The document discusses the concept of hypothesis-driven development, emphasizing the dangers of perfection and how it can hinder innovation and opportunities. It encourages prioritizing learning through questioning and exploring new possibilities rather than relying solely on established ideas. The text also suggests creating a question backlog to facilitate better problem-solving and experimentation in development processes.

1. hypothesis driven development
@AndrewPirkola
AndrewPirkola@gmail.com

2. @AndrewPirkola
not a consultant

3. problems we’ll tackle today
perfection
the past

4. why is perfection bad?

5. balance
ideas
errors

6. bring me solutions,
not problems

7. perfection trap

8. kodak

9. was kodak a fluke?

10. the six sigma
experiment errors
ideas

11. why is perfection bad?
too much perfection (six sigma)
can cause us to miss big
opportunities (kodak) and avoid
new ideas (unsolved problems)

12. why is the past bad?

13. first impressions

14. confirmation bias

15. it’s the way we’ve
always done things

16. why is the past bad?
it stops us from seeing
other possibilities

17. how might we find
more opportunities and
new possibilities?

18. bertrand russell
it's a healthy thing now and then
to hang a question mark on the
things you have long taken for
granted

19. assumptions
backlogs are things to do
we learn so that we can execute
we need to predict (effort, ROI, etc.), to
prioritize

20. assumptions as questions
what if our backlog was things to learn?
what if learning and executing were the
same?
what if we prioritize learning based on the
value we think it leads to?
how might we…

21. smart people

22. use questions

23. bring me problems,
not solutions

24. what got us here,
won’t get us…
…somewhere else

25. how might we find
more opportunities and
new possibilities?
explore questions rather
than doing what we
know

26. how might we make a
question backlog?

27. closed questions
as a call center support technician
i want search fields for name and zip code
so that I can quickly get the caller's account
info
can we more quickly get account info
for call center support techs
by asking clients for a name and zip code?

28. avoid known answers
can we add a new workflow state
by adding it to the state table and
creating a workflow in the transitions
table?
can we allow users to edit states
by creating an admin utility?

29. answerable questions
as an Engineer
i want code coverage of 80%
so that our product quality will be improved
can we Improve product quality
by increasing code coverage to 80%?
can we reduce reported issues by 50%
by increasing code coverage to 80%?

30. can we [...]
by [...]

31. can we [...]
for […]
by [...]

32. how might we make a
question backlog?
answerable closed questions
can we […] by [...]
.

33. how might we
write better questions

34. open & close to craft better questions
it is difficult to talk to bob.
why is it difficult to talk to bob?
is it difficult to talk to bob?
why is it difficult to talk to bob, for me?

35. open & close to craft better questions
we want better quality.
do we want better quality?
why do we want better quality?
can we reduce late night calls,
by regression testing every release
candidate?

36. how might we manage
a question backlog?

37. prioritize &
time-box

38. who wants to learn this
>
who best to do this?

39. answer the question
(this is kind of your
job)

40. yes = proof
(working software)

41. no ≠ failure

42. can we […]
by […]
check
yes
no

run
experiment
write new
question(s)
write new
question(s)

43. To Do Doing AnsweredChecking

44. Plan Do AdjustCheck

45. team learning

46. how might we manage
a question backlog?
like today,
but with less certainty
and with more learning

47. lao tzu
we mold clay into a pot,
but it is the emptiness
inside that makes it useful

48. has this ever worked?

49. my life as a vb6 engineer
control triplets for pick lists
can we make this better by using a control?
lots of code to bind UI controls to data fields
can we link controls to data fields by adding properties to
controls?
copy paste code to call stored procedures
can we automate server code by generalizing the logic?
copy paste modules for new features
can we automate workflows by using modules & classes?

50. how might we
try the idea safely?

51. can we validate these ideas
by testing them in a safe place?
inspect for learning
retros
training
innovatriums
leadership teams
try an experiment

52. don't settle for
perfection

53. avoid the perfection trap
too much perfection (six
sigma) can cause us to miss
big opportunities (kodak) and
avoid new ideas (unsolved
problems)
can we […] by […]

54. what you know is
holding you back

55. bertrand russell
it's a healthy thing now and then
to hang a question mark on the
things you have long taken for
granted

56. thanks @AndrewPirkola
AndrewPirkola@gmail.com