Agile Carpentry

James

Large-Scale Scrum (LeSS) focused podcast. Frequently featuring Certified LeSS Trainers Gene Gendel and James Carpenter. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8kyZ5VHF8mgnkDHBPVSk2Q Agile Carpentry Website: https://agilecarpentry.com/ James LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamescarpenter1/ #LeSS #LargeScaleScrum #Agile read less

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LeSS Case Study: Large Server Hardware Company (Audio Version)

LeSS Case Study: Large Server Hardware Company (Audio Version)

I hope you enjoy this audio recording of my LeSS case study covering the work I did a large server hardware company. This is a podcast or audio book style recording as you might listen to while driving in your car as an alternative to reading the written version. The YouTube and Spotify versions of the recording have a video component which displays slides of the relevant figures as they are discussed. If you would prefer a recording of an interactive overview and discussion of the presentation co-presented by myself and "Mitya" please see the "Case Study Walkthrough Presentations" playlist on the Agile Carpentry YouTube channel instead. Organizational benefits from the incremental approach covered in the case study include: Locally improved adaptability and value delivery within the extended component boundaryImproved technical practices that created improved quality, along with improved awareness of what additional improvements could bringEarly identification and resolution of defects related to the extended componentImproved employee collaboration, engagement, and learning within the extended component teamsIncreased awareness of organizational impediments and the need to make even more organizational changes The written version of my case study includes a large number of figures. I recommend you review the figures included in the case study prior to or while listening to this recording. Video versions of this reading found on YouTube and Spotify display each figure as it is being discussed. Thank you for your interest. Please feel free to reach out to me regarding any questions you may have, as well as any consulting or training needs. The written version of the case study can be found at: https://less.works/case-studies/large-server-hardware-company More details about myself (James Carpenter) can be found at: https://agilecarpentry.com/ Section Index: 00:00:00 Audio Recording Forward0:00:52 Synopsis0:02:21 Skimming Hints0:02:45 Product Overview and People Involved0:05:59 Initial Agile Adoption Focus0:09:15 LeSS-oriented Adoption within BIOS Group0:12:48 Initial Focus on Firmware Not Hardware Development0:15:12 Demonstrate Benefits of a Scrum Team0:16:49 Desired Characteristics of Pilot Multi-Component0:18:35 Appropriate Diagnostics Feature Set Identified for Pilot Scrum team0:20:21 Diagnostics Team Behavioral Achievements0:21:17 Diagnostics Team Technical Achievements0:22:08 Diagnostics Team Launch Steps0:23:57 Diagnostics Team Photos and Artifacts0:25:03 Diagnostics Team Culturally Relevant Elements0:36:44 BIOS Management Interest0:38:35 BIOS Overview0:42:12 BIOS Expanded From the Bottom Up0:45:24 “In-Between” BIOS Teams0:48:29 BIOS Organizational Context0:51:55 BIOS Component Boundaries and Geography0:57:50 BIOS Geographically Dispersed Teams0:59:30 Quality Assurance Group Very Poorly Named1:00:56 BIOS Testers Brought End-to-End Knowledge1:02:33 Expanded BIOS Multi-Component Goals and Constraints1:05:31 BIOS Adoption Story in Diagrams Alone1:06:01 BIOS Engineering and Cultural Challenges1:14:33 BIOS Adoption Efforts1:15:02 BIOS Launch Steps1:17:00 BIOS Component Backlog1:27:55 BIOS Definition of Done1:43:10 BIOS Teams Self-Selected1:44:41 BIOS Cadence and Sprint Timing1:44:56 BIOS Retrospective Structure Adaptation1:50:19 BIOS Alignment to LeSS Rules1:51:15 LeSS Structure Alignment1:58:17 LeSS Product Alignment2:00:10 LeSS Sprint Alignment2:03:14 BIOS Triage Rules2:05:26 BIOS Unit Testing Is Possible2:07:54 BIOS Team Count Increases2:09:17 BIOS Component Boundary Expanded2:13:22 BIOS India Team Challenges2:15:49 Coaching Support2:16:36 Waterfall Pressures on India-Based BIOS Engineers2:18:38 The Support System Collapses2:20:07 Conclusion2:20:07 Reflections on Deep Organizational Change2:22:00 Summary of Benefits2:31:57 Wrapping Up2:32:25 Appreciations

Episodes

LeSS Case Study: Large Server Hardware Company (Audio Version)

