The Big-Ass View on Competence (and Communication)

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/

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

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

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

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

Agenda
Introduction
Wake up!
Wake up!
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

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
“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)

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

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
Wake up!
Wake up!
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

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
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
Wake up!
Wake up!
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)

Style Structure DP
Functional 1 (through manager)
Functional 2 (through team)
Cross-functional 1 (through manager)
Cross-functional 2 (through team)

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
Wake up!
Wake up!
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.

the end

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@jurgenappelo (twitter)
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jurgenappelo.com (site)
management30.com (book)

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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The Big-Ass View on Competence (and Communication)

by Jurgen Appelo

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