On the Road to Competence

On the Road to Competence
Jurgen Appelo
jurgen@noop.nl
version 1

Goal:How can we grow a competent software team?

Safest traffic in the world
Marshall Islands
San Marino
Malta
Iceland
Netherlands
Sweden
United Kingdom
Switzerland
Japan
Singapore
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobjagendorf/4122137519/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/quimbo/20555416/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilidelamora/5320093/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12386296@N08/4055379221/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/liberato/2303576749/

We can learn how to
manage software teams
by studying management
of similar systems
(like traffic management)

Agenda
Theory
History
Strategy
Study
Conclusiony

Learning classifier system
A collection of competing stimulus-response rules
that respond to input, and generate output
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_classifier_system

It has a performance system with credit assignment
where rules with good results are triggered more often

It achieves adaptability through rule discovery:
generation and recombination of building blocks

And thus we learn that…
Diversity of practices in a software team enhances adaptability

Subsidiarity principle
“Subsidiarity is an organizing principle that matters ought to be handled by the smallest, lowest or least centralized competent authority.
The dictionary defines subsidiarity as the idea that a central authority should have a subsidiary function, performing only those tasks which cannot be performed effectively at a more immediate or local level.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subsidiarity

Subsidiarity principle
And thus…
Delegate decisions until you’ve hit a competency problem
(team members decide unless there is some lack of competence)

Precautionary principle
Assuming that things are risky, in the absence of evidence.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precautionary_principle
http://kwebble.com/blog/tag/haarlem

Precautionary principle
And thus…
Decide who has the burden of prooffor competency
(assume team members are competent, unless proven they’re not)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38607288@N03/4087457751/

Shared space
Increased risk perception
People are less mindful when they see no risks
Reduced false security / risk compensation
People show riskier behavior when they think they are safe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shared_space

Shared space
And thus…
Remove rules to increase risk perception and reduce false security

Memetics
A memeplex is a collection of ideas grouped together because copying them is more successful when they are “teamed up”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memeplex

Memetics
And thus…
Adopting a named collection of practices (Scrum, XP, Kanban) can be more successful than copying individual practices

Broken windows
When broken windows are not repaired people have the tendency to break more windows
Lewin’s Equation
B = f (P,E)
Behavior is a function of
personality and environment
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fixing_Broken_Windows
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewin's_Equation

Broken windows
And thus…
Address the small problems, not just the big ones

Agenda
Theory
History
Strategy
Study
Conclusiony

Agile Manifesto
On the 2nd page…
“Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility”
Excellence… how?
http://www.agilemanifesto.org/principles.html

Maturity models (like the CMMI)?
Level 1: Initial Process is unpredictable
Level 2: Managed Process is often reactive
Level 3: Defined Process is proactive
Level 4: Qualitatively Managed Process is measured/controlled
Level 5: Optimizing Focus on process improvement
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capability_Maturity_Model_Integration

Maturity models (like the CMMI)?
“Many of these ‘Process Maturity’ models do not explicitly take into account that organizations are complex social systems.
If it is performance that really counts, then we need to go beyond maturity to look at how an organization develops business process competence.”
Andrew Spanyi, “Beyond Process Maturity to Process Competence.”
http://processownercoach.com/To%20Process%20Competence.pdf

Three maturity levels (for skill)
Shutraditional wisdom, learning fundamentals (apprentice)
Ha detachment, breaking with tradition (journeyman)
Ri transcendence, everything is natural (master)
(last column: three similar levels in medieval European guild system)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuhari
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_craftsman

Six maturity levels (for routines)
Oblivious “We don’t even know that we’re performing a process.”
Variable “We do whatever we feel like at the moment.”
Routine “We follow our routines (except when we panic).”
Steering “We choose among our routines by the results they produce.”
Anticipating “We establish routines based on our past experiences.”
Congruent “Everyone is involved in improving everything all the time.”
Gerard Weinberg, Quality Software Management: Systems Thinking
(Alternative: six similar levels in “Agile Made Us Better…” by Ross Petit
http://www.amazon.com/Quality-Software-Management-Systems-Thinking/dp/0932633226/
http://www.thoughtworks.com/agile-made-us-better

Competence = maturity in 2 dimensions

Agenda
Theory
History
Strategy
Study
Conclusiony

1. Self-development
People must learn...
urgence vs. importance
time management
boosting memory
finding motivation

2. Coaching
Hire external coaches
Develop competency leaders
Note: manager != coach

3. Certification
By itself a certificate doesn’t mean anything, but...
it can catalyze all other competency measures

4. Social pressure
Let people identify with a small group
Give them shared responsibility for shared goals

5. Adaptable tools
Tools must be adaptable, not just customizable
Open databases, APIs, scripts, plug-ins, reports

6. Supervision
Zero-defects is a lofty goal, but practically impossible
Have someone sample/check the products of teams

7. Management
Use 360 degree feedback to assess management

7 Approaches to competency development
1. Self-Development
2. Coaching
3. Certification
4. Social Pressure
5. Adaptable Tools
6. Supervision
7. Management

Agenda
Theory
History
Strategy
Study
Conclusiony

Sub-optimization principle
“If each subsystem, regarded separately, is made to operate with maximum efficiency, the system as a whole will not operate with utmost efficiency.”
Lars Skyttner, General Systems Theory
http://www.amazon.com/General-Systems-Theory-Lars-Skyttner/dp/9810241763/

WYMIWYG
“What You Measure Is What You Get”
or…
“What gets measured gets managed”
(Peter Drucker)
http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/papers/wymiwyg.html

Sub-optimization + WYMIWYG
Leads to…
Every measurement of one part of an organization will lead to sub-optimization of the whole
So…
How to measure and study the whole?

Let’s start with the good old Iron Triangle

Then add some modifications...
Split Cost (Resources) in People and Tools
Split Scope in Functionality and Quality(suggestion: Scott Ambler)
Add a dimension for Process(suggestion: Alistair Cockburn)
Add a dimension for (Business) Value(suggestion: Jim Highsmith)
http://www.ambysoft.com/essays/brokenTriangle.html
http://alistair.cockburn.us/index.php/Process:_the_fourth_dimension
http://blog.cutter.com/2009/08/10/beyond-scope-schedule-and-cost-measuring-agile-performance/

1. Time
2. People
3. Tools
4. Functionality
5. Quality
6. Process
7. Value
And we get...
the 7 dimensions of software projects

Of course, there might be more dimensions...

Tips for metrics
Measure in all 7 dimensions
Distinguish skill from discipline
Do not rate knowledge or experience
Keep the feedback loop short
Use both leading and lagging indicators
Use relative measurements (like “15% better than last project”)
Never create ratings yourself (as a manager)

Agenda
Theory
History
Strategy
Study
Conclusiony

Learn from systems

Promote craftsmanship

Cherish diversity of rules

Use 7 approaches to competency development
1. Self-Development
2. Coaching
3. Certification
4. Social Pressure
5. Adaptable Tools
6. Supervision
7. Management

Measure and study teams in 7 dimensions
1. Time
2. People
3. Tools
4. Functionality
5. Quality
6. Process
7.Value

Work the system, not the people

the end

This presentation is based
on my (upcoming) book:
Management 3.0
www.management30.com

This presentation was inspired by the works of many people, and I cannot possibly list them all. Though I did my very best to attribute all authors of texts and images, and to recognize any copyrights, if you think that anything in this presentation should be changed, added or removed, please contact me at jurgen@noop.nl.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/

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On the Road to Competence

by Jurgen Appelo on Jun 15, 2010

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On the Road to Competence — Presentation Transcript