Ready to Deliver on a Salesforce CRM Project? Then it is time to setup CAMP!

CAMP? This summer, my husband and I were deciding on where we wanted to go for our next journey. As part of the process, I suggested we use my Contained Agile Methodology Process (CAMP) to plan this vacation – he eagerly (wink) agreed.

The CAMP framework started when I was asked to explain my process for successfully delivering Salesforce CRM projects. CAMP was born from my training on creative and design thinking processes, 20+ years of full-stack software development and technical architecture experience, love of the Salesforce eco-system, and my camping adventures, which go back as far as I can remember.

So, what is the Contained Agile Methodology Process (CAMP)?

CAMP is a series of actions taken based on delivery methods that allow the project teams to control scope while moving quickly to deliver a project on time and budget. CAMP is used to decide on what to do, when to do it, who to bring along, and what to pack. It is used to determine how to setup your camp and camp rules, establish your touch-tree, and have a great and successful project journey. Lastly, CAMP is a repeatable process to design, build, and deliver on adventures time after time.

CAMP Framework:

Step 1: Embarking on your Journey (Project)

Back to our summer CAMP journey, we completed step one by setting up a budget, timeline, and looking at all the various places we could go. We ultimately decided on going to Michigan!

On a typical Salesforce CRM adventure, this step would include one or more of the following activities:

• Pre-Sales/Ideation

• Learning & Clarifying Strategy Roadmap

• Project Business Case

• Project Charter

  • Scope of the work

  • Requirements

  • Proposed timeline

  • Budget

  • Resources

  • Definition of done

  • Project success factors

• RFP Process/SOW Process

• Buy needed Software Licenses

• Contract signed with Delivery Partner

• Delivery Team is Identified

• All Teams are Ready for Discovery Phase

Step 2: Discovery – Who, What, When and Where – This will be where the teams make critical decisions on the 4 W’s of the project.

For the Who part of our CAMP, we quickly determined that this adventure was just going to be the two of us. Next, we started by diverging on all the possible places we could go and explore in Michigan. We spent quite a bit of time googling and coming up with the various options. Once we had the ideas, we needed to converge on what we each wanted to do. This is where we each were given 5 stars and had to select which options were the most important to each of us.

We now had the what and where. Next, we just needed the when. We quickly settled on the timeline and dates for each of the activities we had chosen.

During a Salesforce CRM adventure, the teams would work through the following activities:

• Who: identify the various business users, either client or customer

  • Possible tools:

    • Personas

    • Empathy Maps

    • Role Hierarchy and Sharing Diagrams

    • System Authorization Flow diagram

    • Other Universal Methods of Design as needed

• What: Exists today, in terms of systems, tools, processes (current state)

  • Possible tools:

    • System Landscape (current)

    • Data Model (current)

    • Swimlanes – Process Mapping

    • Other Software Methods as needed

• When: confirm timeline of project

  • Possible tools:

    • Project Schedule

    • Outline Project Plan

• Where: the client wants to get to (desired state)

  • Possible tools:

    • System Landscape (future)

    • Data Model (future)

    • Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

    • Environment and Release Management Diagram

    • UI/UX Documents

      • Pitch Writing

      • Wireframes

      • File Structure

      • Mockups

      • Global Components

      • Style Guide

      • Prototype

    • Other Software Methods as needed

• Confirm Definition of Done

• Write base User Stories

Step 3: Plan, Prep, and Pack – this is the first of two often-missed critical steps that will set the adventure up for success. Plan for what will be covered, prep for the adventure ahead, and make critical decisions on what will be included in this adventure.

Once we decided on the 4 W’s, the next step was to plan and make reservations at the various places we were going to stay. I then created our travel itinerary, contingency plan for unexpected changes, and checklist for those items we needed to bring along.

Since we were not going anywhere strenuous, no additional training was necessary – other than to play a couple extra rounds of golf to tighten up our play.

Finally, we set to off to pack with shopping and picking up items we needed. We also made decisions on what we were taking, and the number of bags needed. We finally settled on everything that was coming along and those items we would be leaving behind.

Lastly, we reviewed that we were going to be mentally prepared to leave our work behind (no computers allowed) and focus on just having fun during our vacation!

In a Salesforce CRM adventure, this is generally one of my favorite steps. If done well, this step will tighten up what will be delivered, determine when everyone will be prepped and ready to begin the adventure, and helps the teams make critical decisions on what will be in scope, (and what will not be in scope). This is the final converging on the where that is going to be delivered in this adventure.

