Taking Flight

From Aspiration to

Transformational Action

Your Aviator…

Software Leadership Coach w/24 years IT Experience/23 years S/W Development

21 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 is

strategic innature.

(Transition, Adoption, etc.)

Top 2 Reasons Agile Projects Failed

Company philosophy/culture at odds w/core agile values

External pressure to follow traditional waterfall processes

Ability to Change Org Culture 53%General Resistance to Change 42%Trying to fit Agile into into non-Agile framework 35%Personnel w/Agile Experience 33%Management Support 30%

Top 5 Barriers to Agile Adoption

Sources: VersionOne State of Agile Survey 2013

Culture

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

Culture

Behaviors That Are Not Tolerated

Tolerated Behaviors

Preferred Behaviors

We’ll start

3 modelswith

Accredited to Michael Sahota & Olaf Lewitz

Collaborative Control

CompetencyCultivation

Schneider Cultural Model

Rea

lity

Ori

ente

dPo

ssib

ility

Ori

ente

d

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

Many ‘solution’ decisionsare captured in

the organizational

and its

paths

structure

communication

Conway’s Law is alive and well.

Business Value Stream(s)

Business Value Stream(s)

Business Value Stream(s)

SDLC Value StreamSDLC Value StreamSDLC Value Stream

Customers

Line(Mission)

Support

Strategy

Value Streamsbecome

entangledin the

hierarchy

OpsMgmt

Customers

Line(Mission)

Support

Strategy

Value Streamsbecome

entangledin the

hierarchy

OpsMgmt

-- truly --

(Only one truly tangled value stream shown…)

Most organizations don’t make fully rationale decisionsthose decisions are unknowingly steeped in their habits.

Evil is committed by

the well-meaning

The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg

Stacey Decision-Making Model

(Perception of) Understanding of Problem

Ag

reem

ent

on

Res

olu

tio

n

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; ambition

2. 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)

• No defined end state = never done assists mindset Δ– 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 the soft and hard skills needed

In terms of

A vision

AspirationsOrganizational Transformation,

are…

not too complex

The set of characteristics based on this vision

Why is Setting an Aspiration Important?

• Cast what the transformation means to the organization; personalize it – includes a ‘business’ (or mission) view

• Determine what the most relevant principles from Agile (or Lean, or Craftsmanship) mean to the organization

• Guides decisions within the organizations; achieves alignment (including the business)

• Provides guidance for course corrections once we go in-flight

Avoids Imposed Agile…

Who are thecustomers

of your organization’s

change effort?

The

in the people

organization

4 Types of Co-Creation (mapped to Culture types of Schneider Model)

Collaborative Cultivating

Competency Controlling

Howdo I

determine

which one?

By Asking…

Controlling Invitation/Mandate to ‘Influencers’

Competency Invitation/Inclusion of Relevant/Knowledgeable

Collaborative Invitation for Those Interested

Cultivating Invitation/Reachout to Network of Interest

4 Types of Co-Creation (mapped to Initial Engagement Activities )

Open Space Open Space|World Café

Workshops|World Café Workshops

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 delivery,reducing waste and through new ideas.”

Collaborative Control

CompetencyCultivation

Aspiration on Schneider Cultural Model

Rea

lity

Ori

ente

dPo

ssib

ility

Ori

ente

d

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

Takesimple

stepsP

PSimple does not imply easy…

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 Δsfor

Incremental, Relative Improvement

Current State

Aspiration

Next State

Process Δs

OrgStructure

Δs

NewPractices

Habit Δs

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

• What agreements are explicit or 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 NewRecognition

Craving

For

Recognition

Example Org Habit Around Training

Training

Need to Know

Something NewRecognition

Craving

For

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

• Habit Loop will reveal underlying complexity

– 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

Learning

Learn the

Lingo to

“Look Smart”

Get By/

Impress

Lack of

Failure

Shows

Vulnerability

Avoids Showing

Vulnerability

Current State

Aspiration

Next State

Process Δs

OrgStructure

Δs

NewPractices

Habit Δs

Manage the Δ

Adapted from Organizational Transitions,by R. Beckhard & R.T. Harris

“No plan survives contact with the enemy.”

- Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

Inspect + Adapt

Value Stream(s)

Org

Retro

What So What

Now

What

Measures

Retrospectives for Organizational Change,Jutta Eckstein

Org

Retro

What So What

Now

What

Gather Data

Generate Insights

DecideData

(Measures/

Perspectives) Execute Δs

Open

Close

Value Stream(s)

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 Tolerance

Clear Vision

Employee Orientation

Experimentation

Transparency

Hiring to Complement

AspirationStarting

Point

Promotes

Restricts

Low Risk Tolerance

Grand Unclear Vision

Hiring to Fit

Insular 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 Tolerance

Clear Vision

Employee Orientation

Experimentation

Transparency

Hiring to Complement

Specialized Silos

Group Think

Current State

Aspiration

Next State

Process Δs

OrgStructure

Δs

NewPractices

Habit Δs

Manage the ΔΔ Kanban

Δ Validation Board

Adapted from Organizational Transitions,by R. Beckhard & R.T. Harris

Determinethe

Change Domain

Make change,Monitor for results

Retrospect,Decompose

Experimentfor Solutions

Solve, Observe patterns

Cynefin Framework, David Snowden

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 9 157

“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

Leadership

• Servants to their teams

• Provide the right environment– Transparent

– Cooperative

– Enabled

– Empowered

• Tell stories: – Where we have been

– Where we are going

– Both successes and failures

of

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? (Hint1: it is in their interest – find mutual desire)(Hint2: involve them)

• 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?(Hint1: 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)(Hint2: descale to individual applications before adopting a scaling framework – scale agility not the organization)

Adding Bureaucracy

Will Not Create Success

Most Programs

Adapted by Jurgen Appelo from the Cynefin framework; posted on his blog at http://noop.nl

Tend to be here!

Most PoliciesTend to be here!

Agile TeamsTend to be here!

Complicated + ComplexOverrides Ordered + Simple

+ =Process Team Result

…

1

2

3

n Worse Case

Best Case

Strive to decomplicate…Help teams operate as simple and ordered as possible.

Apply the pants principle…Simple process adopted by the team doing the work in a simple structure.

+Process Team

Customers

Strategy

Value Streamsyour

Detangle

OpsMgmt

Line(Mission)

Support

Line(Mission)

Team

Customers

Strategy

Value Streamsyour

Detangle

OpsMgmt

Line(Mission)

Support

Line(Mission)

Teams

Customers

Strategy

Value Streamsyour

Detangle

OpsMgmt

Line(Mission)

Support

Customers

Line(Mission)

Teams

SupportServices

Strategy

Value Streamsofa Network

PortfolioSupport

to

CustomersLine

(Mission)

Support

Strategy

Value Streamsofa Network

PortfolioSupport

to MeritocraticAutonomousTeamEnvironment

What is MATE?

Meritocratic

Autonomous

Team

Environment

Assessed by peers based on Biz Value Stream

Teams make their own Decisions

Primary structure is the team

Teams have the support needed to be successful

Drawing: Alex Hughes

Δ

Thanks!and

Have aGood Flight!

Government Lean-Agile Software & Systems Conference

GLASScon

Stay tuned at http://glasscon.usAnd on Twitter: http://twitter.com/GLASScon4gov

Coming Nov 2014

Paul M. Boospaul.boos@santeon.com

pmboos@yahoo.com@paul_boos

703-307-4322 (mobile)

Look for a ‘workbook’ on this in the near future…