Money, Process, and Money, Process, and CultureCulture

June, 2012June, 2012

Adrian Carr

Adrian CarrAdrian Carr

•I’m a Software Developer with a passion for I’m a Software Developer with a passion for efficiency.efficiency.

•Experience as a business analyst, project manager.Experience as a business analyst, project manager.

•Scrum Product Owner and Scrum MasterScrum Product Owner and Scrum Master

•Director of Software DevelopmentDirector of Software Development

•Founder and Organizer of Agile Knoxville Founder and Organizer of Agile Knoxville (http://agileknoxville.com)(http://agileknoxville.com)

Why am I here?Why am I here?

•I'm not trying to sell you anything. I'm not trying to sell you anything.

•I want to see local businesses be I want to see local businesses be successful. successful.

• I also want to see people enjoying their jobs I also want to see people enjoying their jobs and their lives.and their lives.

2002….2002….

•I’m working in AtlantaI’m working in Atlanta

I travel to L.A. for I travel to L.A. for install…install…

2011…2011…

•I’m working in KnoxvilleI’m working in Knoxville• Offered the job of leading the Offered the job of leading the

development team at Voices Heard development team at Voices Heard Media.Media.

-Run it however you want…-Run it however you want…

I travel to L.A. I travel to L.A. again…again…

Example of chat app to Disney- five days early, in production, no major bugsResponse from Disney project manager“You guys are setting the standard”

That was normal for us. And we usually had fun doing it. And it wasn’t that difficult after a while.

Both of these, we took business and $$ from other companies who couldn't move as fast and weren't as responsive.

Step One:Step One:

• Start with more frequent releases Start with more frequent releases (reduce batch size)(reduce batch size)– Reduced cycle timeReduced cycle time– Faster feedbackFaster feedback– Greater ability to respond to changesGreater ability to respond to changes– Increased efficiencyIncreased efficiency– Greater sense of urgencyGreater sense of urgency– Defects don't build up unnoticedDefects don't build up unnoticed

Step Two:Step Two:

• Agile practices.Agile practices.– Small cross-functional teamsSmall cross-functional teams– Frequent deliveryFrequent delivery– Small batch sizesSmall batch sizes– Daily standup meetingsDaily standup meetings– Demos and planning meetings every 2-4 Demos and planning meetings every 2-4

weeksweeks

The Agile ManifestoThe Agile Manifesto• Individuals and interactions Individuals and interactions over processes over processes

and toolsand tools

• Working software Working software over comprehensive over comprehensive documentationdocumentation

• Customer collaboration Customer collaboration over contract over contract negotiationnegotiation

• Responding to change Responding to change over following a planover following a plan

That is, while there is value in the items onThat is, while there is value in the items onthe right, we value the items on the left morethe right, we value the items on the left more..

Principles behind the Agile Principles behind the Agile ManifestoManifesto• Our highest priority is to satisfy the Our highest priority is to satisfy the

customer through early and continuous customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software. delivery of valuable software.

• Welcome changing requirements, even Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer's harness change for the customer's competitive advantage.competitive advantage.

• Deliver working software frequently, from Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter timescale. with a preference to the shorter timescale.

• Build projects around motivated Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done. and trust them to get the job done.

• The most efficient and effective The most efficient and effective method of method of conveying information to and within conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face a development team is face-to-face conversation. conversation.

• Working software is the primary Working software is the primary measure of progress. measure of progress.

• Continuous attention to technical excellence Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility. and good design enhances agility.

• Simplicity--the art of maximizing the amount Simplicity--the art of maximizing the amount of work not done--is essential. of work not done--is essential.

• The best architectures, requirements, and The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams. designs emerge from self-organizing teams.

• At regular intervals, the team reflects on how At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly. adjusts its behavior accordingly.

http://agilemanifesto.org/http://agilemanifesto.org/

Warning:Warning:

• Partially agile isn’t very agile.Partially agile isn’t very agile.

• Agile practices without the principles Agile practices without the principles will only give marginal benefits.will only give marginal benefits.

• A few lean concepts can make an A few lean concepts can make an amazing difference.amazing difference.

• After a lot of study on this, I’ve come After a lot of study on this, I’ve come to believe that this won’t happen to believe that this won’t happen without systemic cultural changes.without systemic cultural changes.

