | 15 mins | Mural | • Long term goal: Everyone spends 5 minutes in silence and write one (max 2) long term goals for the Sprint. (5 mins ) • One by one will then type them in Mural saying the long term goal aloud. (5 mins) Everyone besides the decider will vote on the goal of the Sprint (1 dot). (4 minutes) The decider then makes the final decision on the long term goal. (1 mins) | | Sprint questions | 20 mins | Mural | • Everyone writes down 2-3 Sprint questions for the biggest challenges they think that might stop us from achieving our long term goal. The questions should start with “Can we...” (similarly to the HMW). (7 mins) • One by one will then type them in Mural reading the Sprint questions aloud. (5 mins) • Everyone (including the decider) votes on the top 3 questions they think we should focus on as Sprint challenges (3 dots). (5 mins) • Separate the 3 most voted questions and keep them on the side. (1 min) • Finally, the decider chooses one Sprint question that will be the question we will focus on more during the Sprint. (1 min) • Write the long term goal and the Sprint questions in a dedicated Mural space, highlighting the ultimate Sprint question that the decider chose. (1 min) | | Recap day. Short intro to next day and share the video with the next day exercise instructions. | 5 mins | Mural, Zoom | Summarise activities of the day and decisions. Brief walkthrough of the next day's activities and wrap up the day. | ### Day 2 | Activity | Duration | Tool | Description | |---|---|---|---| | Summary of Day 1 outcomes | 5 mins | Mural | Go through the previous day's activities, the Long term goal and the top voted Sprint questions, highlighting the ultimate Sprint question, and summarise the concept solution sketching homework exercise. | | Concept gallery review | 20 mins | Mural | • Everyone takes some time to read through and look at every aspect of each of the sketches in the Concept Gallery. The concept sketches are anonymous to avoid bias (15 mins). • The team will then vote on their favorite concepts and/or components of a concept via the red dots. When they see something that interests them and they think it will help solve the problem they can add one or more dots. They can use as many red dots as they want (5 mins). Note: If anyone has any questions about a concept sketch create a red sticky and write that question down placing it under the concept sketches. | | Speed critique | 5 mins | Mural | • The facilitator walks through each of the concepts, briefly summarizing each concept (to their ability) with a focus on the areas that have been dotted. • When the facilitator believes they’ve reached the end of their summary for that concept, discussion with the team if there was a concept that was voted but not discussed or the point of the red dot voting was missed in the discussion. Note:| | Straw Poll | ~15 mins | Mural | • All the participants besides the Decider vote (with their initials) the concept sketch they believe is the best one and will suit the challenges and goal of this sprint and is worthy of being prototyped (2 mins) • All the participants write down the reasons for choosing the concept. (5 mins) • Each participant gets 1 minute to sell their preferred concept to the Decider and the other participants. (5-10 mins) | | Super Vote (The Decider) | 10 mins | Mural | • The Decider makes their final decision of which of the concepts is the one to move forward with. • The decider can discuss their thought process and any questions with the rest of the participants.| ### Day 3 | Activity | Duration | Tool | Description | |---|---|---|---| | User test flow | 25 mins | Mural | • Each participant writes (on separate stickies) 6 steps/actions that represent a each step of a flow (you can think of a high-level prototype flow) from start to finish. Place them in a column on the User Test board. (10 mins) • Each participant takes 1 minute to walk the team through the steps one-by-one (5-10 mins). Note: It's better to have the Decider go last. • Voting: All the Sprint participants get one red dot (the Decider gets 2) to vote on the flow row they think is the best foundation for the prototype. • After everyone has voted the Decider will vote their favourite row with one dot and they can use the second dot to vote for an element of another flow they think should be incorporated in the prototype. (5 mins) • If selected, copy this sticky in the flow voted by the Decider. | | Storyboard | 45 mins | Mural | • Copy the winning flow from the User Test Flow exercise to the Storyboard section. • Look at the sketch concepts and move over any relevant screens that fulfill the needs of the sticky note in that container. You can move parts of concepts. • Fill in the details that are required for each step described in the sticky. | | Recap day | 5 mins | Mural, Zoom | Summarise activities of the day and decisions. Brief walkthrough of the next day's activities and wrap up the day. | ### Day 4 | Activity | Duration | Tool | Description | |---|---|---|---| | Validate storyboard | 30 mins | Mural | • Go through the Storyboard sketched by the facilitator and discuss any inaccuracies or missing content. | | Wrap up the sprint | 15 mins | Zoom, GitLab | • Recap the Sprint and discuss next steps. If there is time create follow up issues. | ## Artefacts & Pre-Read Material ### Related Materials **Visions** * [Ops Vision](https://about.gitlab.com/direction/ops/) * [Configure Vision](https://about.gitlab.com/direction/configure/) * [Kubernetes configuration category](https://about.gitlab.com/direction/configure/#kubernetes-configuration) **Articles on Design Sprints** * [The Design Sprint](https://www.gv.com/sprint/) * [The Ultimate Guide To Remote Design Sprints](https://www.dropbox.com/s/umtqtnwz3cshxh5/The%20Ultimate%20Guide%20To%20Remote%20Design%20Sprints.pdf?dl=0) **Personas** Deciding which persona we are focusing on will be part of the Day 1 discussions in the workshop. The personas we are going to consider are: * [Sasha the Software Developer](https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/marketing/product-marketing/roles-personas/#sasha-software-developer) * [Devon the DevOps Engineer](https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/marketing/product-marketing/roles-personas/#devon-devops-engineer) * [Sidney the Systems Administrator](https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/marketing/product-marketing/roles-personas/#sidney-systems-administrator) * [Allison the Application Operator](https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/marketing/product-marketing/roles-personas/#allison-application-ops) * [Priyanka the Platform Engineer](https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/marketing/product-marketing/roles-personas/#priyanka-platform-engineer) ## Pre-Workshop Tasks * [x] Come up with design sprint activities - @mvrachni * [x] Create agenda - @mvrachni * [x] Finalise participant list - @mvrachni, @nagyv-gitlab * [x] Create participation form and send to participants - @mvrachni * [x] Create sync meetings in calendar - @nagyv-gitlab * [x] Block 2 hours for Sprint activities in calendar - @nagyv-gitlab @kencjohnston @tkuah @ash2k @ggillies @ccasella @nicholasklick * [x] Collect existing conversations, feedback and issues on wider theme - @nagyv-gitlab * [x] Create [affinity diagram](https://www.nngroup.com/articles/affinity-diagram/) from the above - @nagyv-gitlab @mvrachni * [x] Prepare material and tools (eg. Mural templates, presentations, Google folders, Instructions videos etc) - @mvrachni * [x] Finalize Agenda - @mvrachni * [x] Run a test with material and tools - @mvrachni * [x] Fill form and submit - @nagyv-gitlab @kencjohnston @tkuah @ash2k @ggillies @ccasella @nicholasklick ## Week 1 Tasks * [x] Create Recruiting research request (based on the decided persona). * [x] End of Day 3: The facilitator to sketch the Storyboard - @mvrachni ## Post-Workshop Tasks * [x] Create a feedback issue for the Design Sprint - @nagyv-gitlab * [ ] Write blog post - @mvrachni

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