3. Working in an
agile environment
can make you
want to bang
your head against
a wall.
I get it!
How do we get
through to the
other side of the
wall?
4. Stop asking the wrong question.
Don’t ask how to make agile easier,
ask why agile is hard in the first place!
5. So why is agile like herding cats?
Instead of building on natural
instincts, we approach agile in a
way that resists them and can set
us up for unnecessary challenges.
Don’t ask how to make agile easier,
ask why agile is hard in the first place!
6. We are only human
And as so we are:
• Logical
• Perfectionists
• Comfort Cravers
Agile asks us to step
outside our comfort zone
7. Broken sink? Concerned face?
We misinterpret the core
fundamentals of improv
• A vision is required
• Pacing must be maintained
• We must accept failure
• We need to collaborate
8. You MUST have a VISION
#agileishard
The only way to ensure
you have a coherent
story in the end is to
have a vision to start
9. The iterations are the building
blocks that get us there
• Set a theme
• Put the pieces together to
make sure they work
• Define the connection points
between blocks
The vision tells us what we need to achieve
10. It’s OK for the vision to evolve
• Make sure to adjust as goals and
constraints change
• Be responsive, not rigid, in how
you manage your vision
Don’t set it and forget it!
11. Don’t set it and forget it!
#agileishard
Without a smooth, rapid pace and rhythm,
momentum is lost and you will fall down.
It’s OK for the vision to evolve
• Make sure to adjust as goals and
constraints change
• Be responsive, not rigid, in how
you manage your vision
Pace must be RIGOROUSLY maintained
12. Don’t break the flow
• Allowing down time means you
may overthink things
• Slowing down will distract you
into the weeds
Keep your eye on the prize
13. OK, not fruit loops really, but…
• Small enough rounds to not be
overwhelming or slow things down
• Allow for detailed thought on
focused areas so things don’t fall
through the cracks
Iterations need to be small, digestible loops
14. Feedback should be constant
• Continuous iteration and
improvement requires feedback
• This allows us to change path
quickly if something isn’t
working and try ideas
Always be listening to hear the next step
15. The ability to quickly try
and reject ideas is the
beauty of an iterative and
improvisational process
#agileishard
Learn to EMBRACE FAILURE
16. Human nature desires perfection
But agile succeeds through failure
• Moving quickly in iteration lets us
test multiple ideas
• We let go the ones that don’t work
and keep the ones that truly do
17. Share ideas early and often
Learn to validate and reject
• Share ideas early, they don’t
have to be perfect
• Use this as an opportunity to
quickly validate what ideas work
and which don’t
18. Negative energy hurts iteration
We think failure is “bad”
• If 10 bad ideas leads to leads to the 1
innovative idea – that is SUCCESS!
• Think about how your failures led to
your success instead
• We learn and grow by experiences
20. You are not the lead or lone wolf
• Agile means lots of face time
• More talk, less documentation
Face-to-face is the only way to collaborate
21. We all share the same goal
• We need to understand ourselves
and each other to succeed
• An ensemble always continues to
work on communication and
shared language
Agile requires an ensemble, not a team
22. Four fundamental principles
of improv:
• You need a vision
• You must maintain the pace
• Learn to accept failure
• We must collaborate
Let’s recap….
33. So why is agile so hard?
Because Agile requires a better version of ourselves.
But, it is a totally achievable goal!
34. Find more at Uxmatters.com | @traciuxd | slideshare.net/treygd
Notas do Editor
Over the past 5-7 years I’ve worked with a number of teams working in an “agile” environment. And I’ve seen many patterns of issues. Even though no two teams have been working exactly the same. Though I think this is part of the issue. Agile is a philosophy, it’s not a hard directive. And teams struggle with how to translate this philosophy to everyday working process. So you probably can relate to this figure, bloody rude words and all!
So if you’ve had that experience of head banging you’ve probably asked “how can we make this easier?” OF course you have, because that’s ultimately what we want right? For it to be easier? But I think that’s the wrong way to try to solve the issues. I think instead we need to be asking why agile is so hard in the first place.
To use a cliché, so why is it like herding cats? I think its because many times we set ourselves up to go against our natural tendencies instead of working with them. That creates unnecessary challenges. Oh and the cats run away in all directions.
We are logical, rational beings. We like things tied up with a bow. We want our I’s dotted and t’s crossed. The way most agile teams are working asks us to go against these tendencies though. And that makes us uncomfortable. And being uncomfortable makes us unhappy, snappy, and trying to figure out ways back into the comfort zone. These things are detrimental to agile methodology.
The reality is though, if we are willing to be a little uncomfortable agile can play into our natural abilities. If we look at theatre’s “agile” equivalent “improv” we can see how we go wrong in thinking about the fundamentals and start to get at the core of the problem of why agile is so hard for many people. I want to talk about four fundamentals we misinterpret most often as a way to reset our approach.
The only way to ensure you have a coherent story in the end is to have a vision in the beginning
It’s your responsibility to make sure the big picture holds together in a multi-disciplinary world
Agile methods do ultimately allow us to attain our perfectionist desires. But requires us to learn that we’ll get there in increments, not in one shot.
Be a risk taker and take chances. There is no reward without any risk. Rapid iteration lets us take bigger chances because we can play with ideas before committing to them. We can be more innovative if we allow ourselves this play. - See more at: http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2013/08/why-agile-is-so-hard.php#sthash.IVXaItey.dpuf
Always be open to making changes in response to what people say and to what happens. Being improvisational means learning how to be a good listener and adjust to the current circumstances. Always being open to new information consistently enables us to understand how to proceed and adapt to the iteration process. - See more at: http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2013/08/why-agile-is-so-hard.php#sthash.IVXaItey.dpuf
Create shared plans and agendas. Having a clear vision and goals is critical. But if they aren’t shared and understood by all involved, they have no meaning. Agile requires a lot more conversation and a lot less documentation. - See more at: http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2013/08/why-agile-is-so-hard.php#sthash.IVXaItey.dpuf
Be fully present and engaged. You can’t be truly agile, move with the process, and keep your momentum if you aren’t always there and engaged. You let your team down the moment you step out. - See more at: http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2013/08/why-agile-is-so-hard.php#sthash.IVXaItey.dpuf
Keep moving forward. Maintain the pace, maintain the pace, and maintain the pace. Looking backward will not get you any further forward. Agile is not a case in which objects in your rear-view mirror are larger than they appear. - See more at: http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2013/08/why-agile-is-so-hard.php#sthash.IVXaItey.dpuf
Focus on the good of the whole. It is important to understand that the strength of the ensemble, or team, makes or breaks an improv or agile experience. Always make sure that you support what is good for the whole team and know what is in everyone’s best interest. That way, you all succeed. - See more at: http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2013/08/why-agile-is-so-hard.php#sthash.IVXaItey.dpuf
Let yourself lose control. Learn how to let go and work with your team. Collaboration keeps the process sane. One person trying to run the show breaks down the cycle. - See more at: http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2013/08/why-agile-is-so-hard.php#sthash.IVXaItey.dpuf
Self-organize. Understanding your role in the group and how to manage yourself makes you a better team player. Being a successful collaborator requires that you hone your interpersonal and intrapersonal skills. - See more at: http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2013/08/why-agile-is-so-hard.php#sthash.IVXaItey.dpuf