The Big-Ass View on Competence (and Communication)Presentation Transcript
The Big-Ass View on Competence (and Communication) Jurgen Appelo jurgen@noop.nl version 2.2
Goal 1:How can we grow a competent organization?
Goal 2:Can we manipulate communication to grow competence?
Agenda Introduction Ideas for competence development Wake up! 7 approaches to competence Wake up! Communication and networks Wake up! Conclusion
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/
We can learn how to manage software teams by studying management of similar systems (like traffic management)
Agenda Introduction Ideas for competence development Wake up! 7 approaches to competence Wake up! Communication and networks Wake up! Conclusion
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
Learning classifier system It has a performance system with credit assignment where rules with good results are triggered more often
Learning classifier system It achieves adaptability through rule discovery: generation and recombination of building blocks
Learning classifier system And thus we learn that… Diversity of practices in a software team enhances adaptability
Subsidiarity principle “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 proof for competency (assume team members are competent, unless proven they’re not)
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
Agile Manifesto On the 2nd page… “Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility” Excellence… how? http://www.agilemanifesto.org/principles.html
But how do wedevelop competence?
Wake up call!
Agenda Introduction Ideas for competence development Wake up! 7 approaches to competence Wake up! Communication and networks Wake up! Conclusion
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) Note: the Dreyfus Model lists five levels of skill acquisition: Beginner, Advanced Beginner, Competent, Proficient, Expert http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuhari http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_craftsman http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreyfus_model_of_skill_acquisition
Six maturity levels (for discipline) 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
1. Self-development People must learn... urgence vs. importance time management boosting memory finding motivation
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 Have someone sample/check the products of teams
7. Management One-on-ones to assess problem situations 360 degree meetings to assess collaboration
7 Approaches to competency development 1. Self-Development 2. Coaching 3. Certification 4. Social Pressure 5. Adaptable Tools 6. Supervision 7. Management
Wake up call!
Agenda Introduction Ideas for competence development Wake up! 7 approaches to competence Wake up! Communication and networks Wake up! Conclusion
The workplace is a network
Individual competence “We learned that individual expertise did not distinguish people as high performers. What distinguished high performers were larger and more diversified personal networks.” Cross, Rob et.al. The Hidden Power of Social Networks. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 2004
Individual competence “Engineers are roughly five times more likely to turn to a person for information as to an impersonal source such as a database.” Cross, Rob et.al. The Hidden Power of Social Networks. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 2004
“Archetypes” of communicators Hubs draw information and broadcast it Gatekeepers carefully managing information flows Pulsetakers great observers of people Karen Stephenson Quantum Theory of Trust. Harlow: Pearson Education Ltd, 2005
“Types” of communicators Connectors exchange information with many people Mavens invest more time in people Salesmen masters of interpersonal communication Malcolm Gladwell The Tipping Point. Boston: Back Bay Books, 2002
Scale-invariant networks (fractals) Best communication across all scales http://gut.bmj.com/content/57/7.cover-expansion
“The idea of “chunking”: a group of items is perceived as a single “chunk”. The chunk’s boundary is a little like a cell membrane or a national border. It establishes a separate identity for the cluster within. According to context, one may wish to ignore the chunk’s internal structure or take it into account.” Hofstadter, Douglas. Gödel, Escher, Bach. New York: Basic Books, 1979 Forming teams
<- preferred Segmentation of teams
Design Principle 1 (DP1) (through a manager) Design Principle 2 (DP2) (not through a manager) Communication across teams <- preferred (Fred Emery)
Value units System administrators GUI designers Project Mgt Office Community of Practice Center of Excellence Human Resources ... Delivering value to teams
Wake up call!
Panarchy... network of hierarchies and anarchies
Agenda Introduction Ideas for competence development Wake up! 7 approaches to competence Wake up! Communication and networks Wake up! Conclusion
Learn from systems
Develop competence in 7 dimensions 1. Time 2. People 3. Tools 4. Functionality 5. Quality 6. Process 7. Value
Competence = maturity in 2 dimensions
Use 7 approaches to grow competency 1. Self-Development 2. Coaching 3. Certification 4. Social Pressure 5. Adaptable Tools 6. Supervision 7. Management
Distinguish 4 styles for teams
Grow a value network (panarchy) B C A D E
“Insofar as the business environment is becoming more complex, firms will need to [...] shift away from bureaucracies and toward [...] internal competition (markets), the need for the large firm to behave as a small one (fiefs), and the importance of interpersonal networking (clans).” Max Boisot, “Complexity and the I-Space”, The Interaction of Complexity and Management.
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/