Agile - 5 points for managers

Agile - 5 points for managersAndy brandt

Boring self-presentation slideManagement consultant, agile coach, mentor, authorAgile practitioner since 2006Since 2007 associated with Code Sprinters Polands leading provider of consulting&training in Agile/LeanSince 2010 Polands first Professional Scrum TrainerAuthor of Agile w PraktyceBlog http://pragmaticleader.net/ @agileroshi on Twitter

Assumptions testing?

EnglishManagers size budget - firingScrum Kanban - level3

AssumptionsEveryone knows Scrum and at least one scaling frameworkEveryone at least tried to work with Scrum or KanbanNo one has to be convinced waterfall is a bad ideaMost of you are line managers who want to know what they role is in Agile

Understand AgileUnderstand Scrum is not all there is to Agile. And neither is Kanban. Those are just two processes in the large cloud of Agile methods, frameworks & practices.Understand Agile didnt start with the Manifesto.Understand Agile is based on empirical process control and Lean principles. Understand empiricism in software products development is not possible. without high quality engineering and modern technical practices.Understand how empiricism applies to your type of work.Understand the limitations of empirical approach.Understand the cultural setting necessary for empiricism that is implicitly assumed by Agile frameworks and methods.

(stuff like manual testing at the end, stabilization sprints etc. are just a sign of deficiency in tech capabilities)5

Training? Workshops?For Developers TDD workshops, BDD workshops, Clean Code dojos and workshops, OO & Design Patterns trainings, various classes provided by tech stack vendors, numerous books and blogs on widely understood software craftsmanship.For Scrum Masters Professional Scrum Master classes, workshops, Agile Coaching Academy, Agile Coach Camps etc. numerous books and websites focusing on their role as well as frameworks and processes.For Product Owners Professional Scrum Product Owner classes, workshops on product management, impact mapping, business value quantification, books & blogs on the subject.What is there for Managers? Few books, almost no trainings (except maybe Management 3.0), few blogs.

READ

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Meet & talk to people

Not what you need?Organize your own!

Meet & talk to people

21 padziernikaAgile a zarzdzanie menederowie o Agilewww.agileupdate.pl Wicej info i rejestracja uczestnikw:

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Last but not leastAttend a training.Invite a good, experienced Agile Coach / Consultant to help you

0. Understand agileIf you use something it pays off tounderstand the theory and principles behind it

ManagementFull Definition of MANAGEMENT1 : the act or art of managing : the conducting or supervising of something (as a business)2 : judicious use of means to accomplish an end3 : the collective body of those who manage or direct an enterprise

(from Merriam Webster dictionary)

JUDICIOUS: having, exercising, or characterized by sound judgment

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ManagementManagement organizing the efforts of a group of people to achieve desired results. Can be dissected into selecting and setting goals, organizing work and monitoring progress.

The small print:In order for this to make economic sense the benefits those efforts bring must exceed the costs of the people & resources they use. Managers are people hired by those investing in the effort to ensure the benefits are greater than the costs & other goals are achieved. Usually the investors do not really care about the methods [structures, frameworks, names, remuneration systems] used by the managers as long as the goals are achieved and the profit margin is good enough.

agile vs. traditional management?External control is replaced with self-discipline reinforced by transparency from team level up and a sense of professionalism re. the work itself.Telling subordinates exactly what to do is replaced with giving goals and reasons behind those goals. Upfront planning by a small group of specialists followed by execution by large groups of low-skilled labor replaced with empirical progress in small groups of highly-skilled specialists.The goals still come from investors/business who will also reap the benefits from the work being done. They still expect you to take care of judicious use of means to accomplish this.

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You dont abdicate your mandateif you use agile

1. Agile is (still) managementAgile is a modern, effective managementphilosophy for creative work in the complex domain

What teams need to thrive?

Physical EnvironmentWe want team work so physical environment must reflect thisWe need team spaces, spaces that teams can arrange on their own, We also need spaces for interactions between teamsThis has to be carefully thought out but doesnt automatically imply high costs and fancy designsYes, this is your responsibility

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An office castle

Space for a team

InnovationDoing something in a way that wasnt tried before.

Innovation == Failure

Culture(non-physical environment)It must be safe to tell the truth otherwise empiricism wont workIt must be safe to fail otherwise there will be no innovationThere must be a great sense of professionalism and pride in the work being don that permeates all teamsThere must be discipline in adhering to internal agreements There must be a shared sense of purpose related to the work being done (product, project)If we demand team work we cant emphasize and promote individual achievements as managers (instead strive to get people to show appreciation to each another)Be extra careful with bonuses. (And fight off HR if needed.)

2. Environment is important(and your responsibility)Teams need good environment both physicaland intangible to thrive

TeamsDo all the work necessary to bring the product increment to doneOrganize how they work and monitor their progress during the sprintRetrospect and improve their way of working

What do you do?

Besides ensuring it is indeed so!!! No part time, no resources25

TEAMTEAMTEAMTEAMTEAM

PO

PO

SM

SM

What a manager does[Besides taking care of environment etc.]Care for the mechanism of teams, SMs, POs.Helps ensure cultural fit when hiringIntervenes when teams are in a deadlockHelps remove impediments SMs and teams are unable toShields from stupidity coming from other parts of the organization

[It is a lot like a higher-level SM with added responsibilities]

Self-organization

GoalRules& workingagreementsPressureMotivationVision

Never say human resourcesPeople

3. Its about the teamsShield your teams from ALL BS you canand dont introduce your own

Typical managers problemsHow do I know who is a good developer?How do I know who is not?How do I know whom to promote?How do I know whom to fire and when?How do I know if teams are doing well?How do I know .

How to know?You cant derive that knowledge from tools & reportsYou either have to accept you dont have it or be with your people

Lead not push

Lead by exampleWant to know whats going on? Be honest with people.Want culture of quality? Make sure what you do is the best you can.Want culture of openness? Be open.Want to work with smiling, energized people? .

4. Be a visible exampleand an invisible observerYou cant manage people doing complexcreative work with metrics & spreadsheets

People != processes35

Other stuff

Other stuffLabour law & resulting paperwork (agreements, holiday leaves, delegations etc. etc.)Other legal issues like unhiringBudgets, purchases etc.I bet you can all name more

Yep you still have to do it.

5. Do stuff no one else willSomeone still has to sign papers, fire peopleand take care of all mundane stuff

SummaryAgile is management it is a better philosophy and toolset for achieving same goals as traditional management.Environment is important and your responsibilityIt is all about the teams you are there to help themBe a visible example and non-intrusive observerDo stuff no one else will like removing deadlocks in the system, negotiating wages etc.

(Yes, sometimes you still have to intervene and it is ok unless you do it every month, every week)

If you really want to get rid of managers

The end