Taking Flight: from Aspiration to Transformational Action
Transcript of Taking Flight: from Aspiration to Transformational Action
Your Aviator…
IT Executive Leadership Coach24 years IT Experience/21 years S/W Development
27 years Management
Deming, Reengineering, Agile/Lean
Military/Federal(Inside & Outside)
Product Companies
Multiple Industries
18 years Acquisition
Active Agile Community Member(Agile Coach Camp/Agile Influencers of DC)
(GLASScon/LeanCoffeeDC/GALE)
Lean Start-up & Product Mgmt
WHY
WHATHOW
Better ROI, Changing market/mission needsIncreased competition, Workforce demands
Change ‘approach’ used to produce software
Introduce Agile/Lean
Business Reasons (for Agililty)
BOTTOMLINEThere is always one or more REAL business
reasons for introducing change. Don’t ignore these, harness them.
WHYWHATHOW
Want better results for our business (& us)
Change to get these results
Operationalize & sustain change
Agile Transformation (Transition, Adoption, etc.)
Top 5 Reasons Agile Projects Failed
Lack of experience w/agile methods
Company philosophy/culture at odds w/core agile values
Lack of Management Support
External pressure to follow traditional waterfall processes
Lack of Support for Cultural Transition
Ability to Change Org Culture 44%Personnel w/Agile Experience 35%General Resistance to Change 34%Pre-existing non Agile Framework 32%Management Support 29%
Top 5 Barriers to Agile Adoption
Sources: VersionOne State of Agile Survey 2014
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 2010-13
Culture
2013Ability 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%
Culture
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 the dominantculture
• There may be “sub-cultures” that are different
• A culture may straddle borders (this is a continuum)
• A new organization may not yet have a dominant culture
• Recommend also plotting where you want your dominant culture to be…
Decisions Habits Culture
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.
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
Taking Flight Approach
• Set an aspirational target aligned with the business value stream
• 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
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
– Measure relative performance improvements
– 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?
• Casts what the ‘agile’ means to the organization; personalizes it – includes a ‘business’ (or mission) view
• Determines what the most relevant principles from Agile (or Lean, or Software Craftsmanship) mean to the organization
• Guides decisions within the organization; achieves alignment (include the business!)
• Provides guidance for course corrections once we go in-flight
Avoids Imposed Agile…
4 Types of Co-Creation (mapped to Culture types of Schneider Model)
Collaborative Cultivating
Competency Controlling
By Asking…
Controlling Invitation/Encouragement to ‘Influencers’
Competency Invitation/Inclusion of Relevant/Knowledgeable
Collaborative Invitation for Those Interested
Cultivating Invitation/Reach out to Network of Interest
4 Types of Co-Creation (mapped to Initial Engagement Activities )
Open Space|World Café Open Space|World Café
Workshops|World Café Workshops
Over time…
the Culture will evolve…choose a
differentco-creation approach for decisions
aligned with the new Culture
review it with a Retrospective
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 mission value daily.”“Constantly improve delivery, by
reducing waste and through new ideas.”
Collaborative Control
CompetencyCultivation
Aspirational Characteristics 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
Lots of Approaches to This Too…
Process Models
SWOT Analysis
Customer Personas
Business Model Canvas
Select the appropriate mix…
Participatory Creation > Clear Communication > Proclamation
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
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
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 Fed example
Note: want org habits reinforcing an Agile mindset
Training
Need to Know
Something NewRecognition
Craving
For
Recognition
Example Federal Org Habit Around Training
Training
Need to Know
Something NewRecognition
Craving
For
Recognition
Example Federal 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
“The
Recognized Expert”“The
Self-Made Expert”“Whew,
Passed the Test!”
What Does This Show?
• 2 Leverage Points:– Remove Pain of Showing Vulnerability to Learning
– Remove Value of IDP Based on Courses
• 1 Side Effect:– Lack of Failure makes formal training easier than
experimentation
• There is an expected delay between absorbing the real learning and then receiving recognition– Decided to reward the experiment itself regardless of
whether it was successful or failed
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
Value Stream(s)
Org
Retro
What So What
Now
What
Measures
Retrospectives for Organizational Change,Jutta Eckstein
Measures
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/
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”
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
Transformation KanbanNext Up In-WorkBacklog CompleteReady Measure Done
BasedOn Org
Capacity
BasedOn Org
Capacity
BasedOn
Org &Capacity
To Measure
BasedOn
Org &Capacity
To Measure
BasedOn Org
Capacity
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
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 other two accountable to their commitments
• 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
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 – co-creation)
• Agile has issues scaling to large programs– Why do you have a large 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 – look to scale agility horizontally 1st, vertically 2nd)
Agile TeamsTend to be here!
Adapted by Jurgen Appelo from the Cynefin framework; posted on his blog at http://noop.nl
Most PoliciesTend to be here!
Adapted by Jurgen Appelo from the Cynefin framework; posted on his blog at http://noop.nl
Most Programs
Adapted by Jurgen Appelo from the Cynefin framework; posted on his blog at http://noop.nl
Tend to be here!
Apply the pants principle…Simple process adopted by the team doing the work in a simple structure.
+Process Team
Paul M. Booshttp://paulmboos.com
[email protected]@paul_boos
703-307-4322 (mobile)
Games for Agility, Learning, and Engagement (GALE)