LeSS Case Study: Large Server Hardware Company (Audio Version)

I hope you enjoy this audio recording of my LeSS case study covering the work I did a large server hardware company. This is a podcast or audio book style recording as you might listen to while driving in your car as an alternative to reading the written version. The YouTube and Spotify versions of the recording have a video component which displays slides of the relevant figures as they are discussed. If you would prefer a recording of an interactive overview and discussion of the presentation co-presented by myself and "Mitya" please see the "Case Study Walkthrough Presentations" playlist on the Agile Carpentry YouTube channel instead. Organizational benefits from the incremental approach covered in the case study include: Locally improved adaptability and value delivery within the extended component boundaryImproved technical practices that created improved quality, along with improved awareness of what additional improvements could bringEarly identification and resolution of defects related to the extended componentImproved employee collaboration, engagement, and learning within the extended component teamsIncreased awareness of organizational impediments and the need to make even more organizational changes The written version of my case study includes a large number of figures. I recommend you review the figures included in the case study prior to or while listening to this recording. Video versions of this reading found on YouTube and Spotify display each figure as it is being discussed. Thank you for your interest. Please feel free to reach out to me regarding any questions you may have, as well as any consulting or training needs. The written version of the case study can be found at: https://less.works/case-studies/large-server-hardware-company More details about myself (James Carpenter) can be found at: https://agilecarpentry.com/ Section Index: 00:00:00 Audio Recording Forward0:00:52 Synopsis0:02:21 Skimming Hints0:02:45 Product Overview and People Involved0:05:59 Initial Agile Adoption Focus0:09:15 LeSS-oriented Adoption within BIOS Group0:12:48 Initial Focus on Firmware Not Hardware Development0:15:12 Demonstrate Benefits of a Scrum Team0:16:49 Desired Characteristics of Pilot Multi-Component0:18:35 Appropriate Diagnostics Feature Set Identified for Pilot Scrum team0:20:21 Diagnostics Team Behavioral Achievements0:21:17 Diagnostics Team Technical Achievements0:22:08 Diagnostics Team Launch Steps0:23:57 Diagnostics Team Photos and Artifacts0:25:03 Diagnostics Team Culturally Relevant Elements0:36:44 BIOS Management Interest0:38:35 BIOS Overview0:42:12 BIOS Expanded From the Bottom Up0:45:24 “In-Between” BIOS Teams0:48:29 BIOS Organizational Context0:51:55 BIOS Component Boundaries and Geography0:57:50 BIOS Geographically Dispersed Teams0:59:30 Quality Assurance Group Very Poorly Named1:00:56 BIOS Testers Brought End-to-End Knowledge1:02:33 Expanded BIOS Multi-Component Goals and Constraints1:05:31 BIOS Adoption Story in Diagrams Alone1:06:01 BIOS Engineering and Cultural Challenges1:14:33 BIOS Adoption Efforts1:15:02 BIOS Launch Steps1:17:00 BIOS Component Backlog1:27:55 BIOS Definition of Done1:43:10 BIOS Teams Self-Selected1:44:41 BIOS Cadence and Sprint Timing1:44:56 BIOS Retrospective Structure Adaptation1:50:19 BIOS Alignment to LeSS Rules1:51:15 LeSS Structure Alignment1:58:17 LeSS Product Alignment2:00:10 LeSS Sprint Alignment2:03:14 BIOS Triage Rules2:05:26 BIOS Unit Testing Is Possible2:07:54 BIOS Team Count Increases2:09:17 BIOS Component Boundary Expanded2:13:22 BIOS India Team Challenges2:15:49 Coaching Support2:16:36 Waterfall Pressures on India-Based BIOS Engineers2:18:38 The Support System Collapses2:20:07 Conclusion2:20:07 Reflections on Deep Organizational Change2:22:00 Summary of Benefits2:31:57 Wrapping Up2:32:25 Appreciations

LeSS with Gene and James: Why Are Agile Roles Being Eliminated?

LeSS with Gene and James: Why Are Agile Roles Being Eliminated?

Gene and James discuss why agile roles are being eliminated in some companies. In order to understand the situation in full, from organizational design and systemic implications perspective, these decisions need to be well researched and analyzed. Things to consider, while analyzing: Understanding the real purpose of agile frameworks (e.g. Scrum, Large Scale Scrum)Funding/budgeting that are aligned to products (not projects, programs, portfolios)HR norms/policies, supporting career path, compensation and promotion of agile rolesUnderstanding the differences between job security and role security Have you been impacted by what is described herein? Do you feel that soon you might be impacted by similar decisions of your company? Is your company at the point of decision-making, such as: Should Scrum Master role be discontinued in favor of an ‘agile lead’ (or similar) role?Should Agile lead role be eliminated, as next step in agile maturity journey?

