Culture Last. Predictability First.How to be Successful with Agile at Scale

Derek Huether, Enterprise Agile Coach

LeadingAgile

What makes Agile great?

Simple by Design

4 Values

Individuals and interactions over processes and tools

Working software over comprehensive documentation

Customer collaboration over contract negotiation

Responding to change over following a plan

12 Principles

Satisfy the Customer

Welcome Change

Deliver Frequently

Collaborate Daily

Support & Trust Motivated

Teams

Promote Face-to-Face

Conversations

Deliver Working Software

Promote Sustainable

Pace

Promote Technical

Excellence

Maximize Through

Simplicity

Have Self-Organized

Teams

Reflect & Adjust

Regularly

Courtesy of Jeff Patton

Increment

Iterate

Team

User Story

User Story

User Story

User Story

User Story

User Story

User Story

Clarity(Scope)

Accountability(Team)

Measureable Progress(Deliverables & Metrics)

Database

Report

Screen Developer

Business Rep

Analyst

Tester Facilitator

The downside of Agile is the same thing that makes it great

How do we scale Agile?

Accountability

Different Teams for

Different Jobs

Team

Team

Team

TeamPortfolio Teams – These teams govern the portfolio and make sure that work is moving through the system.

Programs Teams – These teams define requirements, set technical direction, and provide context and coordination.

Product Teams – These teams integrate services and write customer facing features. This is the proto-typical Scrum team.

Services Teams – These teams support common services across product lines. These teams support the needs of the product teams.

Team

Team

Team

Team

Portfolio Teams – These teams govern the portfolio and make sure that work is moving through the system.

Programs Teams – These teams define requirements, set technical direction, and provide context and coordination.

Product Teams – These teams integrate services and write customer facing features. This is the proto-typical Scrum team.

Services Teams – These teams support common services across product lines. These teams support the needs of the product teams.

Team

Team

Team

Team

Team Team

Team

Team

Team Team Team Team

Product & ServicesTeams

ProgramTeams

PortfolioTeams

Scrum

Kanban

Kanban

Accountability

Governance

Construction

Story Done

TaskDone

Task InProcess

TaskReady

StoryBacklog

COM

PON

ENT

DEL

IVER

Y SCRUM

DoneDevelop and Test

Ready To Build

DetailedPlanning

Release Targeting

FeasibilityStudy

MarketResearch

Story Review

Story Mapping

FeatureBreakdown

KANBAN

SOLU

TIO

ND

ELIV

ERY

PORT

FOLI

O

Feature Complete

Integration Testing

Developand Test

KANBAN

Inception Elaboration Transition

New Concept

• Idea list generation from multiple data feeds and sources

• Market Research• Customer Research• Field Feedback• Business Case & ROI• Competitive Analysis

• High Level Estimation• Solution Cost• High Level Architecture • Risk Analysis• Feasibility

• Detailed Architecture• Feature Mapping• Acceptance Criteria• Estimation• Backlog

• All features are done• Regression tests are completed • Release Criteria are met

• Forced Priority• Certainty Curve

DoneDevelop and Test

Ready To Build

Detailed Planning

Release Targeting

FeasibilityStudy

Market Research

New Concept

Portfolio TeamGATE RESPONSIBLITY

Portfolio Level

• Feature List for the Parent Epic

• Story Writing• MMF• Estimating• High Level Design• UX Mockups

• Estimate Sanity Check• Spike Identification• Review for Feasibility• Review of Acceptance Criteria• Story Spanning• Story Tasking

• Feature Testing Non-Functional• Validation of Automated Tests

• Detailed Design• Code• Unit Test• Code Review• Functional Test• User Story • Product Owner Acceptance

Feature CompleteFeature

CompleteIntegration

TestingIntegration

TestingDevelopand Test

StoryReviewStory

ReviewStory

MappingStory

MappingFeature

BreakdownFeature

Breakdown

• All Stories are done• Feature Level testing is completed• Defect criteria are met• Feature Check list from RDS template• Performance and Sizing Complete

Product Owner TeamGATE RESPONSIBLITY

Engineering TeamGATE RESPONSIBLITY

Engineering TeamGATE RESPONSIBLITY

Product Owner TeamGATE RESPONSIBLITY

Program or Feature Level

Story Done

TaskDone

Task InProcess

TaskReady

StoryBacklog

• Story List for the Parent Feature

• Approved task of 8 hours or less

• SCRUM team completes the task

• Task is done and communicated in the standup

Documented•The User Story •Acceptance Criteria•Conversations •Level of Value•Level of Effort•Design Assumptions•Design Documented (optional) •UI Documented (optional) Coded•Checked Into integrated build•Simple Design •Documented with Comments•Automated Tests for New Features Tested•Testing is complete •Defect Criteria Met •Automated Testing Passed

Approved•Feature Complete (Scrum Master)•Test Complete (QA Lead)•Accepted (Product Owner)

Project or Component Level

Why is it hard?

