where agile business meets agile development agile building blocks: people dave yardley
TRANSCRIPT
Where Agile Business Meets Agile Development
Agile Building Blocks: PeopleAgile Building Blocks: People
Dave Yardley
Where Agile Business Meets Agile Development 2
Introduction – Getting Back to BasicsIntroduction – Getting Back to Basics Software development methods and technologies
Rational (no pun intended) Operate in a predictable and repeatable manner Employ logic-based reasoning Enable change through innovation and transformation
People Can be irrational Resist change Display a spectrum of behaviours Decisions not always based on logic
Now we have the right methods and technologies for the job, we need to focus on working together with our customers in an agile way
Where Agile Business Meets Agile Development 3
The Agile Business EquationThe Agile Business Equation
Agile business = people
Agile development = technology
Agile success = people + technology
Can we succeed?
Where Agile Business Meets Agile Development 4
ObjectivesObjectives
The need for business innovation
Using tools and frameworks within IT projects
The reality gap
To identify the scope of the problem
To identify agile ways of working
How to establish them within the project
Where Agile Business Meets Agile Development 5
The Business of InnovationThe Business of Innovation
We have a number of frameworks, tools and technologies to deliver technical solutions into the organisation, such as:
DSDMXPPRINCE2SEI-CMM
But implementing projects on-time, within budget and to schedule is irrelevant if we do not deliver measurable benefits into the business
Where Agile Business Meets Agile Development 6
IT projects must add business valueIT projects must add business value
StrategicBusiness innovationWork smarterImprove competitiveness
Operational Improve qualityImprove service
SupportReduce costs and resources
Where Agile Business Meets Agile Development 7
The Reality GapThe Reality Gap
IT projects still fail to deliver business benefits even when we use mature and proven technologies
Where Agile Business Meets Agile Development 8
“Technical failure is the least likely problem. Most IT projects fail because the people who have to use the new systems were not sufficiently involved, did not take ownership, did not contribute to the design”
David Yardley, Successful IT Project Delivery (Addison Wesley 2002)
Where Agile Business Meets Agile Development 9
Where are we going wrong?Where are we going wrong?
IS tools and methodologies are important, but they are not a silver bullet
Technical expertise is vital, but soft skills are important too
We make dangerous assumptions on the motivation and behaviour of people
Where Agile Business Meets Agile Development 10
Traditional project assumptionsTraditional project assumptions
We have the appropriate skills, training and professionalism to perform our job
We put group goals ahead of personal goalsWe feel empowered to disagree with
decisions made by our superiorsWe share informationWe behave ethicallyWe are prepared to change
Where Agile Business Meets Agile Development 11
Traditional project consequencesTraditional project consequences
We work as individuals, not as teamsWe do not integrate sufficiently with the
businessRisks are taken through poor decision-
makingWe protect our territory and our knowledgeBusiness projects continue to failWe are not happy at workOur organisation loses its competitive
advantage
Where Agile Business Meets Agile Development 12
The scope of the problemThe scope of the problem
Aligning business and IT
Organizational culture
Poorly performing project teams
Where Agile Business Meets Agile Development 13
Aligning business and ITAligning business and IT
We do not understand business and they do not understand IT
Stakeholder apathy
Lack of user involvement
Stakeholder conflict
Where Agile Business Meets Agile Development 14
Organizational CultureOrganizational Culture
‘Shoot the messenger’
Shifting ownership of problems
Reluctance to admit problems
Internal pressure to deliver
Personal agendas
Resistance to change
Where Agile Business Meets Agile Development 15
Poorly performing project teamsPoorly performing project teams
Poorly skilled developers
Weak project management
Lack of motivation
The ‘rusty musket’
Poor working conditions
Where Agile Business Meets Agile Development 16
Balancing the Agile Business EquationBalancing the Agile Business Equation
We don’t want to repeat our past failures
We have the technology to succeed
We have the processes to succeed
We know that many IT project problems are nothing to do with IT
How can we turn our fine words into positive actions?
Where Agile Business Meets Agile Development 17
Building Agile FoundationsBuilding Agile Foundations
Build agile teamsEmploy the best developers you can afford
Build integrated teams with common goals
Sustainable development – discourage heroics
Reduce the blame culture within the projectJoint ownership
Be prepared to say what you think
Be prepared to listen
Educate the business to ‘think agile’Help them change the way you work together
Where Agile Business Meets Agile Development 18
Agile Business: Working TogetherAgile Business: Working Together
Increase face-to-face communication Documentation is the worst form of communication Forget technology – get the whiteboard out
Co-locate the project team in a single area Make it easier to share information Reduce the time it takes to make decisions
Everyone needs to be actively involved Bureaucrats who have no direct involvement must get off the fence and add
value Assign non-IT executives onto software projects The days of specialists just providing reviews and feedback are over Use the sponsor to champion the project and support the project manager Make user experts part of the team
Where Agile Business Meets Agile Development 19
Is it really that easy?Is it really that easy?
Whatever agile process you use:
Your team must own it and embrace it
Your team must see value in it
It’s not working if the team see it as an overhead
It’s not working if the customer does not derive value
Where Agile Business Meets Agile Development 20
ConclusionsConclusions
Project success is more than IT development success
Methodologies are important, but they are not a silver bullet
How the team interact and work together is more important than processes and tools
Where Agile Business Meets Agile Development 21
Our Agile ChallengeOur Agile Challenge
Be patientIt will take time to change mindsets
Be proudWe’ve come a long way already
Be preparedDon’t underestimate the politics
We will need to manage the change together
Where Agile Business Meets Agile Development 22
QuestionsQuestions
Dave Yardley
Capgemini
0870 366 0198