Challenges to gain management buy-in for implementation of agile and how to overcome them. Speech by Senior Productivity Expert Ebba Kraemer at Scrum Gathering in Las Vegas May 2013

1. The controversy of disempowering
your bosses
Challenges to gain management buy-in for implementation
of agile and how to overcome them
Scrum Gathering 2013, Las Vegas
Ebba Kraemer

2. Why do I want to talk about this?
A loong time ago... Not that long ago... Today...

3. Implementation of agile succeeds
more often than expected
70%
50%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
General change initiatives (1) Implementation of agile
Failure rate-
Change initiatives
1. Harward Business Review, 2008, Cracking the Code of Change

4. Trans. to agile is one of the few change
initatives often driven bottom-up
Top-down Bottom-up
..
.. .. ..
..
..
.. .. ..
..

5. Implementation of agile is a
massive change
A B C
.
. . .
.
Work processes Decision making Org structure
Roles Office space Culture

6. Given challenges- you would expect
agile impl. to fail more often
70%
50%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
General change initiatives (1) Implementation of agile
Failure rate-
Change initiatives

7. A common misstake:
Forgetting the individual motivation
Agile promoters are great at
explaining impact on org level...
... but think less of addressing
individual roles

8. People are rational individuals-
understanding their situation is key

9. People are rational individuals-
understanding their situation is key
What is his ambition/goal?

10. People are individualistic and rational
What is his ambition/goal?
What are his obstacles?

11. People are individualistic and rational
What is his ambition/goal?
What are his obstacles?
What is threatening him?

12. People are individualistic and rational
What is his ambition/goal?
What are his obstacles?
What is threatening him?
What protects him?

13. Applying our simple framwork to the
dev. manager’s situation...
Dev Manager

14. • High quality output
Goals of dev manager;
In line with business
DEV
• High customer value
• Short cycle time

15. Obstacles for dev manager;
Unrealistic
expectations
To many things going
on at the same time
A lot of work
is waste
Slow response
to changes
Dev Manager

16. Threats for dev manager;
Manage stakeholder expectation
Dev
Mgmt
Business
Dev.
Mainte-
nance
Sales
Dev ManagerSales
Management
Business
Development
Maintenance

17. Threats for dev manager;
Manage stakeholder expectation
Keep costs
low! Stay in line
with strategy!
Customer wants
feature
improvements!
Market needs
innovative
features!
Keep quality
high/ low
need for
maintenance!
Deliver soon
and on time!
Deliver soon
and on time!
Deliver soon
and on time!
Deliver soon
and on time!
Sales
Management
Business
Development
Maintenance
Dev Manager

18. Protection for dev manager:
Clear time plans and documentation
Clear responsibility areas
Clear time plan
Documentation
When will you deliver?
Why are you delayed?
Are you in control
of the situation?

19. Agile manifesto suggests other
priorities than time plans & control
Higher value Lower value

20. Implementation of agile methods
seem threatening to head of dev
Documentation
When will you deliver?
Why are you delayed?
Are you in control
of the situation?
AGILE

21. Applying our simple framwork to the
dev. manager’s situation...
Dev Manager

22. Agile will reduce obstacles for reaching
goals, but dev manager will fear his threats
Dev Manager

23. Empower dev. manager to answer
questions he will be imposed to
Key concerns Relevant benefits
How can I
impact
dev?
When will
dev
deliver?
Shorter
lead
times
Less
waste
Improved
productivity

24. Today Tomorrow
High prio
request!
Head of
Development
Urgent
request!
Sales Business Dev
Backlog
Make sure he can picture and
describe new key processes

25. Enable him to give status updates
and prognosis to stake holders
Today Tomorrow
Burndown- Velocity
Backlog

26. Shorter turnaround
• Their priority will
matter
Shorter time-to-
market
Less wasted work
Point out what benefit agile will
bring to different stakeholders
Sales & BDManagement
Quality improvement
• Integrated testing
Maintenance/Support
Transparency

27. For what roles it is worth the effort?

28. Summary
• Improve success rates for agile implementation
• Success will not happen if no committment
• Chance to get committment is better if you
understand your audience

29. Summary
• Improve success rates for agile implementation
• Success will not happen if no committment
• Chance to get committment is better if you
understand your audience

30. Thank you for listening!
Mail: ebba.kraemer@hansoft.se
Twitter: ebbakraemer