Siemens Program and System Engineering s r.o.

A Game for Global Players

With AGILE MINDSET from a supplier to a partner

Sabine Canditt, sabine.canditt@allianz.de

Eva Kisonova, eva.kisonova@siemens.com

//www.romanzsigo.weblahko.sk/Stavby a exterier.html

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Siemens Software House in Slovakia

One of the biggest software houses in Slovakia

(~ 750 employees)

working in 2 areas in CEE Cluster of Siemens

Development Center of Corporate Technology

Communication, Media and Technology Development

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Building up agile mindset

Partners:

“They and we

work together as self-

responsible partners"

Supplier:

“They (customer,

Siemens headquarters)

decide everything,

write specifications.

We (in Slovakia) just deliver"

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From a supplier to a partner

Our customer wants

Frequent delivery

Just-in-time features

Increased business value

Our management wants

More project responsibility for our teams

Integrated topics, value added services

Highly motivated employees

Agile

transition

We all get

More transparency

Close collaboration

Domain knowledge

Short feedback loops

Self improvement

simply A PARTNERSHIP

Agile values in the teamsAgile values in the teamsAgile values in the teamsAgile values in the teams

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Building up agile mindset

Our management provides for

Agile trainings for teams and management

Direct support (agile rooms, management attention)

Experience sharing (Workshops, unit retrospectives, InterestNet, PM Club)

Internal customer provides for

Agile transition programs

Coaching

Product Owners

Cultural challenges

Organizational functions vs. agile roles

“Us”-“They“ phenomena

Cultural diversity

…

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Cultural differences

In an ideal world…The policemen would be English,the car mechanics would be German,the cooks would be French,the innkeepers would be Swiss, and the lovers would be Italian.

In a living hell…The policemen would be German the car mechanics would be French the cooks would be English the innkeepers would be Italian and the lovers would be Swiss

Source: http://www.analytictech.com/mb021/cultural.htm

Fotos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/catdonmit/2447637952/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hasznosagi/2798176662/ Not our opinion,

of course!

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Germans and Slovaks

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vizzzual-dot-com/2593623974/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/fredericjon/4783989440/

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Germans and Slovaks

Germans think they are:

• Disciplined

• Bureaucratic

• Honest, direct

• Hard working

• Reliable

Slovaks think they are:

• Broadminded

• Suppressed

• Solid

• Modest

• Careful

Germans think Slovaks are:

• Lacking own initiative

• Obedient to authority

• Slow

• Backward

• Too shy to ask

Slovaks think Germans are:

• Disciplined

• Formal

• Arrogant

• Uncreative

• Rich ;)

Not our opinion,

of course!

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Different cultures in one team

Different ways of expressing oneself

Different ways of looking at things

Misinterpretations:

High power distance is (mis)interpreted as command-and-control

Low power distance is (mis)interpreted as laissez-faire

High individualism is (mis)interpreted as egoism

Low individualism is (mis)interpreted as egalitarianism

High openness is (mis)interpreted as fear

Low openness is (mis)interpreted as dishonesty

http://www.flickr.com/photos/markb120/2952951404

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Diversity

Can you think of advantages to have different cultures in one team?If yes, what could be done to make best use of these advantages?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58847482@N03/5871095906/

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Dichotomy GameOriginal idea: http://www.thiagi.com/pfp/IE4H/september2007.html#Framegame

Purpose:Understand and accept cultural diversity

Please form groups of 3 persons. One person in each group is the judge.Look at the 1st dichotomy and think about pros and cons to support each side of the dichotomy.

The 2 persons in the group take the 2 words of the dichotomy (if in doubt the judge decides who takes which word). Find arguments to support this side and to attack the other side. (1 min)

Now each person presents the arguments (1 min per person). The judge evaluates by secretly distributing 13 points between the presentations. Write the numbers on a sheet of paper and place them upside down next to the participants.

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Dichotomies

conformist - nonconformist factual - intuitive direct - indirectfast - slowegalitarian - hierarchical

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rightbrainphotography/2849414417/

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Dichotomies

abstract - concreteaccommodating - competingactive - passivebig picture - detailscommand and control - collaborative and consensualconformist - nonconformistdecisive - indecisivedirect - indirectegalitarian - hierarchicalfactual - intuitivefast - slowformal - informalharmonious – disruptiveindividualistic - team oriented

yes, and - yes, butrational – emotionalrealistic - idealistic

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Debriefing Options

Do you believe that people who belong to different cultures and different groups may look at each of these dichotomies differently? Are there any dichotomies about which all human beings will have the same preference?How difficult was it to come up with positive points about the side that you personally dislike? Similarly, how difficult was it to come up with negative points about the side that you personally like? What did you learn in this game that can help you to make decisions or resolve conflicts? How does this game relate to the Scrumvalues “Focus, Respect, Commitment, Openness, Courage”?

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From a supplier to a partner

…biggest benefits of agile development in:Customer is more satisfied and motivatedFast feedback from the customerimplemented is only what is really neededFlexibility with the sprintsProduct Backlog conceptBetter stability of the complex systemduring developmentBetter know how sharing through features development instead of subsystems developmentSelf confidence and self organizationof the teamsBetter communication and collaborationin a team

…main obstacles for agile development in:Trend to “processes over people”in the organizationPeople's resistance to scrum or being agile“Misshaping” of Scrum to the organization– forming of a “cross site” team People's mindsetCommunication in a multi team project not settled and synchronization incomplete (everybody communicates with everybody)Inflexible project plan compromises qualityUser stories are too big (over more iterations)Vertical approach in a project with many teams can lead to ineffectiveness

Our Scrum Masters told meI see the…

Siemens Program and System Engineering s r.o.

Thanks for your attention ☺☺☺☺

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