taking flight: an approach for agile transformation (agiledc 2013)
DESCRIPTION
This is the full slide deck for my AgileDC presentation on taking on an Agile Transformation (Adoption, Transition, Organizational Change, etc.)TRANSCRIPT
Taking Flight
From Aspiration to Transformational Action
Your Aviator…Software Leadership Coach w/
22 years IT Experience/20 years S/W Development24 years Management Experience
Deming, Reengineering, Agile/Lean
Military/Federal(Inside & Outside)
Product Companies
Multiple Industries
16 years Acquisition Experience
Active Agile Community Member(Agile Coach Camp/Agile Influencers of DC)
(GLASScon/LeanCoffeeDC)
Lean Start-up & Product Mgmt
WHYWHATHOW
Want better results for our business (& us)
Change to get these results
Operationalize & sustain change
Agile Transformation (Transition, Adoption, etc.)
Agile Transformation isstrategic in
nature.
(Transition, Adoption, etc.)
It’s more thaneating
some Agilepractices
2012Ability to Change Org Culture 52%General Resistance to Change 41%Trying to fit Agile into into non-Agile framework 35%Personnel w/Agile Experience 33%Management Support 31%
Top 5 Barriers to Agile Adoption
2011Ability to Change Org Culture 52%Personnel w/Agile Experience 40%General Resistance to Change 39%Management Support 34%Project Complexity 30%
2010Ability to Change Org Culture 51%General Resistance to Change 40%Personnel w/Agile Experience 40%Management Support 34%Project Complexity 31%
Sources: VersionOne State of Agile Surveys 2010-12
Culture
Culture
Top 2 Reasons Agile Projects Failed
Company philosophy/culture at odds w/core agile values
External pressure to follow traditional waterfall processes
“Culture eats Strategy for breakfast.”- Peter Drucker
We’ll start
3 modelswith
Accredited to Michael Sahota & Olaf Lewitz
Collaborative Control
CompetencyCultivation
Schneider Cultural Model
Real
ity O
rient
edPo
ssib
ility
Orie
nted
People Oriented Org Oriented
The Reengineering Alternative, William Schneider
Using the Schneider Model
• Plot organizational characteristics onto its grid– Subjective in nature (acknowledgement)
• Where the largest cluster occurs, this is your dominant culture
• You may have “sub-cultures” that are different• A culture may straddle borders• A new organization may not yet have a dominant
culture• Recommend also plotting where you want your
dominant culture to be…
Adapted from Dr. Ahmed Sidky’sUnlocking the Blackbox of Agile
Culture Habits Decisions
Evolutionary Theory of Economic Change,Richard Nelson & Sidney Winder, 1982
Most organizations don’t make fully rationale decisions those decisions are unknowingly steeped in their habits.
Evil is committed by
the well-meaning
The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg
Will = Intentions + Actions^ ^What is Said What is Done
f(Qagreements ) = PerformanceΣ
Decisions Δ Habits Δ Culture
Taking Flight Approach• Set an aspirational target• Examine possible routes• Select the best route and the first waypoint(s)– Consider each leg an experiment– Work details/make decisions operationally – Inspect & Adapt at each waypoint– Make course corrections– Squadron mates
Establish an Aspirational Vision of your future
Aspiration :: (noun)
1. strong desire, longing, or aim; ambition2. a goal or objective desired
End State :: (noun)
1. The set of required conditions that defines achievement of the commander's objectives.
Aspirational vs End State
• Any end state you choose may be wrong (don’t use BUFD for your Org Change)
• Not having a defined end state means you are never done assists mindset change– Revisit aspiration and progress towards it regularly– Use interim states that move you in the right direction and
are more concrete– Continual experiments/Contained failures– It’s how you apply Product Thinking to your organization
• Aspirations can more easily balance between soft and hard skills needed
In terms of
A vision
AspirationsOrganizational Transformation,
are…
not too complexThe set of characteristics based on this vision
Why is Setting an Aspiration Important?
