A short presentation to the Microservices meet up on using the 3 horizons model from McKinsey to help guide architecture and technical investment decisions. And how Microservices can help in certain places.

1. Thinking about Microservices
Nigel Fernandes
Development Prac;ce Manager

2. Objec;ve:
Help you understand whether
Microservices could work for you

3. Founda;ons of this
talk

4. Pla$orm = People + Technology
~ ScoG Shaw

5. Individual autonomy without collec;ve
alignment leads to anarchy.
~ Sam Newman

6. Our so#ware delivery capability
is a func;on of the alignment of
the pla3orm to the needs of the product.
~ Me

7. 3 Horizons Model

8. 3 Horizons Model

11. The Product side
Extend and defend
core business
Build emerging
businesses
Create viable
op;ons

12. Experienced business operators
extend the core
Business builders develop
new opportuni;es
Visionaries, champions
create viable op;ons
The People side

13. Transi=onal Architecture
modernizes the core
Evolu=onary Architecture
guides growth with opportuni;es
Emergent Architecture
based on disrup;ve tech
The Technology side

14. Horizon 1
Superior execu;on.

15. Extend and defend core business
Horizon 1
Transi=onal Architecture modernizes the core
Experienced business operators extend the core

16. We rely on experienced technical leaders who possess:
• A track record and love for working effec;vely with
legacy code
• The ability refactor as you go along and be disciplined
• The ability to strangle systems along func;onality seams
• The explainers. The pa;ent. The calm and steady.
People

17. Transi=onal Architectures aiming for
Microservices as a strangler and for complexity management
Automated opera;ons and effec;ve Support
New tech as a way of solving problems of scale: AWS, Docker,
New tech as a way of decoupling, managing blast radius
Focus on Inter-operability
Established paGern based decision making

18. Tech Radar as a Reflec=on Exercise
Ac=vity
Get technologists
in a room.
Ask them to reflect on
Techniques, Tools,
Pla3orms and Languages
in use.
Classify these as
Assess, Trial,
Adopt or Hold.

19. STARS modeling with Leadership.
Ac=vity
Sit with your leadership
teams
Ask them to assess their
products and the teams
working on them
Classify each as Start-Up,
Turnaround, Accelerated
Growth, Realignment or
Sustaining Success
Reflect on the implica;ons

20. TIME modeling with Leadership
Ac=vity
Sit with your leadership
team
Ask them to assess their
Products and systems using
Gartner’s TIME model.
Classify each into one of the
four quadrants
Use the results as an
input to decision making

21. PaGerns. Everywhere.
Logging. Metrics. Deployment. Secrets.

22. Horizon 2
Taking advantage of new opportunity

23. Build emerging businesses
Horizon 2
Business builders develop new opportuni;es
Evolu=onary Architecture guides growth with opportuni;es

24. We rely on Product engineers. Characterized by:
• Enthusiasm and passion. Evangelists.
• A Strong sense of op;mism
• Comfort with working in higher degrees of uncertainty
• Comfortable with trading tech debt for speed, and the
experience doing it.
• Knowledge of the second system effects
• Ability to think on their feet, adapt fast, and thrive while
under delivery pressure.
People

25. Evolu=onary Architectures guided by :
Composibility of exis;ng services to extend/create new products
Add new services to expose new capabili;es/data
Invest in older so_ware assets only where required
New tech as a way of aGrac;ng and retaining talent
New tech as a way of achieving shortened ;me to market
Op;mize for code for flexibility not efficiency
Focus on Inter-operability

26. FFF Exercise with Teams on a regular basis
Ac=vity
To help teams keep their
focus on the things that
are important.
Use the FFF for non
func;onal requirements
Have teams determine
The dimensions

27. Trade off sliders with Teams on a regular basis
Ac=vity
To help teams keep
their focus on the
things that are
important.
To help keep
product and
technology teams
honest.

28. Tech Debt walls mapping
Ac=vity
Technical teams get uncomfortable with borrowing down on tech debt.
Visibility helps deal with managing the debt versus produc;vity scales

29. Horizon 3
Crea;ng new viable businesses

30. Horizon 3
Emergent Architecture based on disrup;ve tech
Business builders develop new opportuni;es
Create viable op;ons

31. We rely on Entrepreneurial engineers. Characterized by:
• Self driven. Champions and visionaries.
• Comfort with working with a lack of clarity
• Comfortable with building quick and dirty solu;ons
• Comfortable with throwing work away as products
develop and pivot.
• Ability to learn fast without a lot of formal support
• The courage to be different.
People

32. Emergent Architectures characterized by :
Opera;ng outside the boundaries of established systems
New tech as a market disruptor
New tech as a commercially defensible IP
Op;mized for learning
Mandates the need for re-investment later

33. Horizon scanning
Ac=vity
Workshop with the
whole cross func;onal
team and the en;re
stakeholder group to
course correct and
maintain engagement

34. The Emergent
Organiza;on

35. Experienced business operators
extend the core
Business builders develop
new opportuni;es
Visionaries, champions
create viable op;ons
Culture evolu=on

38. Thank you