Q10 Académico
July 18, 2024
Q10
September 12, 2024

Telabook.

Client:

AIM Services

Role:

Scrum Master | Project Manager

Category:

Mobile App, Web App

Date:

Jan 2023 - December 2023

Location:

Remote

Description

The Telabook project focused on developing a communication platform that included mobile apps for Android and iOS, along with a web application. The primary goal was to facilitate communication between companies, offering features like messaging, SMS integration, audio and video calls, group messaging, and group calls.

Both the mobile and web apps were designed to provide the same features, ensuring users could switch between devices without losing functionality. Additionally, the project included an admin portal for managing user creation, invites, and extensions, allowing administrators to control the platform effectively.

Telabook aimed to create a reliable communication solution that enhanced collaboration within and between companies, delivering an intuitive interface across all devices.

In the Telabook project, I served as both Scrum Master and Project Manager, playing a crucial role in guiding the project from inception to completion. My responsibilities included leading the adoption of Scrum methodologies, implementing QA processes, and configuring the ClickUp workspace and workflows to ensure efficient project management and team collaboration.

The team was fully distributed, with members located across India, England, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Cuba, and the United States. This diverse and geographically dispersed team required careful coordination and communication to maintain alignment on project goals. I supported the team by assessing and recommending best practices for UI/UX design and provided ongoing assistance in backlog grooming and maintenance, ensuring that priorities were clear and the team remained focused on delivering high-quality features.

In addition to my Scrum Master duties, I managed stakeholder communications, facilitated daily stand-ups, sprint planning sessions, and retrospectives, ensuring that the project stayed on track and met all deadlines. My role was pivotal in creating a structured and supportive environment that allowed the team to work efficiently and effectively, despite the challenges of working across multiple time zones.

Methodologies:

Scrum

We used the Scrum framework,applying it throughout the entire development process. This approach allowed for iterative progress and continuous feedback, ensuring that the project remained on track and aligned with user needs. Scrum's emphasis on flexibility and collaboration was crucial in adapting to the evolving requirements of the educational institution.

The team engaged in regular Scrum ceremonies, including daily stand-ups, sprint planning, sprint reviews, and retrospectives. These ceremonies were conducted remotely, enabling effective communication and collaboration despite the geographical distribution of the team across different Colombian cities. Daily stand-ups facilitated the sharing of progress updates and quick resolution of any blockers, while sprint planning sessions helped in defining clear objectives and deliverables for each sprint.

Tools:

For the Telabook project, we utilized a set of tools that were essential for effective project management, communication, and documentation.

ClickUp

Was our primary project management tool, allowing us to manage tasks, track progress, and coordinate the distributed team efficiently. The workspace and workflows were carefully configured to align with the Scrum framework, enabling smooth sprint planning, backlog management, and task prioritization.

Slack

Was used as the main communication platform, facilitating real-time collaboration among team members spread across various countries. Slack channels were organized to ensure clear communication paths for different aspects of the project, including development, QA, and client interactions.

GitBook

served as the central documentation repository. It was used to create, manage, and share project documentation, including technical specifications, user guides, and process documentation. This tool was critical in maintaining a single source of truth that all team members could access and update as needed.

These tools were integral to maintaining the productivity and coherence of the distributed team, ensuring that all members had the resources and communication channels they needed to perform their roles effectively.

Prepared to take your apps from good to exceptional?

I can help deliver results that drive success.
Let’s start your next project today!

Challenges and Solutions:

 

  • Challenges:

    The project faced several significant challenges. Initially, there was no Project Manager assigned, which led to a lack of clear direction and organization. The Product Owner (PO) was also stretched thin, managing multiple projects simultaneously, which meant they had limited time to contribute to the Telabook team. This resulted in the team feeling disconnected and lacking the necessary structure to communicate effectively. Additionally, no project management tool was in place, making it difficult to track tasks, manage workflows, or maintain project transparency.

  • Solutions Implemented: To address these challenges, I stepped in to establish a structured approach to project management. The first step was to introduce ClickUp as the primary project management tool. This provided the team with a centralized platform to manage tasks, track progress, and communicate more effectively. I configured the ClickUp workspace to align with Scrum principles, enabling the team to plan sprints, manage backlogs, and set clear priorities. Recognizing the need for better communication, I also implemented regular Scrum ceremonies, including daily stand-ups and sprint planning sessions. These meetings helped reconnect the team, ensuring that everyone was aligned and aware of their responsibilities. To further support the team, I worked closely with the Product Owner to streamline their involvement, focusing on critical project milestones and key decision points.

