Decentralising product development controls for sustainability and profit. 2016.

1. Decentralising product
development controls for
sustainability and profit
Vytas Dauksa
2016

2. About me
Software Developer at
Smoothwall
I graduated 3 years ago, since then:
● Contributed to Linux Kernel
● Transitioned from Junior to
Senior Software Developer
● Line managed
● Agile coached
● Lead projects
● Organised technical meetings
● Mentored a student at GSOC
● Coached a basketball team
● Helped to launch a startup

3. Decentralised control
≈
Machine Learning

4. Training

5. Exercising

6. Results

7. Why am I interested in decentralising control?

8. Yesterday’s companies Today disturbed by
Software
Evolution trends

9. Yesterday’s companies Today disturbed by Tomorrow disturbed by
Artificial
intelligence
Evolution trends

10. Why you might be interested ?

11. Companies are too slow to respond to
black swan events
Problem #1

12. Anyone can be a captain
in a calm sea
Problem #2

13. Solution
The natural protection to this is constant challenge and
reflection, which is naturally provided by decentralising
control.

14. Decentralised control
Decentralised control allows at lower level to operate on local information to
accomplish global goals.

15. Advantages of decentralised control
In case of fire:
● Do you have to request permission to put out a fire?
● Do you have to run to the fire extinguisher storeroom to sign out fire
extinguisher?

16. Advantages of decentralised control
● Knowledge and experience gained lower down the chain enables to make
more effective decisions
● Enables to respond faster to changes and new challenges
● Increases motivation

17. Decentralised control
≈
Self-organising teams

18. Disadvantages of decentralised control
● Lack of clear abstraction barriers
● Alignment is not given

19. Decentralised control
≠
Decentralised coordination

20. Balancing centralisation and decentralisation

21. What needed for decentralised controls to work?
● Decentralised information
● Trust

22. Introduction to four
star trust model
Based on “Your Path through
Agile fluency” article.
With every star, teams are
more:
● Productive
● Trusted
● Powerful

23. ☆☆☆☆
Does not focus on customer value
or transparency internally.
Tools:
● Build trust by proving you can
build fast ( choose easy things
first ).
● You will likely need to build
infrastructure for them too.
Zero stars team

24. ★☆☆☆
Likely to follow Agile or Lean
mindsets.
Tools:
● Fundamental values and
principles associated with Agile
or Lean.
● Iterative development
● Continuous integration.
One star team

25. ★★☆☆
Releases high quality software on
time.
Tools:
● Trimming the tail technique
● Test-driven development
● Clear roles and ownership
Two star team

26. ★★★☆
Identifies minimum marketable
features
Tools:
● Reports using concrete
business metrics
● Links iterative development
with iterative funding
● Incorporates business analyst
to team
Optimised for higher value
deliveries.
Three star team

27. ★★★★
Shapes company's strategy
Tools
● Links iterative funding to
iterative strategy
● Wardley mapping
Optimised for black swan events
Four star team

28. Food for thoughts ( if time allows )
Blockchains Artificial
Intelligence

30. Any Questions ?
Thank you
E-mai: vytdau@gmail.com
Twitter: @vytasdauksa