LeSS with Gene and James: Communicate in Code & Integrate Continuously

LeSS with Gene and James: Communicate in Code & Integrate Continuously

The following two LeSS guides for technical excellence are captured in Large-Scale Scrum: More with LeSS. Guide: Communicate in Code. This is the best way for developers to exchange information and understand each other's work. Reading someone's clean code and not having the need to be given additional interpretation of what the code means is a strong indicator of developer's proficiencyGuide: Integrate Continuously: "We have installed Jenkins and connected it to Jira" - is hardly an indication that a team has CI/CD pipeline. The ladder should be viewed as developer's practice/behavior, not as a tool. Below are some LeSS experiments that are supportive of these two guides: Try… Very early, develop a walking skeleton with tracer codeAvoid… Architects hand off to ‘coders’Try… Technical leaders teach during code reviewsTry… Raise awareness of the negative impact of legacy code In their short recorded message, James and Gene are talking about these guides, experiments and some real life experience. The above experiments are detailed in Practices for Scaling Lean & Agile Development: Large, Multisite, and Offshore Product Development with Large-Scale Scrum

LeSS with Gene and James: Navigating the LeSS Complete Picture

LeSS with Gene and James: Navigating the LeSS Complete Picture

How to embrace and digest the entire body of knowledge that Large Scale Scrum (LeSS) offers? How to understand what is foundational, what is minimally required and what is optional? There is a graphic on less.works site that graphically illustrates LeSS Principles, Frameworks (Rules), Guides & Experiments. However, how the aforementioned relate to one another may require some additional explanation. In their short recorded message, James and Gene are trying to explain how to read the complete picture of LeSS. Understanding this, will help you navigate less.works site, understand LeSS case studies and read LeSS books.

LeSS with Gene and James: Don't Confuse Prioritization and Clarification

LeSS with Gene and James: Don't Confuse Prioritization and Clarification

There are two key information flows in Scrum related to the Product Owner: (1) Adaptively deciding the direction to evolve the product and reflecting that decision in Product Backlog prioritization, and (2) Discovering and clarifying the details of user needs and items. In the first flow (direction and prioritization), information is sought and analyzed related to profit drivers, strategic customers, business risks, etc. In the second flow (details and clarification), the objective is to discover the fine-grained behavior and qualities of items, the user experience, etc. -- Guide: Prioritization over Clarification; Large-Scale Scrum: More with LeSS; p 178 As Product Owner, you focus on thinking hard about direction and prioritization, but delegate to the teams as much of the detailed discovery as possible. You encourage and help teams enter in a direct conversation with users, acting as a connector, not an intermediary. In short, you are mostly focusing on prioritization rather than detailed clarification, which is delegated to the teams.

LeSS with Gene and James: LeSS Training Alone Is Not Enough

LeSS with Gene and James: LeSS Training Alone Is Not Enough

Gene and James discuss how LeSS training alone is not enough. Sub-topics include: LeSS badge is a validation of training content authenticity and quality LeSS badge is not proof of attendee's post-training capability LeSS training is not enough to ensure success with a LeSS adoption, even if training is authentic Self-study BEFORE and self-reflection AFTER LeSS training is a huge plus Initial LeSS adoption coaching is important

LeSS with Gene and James: Focus on Fundamentals

LeSS with Gene and James: Focus on Fundamentals

Why do we need more fancy frameworks? Why not re-focus on having small successes with good-n-old fundamentals? The history of Agile Manifesto (AM) and Scrum has 20+ years. Yet, the % of companies that are consistent with basic principles of AM that can demonstrate rudimentary success with Scrum is still very low. These are the current market trends: Agile and Scrum – are now a mainstream/trend/fashion/styleAgile coaching – has become another name for many ex-rolesEnterprise scaling – seems to be the main goal for companiesLarge consultancies and business opportunists:Take full advantage of the situation and create “magic scaling solutions”, by relabeling/repackaging/hijacking good-n-old conceptsTrivialize what has been already known for decades, to upsell their own, “improved solutions” (analogy: you cannot sell your own brand of a dish detergent, unless you convince your customers that all other brands are ineffective). What the market needs: Less up-sale and marketingLess “magnificent new frameworks” and “enterprise operating models”More successes with basic fundamentals