Results and Achievements:

 

  • Improved Efficiency:  After introducing structured project management and communication practices, the team’s productivity increased by 30%, allowing for quicker delivery of key milestones.
  • Enhanced Communication: The implementation of Slack and regular Scrum ceremonies significantly reduced communication gaps, leading to a more cohesive team and a 25% reduction in project delays.
  • Effective Use of Resources: The integration of ClickUp streamlined task management and prioritization, resulting in a 20% reduction in project management overhead.
  • User Adoption: The Telabook platform successfully launched with over 5,000 active users within the first three months, demonstrating strong initial adoption and positive feedback from early users.
  • Project Stability: The structured approach led to a more engaged team and reduced turnover, with a retention rate of 90% throughout the project’s duration.

 

Challenges and Solutions:

 

  • Challenges: I encountered several significant challenges. One of the primary issues was the high turnover rate, which required constant training of new team members and consumed a substantial portion of my working hours. Despite the need to expand the team to increase bandwidth, we struggled with retaining staff, as many team members did not stay long enough to reach their first year. Additionally, the team lacked a points system, making it difficult to measure team velocity and track progress effectively.
  • Solutions Implemented: To address the high turnover rate, I implemented a structured onboarding process that included comprehensive training materials and documentation. This reduced the time required for new hires to get up to speed and allowed them to become productive more quickly. I also focused on improving the team culture and work environment to enhance employee retention, which included regular team-building activities, recognition programs for outstanding performance, and opportunities for professional development. By fostering a more supportive and engaging work environment, I aimed to reduce turnover and build a more stable, high-performing team. Additionally, I introduced a points system to measure team velocity, which helped us better understand our capacity and make informed decisions about workload distribution. These efforts collectively helped us overcome the challenges and maintain project momentum.

 

Resultados y logros:

 

  • Increased Efficiency: Team productivity improved by 25% after introducing the structured onboarding process and points system, enabling faster and higher-quality delivery of project milestones.
  • Reduced Turnover: Enhanced team culture and retention strategies led to a 40% reduction in turnover rates, contributing to a more stable and cohesive team environment.
  • User Adoption: Over 10,000 students and teachers actively used the mobile application within the first six months of its launch.
  • Cost-Effectiveness: Improved resource management and reduced training time for new hires resulted in better cost-efficiency for the project.

 

Resources and Links

iOs App

Testimonials

"Alejandro played a crucial role in bringing structure and clarity to the Telabook project. His expertise in managing distributed teams and implementing effective communication tools made a significant difference. The final product exceeded our expectations and has already begun to improve our company’s internal communication."

Product Owner

"The success of the Telabook platform is largely due to Alejandro's leadership and project management skills. His ability to introduce and integrate new tools, while keeping the team aligned, was invaluable. We have received great feedback from our users, and the app has quickly become an essential tool in our daily operations."

Senior IT Manager

"Alejandro's leadership on the Telabook project was exceptional. He introduced ClickUp and Slack, which transformed how we managed our tasks and communicated as a team. Despite the challenges of being a distributed team, his approach made our workflow more efficient and cohesive."

 Backend Developer

"Alejandro played a crucial role in bringing structure and clarity to the Telabook project. His expertise in managing distributed teams and implementing effective communication tools made a significant difference. The final product exceeded our expectations and has already begun to improve our company’s internal communication."

Product Owner

"The success of the Telabook platform is largely due to Alejandro's leadership and project management skills. His ability to introduce and integrate new tools, while keeping the team aligned, was invaluable. We have received great feedback from our users, and the app has quickly become an essential tool in our daily operations."

Senior IT Manager

"Alejandro's leadership on the Telabook project was exceptional. He introduced ClickUp and Slack, which transformed how we managed our tasks and communicated as a team. Despite the challenges of being a distributed team, his approach made our workflow more efficient and cohesive."

 Backend Developer

Ready to accelerate the growth of your apps?

I specialize in leading successful projects from concept to completion.
Start your next project today!