Tag: complexity

Silo thinking

Many of us already experienced this silo mentality in larger organisations, which are often stuck in a ‘command and control’ culture and mindset. Silo thinking in organizations refers to a mindset where departments or teams work in isolation, prioritizing their own goals over the collective objectives of the company. This can lead to poor communication,…
Turn the ship around

If you’d ask me tenwty years ago, if the captain of a nuclear-powered submarine could teach us something about leadership in complex environments – I would prety much shook my head. But it’s true – David Marquet introduced “intent based leadership” and by giving control and granting responsibility for everything a colleague did, from simple…
Weighted Shortest Job First

If you ever wondered, what the abbreviation “WSJF” in an invitation for a prioritization meeting means – it’s ‘Weighted Shortest Job First’. It gives particular attention to cost of delay (or opportunity costs) Weighted Shortest Job First (WSJF) is a prioritization technique used in agile methodologies to maximize economic benefit. It involves calculating a job’s…
Dance with the system

Nothing describes an effective approach to handle complexity better than “dance with the system”. The first time I heard this expression was from Jurgen Appelo in his book “How to change the world” ² “Dance with the system” is a metaphor used to describe an adaptive and fluid approach to managing complex environments. In such…
Conway’s law

You won’t believe it – this law is over 75 years old! And still so relevant and important. Conway’s Law is a principle in software development that suggests that the structure of an organization influences the design of the systems it produces. Coined by computer scientist Melvin Conway in 1968, this law highlights the interconnected…
Fayol’s Bridge

Preface: this post is for organizations, which struggle with their complicated setup. Fayol’s Bridge, named after the renowned French mining engineer and management theorist Henri Fayol, represents a crucial link between the technical aspects of an organization’s operations and its administrative functions. Fayol proposed that managers should serve as bridges between the specialized knowledge and…
Skin in the game

tl;dr: Sharing the burden of risk in big decisions is crucial. It promotes fairness, streamlines business, and helps manage risk. Moreover, on the long run it fosters a deeper understanding of the overall situation. Coined by renowned investor Nassim Nicholas Taleb², this concept refers to having a personal stake or investment in a venture, beyond…
Multi project myth

This insight is another classic fallacy. Jerry Weinberg wrote in his book “Quality Software Management: Systems Thinking” about the fact that the more parallel projects lead to less overall performance! While it may seem intuitive to tackle several projects at once to maximize output, the reality is that spreading resources too thin can lead to…
Sharpen the saw

Steven Covey describe in his book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” about the necessity of “sharpen the saw” from time to time. He wrote this in the eighties of the century, so almost half a decade ago.Still, this habit turned out to be essential for any agile approach, which manifests in the “inspect…
VUCA

VUCA, which stands for Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity, is a term increasingly used in the business world to describe the fast-paced, unpredictable nature of today’s environment. It’s like trying to navigate through a constantly changing landscape where the road ahead is foggy and unclear. In this context, VUCA serves as a reminder for organizations…
Analysis paralysis

Analysis paralysis happens when teams get stuck trying to make a decision because they have too much information or too many choices. It’s like being frozen in place because you’re overwhelmed by all the options. This happens a lot when there’s a big decision to make or a lot of factors to consider. The tema…
Ideal team size

Sorry – there is no ideal size for a team But in a nutshell: “less is more”.About the specific size of an agile team, there are some ballpoints to remember – Jeff Bezos mentioned the “two pizza team” rule (2 pizzas could feed a team) or the scrum guide recommends something between 3-9 people, so…
NIH

Have you ever heard of the “Not Invented Here” (NIH) syndrome? Maybe not explicetely, but you might experienced with a team of juniors. NIH refers to the tendency to reject ideas, solutions, or technologies that originate from outside our own organization or team. This mindset can hinder our ability to collaborate effectively and limit our…
True north

Imagine navigating a dense fog in a complex market – that’s what it’s like for a team or company without a “True North.” This guiding principle, encompassing your core purpose and values, acts as a compass in uncertain times. Here’s why it’s crucial: A real true north is way more than the big writing over…
Illusion of control

In the realm of work, it’s natural to have a desire for control – over our projects, teams, and processes. After all, responsibility often feels synonymous with power and control. However, in the complexity of modern work environments, this desire for control can become more of an illusion than a reality. I’ve often found myself…
Adding people to a late project …

… makes the project even later.” This insight by Fred Brooks , published in his book “The mythical man month” is now almost 50 years old. And still this fact is so often ignored or even denied – and it’s truth is unfolding on and on again. There are several reasons behind this fact, here…
Stacey matrix

If you are working in complex environments, you are probably familiar with the Stace matrix. So writing about this pattern might be like to carry coals to Newcastle 🙂 Developed by Ralph D. Stacey, the Stacey Matrix is a conceptual model that categorizes projects based on their level of certainty and agreement among stakeholders. It…
Magic Estimation

Are you tired of long, drawn-out estimation meetings that seem to go on forever? Enter Magic Estimation, a fast technique perfect for estimating numerous items in a flash, particularly in Agile environments like Scrum. Magic Estimation offers two main advantages: speed and subjectivity. By relying solely on non-verbal communication, teams can swiftly gauge the complexity…
Optimism bias

Optimism bias, our tendency to overestimate positive outcomes and underestimate negative ones, can creep into various business decisions, leading to unforeseen consequences like severe delays in delivery or cost explosions. Imagine a sales manager overly confident about exceeding ambitious sales targets. This optimism bias might lead to neglecting crucial risk assessments, like potential market fluctuations…
Eat your own dogfood

Though the slogan might sound a bit odd, I’d like to claim it as a concept crucial to our success as a product-driven organization: adopting what’s known as the “eat your own dogfood” philosophy. This principle emphasizes the importance of internal product usage by our own team members. Let’s have a closer look into the…
Better ask for pardon …

… then beg for permission! In out modern project world, things change fast, and you gotta make choices on the fly. The saying “better ask for forgiveness later than permission beforehand” can be challenging in these high-pressure moments. Let’s see why: 1. Catch the Opportunity Before It Zooms Past: Complex environments are full of surprises,…
Cynefin framework

In modern environments, a good part of our failed solution strategies comes from the misunderstanding of our environment. To navigate these complexities effectively, robust decision-making frameworks are essential. The Cynefin Framework, developed by Dave Snowden, provides a clear and practical lens for categorizing and tackling various situations. This article explores the core principles of the…
Single source of truth

Imagine we’re all working on different maps to build a giant Lego castle. One map shows a red tower in the east, another has it in the west. Confusion reigns! Having a single source of truth, like one central map for the castle, is crucial in Agile for a few reasons. Firstly, it keeps us…
Focus on outcome, not input

How do we ensure we’re focusing on the right things for real success? You might want to have allok at the “IOOI”-pattern. IOOI stands for Input, Output, Outcome, and Impact. It’s a simple yet powerful tool to understand the cause-and-effect chain of your projects. Let’s break it down using a common scenario: adding a new…
Cargo Cult

Deep in the emerald jungles of a remote Pacific island, a tribe lived in harmony with their natural world. Their lives revolved around fishing, hunting, and honoring their ancestors. But one fateful day, a colossal metal bird filled the sky, casting a shadow over their village. It was a military cargo plane, delivering supplies to…
Complexity – the cause for agile

Many people in IT use agile principles and frameworks like Scrum without asking ‘why’. But acting agile is in fact an answer to the complex environments we are working in nowadays. Two centuries ago, our workplaces were often huge factories which required plain man power from its workers. In the last century engineering in complicated…