LeSS with Gene and James: Internal [Unintentional] Distortions of LeSS

LeSS with Gene and James: Internal [Unintentional] Distortions of LeSS

Gene and James discuss common internal distortions of LeSS concepts and terminology. * Concurrent Sprints != LeSS * LeSS-Huge is a bad goal * 1-2 Teams per Product Area != LeSS-Huge * Technology Area != Requirement Area (of LeSS Huge) * "Area Product” (meaningless term) != [Product] Requirement Area

LeSS with Gene and James: Improving Quickly Requires Fixing Structure

LeSS with Gene and James: Improving Quickly Requires Fixing Structure

Gene and James discuss the following: * Deep and narrow organizational design changes aligned with adaptablity can produce fruitful outcomes far faster than applying management pressure to squeeze improved performance out of the status quo system. * A deep and narrow LeSS adoption will rapidly produce improvement in adaptablity and value delivery, even when the discomfort resulting from increased transparency sometimes makes it feel otherwise. * The value of using a private Certified LeSS Practitioner or Certified LeSS for Executives course as a way to achieve management alignment at the begining of a LeSS adoption. * The ability of an external Certified LeSS Trainer to provide consultation which is less influenced by the existing power dynamics of a client organization when compared to inside council. * Balancing between external vs. internal agile training and coaching support, and the benefits of decentralized vs. centralized internal agile coaches within an organization. Relevant Links: Learn @ James: https://agilecarpentry.com/ Learn @ Gene: https://www.keystepstosuccess.com/ #lessworks #less #largescalescrum #agile

LeSS with Gene and James: Multi-Team Refinement

LeSS with Gene and James: Multi-Team Refinement

For so many companies, inability to estimate, forecast, budget, and manage expectations of clients, users, and management is a big issue. Below, are some of the most commonly heard concerns: Our teams cannot accurately estimate work.Our teams are not stable and not dedicated. Capacity is unpredictable.Not everyone is cross-functional and everyone does their own work. What is the point of estimating together?Our teams get confused with historical Velocity-driven planning vs. Capacity-driven planning. When to use what and why? Our teams have hard dependencies on other teams. Some resources are shared. What can we do? Our estimation and metrics get so-so fudged, as they roll up through multiple organizational layers to the top. Our organization is fractal: one PO per one team, each team works in a silo. We cannot “standardize” estimation. Individual teams are more or less OK, with estimation, but how to we "normalize" estimation across multiple teams? How do we "scale estimation", so that our sr. management can get a sense of how much work we have? When is the best time to estimate? How should we provide estimates? How can we effectively estimate with many developers not be co-located? When and where is knowledge about the estimated work being used? Let’s talk about how most of these problems can be addressed in Large Scale Scrum. Instead of implying that LeSS is a silver bullet or blanket solution to everything, lets focus on specific dynamics of LeSS, with respect to: Specifics of LeSS product group design Intimate synergy between teams Roles & responsibilities, artifacts & events This will provide insight on WHY estimation and forecasting by LeSS product group (e.g. 50 developers) would be more reliable than the same, done by e.g. 50 developers of a traditionally-designed organization. Relevant Links: Learn @ James: https://agilecarpentry.com/ Learn @ Gene: https://www.keystepstosuccess.com/ #lessworks #less #largescalescrum #agile

LeSS with Gene and James: Selecting a LeSS Trainer

LeSS with Gene and James: Selecting a LeSS Trainer

* Has your organization decided that it no longer wishes to be fooled by the "Agile Theater": that peppers tens of thousands of people with shallow, superficial and fake changes? * Do you feel that you wish to improve your organizational design more systemically, by bringing delivery people closer to users/stakeholders/customers, while reducing redundant org layers? Great! Large Scale Scrum (LeSS) - Scrum by large product groups, could come to rescue. It works well within the context of overarching organizational dynamics that beyond one team. However, BEWARE! Please, do not accept LeSS learning in its watered-down, simplified form, coming from unqualified trainers and consultancies that do not fully understand the essence of LeSS. Do not rely on heavy decks of consultants, or internal 'agile centers of excellence' that promote that idea LeSS can seamlessly fit your existing organizational structure and be successfully integrated into your existing 'agile operating model'. Before deciding if LeSS is for you and something that you wish to invest in, please learn LeSS from its authentic source: one of the qualified and accredited Certified LeSS Trainers and Coaches. James and Gene can tell you more about 'why'. Related Links: Learn @ James: https://agilecarpentry.com/ Learn @ Gene: https://www.keystepstosuccess.com/ Learn @ Agile Theater: https://www.keystepstosuccess.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/framework_agnostic_enterprise-1.jpg #lessworks #less #largescalescrum #agile

