Agile Architectures Agile Cultures Luke Hohmann Founder, Enthiosys LLC Copyright © 2001-2005 by Luke Hohmann

Consultant, manager, coach Unique perspective, motivated and informed from variety of solutions (single user  enterprise) variety of roles (VP Prod Dev, VPE, VP biz dev) variety of companies (public, private, VC-backed) Books “ Journey of the Software Professional” “ Beyond Software Architecture” About Luke Hohmann

Consultant, manager, coach

Unique perspective, motivated and informed from

variety of solutions (single user  enterprise)

variety of roles (VP Prod Dev, VPE, VP biz dev)

variety of companies (public, private, VC-backed)

Books

“ Journey of the Software Professional”

“ Beyond Software Architecture”

Desired Outcomes 1. Better understanding of architecture, teams, and culture 2. Ability to identify and improve on the same 3. Practical advice to help you succeed What did I forget?

1. Better understanding of architecture, teams, and culture

2. Ability to identify and improve on the same

3. Practical advice to help you succeed

What is “Software Architecture” “A system architecture defines the basic “structure” of the system (e.g., the high-level modules comprising the major functions of the system, the management and distribution of data, the kind and style of its user interface, what platform(s) will it run on, and so forth).” [Hohmann: Journey of the Software Professional , 1996]

“A system architecture defines the basic “structure” of the system (e.g., the high-level modules comprising the major functions of the system, the management and distribution of data, the kind and style of its user interface, what platform(s) will it run on, and so forth).”

[Hohmann: Journey of the Software Professional , 1996]

Why Does “Software Architecture” Matter? Longevity System longevity: 12 – 30+ years Developer longevity: 2 – 4 years Degree/nature of change Profitability Social structure Boundaries and dependencies

Longevity

System longevity: 12 – 30+ years

Developer longevity: 2 – 4 years

Degree/nature of change

Profitability

Social structure

Boundaries and dependencies

Alternative Viewpoints Organic vs. inorganic models Features vs. Capabilities Feature: What a product should do Capability: The underlying architecture's ability to support a related set of features. Dependency management People management / “wholeness”

Organic vs. inorganic models

Features vs. Capabilities

Feature: What a product should do

Capability: The underlying architecture's ability to support a related set of features.

Dependency management

People management / “wholeness”

Architectural Styles/Patterns Object Translation Transaction Management Domain Model Persistent Store Process 1 data Process 2 data 1 data 2 Distributed Proxy

Try This... “Draw the architecture” test Can you enumerate the capabilities of your current architecture? What’s the difference between local / non-local / architectural change?

“Draw the architecture” test

Can you enumerate the capabilities of your current architecture?

What’s the difference between local / non-local / architectural change?

So, What’s an Agile Architecture? Don’t know -- Haven’t thought about it much until challenged by some friends… How about? The architecture has the right capabilities and “feels” right when asked to respond to change.

Don’t know -- Haven’t thought about it much until challenged by some friends…

How about? The architecture has the right capabilities and “feels” right when asked to respond to change.

The Generic Process

Development Processes

Building Through Spikes

The Bigger Big Picture

Tarchitecture vs. Marketecture Concepts include target audience and use, distribution channels, competition, licensing and selling models, value propositions, data sheets, competitive differentiation. “ Styles” are business models (more on this later!) Marketecture Product Mngt. General Manager Product Manager (“Marketect”) Concepts include subsystems & interfaces, distribution of processing responsibilities among different processing elements, etc. Styles include client/server, pipeline, embedded systems, and blackboards, etc. Tarchitecture Engineering Architect (“Tarchitect”)

Marketecture (Actuate) Source: www.actuate.com

Marketecture (Autonomy) Source: www.autonomy.com

Try This... What is your marketecture?

What is your marketecture?

So, What’s an Agile Architecture? How about? The architecture has the right capabilities and “feels” right when asked to respond to change. It is or can be built using the desired process and supports the “big picture” needs of the business.

How about? The architecture has the right capabilities and “feels” right when asked to respond to change. It is or can be built using the desired process and supports the “big picture” needs of the business.

Organizational Engineering

Skills and Responsibilities

Senior Architect

So, What’s an Agile Architecture? How about? The architecture has the right capabilities and “feels” right when asked to respond to change. It is or can be built using the desired process with the right people in the right roles. It supports the “big picture” needs of the business.

How about? The architecture has the right capabilities and “feels” right when asked to respond to change. It is or can be built using the desired process with the right people in the right roles. It supports the “big picture” needs of the business.

Principles of Org. Eng. Coupling & Cohesion Complexity Conway’s law Form follows function Growth curve Conceptual Integrity

Coupling & Cohesion

Complexity

Conway’s law

Form follows function

Growth curve

Conceptual Integrity

Idealized Org. Structures

Dealing With Time Teams rarely start perfectly formed Growth/Attrition occurs over time Melding organizational structure with growth model is key

Teams rarely start perfectly formed

Growth/Attrition occurs over time

Melding organizational structure with growth model is key

Structuring Small (2-7) Teams Minimal formal structure is needed… … but clearly defined roles still required! “Core team” vs. “supporting cast” Mix junior and senior

Minimal formal structure is needed… … but clearly defined roles still required!

