There are, on a philosophical level, significant clashes between the agile paradigm and Quality Systems such as ISO 9000 or CMM/CMMi, this is already presented in the Agile Manifesto. Agile Development is based on what I would call post-modern paradigms when compared to the plan-driven and early iterative development methodologies which are based on a positivist paradigm.
The underlying philosophical challenges cannot be easily mitigated. But a purist agile paradigm may tend to stress a positivist paradigm as well and this can be dangerous since then agile would not be agile any longer.
While it may not be possible to completely remove the challenges between agile and quality systems, it is possible to learn to live with some tension between different paradigms.
There are some obvious areas of conflict, for examplethe Agile methodologies strongly discourages unnecessary documentation, and questions that it is possible to provide all requirements up-front. ISO 9000 on the other hand demands requirements up-front and documented evidence of almost anything, but such practical aspects can actually be mitigated with relative ease. Other aspects may demand much more effort. In particular the internal auditing process is problematic and other means of ensuring compliance may have to be considered.
We have in my company systematically piloted a number of organisational changes in order to better support agile development. We have done this within the overall framework of our ISO 9000 system which is used a structure anda a gatekeeper. To do this we have used Action Research, which in it self is a kind of agile methodology, although of much older date than agile development.
While the presentation has a strong theoretical foundation the focus is on the practical experiences we have had of building an organisational framework for agile development and while doing that suggesting a few means to mitigate the challenges mentioned initially.
4. • Underlying Philosophies
• Is there a clash?
• The agile manifesto and the ISO standard
• Research and experience
• What is easy to mitigate?
• What is hard to mitigate?
• Further discussions
9. Positivism
The world is following laws, and we can research and set up formulas which will help
us to fully understand the universe
Key names: Isaac Newton, August Comte,
14. Feasibility Study
Requirement Phase
Design Phase
Implementation Phase
Test Phase
Philosophy
Installation Phase
Rooted in positivism but Royce (1970) the father of the WFM wrote that the
process above is a flawed process and to get it to work there must be
feedback loops. However readers of this paper remembered the diagram
and not his writing.
33. How the PL interpreted the system
How the architect
interpreted it
How the designer
interpreted it
How sales described
the system
The installed version
What was invoiced
Support
The system the
customer expected
Conflict
What the customer
said they wanted
Documentation
48. Conclusions
• What is your underlying paradigm?
• What values do you want to have?
• Which methods best support these values?
• Which practices are required to do these methods?
• Which tools are required to follow these methods?
mikael@gislen.com
51. Four paradigms for IS research
ORDER
Functionalism
Social
Relativism
Philosophy
OBJECTIVISM
SUBJECTIVISM
Radical
Structuralism
Neohumanism
CONFLICT
Adapted from Burrel and Morgan 1979 & Hierscheim & Klein 1989
52. Where does ISO and Agile come in?
ORDER
Functionalism
Social
Relativism
ISO
Agile
Philosophy
OBJECTIVISM
SUBJECTIVISM
Radical
Structuralism
Neohumanism
Agile
Agile
CONFLICT
Adapted from Burrel and Morgan 1979, Nabende, Ahimbisibwe & Lubega (2006), Øgland (2005)
58. Quality
Systems
Muda (無駄) is a Japanese word meaning "futility; uselessness; idleness; superfluity; waste; wastage;
wastefulness", and is a key concept in the Toyota Production System (Wikipedia)
From Lean Software Strategies: Proven Techniques for Managers and Developers by Peter Middleton,James Sutton (2005)
Will try to cover 40 slides in 45 minutes so we need to move on fast.If you have questions tweet to #AI2014Clash and I will try to answer them at the end of the seminar. Those questions I will not have time to cover I will try to answer afterwards against the same hashtag.The house in the background is an illustration on postmodernism but also how it can be if we mix philosophies in the wrong way without understanding what we are doing. I don’t know if this house actually exist, I don’t think so but I thought it was a good picture anyway.Why it this seminar today which deals with offshore? Well the subject is generic, but due to both the distance aspect, the cultural aspect, that Indian vendor companies are often certified (ISO/CMM) – ask how many? And that the whole idea about agile in a customer/relationship relationship can be difficult unless these things are clear. It is also hard to deal with auditors if they don’t understand the agile paradigm.Please only ask questions if you don’t understand me, I will try to have time for questions at the end.Show the blind stick, and ask people to think through the seminar what is the connection to agile?Now who am I?Relate to the picture above – postmodern architecture, software or whatever...1 minCome in with blind stick and glassesRelate to this througout the presentation in relationship to how hard it is to define requirements as well as quality
I have Started once studying Engineering in Sweden but got a job after one year. But have since managed to study on part time at Swedish UniversitiesStarted with IT when I was 18 in 1980. Been in India for 20 yearsEven though I have a programming background, I have spent more time on requirements and software design. Written a few papers during my education on Cultural challenges in IT outsourcing and have held quite a lot of trainings and workshops on that subject. India-Sweden mainly.But also for my master degree reseached agile in quality systemsTwo of my papers can be found there tiny.cc/szorbx and 510rbxMy wife runs a school for poor children in Chennai and we have three children who speaks English, Swedish and Tamil and are white on the outside and fairly brown on the inside.30 sec
