agile special forces
TRANSCRIPT
April 11, 2023
Lightweight teams in heavyweight organizations
Agile Special Forces
Sergey Prokhorenko
Luxoft Agile Practice
2 April 11, 2023
Clients’ Perception of Agile
Fixing issues• Doing right things• Doing things right• Clear progress• Change for free
Traditional restrictions• Cost reduction• Budget commitments• Zero tolerance for
failures• Shareholders’ pressure
3
Clash of Management Theories
4
Traditional Hierarchy
Commander-in-Chief
US Army
10 active divisions
4 regiments and BCTs
Special Operations Command
USMC USN USAF USCG
SecDef CJCS
5
US Army Special Operations Command
Special Forces (“green berets”)
CAG aka Delta Force (classified
anti-terrorist unit)
75th Rangers Regiment
(elite strike force)
Various support and
logistics units
“Operations conducted by, with, or through irregular forces in support of a resistance movement, an insurgency, or conventional military operations.”
FM 3-05.201, (S/NF) Special Forces Unconventional Warfare (U)28 September 2007
6
Challenges UW ConceptUSAF
OEF-A Context (2001)
Abandoned since 1991
Almost no presence of CIA
Landlocked country No up-to-date
invasion plan Six months
estimate for planning phase
Massive bombing of key targets
Engaging targets from high altitude due to AA emplacements
Flying from Oman or Indian ocean
No real results
“True Believers” Deploy to
Uzbekistan as CSAR teams
Infiltrate Afghanistan
Help USAF with air control
Train local forces and prepare for full-scale invasion
7
Cross-Functional Teams
Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) structure
FM 3‑21.20 (7‑20), The Infantry Battalion13 December 2006
8
Case Study: ODA 574
Challenge for US SF:
– Support Hamid Karzai (future president of Afghanistan) in heading anti-Taliban movement in southeastern Afghanistan (Oct-Dec 2001)
9
Case Study: ODA 574
Responding to change
10
Case Study: ODA 574 – Analysis
Mission Accomplished
Motivation
Autonomy Mastery Purpose
Resources
USAF bombers
Supply drops Money
Infrastructure
CCT Satellite links
Equipment
11
More Peaceful – Marshmallow Challenge
18 minutes Teams of four Tallest freestanding structure Marshmallow has to be on
top
12
Lessons Learned Kindergarten graduates perform better than business school graduates Prototyping matters Diverse skills matter Incentives + low skills = failure Incentives + skills = success
Does Agile approach fit any activity?
13
Back to ODA Structure
“Truck number” ≥ 2 “Split team” concept Fully cross-component Able to operate
independently in a hostile environment
Highly skilled professionals (rank is SSG and higher)
No novices – at all Typical career path: regular
Army or Rangers, then SF Often teamed up with USAF
combat controllers
14
Big Question Marks
Which projects can leverage junior team members in self-organized teams?
Is Agile really a silver bullet?
How to train juniors for large business-critical Agile projects?
15
Case Study: Battle of Tora Bora
Challenge for CAG (aka Delta Force):
– Kill or capture Osama bin Laden in Tora Bora cave complex (Dec 2001)
16
Case Study: Battle of Tora Bora
Failure to kill or capture
OBL
Victory• Tora Bora complex captured
• Taliban presence eliminated
17
Case Study: Battle of Tora Bora – Analysis
Mission Failed
Motivation
Autonomy Mastery Purpose
Resources
USAF bombers
Area blocking Money
Infrastructure
CCT Satellite links
Equipment
18
Lessons to Learn One of the best operators in the world Best equipment All might of the US Air Force
vs
Allies not seeing clear purpose Risk-averse approach Political issues Lack of support from SF and Rangers
Would conventional (non-Agile) approach fit better?
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Cynefin Framework
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Agile Principle #5
Success
Autonomy
Mastery
PurposeEnvironment
Support
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Team Development
April 11, 2023
Forming
Storming
Norming
Performing
Shu
Ha
Ri
Successful Agile teams are as valuable outcome of the project as the product itself
22
Easy Scaling?
23
Organizational Culture
Theory X• Thorough planning• Resource-based
organization• Strict hierarchy• Easy scaling• Good for keeping up
Theory Y• Responding to change• Team-based organization• Steep learning curve• Good for rapid
engagements
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What’s Next? Unconventional Development?
– Means for Agile teams to find a place in large enterprise organizations
– Leading the way in challenging projects
– Opportunity for most skilled people
– “Bootcamps” and qualification courses for the rest of organization Clear grading system to identify missing skills Quantity to quality
– Organizational transformation
– Education and coaching at senior levels
25
Personal Development Opportunities
April 11, 2023
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Further Reading
Your QR Code Thank you!
14 March 2014
Sergey Prokhorenko
Luxoft
ua.linkedin.com/in/sergeyprokhorenko