The activities for this step are as follows:

• Plan: the various sprints and which user stories are included in the project. Plus, the following:

  • Refine Project Schedule – finalize length of project

  • Refine Project Plan (Travel Itinerary)

  • Risks and Issues Log – identify potential hazards

  • Change Request Management - have a contingency plan for unexpected changes/surprises

  • Finalize Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) for the various software/parts/components that will be needed – Complete Checklist

• Prep: ensure all teams are trained and ready to go

  • Establish training that is needed before build

  • Ensure training is completed or have a plan for completion

  • Review and practice (if needed) before you start the next step

  • Review and anticipate the Mental State of delivery and client teams

• Pack: ensure the teams let go of those items that are not part of the adventure

  • Not everything can fit into the backpack – only take what is needed for this adventure!

  • Critical that the delivery team and client team are all in alignment on this step - Change Management can help with getting the teams aligned if needed.

Step 4: Set-up Camp – this is the second of two often-missed critical steps that will set the project up for success.

For our adventure, we reviewed the weather for the week, researched the process for check-in at the various places (we were going to Mackinac Island where no cars are allowed), ensured I had all the reservations on my phone, and finalized our travel itinerary. We established our Camp rules with the number one rule being – just have fun!

The activities for this step are as follows:

• Complete needed documentation

  • Project Communications Plan

  • RACI Matrix - who is Responsible, who is Accountable, who is Consulted, and who should be Informed for each task

  • Testing Plan

  • DEV Ops Plan

  • Update/Finalize Project Plan (Travel Itinerary) if needed

  • Finalize and Approve User Stories

  • Finalize number of Sprints needed

• Set-up your touch-tree and perimeter of the project

  • Clearly specify what is in scope and out of scope – establish final good enough design

  • Change Request Management – clarify that if item is not planned (“Butterfly Garden”) then it will be documented for the next adventure

  • We stay within the Camp boundaries keeping the touch-tree in sight to ensure no one goes too far away

• Set up the Camp Rules

  • We are ALL responsible for Quality

  • We work together as a team – we are all responsible for making the project successful

  • Other rules identified by the delivery and client teams

• Expect any Weather – be prepared for changes

  • Change Request Management – establish how issues are identified and brought forward

• Setup ORGs and Development Operations

Step 5: Build: The Journey Begins – this will be a contained agile build process with continued emphasize around containing scope.

The day arrived – we finalized our packing, grabbed our coffees, and headed out on our adventure!

The third day in as we were walking back into town to head to our next designation, I saw a literal butterfly garden, which is my weakness – absolutely love butterflies. Of course, my husband looked at me, as I was suggesting that it would not take that long to go see and reminded me of my own process: “This butterfly garden was not in scope, and we needed to stick to the plan.” He was right – we had not planned the side trip and it would have really delayed us even further. I added it to my list to see on a future adventure!

Over the week, we did a good job to sticking to our travel itinerary, practicing situational awareness when out hiking, enjoyed some wonderful food & wine, and had a contained, successful adventure!

The activities for this step are as follows:

• Prioritized solution design and features are built, tested, and reviewed with the client for final sign-off

• Use the Contained Agile Method to deliver the build during the sprints:

  • Approved backlog items are moved into the upcoming sprints as needed

  • Ensure that the teams are containing scope that was identified in the earlier steps

  • Minimize the number of new requirements allowed – only those items that fit within the touch-tree established scope area

• Keep & Follow Camp Rules – review often

• Practice Situational Awareness – don’t fall into the trap of poor decision making – always be aware of what’s going on and where you are in the process

• Don't Panic! – continue to have a plan in place to handle changes

• Stick to Travel Itinerary – again, if item is not planned (“Butterfly Garden”) then it will be documented for the next adventure!

Step 6: Pack-up, Clean-up and Measure Outcomes – this ties up the current scope and allows for measurable outcomes to verify the success of the project.

We were not ready to pack-up and go home but our cat really needed to be picked up – so we headed home. On the drive home, we talked about what we learned, agreed that the CAMP process really does work, and reviewed our potential next adventures.

The activities for this step are as follows:

• Client Training and Train the Trainer

• Change Management

• Tie up any outstanding work

• Establish and Build Measurable Outcomes – Reporting and Dashboarding

• Lessons Learned Register

Step 7: Share your Adventure – this is an important step to share success to ensure adoption of the solution.

This is always the fun part of CAMP – sharing our adventures – we had plenty of pictures to show friends and family!

The activities for this step are as follows:

• Share the adventure with-in the organization and customers

• Reinforce adoption of project – continuation of Change Management Request

• Write Up Win Story (Internal)

Step 8: Plan your Next Journey – there should be projects already identified during the build phase which will need to be assessed and set-up for the next journey (project).

Even as I write, I am thinking of where we will go next and the adventures to be had! I encourage you to plan your journey and get going – the world awaits!

The activities for this step are as follows:

• Assess identified additional projects

• Review the items identified during build that were possible next projects

• Review and plan strategy with Client around next journey(s) and potential additional Salesforce solutions

• Identify those individuals in your organization that could be Trail Guides to lead the next project