• Cast what the transformation means to the organization; personalize it
• Determine what the most relevant principles from Agile (or Lean, or Craftsmanship) mean to the organization
• Guides decisions within the organizations; achieves alignment
• Provides guidance for course corrections once we go in-flight Avoids Imposed Agile…
Lots of Approaches to Creating One
Lego for Serious Play
KrisMap
Vision Statements
Cover Story Innovation Game
We want common agreement & understanding…
Participatory Creation > Clear Communication > Proclamation
“Deliver business value daily.”“Constantly improve doing it,
reducing waste and through new ideas.”
Collaborative Control
CompetencyCultivation
Aspiration on Schneider Cultural Model
Real
ity O
rient
edPo
ssib
ility
Orie
nted
People Oriented Org Oriented
Collaborative
Innovative
Resourceful/Can-DoOptimistic
Pragmatic
Adds Value
Cost ConsciousConsiderate
Organized
Risk Taker
Responsive
Decisive
FlexiblePositive Attitude
Sense of Humor Speedy
Stamina
Motivated
Integrity
Reader
Focused on Business Results
Confident
Empathetic
Reliable
One Voice
we have a
how do weTarget Aspiration,
Now that
incremental step?determine
the next
the Current State
Understand
Lots of Approaches to This Too…
Process Models
SWOT Analysis
Customer Personas
Business Model Canvas
Select the appropriate mix…
Participatory Creation > Clear Communication > Proclamation
AspirationStarting
Point
and
Operational ActionsPrioritize
Determine
toachieve
the Next Statecongruent
Visionwith the
Lots of Approaches to This Too…
Forcefield Analysis
Strategy Maps
Priority vs Energy Exercises
Business Model Canvas
Select the appropriate mix…
Participatory Creation > Clear Communication > Proclamation
Goal: Roadmap of Prioritized Δs
Current State
Aspiration
Next State
Process Δs
Org Structure
Δs
NewPractices
Habit Δs
Vision
Adapted from Organizational Transitions,by R. Beckhard & R.T. Harris
Many Things to Change Depending on What’s Next in Priority
• New Strategies• New Org Structures• Find/Establish New Support Networks• New Practices• New/Streamlined Processes• Rewards for Δ in Behaviors• Create/Eliminate Ceremonies• New Habits The Hardest to Do
& the most crucial
Some ofthese will be Experiments
Decisions Δ Habits Δ Culture
Find Key Practices to avoid being eaten…Habits
What Might Be Some of the Habits We Want to Change?
• Ways meetings are conducted• Ways meetings are scheduled• How managers give feedback• Whether agreements are explicit of implicit• How decisions are made and owned• Whether people show vulnerability• How people learn new skills Use as an example
Note: want org habits reinforcing an Agile mindset
Habit Loop
Habit
Trigger RewardCraving
The Power of Habit – Charles Duhigg
OldNew
Training
Need to Know Something New
Recognition
CravingFor
Recognition
Example Org Habit Around Training
Training
Need to Know Something New
Recognition
CravingFor
Recognition
Example Org Habit Around Training
self-study/experimentation=Learning
Finding Leverage Points
• The habit to change is formal training to learning
• Step 1: Habit Loop Causality Diagram• The Habit Loop becomes a bit more complex– More Steps– Reinforcing Loop
• Step 2: Look for Limiting Conditions & Side Effect Loops
self-study/experimentation=
Training Request
Need to Know Something New
Recognition
Formal Training
Full Causal Diagram
Fulfill IDP or Certification
Easy to Measure
Statement of Intent
Self-Study
Experiment
Absorb & Share LearningD
elay
Learn the Lingo to “Look Smart”
Get By/Impress
Lack of Failure
ShowsVulnerability
Avoids ShowingVulnerability
Current State
Aspiration
Next State
Process Δs
Org Structure
Δs
NewPractices
Habit Δs
Vision
Manage the Δ
Adapted from Organizational Transitions,by R. Beckhard & R.T. Harris
Inspect + Adapt
Status Quo
New Status Quo
disruption amount
disruption time
Satir Change Curve
A detailed depiction of the Satir Change model - http://stevenmsmith.com/ar-satir-change-model/
How can we promote Sustainable Change?
