An experience of incommunicability(and an introduction to agile techniques)

Stéphane Carré – Optima Consulting

LuxembourgOctober 8, 2009

08/10/2009 www.optimaconsulting.lu2

An experience of incommunicability(and an introduction to agile techniques)

Goals of the exercise● To understand software (product) development

by a small team:● How people communicate● How people create● How people cooperate

● To experience (and discuss) elementary agile techniques

● Playing a Collaborative Game with a Target● Specifiers and Artists

08/10/2009 www.optimaconsulting.lu3

An experience of incommunicability(and an introduction to agile techniques)

Specifiers and Artists● The specifiers will ask the artists to make a

drawing for them

● Organise into teams of 4 to 6 persons● Split team into Specifiers and Artists

● There is chocolate for the winners...

08/10/2009 www.optimaconsulting.lu4

An experience of incommunicability(and an introduction to agile techniques)

Specifiers and Artists – Iteration 1● A few (traditional?) communication rules...

● The specifiers WRITE instructions for the artists (no drawing). One specifier passes messages between the two groups. He may observe the artists but MAY NOT SPEAK with them.

● The artists may WRITE messages back● No speaking or exchanging drawings between

specifiers and artists● No SMS or MMS ... (!)

● Timebox = 10 minutes in total

08/10/2009 www.optimaconsulting.lu5

An experience of incommunicability(and an introduction to agile techniques)

Specifiers and Artists – Pause● Pause. Many development teams do not create

a way to change a process “on the fly”. We need a way to evolve the process during the execution of the project.

● Discuss and reflect● What works? What does not work?

● Adjust your strategy for the next iteration● What do we keep? What do we try?

● Use the Reflection Chart

08/10/2009 www.optimaconsulting.lu6

An experience of incommunicability(and an introduction to agile techniques)

Reflection ChartKeep These

Ongoing problems

Try These

What worked? What might you try next time?

08/10/2009 www.optimaconsulting.lu7

An experience of incommunicability(and an introduction to agile techniques)

Specifiers and Artists – Iteration 2● Using an incremental approach

● Same rules as before, but...● The specifiers describe ONLY ONE shape● The artists send their drawing to the specifier for

review● The specifiers decide to ask for corrections or to

continue with the next shape● Timebox = 10 minutes in total

08/10/2009 www.optimaconsulting.lu8

An experience of incommunicability(and an introduction to agile techniques)

Specifiers and Artists – Pause● Assume that there will be only 1 Specifier for

the next iteration● Prepare the best implementation strategy, e.g. :

● Sit together● Speak face-to-face● Share intermediate results

08/10/2009 www.optimaconsulting.lu9

An experience of incommunicability(and an introduction to agile techniques)

Specifiers and Artists – Iteration 3● Using an agile approach

● The specifier looks at the example drawing and memorises it

● The specifier, WITHOUT DRAWING, communicates as precisely as possible with the rest of the team

● The specifier (customer) is part of the artist (development) team● Clarifying needs● Providing permanent feedback

● Timebox = 8 minutes in total

08/10/2009 www.optimaconsulting.lu10

An experience of incommunicability(and an introduction to agile techniques)

Wrap-up● You have just seen a cooperative game of

invention and communication in action● You have experienced elementary agile

techniques:● Iterative development with process feedback● Incremental delivery with product feedback● Sitting together, multi-modal communication

08/10/2009 www.optimaconsulting.lu11

An experience of incommunicability(and an introduction to agile techniques)

Wrap-up● Some of the things you may have noticed

● Distance hurts (so reduce it !)● Multi-modal communication helps (sitting next to

each other)● Communication has its limits● We need feedback both on the process and product● A process needs to allow for its own evolution● Action and feedback reduce ambiguities● Pause and reflect to get better

An experience of incommunicability(and an introduction to agile techniques)

Thank you !

www.optimaconsulting.lu

Luxembourg 2009