Its hard when…

We show what it looks like

But Not

How organizations will get there safely

Safety

• Successfully do your job• Feed your family / Kids in college• Viable over time

Executive

Management

Performer• Supported by management• Show how meeting commitments is possible• Demonstrate success

• Must be clarity of roles• Success needs to be measurable• Organizational influence is maintained

• Operational model needs to align with strategy• The plan needs to be credible• Progress needs to be demonstrated

Safety is different depending on perspective

Transform the Organization

Understand Business Drivers

Change Management& Communication

Structure

GovernanceMetrics

Assessment

Targeted Coaching

Measure Improvement

Form Teams

TeachPracticesGuide Culture

•Predictability•Economics•Early ROI

Define the Organizational Structure

Structure

GovernanceMetrics

Assessment

Targeted Coaching

Measure Improvement

Form Teams

TeachPracticesGuide Culture

• Built around teams• Product focused• Service oriented

Change Management& Communication

Define the Multi-level Governance

Change Management& Communication

Structure

Governance

Metrics

Assessment

Targeted Coaching

Measure Improvement

Form Teams

TeachPracticesGuide Culture

• Portfolio• Program• Project

Define Metrics to Measure Success

Change Management& Communication

Structure

GovernanceMetrics

Assessment

Targeted Coaching

Measure Improvement

Form Teams

TeachPracticesGuide Culture

• Return on Investment• Throughput/Cost of Delay• Capitalization

Form Appropriate Teams

Change Management& Communication

Structure

GovernanceMetrics

Assessment

Targeted Coaching

Measure Improvement

Form Teams

TeachPracticesGuide Culture

• Independent• Small • Entrepreneurial

Teach Process & Technical Practices

Change Management& Communication

Structure

GovernanceMetrics

Assessment

Targeted Coaching

Measure Improvement

Form Teams

TeachPractices

Guide Culture

• Product definition• Project management• Technical and delivery

Introduce Change Incrementally

Change Management& Communication

Structure

GovernanceMetrics

Assessment

Targeted Coaching

Measure Improvement

Form Teams

TeachPractices

Guide Culture

• Trust• Accountability• Adaptability

Measure Improvement

Change Management& Communication

Structure

GovernanceMetrics

Assessment

Targeted Coaching

Measure Improvement

Form Teams

TeachPracticesGuide Culture

• Capability focused• Objectively assessed• Focus on sustainability

Target Process Improvement

Change Management& Communication

Structure

GovernanceMetrics

Assessment

Targeted Coaching

Measure Improvement

Form Teams

TeachPracticesGuide Culture

• Training• Workshops• Mentoring

Measure Process Improvement

Change Management& Communication

Structure

GovernanceMetrics

Assessment

Targeted Coaching

Measure Improveme

nt

Form Teams

TeachPracticesGuide Culture

• Demonstrable progress• Outcomes focused• Map to business drivers

Manage Change Effort

Change Management& Communication

Structure

GovernanceMetrics

Assessment

Targeted Coaching

Measure Improvement

Form Teams

TeachPracticesGuide Culture

•Quick wins•Identify champions•Centers of excellence

Tie Back To Business Drivers

Change Management& Communication

Structure

GovernanceMetrics

Assessment

Targeted Coaching

Measure Improvement

Form Teams

TeachPracticesGuide Culture

•Predictability•Quality•Early ROI

Sustainable Transformation

Top town Intent

Bottom Up Implementation

Team

Team

Team

Team

Team Team

Team

Team

Team Team Team Team

Product & ServicesTeams

ProgramTeams

PortfolioTeams

Scrum

Kanban

Kanban

Agile Pilot

Cultural Change is Last

Cultural Beliefs

Processes, Practices, Policies

Organizational Structure

Change Takes Time

Questions?

Email: derek@leadingagile.com

Twitter: @derekhuether or @leadingagile

LinkedIn: /derekhuether or /company/leadingagile

Phone: (703) 483-9055