Agile and culture

Ather Imran2nd Agile Conference Pakistan

14 November, 2015Islamabad

The golden circle

Why?

Culture Eats Strategy for

Breakfast

Why organizations?

culture

culture

Why is culture critical?

People are more loyal to Culture than to Strategy

or Process

Why is culture critical?

If you do not manage culture, it

manages you

Organization

CULTURE

STRUCTURES SYSTEMS PROCESSES

STRATEGY

Organizational culture

Agile organizations

Agile organizations are one that deal with:

•Uncertainty•Change•Complexity

What is Agile?

A framework to manage organizations and projects in a

collaborative and interactive way, such that they respond to Change, Uncertainty and

Complexity better.

Are agile & scrum same?Agile is a Framework defined by:

• Agile Manifesto• 12 Principles of Agile

Scrum is an implementation of Agile Framework

• A process with Roles, Structure, Meetings and Workflows

Agile manifesto

12 principles of manifesto

Agile organization?

An Agile organization is one whose Culture is based on these principles

It is NOT one that has adopted a particular Agile process like Scrum

Agile organization?

Agile defines a Target Culture for successful delivery of

Complex projects

Agile survey 2014

Agile survey 2014

Agile survey 2014

Agile is all about people

Agile is all about PEOPLE, and as such they will be the greatest impediment

Agile is all about people

Agile Failure is Pervasive

Conclusion

It is only through a Culture based on Agile

Manifesto and Principles that we can have a truly

Agile organization

How?

Organizational Inertia

Organizations are inherently

Resistant to Change

Adoption vs. transformation

Adoption is changing What We DoTransformation is changing Who We

Are

Adoption vs. transformation

Doing Agile is NOT the same as Being Agile

Agile transformation

Organizations try to become Agile by Adopting an Agile Process

Organizations can only become Agile by Transforming their

Culture

Agile transformation

Agile Transformation is about Manifesto and Principles It is NOT about adopting a

process and practices

Agile transformation

Agile is treated as a set of processes and practices,

where in reality it is about a Culture and Value System

Agile culture

Modeling a culture

Schneider model

Agile Schneider map

Agile Schneider map

Agile transformation

Adopting Process & Practices BEFORE transforming the Culture based on Agile Manifesto is likePutting the Cart before the

Horse

Agile culture – core components

• Focus on People• Daily Visibility and Transparency• Collaboration within a cross-functional

team• Self-organizing team • Face to face communication• Accepting Change as a normal and not as

an exception• Incrementing and Iterating• Continuous Learning

What?

Evolution not revolution

Evolution not revolution

Culture Transformation is a methodical, incremental and evolutionary process

(unless in extreme circumstances where it can

be a disruptive)

Agile culture

Two possible paths

Diagnose your Culture:•Culture Not Conducive for Agile

•Culture is Conducive for Agile

Culture not conducive

•Don’t Rush it (don’t run a marathon by getting off the couch)

•Adopt Practices before Values•Don’t be explicit about Manifesto•‘Sugar coat’ the changes•Management buy-in•Cellular Model

Cellular model

Culture is conducive

•Use Agile Manifesto and Principles explicitly

•Scrum is the best tool•May not always be easy e.g. a High Competence culture exists

•Incremental and Evolution