“Core team” vs. “supporting cast”

Mix junior and senior

Cluster on architectural boundaries Cluster leaders drawn from core team Cluster size? 2-4 Keep managerial overhead low Clustering Medium (7-20) Teams Cluster

Cluster on architectural boundaries

Cluster leaders drawn from core team

Cluster size? 2-4

Keep managerial overhead low

Clustering Large (20-50) Teams Same concept; bigger clusters Add’l clusters: testing, infrastructure Warning! Large clusters degenerate into pure hierarchies Use this technique carefully! Cluster

Same concept; bigger clusters

Add’l clusters: testing, infrastructure

Warning! Large clusters degenerate into pure hierarchies Use this technique carefully!

“Matrix” Management in Large Teams Build the right thing… Domain of Product Management Build the right way… Technical Leadership

Special “Teams” Object to RDBMS Team Legacy Systems team Integration/API team Reuse/Frameworks (careful!) Others.... Remember: a “team” can be a single person with appropriate authority and responsibility!

Object to RDBMS Team

Legacy Systems team

Integration/API team

Reuse/Frameworks (careful!)

Others.... Remember: a “team” can be a single person with appropriate authority and responsibility!

Growth Best Practices Establish senior architect early Create overall foundation fist Fit new members into architecturally motivated roles and responsibilities Reorganize as necessary - it is a natural part of growth Use CRC cards to reorganize

Establish senior architect early

Create overall foundation fist

Fit new members into architecturally motivated roles and responsibilities

Reorganize as necessary - it is a natural part of growth

Use CRC cards to reorganize

Growth Pitfalls Starting with more than 10 (Coplien) Failing to explicitly support the architecture Failing to plan the hiring process

Starting with more than 10 (Coplien)

Failing to explicitly support the architecture

Failing to plan the hiring process

Org. Engineering Pitfalls Having the wrong number of architects Not recognizing the politics of architecture Constantly looking for “better ways” Reorganizing only the team or only the architecture Arbitrarily sized teams Poorly defined roles

Having the wrong number of architects

Not recognizing the politics of architecture

Constantly looking for “better ways”

Reorganizing only the team or only the architecture

Arbitrarily sized teams

Poorly defined roles

So, What’s an Agile Architecture? How about? The architecture has the right capabilities and “feels” right when asked to respond to technical or social change/growth. It is or can be built using the desired process with the right people in the right roles. It supports the “big picture” needs of the business.

How about? The architecture has the right capabilities and “feels” right when asked to respond to technical or social change/growth. It is or can be built using the desired process with the right people in the right roles. It supports the “big picture” needs of the business.

Culture - Informally The realization of values through the interactions of its constituent members. How we do things around here. Things not spoken but done. The “personality” of the team.

The realization of values through the interactions of its constituent members.

How we do things around here.

Things not spoken but done.

The “personality” of the team.

Culture - Formally The pattern of basic assumptions that a given group has invented, discovered, or developed in learning to cope with its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, and that have worked well enough to be considered valid, and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to these problems. [Schein 1981]

The pattern of basic assumptions that a given group has invented, discovered, or developed in learning to cope with its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, and that have worked well enough to be considered valid, and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to these problems. [Schein 1981]

Benefits of Culture Reflects and reinforces values. Integrates the organization. Diverse cultures… all successful! EDS, ObjectSpace, Aurigin, Preview, Aladdin IBM, Microsoft, Sun yours?

Reflects and reinforces values.

Integrates the organization.

Diverse cultures… all successful!

EDS, ObjectSpace, Aurigin, Preview, Aladdin

IBM, Microsoft, Sun

yours?

Components of Culture Normative behaviors Symbols Stories Rituals Shared language

Normative behaviors

Symbols

Stories

Rituals

Shared language

Cultural Dig Normative behaviors Symbols Stories Rituals Shared language

Normative behaviors

Symbols

Stories

Rituals

Shared language

Advice to Managers Personal style will guide culture. New members can help change culture. Reinforce values through recognition. Use symbols for more than just recognition.

Personal style will guide culture.

New members can help change culture.

Reinforce values through recognition.

Use symbols for more than just recognition.

Advice to Developers Resist dysfunctional norms. Display your symbols. Avoid criticizing the culture of another team.

Resist dysfunctional norms.

Display your symbols.

Avoid criticizing the culture of another team.

So, What’s an Agile Culture? How about? An agile culture supports the realization of agile architectures.

How about? An agile culture supports the realization of agile architectures.

Reflection What did you learn? Can you apply this on the job? What should be changed? Send email!

What did you learn?

Can you apply this on the job?

What should be changed? Send email!

Contact Information I’d love to hear from you! Contact me at: Innovation Through Understanding Luke Hohmann President & Founder Enthiosys LLC 599 Dawn Drive Sunnyvale, CA 94087 cell: (408) 529-0319 www.enthiosys.com [email_address]

I’d love to hear from you! Contact me at: