The document discusses the integration of continuous learning within architecture practice, emphasizing the importance of iterative cycles focused on performance and purpose. It details the After Action Review method, encouraging teams to learn from both individual and collective performance by analyzing discrepancies between expectations and outcomes. The speaker, Tom Graves, highlights the aim of improving skills and crafting commitments to foster continuous improvement in architecture work.

1. How to build continuous-learning
into architecture practice
Tom Graves, Tetradian Consulting
BCS EASG Conference, London, 2017

2. Hi.
(Yeah, nowadays
I do look a bit older...)
I’m Tom.

3. These days
I’d describe myself as
a maker of tools for change
(more on that in a moment...)

4. Sales-
pitch!
https://leanpub.com/tb-changes/
New
book!

5. Anyway, that’s enough intro
– let’s get on with the show...

6. If architecture
is a skill...
...how do we get better
at doing that skill?

7. A two-part answer:
...linked with
continuous review / learning
Practice, practice, practice!

8. Perhaps I can’t help much
on the fine-details of practice...
...but I can help
with the continuous learning

9. The architecture-cycle
(Start here)

10. The architecture-cycle
architecture is
always centred
on people
there is sequence
to the work
(though with some
back-and-forth)
each iteration begins
with its own
business-question
cycles may be nested
within other cycles,
recursively, fractally

11. …closes the loop
from Performance back to Purpose
and onward to the next iteration
Continuous learning…

12. Architecture-cycle: Performance
linking
Performance
back to Purpose
Performance

13. …is on benefits-realised
and lessons-learned.
Focus for Performance phase…
We can do this via a practice based on
US Army After Action Review…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/After-action_review

14. After-Action Review: precursors
How?
(plan,
preparation)
What?
(actions,
action-
records)
Outcomes
(benefits-
realised, lessons-
learned)
Why?
(aims, criteria
for success)
Who?
(team,
stakeholders)
Performance

15. After-Action Review: sequence
1: What was
supposed to
happen?
2: What
actually
happened?
3: What was
the source of
the difference?
4: What can I
learn to do
differently?
5: What can
we learn to do
differently?
Performance

16. 2: “Pin your stripes at the door”
– everyone had their own part to play,
everyone has equal ‘response-ability’
Three rules…
1: “Aim to learn how to do it better”
– we can always do it better…
3: “No blame!”
– blame only gets in the way
- it blocks us from learning how to do it better

17. AAR 1: review initial plan
1: What
was
supposed
to happen?
Performance

18. “What was supposed to happen?”
Step 1…
Derive this from the Preparation stage
of the cycle
(should be ~10% of allotted time for review)

19. AAR 2: review real-world action
1: What
was
supposed
to happen?
2: What
actually
happened?
Performance

20. “What actually happened?”
Step 2…
Derive this from the Process stage
of the cycle
(should be ~10% of allotted review-time)

21. AAR 3: assess variances
1: What
was
supposed
to happen?
2: What
actually
happened?
3: What was
the source of
the difference?
Performance

22. “What caused the differences?”
Step 3…
Discuss the differences between plan
and actual outcomes – look for what
worked unexpectedly-well as much as
for what ‘went wrong’
(should be ~20% of allotted review-time)

23. AAR 4: personal change
1: What
was
supposed
to happen?
2: What
actually
happened?
3: What was
the source of
the difference?
4: What can I
learn to do
differently? Performance

24. “What can I do differently?”
Step 4…
Discuss options to improve individuals’
skills, knowledge, experience and
engagement in shared-purpose – and
commitments to changes that would
be needed to implement those options
(should be ~20-30% of allotted review-time)

25. AAR 5: collective change
1: What
was
supposed
to happen?
2: What
actually
happened?
3: What was
the source of
the difference?
4: What can I
learn to do
differently?
5: What can
we learn to do
differently?
Performance

26. “What can we do differently?”
Step 5…
Discuss options to improve working
together as a team or collective – and
commitments to changes that would
be needed to implement those options
(should be ~20-30% of allotted review-time)

27. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).
To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Tetradian www.tetradian.com
Project By Date
Version
5E-Outcomes (Performance)
Core question and criteria for success
what is the core-question for this iteration? how will we know when we succeed?
[from 5E-Why worksheet]
Difference
what were the sources of difference
between Intent and Action?
[from 5E-AAR worksheet}
Action
what actually happened?
[from 5E-What worksheet]
Intent
what was supposed to happen?
[from 5E-How worksheet]
Actors and stakeholders
who are the key players for this iteration in this context?
[from 5E-Who worksheet]
Learnings and action - personal
what did we each learn from this?
what could we each do differently next time?
[from 5E-AAR worksheet}
Learnings and action - group
what did we learn from this, as a group?
what could we do differently as a group?
[from 5E-AAR worksheet}

28. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).
To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Tetradian www.tetradian.com
Project By Date
Version
what caused the
difference?
(Performance)
what can I change
to do it better
next time?
(Purpose)
what can we change
to do it better
next time?
(People)
what was supposed
to happen?
(Preparation)
what actually happened?
(Process)
5E-AAR (After Action Review)
(Start
here)

29. Practice: After Action Review
Do an After Action Review on anything:
• What was supposed (expected) to happen?
• What actually happened?
• What were sources or causes of difference?
• For each of us, what can I learn from this,
to do differently next time?
• What can we learn from this, as a group,
to do differently next time?
…put those commitments into practice!

30. What have you learnt
from this?
...what will you do differently
for continuous-learning
in your architecture-work?

31. Thank you!

32. Contact: Tom Graves
Company: Tetradian Consulting
Email: tom@tetradian.com
Twitter: @tetradian ( http://twitter.com/tetradian )
Weblog: http://weblog.tetradian.com
Slidedecks: http://www.slideshare.net/tetradian
Publications: http://tetradianbooks.com and http://leanpub.com/u/tetradian
Books: • The enterprise as story: the role of narrative in enterprise-
architecture (2012)
• Mapping the enterprise: modelling the enterprise as
services with the Enterprise Canvas (2010)
• Everyday enterprise-architecture: sensemaking, strategy,
structures and solutions (2010)
• Doing enterprise-architecture: process and practice in the
real enterprise (2009)
Further information: