On March 12, 2021, Julie Wyman presented on "Agile Lessons From Antarctica" at the DC Scrum User Group. Video and slides at https://www.kaizenko.com/agile-lessons-from-antarctica-responding-to-change-over-following-a-plan-by-julie-wyman-at-the-dc-scrum-user-group-dcsug/ Abstract I spent January 2018 in Antarctica hanging out with penguins, whales, and seals. It was about as different from my day-to-day work as an Agile Coach as can be. And yet, on my long flight home, I couldn’t help but reflect on how well my trip aligned with one specific value of the Agile Manifesto: “Responding to change over following a plan.” I think it’s a common misconception that there’s no need to plan in Agile. And while this isn’t the case, specific approaches to planning do change—from big upfront design to a “just enough” approach. The act of planning still holds great value when it occurs at the right level, but in Agile we accept that many things will change and we’ll need to remain flexible to respond to them. If we’ve planned well, we’ll go into those changes with a clear sense of our goal and how to still achieve it under the new circumstances. Nowhere is this truer than in Antarctica. Throughout the session, I’ll share six specific takeaways about change and planning that I brought back from my trip. I’ll share how my trip to Antarctica drove home why we need both planning AND, even more importantly, the ability to respond to change and how these real-life, non-software examples of responding to change can serve as great reminders to bring back to more typical work environments, including software development. And after being stuck in Antarctica six days longer than planned, I'll share why my biggest takeaway of them all was increased empathy for team members struggling with dynamic situations!

1. Agile Lessons
from Antarctica:
Responding to Change
over Following a Plan
Julie Wyman

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Julie Wyman
• 12 years in Agile environments – Scrum,
Kanban, scaled approaches
• Commercial, federal, non-profit
• Local Meetup, regional, and national
conference speaker
• Frequent traveler, Green Bay Packers
fan, and Great British Bake-Off watcher
Agile Coach & Fellow at Excella

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Using Mentimeter
1. Grab your smartphone
2. Go to www.menti.com
3. Enter code 94 93 10
4. Submit your answers

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No plan survives contact
with the enemy.
If you fail to plan, you
plan to fail.
Plans are useless, but
planning is indispensable.
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
A goal without a plan is just a wish.
- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Change is inevitable,
change is constant.
- Benjamin Disraeli
The only constant
in life is change.

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Agile Manifesto
Recap

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Discussion
Understanding
Clear goal
“Just enough”
Planning

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Keep the goal in mind
Adapt the approach
When change
comes…

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Planning & Change
in the context of
an Antarctic Cruise

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Planning
• Highly detailed plans
• Environmental regulations
• Passenger safety
and experience

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Remote
Image: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/us/antarctica/antarctic-
express-crossing-antarctic-circle-punta-arenas-111093

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Environmental
protection

16. Passenger
safety

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Passenger experience

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Be prepared
Enjoyable sunny days
can swiftly change to
cold, windy storms with
snow flurries and
rolling seas.
Pack to dress in layers
so you are prepared
for these rapid
weather changes.

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Trip
Takeaways
1) Planning is still necessary
2) The right planning can make
responding to change easier

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Responding
to Change
• Many forces out
of team’s control
• New information

24. Expectation
setting

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Trip
Takeaways
1) Planning is still necessary
2) The right planning can make
responding to change easier
3) Set expectations early and often

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Example:
An ever-changing day in
Antarctica

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Daily Goal: See Gentoo Penguins

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Penguin Pop Quiz: Find the Gentoo!
Menti: 94 93 10
A B C

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Gentoo Chinstrap Adélie
Penguin Pop Quiz: Find the Gentoo!
Menti: 94 93 10

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Goal:
See Gentoo Penguins
• Plan A: Announced before dinner
• Plan B: Announced at wake up
• Plan C: Announced during breakfast

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Trip
Takeaways
1) Planning is still necessary
2) The right planning can make
responding to change easier
3) Set expectations early and often
4) Keep the goal, adapt the approach

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Whale sighting!
And we’re on to Plan D
Sometimes it’s worth
changing the goal
to take advantage of
new circumstances

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Ernest Shackleton:
Endurance
• Continuous need to
respond to change
• Change in goal due to
significant changes in
circumstance
Image: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/antarctic-research-ship-will-
search-wreck-shackletons-endurance-180968780/

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Trip
Takeaways
1) Planning is still necessary
2) The right planning can make
responding to change easier
3) Set expectations early and often
4) Keep the goal, adapt the approach
5) When circumstances necessitate,
change the goal

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Empathy is key
when it comes to change

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Increased empathy…change is hard
Actual disembarkation: January 13th, 11:30pm

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Trip
Takeaways
1) Planning is still necessary
2) The right planning can make
responding to change easier
3) Set expectations early and often
4) Keep the goal, adapt the approach
5) When circumstances necessitate,
change the goal
6) Keep empathy at the forefront

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Self-reflection
Optional Menti:
94 93 10
• How can non-software/hardware
examples help us relate to the
challenges our teams face?
• What lessons can we apply from
how people respond to change in
other scenarios?
• What has the last year taught you
about responding to change?
About the importance of empathy?

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Takeaways:
Recap

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Trip
Takeaways:
Responding to change
OVER
following a plan
Sketch Note by: @josephsmorrison

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Contact info
Julie Wyman
julie.wyman@excella.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-wyman/
Blogs:
• https://excellalabs.com/author/julie-
wymanexcella-com/
• https://www.excella.com/insights/author/jul
ie-wyman
https://www.excella.com/capabilities

63. Questions?

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