Definitions
Sustainable :: Able to be maintained at a certain rate or level. Synonym: Supportable
Change :: The act or instance of making or becoming different. Synonyms: Alteration, Shift, Mutation
“Change Capacity”
To-Do In Work Done
Organizational Change CapacityWIP Limit =
+
=limit to change
> disruption amount Capacity is the WIP
+
net effect time
tolerance to time-lagdefined by environment
=
+net effect time
balance limit vs lag
AspirationStarting
Point
Promotes
Restricts
Promotion/Restriction based on Limits to Organizational Change
by Herbert Kaufman& Discussions @ #CultureDC
Cross-cutting Teams
Diversity (of thoughts)
Failure ToleranceClear Vision
Employee Orientation
ExperimentationTransparency
New Employees
AspirationStarting
Point
Promotes
Restricts
Low Risk ToleranceGrand Unclear Vision
Hiring to FitInsular Communication
Employee Indoctrination
Successes Only
Promotion/Restriction based on Limits to Organizational Change
by Herbert Kaufman& Discussions @ #CultureDC
Cross-cutting Teams
Diversity (of thoughts)
Failure ToleranceClear Vision
Employee Orientation
ExperimentationTransparency
New Employees
Specialized Silos
Group Think
Current State
Aspiration
Next State
Process Δs
Org Structure
Δs
NewPractices
Habit Δs
Vision
Manage the ΔΔ Kanban
Δ Validation Board
Adapted from Organizational Transitions,by R. Beckhard & R.T. Harris
Next Up In-WorkBacklog Complete
Transformation KanbanReady Measure Done
Next Up In-WorkBacklog Complete
Transformation KanbanReady Measure Done
BasedOn Org
Capacity
BasedOn Org
Capacity
BasedOn
Org &Capacity
To Measure
BasedOn
Org &Capacity
To Measure
BasedOn Org
Capacity
Organizational WIP
Team has• Capacity• Charter• Measures• Expected
Outcomes
Team has• Completed
Actions
Team has• Measured
Results
How do we figure out how much change to pull?
1. Hypothesis use communications paths as a starting point; • capacity = comm paths
N ppl involved• hierarchy comm paths = direct report lines• team comm paths = ∑(1+…+N-1)• can have hybrids
2. Modified by Team Size
3. Multiplied by reinforcing loops
4. Consider like mid-size “story” (in terms of points); every org will be different & large single changes can out-strip capacity and need to be broken down
Team Size
5 9 15 7
“Is Five the Optimal Team Size?”, infoQ, Vikras Hazrati & Jurgen Appelo on http://noop.nl
Scrum teams 7 +/-2
S = ƒ({P},E)where, P = personalities
E = environment
5 Best for deep comm, 15 most for deep trust, 150 most for comm
≥ 1≤1 <1
Change Multiplier
Hire for diversity
Display transparency in decisions
Allow experimentation
Establish clear vision ≥1
Punish failure
Decisions made w/littleno input
Hire yes people <1
Safety
Only concern: people’s performance
on the job
Validation Board
Assumptions
Benefactor
Issue
Solution
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5
Riskiest Assumption
Experiment
Result
Invalidated Validated
Hypothesis
Squadron Mates
• Create a support network• Find like minds and pair– Sounding board for pragmatic decisions
• Better yet, form a triad– Third person holds the commitments of the other
two to each other accountable• Grow network as pairs/triads– Net-Map Technique is a great tool here
Triads come from The Culture Game by Daniel MezickNet-Map Toolkit, Eva Schiffer, http://netmap.wordpress.com
Bewareof
andHidden Assumptions
Biases
A Couple of Typical Biases or Assumptions
• People just don’t want to change– So explain to me why people will take up a new hobby
later in life or move across country? (Hint: it is in their interest – find mutual desire)
• Agile has issues scaling to large programs– Why do you have a program? Could this be solved in a
different manner with sets of smaller applications?(Hint: most “programs” are put together for reasons other than actual size & complexity, such as ability to get budget, the size/complexity is an outcome from these reasons/decisions)
Drawing: Alex Hughes
AgileCultu
re
Satir Δ Cur ev
this wayAgile
Thanks!and
Have aGood Flight!
Paul M. [email protected]@yahoo.com
@paul_boos 703-307-4322 (mobile)
Look for a ‘workbook’ on this in the near future…