Agnostic agile

Today we started really the master course.

We touched two topics: 

1. the Why, why we need agile?
2. how we do agile? the methodology and the practices

Arie recommended to check the agnosticagile.org website after the session.

Why?

I noted the main objectives for an agile coach:

• develop yourself
• help the individuals and the teams
• why they have to learn
• how to deliver the coaching stuff:
• storytelling
• metaphors
• understand one language instead of the dogmatic

Agile as a metabolism

The main goal is reaching the business agility end-to-end from the business to the development and the delivery.

Arie mentioned and I also recognized last time Uncle Bob says agile doesnt help you to deliver faster, he says the delivery is more predictable.

Arie says we do work to AVOID DELAY: just by taking out the misunderstandings, bugs and inefficiency. 

I would find similarities with this in the Reinventing organizations. Really if we build or keep a chain of phases, this is the basics how to build  misinterpretations and assumptions on each other.

More effective to put all the people at the table, use visual management to get the same information, and the get fast the feedback.

Concept

The basis of the concept the methodology and the practices. We need incremental delivery with short cycle delivery, and get ready for production after each sprint.

Arie mentioned few stories:

• holland national phone system development
• last 25 years of telecom providers
• decathlon delivery change during covid

"We build up a corporate ability to response to the changes by high quality". Nice sentence. I think I did hear it before. And the shared responsibility:

• paradigm shift: save time. 
• avoid misunderstandings, 
• let people to understand, 
• remove redundant activities
• get information at the source

What about the details?

"world and technology is complex"

• we delivery "just enough". not too much details
• end-to-end working. end of operation you are ready for operations
• innovation is part of the operation process spend significant time on innovation
• keep on improving

More keywords

Agile is based on interactions:

• content: validation and verification
• progress: inform to solve
• estimation: become predictable

creating quality: 

• rituals
• empowered teams
• proper stories
• strong DoD
• respecting WI limits 
• integrated collaboration

Agile is an interaction concept:

• create business value
• transparent is the carrier
• practices are facilitating
• replace paradigm for a new metabolism
• technology can make you excel

Agile is not fixed. continuously improving.

And?

I think  I got a few messages how to sell agile, and the importance of the storytelling and the metaphor. 

That is right, I spent many times on storytelling, reading books and following courses, and sharing nice example at the client always helped to deliver the message why it is important to change such a thing. Even it was more effective after a while when I had local stories at the client.

I love to use metaphors. In fact it is not easy to find a good one. even I had a boss who said he does not like metaphors, but I booked it as his limitation.

For me before agile was more for reducing the risks. It is close to the "avoid delay" philosophy. But I dont think agile delivery faster, there is no guarantee. The teams spend a lot of time on ceremonies, study, innovation, self improvements, communication, transparency and quality. if these are not required, you can delivery until a certain point maybe faster. 

So I have a lot of keywords what is agile. Good for bullshit? If I just repeat it, than yes. But I have the practices and the experience how to do it. So there is a way to proof how it is working differently.

Homework

"What kind of agile do you see at the your current project?"

Yes, it is very important to take a question for a coach. very good idea to create a summery about this question.

Today I am without client, but I will use as an example my previous client.