This document discusses how to effectively adopt an agile mindset and practices. It begins by looking at the original goals of going agile but finds that in reality, many agile adoptions face problems and challenges. It discusses the "broken windows theory" - how small issues can lead to bigger ones if not addressed. However, instead of focusing on problems, it recommends taking an Appreciative Inquiry approach through retrospective meetings. This focuses the team on successes and strengths, envisioning future improvements through positive dialogue to act as a continuous engine for agile transformation.

1. Agile Engine:
How to be Agile
@AsadSafari
#IranAgile2014

2. Asad Safari
CSM – PSM – PSPO – Management 3.0
• Training, coaching and
adopting Agile mindset and
practices over +4 years
• Scrum And XP from trenches,
Agile Product Management,
Kanban VS Scrum [Books,
Translates]
• Courses With Jeff Sutherland,
Henrik Kniberg, Jurgen Appleo
• Agile world blog ;)

3. Contents
• What was the goal?
– Let’s go to do Agile?
• What is the reality?
– What’s going on now?
– Problems of agile adoptions
– Theory of broken windows
• What could you do?
– Start your Agile engine
• What should I do?
– Appreciative Inquiry act as an engine for you

4. Let’s start with a story!

5. In February 2001 a group of seventeen software pundits
got together in Snowbird UT to discuss the growing field
of what used to be called lightweight methods. […]
What emerged was the Agile Software Development�
Manifesto.
http://agilemanifesto.org/history.html
Martin fowler – Agile story

6. And Agile umbrella

7. Why we need Agile?

8. 1 Standish Group Report: There’s Less Development Chaos Today, by David Rubinstein SD Times March 1, 2007,
2 “Agile Has Crossed the Chasm,” Dr. Dobb’s Journal, July 2, 2007. 3QSMA and Cutter Consortium ROI
case study on BMC Software, 2008. 4 Gartner, Inc. 2005
3 Why agile - Rally software development corp

9. • 93% increased productivity
• 88% increased quality
• 83% improved stakeholder satisfaction
• 49% reduced costs
• 66% three-year, risk-adjusted return on investment
1 “Agile Methodologies: Survey Results,” by Shine Technologies, 2003; 2 Forrester Research, 2004;

10. Everybody else is doing Agile so why
can't we

11. And let’s go Agile

12. A great start but after several sprints
• Command and control by scrum master
• Daily standup for report
• We’re going to have a lot more meetings
• No respect and commitment
• Working software plus lots of bugs
• No time for test
• […]

13. But…
Ken Schwaber(co-founder of Scrum):
I estimate that 75%of those organizations
using Scrum will not succeed in getting the
benefits that they hope for from it.
http://www.agilecollab.com/interview-with-ken-schwaber

14. Tired to hear a lot of "Agile" hype.

15. 49% challenged + 9% failed

17. Can you remember our goal?
But what we have now?

18. 1 Version one - 7th-Annual-State-of-Agile-Development-Survey

19. But I want to say something new

20. A note
• Adoption is a term that applies to a product or
process.
• Agile is a mindset and a culture, it cannot be
adopted. – “we are adopting the Scrum
process framework” or “we are adopting Agile
practices”.

21. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broken_windows_theory‎
Consider a building with a few
broken windows. If the windows
are not repaired, the tendency is
for vandals to break a few more
windows. Eventually, they may
even break into the building, and
if it's unoccupied, perhaps
become squatters or light fires
inside.
Or consider a pavement. Some
litter accumulates. Soon, more
litter accumulates. Eventually,
people even start leaving bags of
refuse from take-out restaurants
there or even break into cars.

22. Broken windows on Agile transformation
Team members think every thing should be
perfect from the very first day
When they see some broken windows (Dirty
codes, Bad result of sprint, Problem on
communication,…) They start to break other
windows.

23. If we did not test in some sprints
So, we will not do it anymore
Maybe on next project

24. If we are writing dirty codes
we will write clean code on next
project

25. I will do X next project

26. We should believe that
We don’t have next time
We can be better(a little) right now

27. Agile is world of Continues
Continues
Delivery
Continues
integration
Continues
Deployment
Continues
Improvement

28. Continues Improvement is an
Engine
for
Agile Transformation

29. When & How
we do it on Agile teams?
Maybe Retrospective?

30. Retrospective can be a place for
• Find broken windows
• Blaming
• Shows that Agile not work for us
• We are a bad team
And decide to break more windows

31. We need to focus on the positives
(What did we do well? What worked ?)
Instead of the usual Detecting
broken windows
(What went wrong?)

32. Appreciative Inquiry (AI)
The AI method brings a fresh
approach to improving systems and
catalyzing change. Developed by
David Cooperrider in the 1980′s.
AI begins with a series of interviews
and questions — the inquiry.
Appreciative inquirers search for
the best in people, their
organizations and their
environments. They ask questions
to uncover stories of when their
group felt most alive, contributed
most effectively, and found itself
most capable of adding value—or
appreciating.
Appreciative Inquiry attempts to use ways of asking questions and
envisioning the future in-order to foster positive relationships and build on the
present potential of a given person, organization or situation.
Diana Larsen, FutureWorks Consulting - An Appreciative Retrospective

33. Problem Solving Appreciative inquiry
Felt need, identification of problem(s) Appreciating, valuing the Best of What Is
Analysis of Causes Envisioning what might be
Analysis of possible solutions Engaging in dialogue about what should be
Action Planning (treatment) Innovating, what will be
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appreciative_inquiry

34. Appreciative Inquiry process – 4Ds

35. • DISCOVER: The identification of organizational
processes that work well.
• DREAM: The envisioning of processes that
would work well in the future.
• DESIGN: Planning and prioritizing processes
that would work well.
• DESTINY (or DEPLOY): The implementation
(execution) of the proposed design.

36. Appreciative Retrospective
• Set the Stage:
State an affirmative goal for the session.
“During this retrospective, we’ll find ways to
amplify our strengths in process and teamwork.”
Diana Larsen, FutureWorks Consulting - An Appreciative Retrospective

37. Appreciative Retrospective
• Gather Data:
Team members ask and answer a series of
questions that focus awareness on individual
and team strengths and successes.
“What did you value most about the work we’ve
done together?”

38. Appreciative Retrospective
• Generate Insights:
Follow the data gathering questions with a
question that creates a vision.

39. Appreciative Retrospective
• Decide What to Do:
Create a list of potential action steps.

40. Thanks