Upload
sergey-prokhorenko
View
85
Download
1
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Lightweight teams in heavyweight organizations
Agile Special Forces
Sergey Prokhorenko
Luxoft Agile Practice
18 May 2014
2
Clients’ Perception of Agile
18 May 2014
Fixing issues
• Doing right things
• Doing things right
• Clear progress
• Change for free
Traditional restrictions
• Cost reduction
• Budget commitments
• Zero tolerance for failures
• Shareholders’ pressure
4
Traditional Hierarchy
Commander-in-Chief
US Army
10 active divisions
4 regiments and BCTs
Special Operations Command
USMC USN USAF USCG
SecDef CJCS
5
US Army Special Operations Command
Special Forces (“green berets”)
CAG aka Delta Force
(classified anti-terrorist unit)
75th Rangers Regiment (elite
strike force)
Various support and
logistics units
“Operations conducted by,
with, or through irregular
forces in support of a
resistance movement, an
insurgency, or conventional
military operations.”
FM 3-05.201, (S/NF) Special Forces
Unconventional Warfare (U)
28 September 2007
6
Challenges UW Concept USAF
OEF-A Context (2001)
Abandoned since
1991
Almost no presence
of CIA
Landlocked country
No up-to-date
invasion plan
Six months estimate
for planning phase
Massive bombing of
key targets
Engaging targets from
high altitude due to
AA emplacements
Flying from Oman or
Indian ocean
No real results
“True Believers”
Deploy to Uzbekistan
as CSAR teams
Infiltrate Afghanistan
Help USAF with air
control
Train local forces and
prepare for full-scale
invasion
7
Cross-Functional Teams
Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) structure
FM 3-21.20 (7-20), The Infantry Battalion
13 December 2006
8
Case Study: ODA 574
Challenge for US SF:
– Support Hamid Karzai (future president of Afghanistan) in heading anti-Taliban
movement in southeastern Afghanistan (Oct-Dec 2001)
10
Case Study: ODA 574 – Analysis
Mission Accomplished
Motivation
Autonomy
Mastery
Purpose
Resources
USAF bombers
Supply drops
Money
Infrastructure
CCT
Satellite links
Equipment
11
More Peaceful – Marshmallow Challenge
18 minutes
Teams of four
Tallest freestanding structure
Marshmallow has to be on top
12
Lessons Learned
Kindergarten graduates perform better than business school graduates
Prototyping matters
Diverse skills matter
Incentives + low skills = failure
Incentives + skills = success
Does Agile approach fit any activity?
13
Back to ODA Structure
“Truck number” ≥ 2
“Split team” concept
Fully cross-component
Able to operate independently in
a hostile environment
Highly skilled professionals (rank
is SSG and higher)
No novices – at all
Typical career path: regular
Army or Rangers, then SF
Often teamed up with USAF
combat controllers
14
Big Question Marks
Which projects can leverage
junior team members in self-
organized teams?
Is Agile really a silver bullet?
How to train juniors for large
business-critical Agile projects?
15
Case Study: Battle of Tora Bora
Challenge for CAG (aka Delta Force):
– Kill or capture Osama bin Laden in Tora Bora cave complex (Dec 2001)
16
Case Study: Battle of Tora Bora
Failure to kill or
capture OBL
Victory
• Tora Bora complex captured
• Taliban presence eliminated
17
Case Study: Battle of Tora Bora – Analysis
Mission Failed
Motivation
Autonomy
Mastery
Purpose
Resources
USAF bombers
Area blocking
Money
Infrastructure
CCT
Satellite links
Equipment
18
Lessons to Learn
One of the best operators in the world
Best equipment
All might of the US Air Force
vs
Allies not seeing clear purpose
Risk-averse approach
Political issues
Lack of support from SF and Rangers
Would conventional (non-Agile) approach fit better?
21
Team Development
18 May 2014
Forming
Storming
Norming
Performing
Shu
Ha
Ri
Successful Agile teams are as valuable outcome of the
project as the product itself
23
Organizational Culture
Theory X
• Thorough planning
• Resource-based organization
• Strict hierarchy
• Easy scaling
• Good for keeping up
Theory Y
• Responding to change
• Team-based organization
• Steep learning curve
• Good for rapid engagements
24
What’s Next?
Unconventional Development?
– Means for Agile teams to find a place in large enterprise organizations
– Leading the way in challenging projects
– Opportunity for most skilled people
– “Bootcamps” and qualification courses for the rest of organization
Clear grading system to identify missing skills
Quantity to quality
– Organizational transformation
– Education and coaching at senior levels
Your
QR Code Thank you!
14 March 2014
Sergey Prokhorenko
Luxoft
ua.linkedin.com/in/sergeyprokhorenko