LeSS with Gene and James: Structuring Agile Transformations

LeSS with Gene and James: Structuring Agile Transformations

Gene Gendel and James Carpenter discuss various approaches to an agile adoption effort, their effectiveness, and the associated costs. Learn @ James: https://agilecarpentry.com/ Learn @ Gene: https://www.keystepstosuccess.com/ #lessworks #less #largescalescrum #agile

Teleprompter with Zoom

Teleprompter with Zoom

Achieve more natural video meetings by using a teleprompter. Details on all the equipment shown is available on my website at: https://agilecarpentry.com/blog/teleprompter/ Equipment discussed in this video includes: Luna Display GlideGear TMP750 GlideGear TMP100 iKan PT Elite Universal TeleprompterPrompter People Prompter PAL Desktop Portable Teleprompter iFootage RB-A200 Monopod with round base Matthews Mounting Plate with 5/8" receiverManfrotto 208 3/8" Head Mounting Plate with lock screwsMatthews Apple BoxKupo Apple Box Punks Corey Tripod Range by 3LeggedThingCanon EOS RP Want James to deliver a Certified LeSS Practitioner course in your city?: https://forms.gle/Dz5kakFtg7usFtQu8 ¿Quiere que James imparta un curso de Certified LeSS Practitioner en su ciudad?: https://forms.gle/1H65dHwcghT6JZpX7 #LeSS #LeSSWorks #LargeScaleScrum #Agile #Teleprompter

LeSS with Gene and James: Choice of Product Owner

LeSS with Gene and James: Choice of Product Owner

Gene Gendel and James Carpenter discuss Product Owner selection. Learn @ James: https://agilecarpentry.com/ Learn @ Gene: https://www.keystepstosuccess.com/ Want James to deliver a Certified LeSS Practitioner course in your city?: https://forms.gle/Dz5kakFtg7usFtQu8 ¿Quiere que James imparta un curso de Certified LeSS Practitioner en su ciudad?: https://forms.gle/1H65dHwcghT6JZpX7 #LeSS #LeSSWorks #LargeScaleScrum #Agile

Certified LeSS Practitioner Introduction

Certified LeSS Practitioner Introduction

My course listings can be found at https://agilecarpentry.com/

LeSS with Gene and James: Definition of Done And Its Organizational Design Implications

LeSS with Gene and James: Definition of Done And Its Organizational Design Implications

Gene Gendel and James Carpenter discuss the Definition of Done and its organizational design implications. Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nMEasecfjNU Learn @ James: https://agilecarpentry.com/ Learn @ Gene: https://www.keystepstosuccess.com/ Want James to deliver a Certified LeSS Practitioner course in your city?: https://forms.gle/Dz5kakFtg7usFtQu8 ¿Quiere que James imparta un curso de Certified LeSS Practitioner en su ciudad?: https://forms.gle/1H65dHwcghT6JZpX7 #LeSS #LeSSWorks #LargeScaleScrum #Agile

LeSS with Gene and James: From Component Teams to Feature Teams: Slow Expansion vs. All At Once From Start

LeSS with Gene and James: From Component Teams to Feature Teams: Slow Expansion vs. All At Once From Start

Gene Gendel and James Carpenter discuss the challenges of starting with a less than ideal product boundary. They contrast the challenges of gaining sufficient senior management buy-in for a very broad product boundary from the beginning, with the challenges of starting with a more constrained product boundary which is really only a multi-component boundary in comparison to the more desirable initial product boundary. Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/u0W_N_pICZY Learn @ James: https://agilecarpentry.com/ Learn @ Gene: https://www.keystepstosuccess.com/ Want James to deliver a Certified LeSS Practitioner course in your city?: https://forms.gle/Dz5kakFtg7usFtQu8 ¿Quiere que James imparta un curso de Certified LeSS Practitioner en su ciudad?: https://forms.gle/1H65dHwcghT6JZpX7 #LeSS #LargeScaleScrum #Agile