30 secThis is the agenda I will try to cover
30 secDifferent agile methods claim different origins, obviouisly not everyone agrees with this. But the agile manifesto to a large extent subscribe to these and similar roots. Perhaps some are after constructions?I will explain social constructivism a bit better in my seminar, but I hope you are all familiar with lean manufacturing and the Toyota Model, Complexity Science and Complex Adaptive System is a cross scientific discipline who looks at self-managing evolutionary systems in such different areas as countries, stock-markets, social insects, ecosystems, the brain, the immune system, the cell, political or social groups, etc. Etc. Agile is strongly influenced by the thoughts in this discipline, but the only area it is controversial in the context I will speak today is about top-down or self-managed teams so we don’t need to get too deep into it now.Complex adaptive systems are special cases of complex systems, often defined as a 'complex macroscopic collection' of relatively 'similar and partially connected micro-structures' – formed in order to adapt to the changing environment, and increase its survivability as a macro-structure.[1][2][3]They are complex in that they are dynamic networks of interactions, and their relationships are not aggregations of the individual static entities. They are adaptive; in that the individual and collective behavior mutate and self-organize corresponding to the change-initiating micro-event or collection of events.[1][2] the global macroeconomic network within a country or group of countries; stock market and complex web of cross border holding companies; social insect and ant colonies;[4] the biosphere and the ecosystem; the brain and theimmune system; the cell and the developing embryo; manufacturing businesses; and any human social group-based endeavour in a particular ideology and social system such as political parties, communities, geopolitical organisations, war, and terrorist networks of both hierarchical andleaderless nature.[4][5][6] The internet and cyberspace - composed, collaborated, and managed by a complex mix of human–computer interactions, is also regarded as a complex adaptive systemMainly from Ovesen’s Ph. D. Thesis but well supported by various of my sources.Theoretical background of agile http://www.theinventivestep.net/Ovesen-2012_The-Challenges-of-Becoming-Agile_WEB.pdfManagement 3.0 Jurgen Appelo– Scientific experimentation model/thermostat model for management as ‘control’ Koskela L. and Howell G., (2002) The Theory Of Project Management: Explanation To NovelMethods, Proceedings IGLC-10 – Complex Adaptive Systems Augustine S, and Woodock S. (2003) CCPACE Report: “Agile Project Management,” – Application of complexity theory to management practices (e.g. Wheatley , Stacey*, McMaster, Merry) Rosenhead J. (2001) “Complexity Theory And Management Practice “ I n Rational Analysis for a Problematic World: Problem Structuring Methods for Complexity, Uncertainty and Conflict, 2nd Edition, Wiley – Lean manufacturing, TPS, ‘lean thinking’ Poppendieck M. and Poppendieck T. (2003) Lean Software Development: An Agile Toolkit, Addison-Wesley – Social ConstructivismBerger, P.L. and Luckman, T. (1966) The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge. Garden City, NY: Anchor BooksVygotsky, L.S. (1978) Mind in Society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press
2 minISO 9001 was developed out of British Standard efforts during the second world war based on need for conformity of process at development of ammunition and bombs. It was based on a fairly bureacratic standard and strict quantitative statistical methods but has later been influenced by TQM where some more subjectivity has been added (at least in customer satisfaction measurement, even though it is still often measured using quantiative methods)CMM was developed due to needs by the US defence by Watts Humphrey and Carnegie Mellon University. It is more directly based on TQM (including its maturity levels which are directly taken from Demings Manufacturing Maturity levels). Both models are based on fairly positivist paradigms, step-wise processes where one step should be finished before the next is started, etc. Both of them claim at least officially that why they are based on waterfall model paradigms they are not hostile to agile methodologies.However while agile methodologies may be allowed, there are built in conflicts on a philosophical level.
10 sec
2 mina paradigm is a distinct concept or thought pattern.The Structure of Scientific Revolution by Thomas Kuhn. A Paradigm defines a scientific discipline at any particular period of time. A paradigm is a complete view of the world. In science a scientific paradigm can be considered the entire view of knowledge; what is knowledge, how can we know anything, how to aquire it, and what steps do we need to follow.Typical paradigms may include;Flat world viewHeliocentric world viewNewton’s mechanical world viewRelativity theoryQuantum Mechanic – Copenhagen modelStandard ModelSuperstring theoryEtc.But also Positivism, Subjectivism, Interpretivism, Critical Theorty, Feminism, Post-modernism, Social Constructivism
In Newtons time people thought white light was perfect. The colours from the prism they believed were due to imperfection in the prism.Newton used one prism to divide light into colours and then took one single of these (covered the others) and a second prism to show that that colour bent the same angle and that this was consistent across the spectrum. He also got them all together to get back the white light.By similar experiments he was able to calculate and determine the laws of mechanics. In the process of course he also invented the calculus we have all been sweating with in maths.
