Nobody would argue that Agile software development and software architecture don't go hand in hand together, and yet it seems that the software architecture community is much more interested in agile topics than the agile community is in software architecture topics. Is this a case of unrequited love? This presentation explores this question and explores a few possible reasons why this perception of unrequited love between software architecture and agile might exist.

1. SATURN Conference
An Agile Practitioner’s Perspective
Michael Keeling
IBM
@michaelkeeling

2. Dante and Beatrice, by Henry Holiday, 18824

3. Dante and Beatrice, by Henry Holiday, 18834

4. Hypothesis…
The National Agile conference will have
fewer talks about software architecture
than SATURN has talks about Agile.
4
Implication: Architecture’s “love” for
agile is not returned.

5. How many speaker sessions might
work at either Agile or SATURN?
• Reviewed session keywords, titles,
abstracts, common speakers
– National Agile conference and SATURN
• Used some “expert judgment”
– Regular speaker and attendee
– Technical committee member for Agile and
SATURN since 2012 and 2013 respectively
– Master in Software Engineering
5

6. 6
How many speaker sessions might
work at either Agile or SATURN?
Session count...
Agile SATURN
2011 10 7
2012 6 8
2013 9 9
2014 5 11

7. 7
How many speaker sessions might
work at either Agile or SATURN?
Percentage of total sessions…
Agile SATURN
2011 7% 21%
2012 4% 18%
2013 6% 26%
2014 3% 24%

8. By the numbers… Since 2011
• 5% of talks at Agile were likely relevant to
SATURN audience
– Approx 30 of 580
• 22% of talks at SATURN were likely
directly relevant to Agile audience
– Approximately 35 / 160
• Interesting aside: European Agile
conferences have greater focus on
architecture and design than in US
8

9. SATURN “Best Presentation”
Awards presented by IEEE, SEI
• “Architecture in Practice” Best
Presentation award started in 2010
– “Awarded to the presentation that best
describes experiences, methods, and lessons
learned from the implementation of
architecture-centric practices.”
• Award decided by attendees
– Voting cards
• 4 out of 5 awards given to agile or lean
topics since 2010
9

10. 10

11. 11
From whence doth this apparent
unrequited love arise?

12. 12
More
Vision-Oriented
More
Detail-Oriented
CEO,
Product Management
Programmers

13. 13
More
Vision-Oriented
More
Detail-Oriented
Ideas
Must cross to see ideas
become reality
“Realization Boundary”
Implementation

14. 14
More
Vision-Oriented
More
Detail-Oriented
Extremely easy
to change
More difficult
to change

15. Disturbing Implication…
Code
Detailed
Design
Architectural Design
Vision / Ideas
15

16. Worst Case Scneario...
16
I had a great idea
over the weekend
that we just have to
get in the next
release!
Visionary Leader

17. Legitimate Business Scenario...
Visionary Leader 17
There's a trend emerging
we didn't anticipate and I
need this feature in the
next release so we can
remain relevant!

18. 18

19. 19
Software systems are built on
easily changeable premises.
This is a good thing.

20. 20
Architecting for agility is the point.

21. National Agile Conference Focus
21
More
Vision-Oriented
More
Detail-Oriented
Product management,
Project management,
Organizational change (coaching)
"Throw it over the wall..."
Agile process and practices,
Team performance,
Craftsmanship,
Agile Coaching

22. SATURN Conference Focus
22
More
Vision-Oriented
More
Detail-Oriented
Product management,
Project management,
Organizational change...
through architecture
Development practices,
Technology selection,
Craftsmanship

23. SATURN Conference Focus
23
More
Vision-Oriented
More
Detail-Oriented
Transitioning the
realization boundary
Design methods and practices,
Communication mediums,
Foundations and concepts

24. Why does SATURN have
this focus?
24
More
Vision-Oriented
More
Detail-Oriented
CEO,
Product Management
Software Architects must
live in both worlds and
cross the realization
boundary freely!
Programmers

25. 25
Hi, Agile, I'm
ready to embrace
change!
*sigh* it's that
software architecture
again... he's just so...
structured..

26. 26
Agile promotes preserving choice.
Software architecture promotes
preserving structure.
Natural tension between
Agile and architecture…

27. 27
Lots of things have to work “just
right” for a team to be agile.
We think software architecture is
one of the more important and
interesting areas.

28. SATURN is an amazing conference
28
for Agile Architects!

29. SATURN is for Agile Architects
• Smaller conference
– Greater engagement
– More meaningful networking
• Lower costs
– Better value – lower $$ / relevant knowledge
• Narrower focus
– Greater number of relevant sessions
– Higher density of usable software architecture
information
29

30. Agile Highlights at SATURN 2014
• Joe Justice of WIKISPEED, SCRUM Inc
• Diane Marsh of Netflix
• Bill Opdyke, of refactoring fame
• Sessions hosted by Rebecca Wirfs-Brock
• Open Space facilitated by Diana Larson
• More…
30

31. Hot Topics at SATURN and Agile
• Architecting for DevOps
– Continuous delivery
– Cloud concerns
– More…
• Micro-Services
• Technical Debt
• Design Thinking
• Organizational alignment (Conway’s Law)
• More…
31

32. 32
SATURN 2015 will continue to
focus on architecting for agility.

33. Thank you!
Michael Keeling
@michaelkeeling
http://neverletdown.net
mkeeling@neverletdown.net
33
Website: http://www.sei.cmu.edu/saturn/2015/
Call for Submissions:
http://www.sei.cmu.edu/saturn/2015/call-for-submissions/
Rolling Acceptance
until January 16, 2015