Lean ThinkingLean Thinking

• The core idea is to The core idea is to maximize maximize valuevalue while minimizing  while minimizing waste. Simply, lean means creating waste. Simply, lean means creating more value with fewer resources.more value with fewer resources.

http://lean.orghttp://lean.org

• Eliminating waste creates processes Eliminating waste creates processes that need less human effort, less space, that need less human effort, less space, less capital, and less time to make less capital, and less time to make products and services at far less costs products and services at far less costs and with much fewer defects, compared and with much fewer defects, compared with traditional business systems.with traditional business systems.

http://lean.orghttp://lean.org

Lean Cultural ChangesLean Cultural Changes

• Optimize the WholeOptimize the Whole

Lean Cultural ChangesLean Cultural Changes

• Culture of problem solvingCulture of problem solving– Problems shouldn't carry blame, or they will be Problems shouldn't carry blame, or they will be

suppressed, and you can't solve them.suppressed, and you can't solve them.– Stop going around them and solve them insteadStop going around them and solve them instead

• The fact that we know more today, and are more capable today, The fact that we know more today, and are more capable today, is good news about today, not bad news about yesterday.is good news about today, not bad news about yesterday. Ron Ron JeffriesJeffries

• A manager at an auto plant that used to be a manager in a A manager at an auto plant that used to be a manager in a Toyota plant: Toyota plant: “When I was a manager at the Toyota plant, I had “When I was a manager at the Toyota plant, I had 2000 problem solvers working in “the plant. Now I have 10. How 2000 problem solvers working in “the plant. Now I have 10. How am I going to compete?”am I going to compete?” From “Leading Lean Development” From “Leading Lean Development”

Lean Cultural ChangesLean Cultural Changes

• Continuous improvementContinuous improvement

• Who is responsible for quality at your Who is responsible for quality at your company? company?

• ExpectExpect employees to look for waste employees to look for waste and ways to eliminate it.and ways to eliminate it.

Lean Cultural ChangesLean Cultural Changes

• “ “Stop the line” cultureStop the line” culture

• This can be painful at first, but yields This can be painful at first, but yields great results.great results.

Lean Cultural ChangesLean Cultural Changes

• 5 Whys5 Whys– Powerful tool. To get to root cause.Powerful tool. To get to root cause.– Avoid trap of turning into 5 BlamesAvoid trap of turning into 5 Blames

• Try to keep it simple. Don’t try to Try to keep it simple. Don’t try to solve a massive, multi-faceted solve a massive, multi-faceted problem with this.problem with this.

Be PreparedBe Prepared

• This will probably be hard, and will probably This will probably be hard, and will probably cause some clashes.cause some clashes.

• It will expose things that some people It will expose things that some people (including you) hold dear.(including you) hold dear.

• This is where your company culture gets This is where your company culture gets really important. Some people won’t fit this really important. Some people won’t fit this culture. Be compassionate.culture. Be compassionate.

Corporate ValuesCorporate Values

• IntegrityIntegrity

• CommunicationCommunication

• RespectRespect

• ExcellenceExcellence

What values and behaviors are rewarded at your company?Is it ok to lie to make a sale?(Slide borrowed from Netflix)

How do you create a great How do you create a great culture?culture?

• Reward the values that matter.Reward the values that matter.

• Eliminate waste and make your Eliminate waste and make your employee’s jobs easieremployee’s jobs easier

• Encourage employees to ask why and Encourage employees to ask why and look for better ways of doing things.look for better ways of doing things.

• Care about people.Care about people.

• Be a coach, not a policemanBe a coach, not a policeman

A Few ResourcesA Few Resources

• Leading Lean DevelopmentLeading Lean Development By Mary By Mary and Tom Poppendieckand Tom Poppendieck

• The Lean StartupThe Lean Startup By Eric Reis By Eric Reis

• http://lean.orghttp://lean.org

• http://agileknoxville.comhttp://agileknoxville.com

Questions?Questions?

adriancarr@gmail.comadriancarr@gmail.com

865-924-6319865-924-6319

http://adriancarr.comhttp://adriancarr.com

http://agileknoxville.comhttp://agileknoxville.com