Here is the famous scientific principle.
When US had sent a number of rockets, they easily thought that they knew it all, and then came Apollo 13...By applying the scientific principle, there was one philosophical weakness. This is called Induction.If you conduct an experiment a number of times and you get the same result, it is easy to assume that you will always get the same result.
30 secWhen US had sent a number of rockets, they easily thought that they knew it all, and then came Apollo 13...By applying the scientific principle, there was one philosophical weakness. This is called Induction.If you conduct an experiment a number of times and you get the same result, it is easy to assume that you will always get the same result.Karl Popper used a "black swan" as an allegory to show how scientific ideas can never be proven true, regardless of how many observations appear to support it. However, a single contrary result can prove a theory to be false.He questioned the principle of induction and stressed that any science is based on falisfiable principles. Hence a scientific law is according to Pooer just not yet falsified.European believed that all swans where white until they came to Australia (The black swan above is from a photo from a Swanery in England)The positivism which follows is normally called post-positivism which takes slightly more humble claims.There are others such as Michael Polanyi who also questioned the traditional view, mainly from the Epistemological perspective but the time is too short to cover that here. The idea of the blind stick however I got from his book...
The waterfall method is well founded in this theory where requirements are assumed to be objective facts and that it would be possible to develop a software system without too much feedback and with minimal change requests. It is however a fact that Royce in the paper which more or less defined the waterfall model as we know it actually questioned this view and stated that it is not a working model. Most people of the time only looked at his first drawing of what he considered a flawed method and not his more complex process model with feedback loops to correct the problems he saw.This theoretical model while being relatively useful for building a bridge or a house, or for that sake the software for an airplane or a medical device. Has serious flaws once we start using it for software used for human interaction in one or other form.
1 minBut.... Agile is different.
30 secHow many have seen the movie the matrix?Well the movie describes a future world in which human beings are kept sleeping and experience a virtual world. This world seems completely real.The movie being a popular science fiction is still based on alternative philosophy of the pure naturalistic view ofthe enlightenment.This idea is however much older...
2 minThis kind of philosophy actually is much older. It is strongly represented in Indian philosophy – Maya, but it is also found in greek philosophy most commonly known from Plato’s allegory of the cave.a gathering of people who have lived chained to the wall of a cave all of their lives, are facing a blank wall. The people watch shadows projected on the wall by things passing in front of a fire behind them, and begin to designate names to these shadows. The shadows are as close as the prisoners get to viewing reality. He then explains how the philosopher is like a prisoner who is freed from the cave and comes to understand that the shadows on the wall do not make up reality at all, as he can perceive the true form of reality rather than the mere shadows seen by the prisoners.But the perspective that we are not seeing the true picture exist in religious philosophies much older than Plato.In both Hinduism and Judaism/Christianity the concept of Maya (Illusion) or Vanity are used to explain that we cannot trust our senses or emotions to understand the real world. In both these religions it of course also represent the short sightedness of attachment to wealth and material or physical blessings but thats another story.
1 minRead the four main statementsAgile manifesto does not say processes and tools, documentation, contracts of plans are bad, just that they are not the main focus and should not take precidence.It is well founded in some traditional practices but based on another philosophy and paradigm
30 sec.Well I don’t think anyone can question that the quality systems stress the right side in the agile manifesto above the left side. Now the question is if this can be managed so that Agile will not drown in ISO or CMM?
2 minAgile takes mainly a subjective world viewRequirements are socially constructedFocus on making code not documentsWith too much documentation we will definitely not be Agile any longerTeams are self managed and self-organisedOutside control is discouraged (Chicken / pigs in scrum)Flexibility and change are encouragedWaste is discouraged
1 min, (breakdown of tasks, plan, assignment of tasks, daily follow up, delivery)(self managed team, subjective view of world, requirements and quality)But even though the methods are very rigid, and some are from traditional development the worldview is still different.VV *****HBR Article which says that that the trend is moving towards leaders and not managers of teams ... May be we can bring it in somehow ..Then add a picture with a balance ... Alternative model with Agile sandwitched into waterfall.........Agile relates to traditional development in a similar way as post-modern architecture or art relates to traditional architecture or art. They use to a large extent the same material, the same techniques and methods but they apply them based on another underlying philosophy. There is a danger to assume that just because there is a plan, daily follow up, rigid process, that the philosophy is the same or that there is no conflict.
