Scaling: Old ideas & some new ones....

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SCALING “Transforming the World of Work”

Scaling: Some old ideas & …new.

POLLING

• We are about to use Poll Everywhere.

• See PollEverywhere.com

• Download the app (iOS and Android). (But mobile web is fine too.)

• Web: PollEv.com/josephlittle583 (eg, on iPad)

• Text answers are possible.

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SCALING

• Some old ideas and some new ones

• Some topics:

A. How do we know that scaling works?B. Reversion to waterfall (by the back door)?C. Don't run before you can crawl.D. There are options. Maybe don't do it.E. There are many situations.F. Let's review the basics (or what I think are the basics) with a simple situation:

3 teams working together.G. How I like to solve this problem for your situation.H. Let's discuss.

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DOES SCALING WORK?

• Compared to what?

• Data is weak (AFAIK)

• I think sometimes it does help; I think sometimes it is not the better choice

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BIG CONCERN

• We are using “Scaling” as a means not to move away from all the “wonderfulness” of Waterfall

• Power

• Silos

• Position

• Hierarchy

• Complexity (complex response to complex problem). Complex2

• Big meeting where important people talk importantly about nothing useful

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WHY?

• Human nature

• We’re used to it

• It maintains the status quo (mostly)

• We can’t help ourselves

• It keeps me in a ‘good' job (some of us)

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GOALS OF SCALING

• My opinion

• Deliver faster (several sub-reasons)

• Higher ROI (by delivering faster — several root causes)

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KEY PROBLEMS OF A TEAM

• Team sucks

• Product Backlog sucks

• Done-Done sucks

• Now: LET’S SCALE THAT!!! (smile)

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JOE’S DICTUM

• It is wrong and unfair and mean to a Team to….

• …ask them to run before they can crawl.

• Typically, takes 1 year (+) before they do the basics professionally. Not well, just “they do can it”. (Why so long??)

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TWO OPTIONS

• Divide and conquer

• Dream Team

• Just say no.

• Draw pictures….

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MANY SITUATIONS

• The situations vary a LOT.

• All kinds of issues, that include:

• Tech Debt

• Spaghetti code

• Poor architecture, ancient architecture

• Approach dictated from “on high”

• Etc

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UNFAIR

• It is a bit crazy to talk generally about “Scaling”

• The right thing is: “Given situation X (described in some detail)….how should we respond?”

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BASICS

• Still, based on lots of experience, if you do scaling, most of you only need the basics, or maybe a bit more than that.

• What are the basics?

• Scrum for each Team (No Scrum-Butt)

• Stuff you typically add to Scrum, such as XP practices, etc.

• Then: I start drawing…. (2 more slides….)20

SOME BASICS OF SCRUM

• Sadly, I have to say these things:

• Dedicated, 100% allocated Team

• 7 people per Team

• Full time PO and SM (this is more important bec. scaling is hard; respect that!)

• Can do basics of Scrum decently. No major flaws.

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BASICS OF SCALING

• I am assuming a smallish situation (and that we are new to scaling professionally…common I think).

• So, only scaling with 3 Teams.

• Now, drawing…

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OTHER PROBLEMS

• There are lots of other problems that must be solved.

• But these are all the additional ‘patterns’ I like to add at first.

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SCALING IS HARD

• Respect that it is hard!

• It is not any one person’s fault!

• Do not take it lightly.

• NO. I do not recommend doing Scaling while distributed. Until you have gotten scaling to be “much better”, at least.

• I do not recommend that I start performing tomorrow with Cirque du Soleil. I can’t do a cartwheel. I can do a “down dog” almost.

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HOW LONG TO DO DECENTLY?

• I think a year is typical.

• Can it help in 3-6 months? Hmmm.

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WHAT TO DO?

• Prospectively:

• Compare your 3 options(Divide and conquer, 1 Team, 3 Teams scaled)

• Make a decision

• Retrospectively:

• Judge if you helped yourself. (Often, not.)

• Decide what to learn (for next time).

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KEY METRICS

• Speed of delivery

• Business Value

• Cost (how much higher is acceptable?)

• Quality. Hmm.

• So: will these get better (or mostly better)?

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HOW I LIKE TO SOLVE

Problem: We need to deliver faster and we have X situation. What should we do to get better over the next 6-12 months.

Then: I like to solve by doing a workshop (next page)

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SCALING WORKSHOP

1. Agree to use a workshop

2. Gather ~7 good people (and 1 or 2 coaches).

3. Address one specific situation (big or small)

4. Discuss problems / impediments

5. Describe a few key improvements & solutions

6. Discuss how to implement solutions

7. Discuss what can be implemented (decently) in the next 6 months.

8. Don’t bite off more than we can chew. (Typically 3 changes)

9. Check back in 6 months. (Usually less has been done than expected)

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DISCUSSION

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DETAILS

• Joe Little

• LeanAgileTraining.com

• Certified ScrumMaster course and Agile Release Planning workshop

• [email protected]

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelittle/

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