SQL Sprint 1 - update timings and stretch coursework

[kfklein15]

What type of request is it

• [ ] New content
• [x] Update/additional content

**Is the change on:

• [x] Prep
• [x] Day-plan
• [x] Coursework

Why do you want to suggest this update? Feedback from NW6 is that the PD content has time estimations that they cannot fulfil. They also mentioned that most of our coursework is set as mandatory, which it shouldn't.

Timing process suggestion

• [ ] Open the current content (intro, prep, exercise, coursework)
• [ ] Paste it into your AI of preference, asking how long someone with a B2 level of English would take to read this
• [ ] Use the slowest or average + X%
• [ ] Update the timing accordingly
• [ ] Review what other content/exercise must be removed

Coursework Per sprint we should have

• 1 key coursework
• 1 Mandatory coursework
• Rest should be stretch coursework

Document necessary changes as a comment

• Changes will be done in the system @LaraHuzjan and @kfklein15
• Must be changed on Module Coursework, CMS and Test Coursework for PD Milestone

[LaraHuzjan]

@wainwmr cw in this sprint is super long. Before I shorten the prep in S2 could you see if you can shorten the cw :)

[kfklein15]

@wainwmr , you can also break the coursework down into 3 or 4 - so that some bit of it becomes stretch target.

[wainwmr]

@LaraHuzjan , @kfklein15 , I think this coursework should be easy to make smaller (from 6 hours KEY/MANDATORY to 2 hours KEY + 1 hour MANDATORY + 2 hours STRETCH) as follows. What say you? Shall I make it so?

STAR coursework (rename to Answering interview questions using STAR)

Instead of 4 hours (MANDATORY) on preparing 14 interview questions on "Tell us about a time when...", split this into:

• 2 hours (KEY) preparing any 7 questions using STAR
• 2 hours (STRETCH) preparing the remaining 7 questions

Definition of Done

It seems impossible to me that junior developers would build a Definition of Done on their own. They would always create one with their team who will be more experienced than they are. So they need to understand the concepts and know how to follow one, but not build it.

So Instead of 2 hours (KEY), I would shrink this to a time-boxed 1 hour and make it MANDATORY.

[wainwmr]

IMHO, there's FAR too much content in the prep for SQL/Sprint 1. The current plan is 80 minutes, but there's too much content and I think it would take far longer than 80 minutes to do it all justice. I suggest two things:

1. Drastically reducing the content by pulling out the Agile Manifesto/Scrum/Increment references and leaving it only as Working Software and "Done" (see below, reducing from 80 to 60 mins)
2. Having a separate syllabus project to weave in the Agile stuff throughout (in both the tech syllabus and the PD syllabus).

Prep

• Remove exercise 1 on Agile Manifesto (10 mins but should be >1 hour). No way you can do this justice in 10 minutes. And it's missing the 4 agile values which are more important than the 10 principles.
• Remove exercise 2 on the Definition of "Done" vs Acceptance Tests (10 mins). It relies on too much previous knowledge of Scrum and I can't find that in our syllabus. This is too advanced for what they know.
• Exercise 3 - Definition of Done article (10 mins) but ChatGPT says 1-2 hours and I agree. Write another version that takes 30 minutes to read and understand.
• Remove Exercise 4 - Increment and Definition of Done (10 minutes). The Scrum Guide is the definition of Scrum, but a very poor way to explain difficult concepts to people.
• Exercise 5 - Understand the role (30 mins). Leave this, because it is needed for an exercise in the class.

[kfklein15]

Thanks, @wainwmr . I will let @LaraHuzjan look at this in detail, but happy to move the "too much content" to coursework as stretch (either the week before or after), if you think there is value in it

[LaraHuzjan]

@wainwmr thanks for this! Just to make sure I understand the changes: PREP We only keep

• Exercise 3 - a new definition to be written and given to trainees to read - not sure how the existing article can take 1-2h since it's 2000 word article and it should take a slow reader 16 min to read it? But ok, a new definition can be written if you're up for that :)
• Exercise 5 Time: 60 min

CW

• Star cw to be renamed and split into two exercises, one key one stretch. That means creating a new cw
• Definition of done to be shortened-how? Time: 180 min

[LaraHuzjan]

Time wise the cuts would just about work

[wainwmr]

Having agreed with @LaraHuzjan , I've now made the following changes to the coursework:

1. Definition of "Done" coursework. Reduced from 2 hours to 1 hour. Changed from Key to Mandatory.
2. STAR Framework. Reduced from 6 hours to 1.5 hours. Changed from Mandatory to Key. Renamed to "Prepare answers for interview questions using STAR"
3. New coursework: Prepare answers to interview questions using STAR - part 2. 2.5 hours. Stretch. Answer the remaining questions.

@kfklein15 , please note the above for your PD milestone board.

[kfklein15]

Thanks, I have done the changes on the PD Milestone board.

[LaraHuzjan]

@wainwmr I can't see it updated on the curriculum, have you changed it on cms?

[wainwmr]

@LaraHuzjan , yes I updated the prep on CMS last night here. It's now 60 minutes instead of 80 and I'm confident this is achievable for the trainees. I saved it, but I haven't published it because I thought someone might want to review or double check.

[LaraHuzjan]

Great, I published it, thanks! Let me know when you finalise the day plan as well so it can go live asap :)

[wainwmr]

Hi @LaraHuzjan , I've tweaked the day plan a little. It didn't need much changing because the timings are totally fine I think. I've save it but not published it.

[LaraHuzjan]

Perfect, all published.