2 minI will discuss TQM a bit, mainly since the philosophy of TQM has affected all modern quality systems such as ISO 9000, CMM, 6 sigma etc.TQM is also the oldest of the modern quality philosophies, while ISO 9000 and CMM are both systems developed out from needs from the defense industry TQM has a broader background and is more holistic in its view. Rotted in tailorism in the beggining of the last scenturyDeveloped by DemingsUsed solid statistics to controlEven though sometimes described as a postmodern philosphy critics ”A Postmodern Deconstructruction of Total Quality Management, Steingard & Fitzgibbons”Customer may be covered but much weaker than management. Perspectives missing to make quality holistic would be workforce, environment, gender, minorities, changing environment, etc.
2 minCritique is from various directions. Critical Theory, Feminism, Social Constructivism, Post-modernism etc. The critique is often related to power perspectives, but also from positivist perspective in particular in regards to its effectiveness to deliver quality.
2 minFor CMM - Source: Lean Software Strategies: Proven Techniques for Managers and Developers AvPeterMiddleton,JamesSutto, but not a central part and will hardly be stressed
2 minBut there is far too little research done in this area. What may be the reasons?When I in my Master Thesis wanted to interview our external auditor he first refused since he thought I had mainly a critical view. After I explained that I in that paper was not interested in looking for flaws or weaknesses in ISO itself but in how our organisation used it he accepted to be interviewed. I assume this is since he is responsible towards his employer and that if he was quoted of saying anything negative it would not be perceived as acceptable. But which Quality Manager or Manager in general (as long as they use ISO) would want anything negative to be said about their own company or their processes? Researchers obviously have a major problem to collect any form of unbiased data...Now my objective was not and is not to criticise the quality systems, but rather to understand how my company and your companies can develop better software. Having said that to achieve that I realise that we must also be realistic about the weeknesses of the systems we use and what we need to continously alter in order to acieve constant improvements.
2 minI wrote a master thesis a few years back covering the dysfunctional aspects of software development in particular in context of quality systems such as ISO or CMM.Example of organisational politics may be when quality staff or auditors have an agenda based on internal quality system objectives, while project staff often instead focuses on pleasing the customer to the extent of cutting some corners which potentially may be risky for the company. Both perspectives are wrong, but often organisational incentives support both these behaviours.How many of you would put your best and most expensive people as auditor QA? One QA person with a client of ours once said, if a person is incompetent you make him QA manager.
30 secAnd least but not last...Just since you are certified doesn’t mean your processes are good
Blind stickReferences to agile requirement definition (the definition is from my own upcoming paper, but based on the following sources)J. Holmström and S. Sawyer, "Requirements engineering blinders: exploring information systems developers’ black-boxing of the emergent character of requirements," European Journal of Information Systems, vol. 20, pp. 34-47, 2011. E. Berki, K. Siakas and E. Georgiadou, "Agile Quality or Depth of Reasoning? Applicability vs. Suitability with respect to Stakeholders' needs," in Agile Software Development Quality Assurance, Hershey, PA, Information Science Reference (Idea Group), 2007, pp. 23-55.D. Apshvalka and P. Wendorff, "Reflections on the body of Knowledge in Software Engineering," in Advances in INFORMATION SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT, Karlstad, 2006. Alistair Cockburn himself admints the social constructivist foundation of agile requirement view.
30 secondsThe problem of different perspectives...
The point is not always to be ready but to change. Agile is far better to use in an ever changing environment.Of course if you are developing software for an aircraft or a medical device, then there may not be much change and the more traditional paradigm may well fit much better.
Which one takes first seat?
There is a challenge by an auditor being both the prosecutor and the judge. An auditor is rarely objective, and also the sampling is rarely objective.
How do we avoid the confliects and get ISO and Agile to work together?
All are researchers, it is a collaborative researchMuch older than agile but share some common principlesRelated to ethnographic research but studying changeCan really be used under any paradigmCan be used by one self as I have used it but have to be careful with bias.
Encouraged people to identify NC’s during sprint, after sprint, be prepared, used yellow notes, etc. Etc.
Stålhane & Hanssen [30] analyse the different clauses of ISO 9000 in order to understand which of them are potentially in conflict with agile methodologiesT. Stålhane and G. K. Hanssen, "The application of ISO 9001 to agile software development," in PROFES '08 Proceedings of the 9th international conference on Product-Focused Software Process Improvement, Berlin, 2009.
Tougher...
What could happen if we built buildings in the same way as we often develop software.
Agile fits best into the other three quadrants. To be fair even other more modern development methodologies such as Object Oriented Development fits better with some of the other quadrant and at least to some extent leaves the strict positivist view behind.
Agile fits best into the other three quadrants. To be fair even other more modern development methodologies such as Object Oriented Development fits better with some of the other quadrant and at least to some extent leaves the strict positivist view behind.
