grow (larger) structure - johan oskarsson - ltg-10
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Grow (larger) Structure
© Jurgen Appelo version 1.05 management30.com
A software team is a complex adaptive system (CAS), because it consists of parts (people) that form a system (team), and the system shows complex behavior while it keeps adapting to a changing environment. 2
An organization is a more complicated complex adaptive system (CAS), because it consists of systems (CAS) that consists of parts (people) that form a larger system (organization), and the system shows complex behavior while it keeps adapting to a changing environment.
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It’s the same with brains, bacteria, immune systems, the Internet, countries, gardens, cities, and beehives.They’re all complex adaptive systems.
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The Body of Knowledge of Systems
Complex systems theory is the study of complex systems using multiple system theories
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Time delays between cause and effect
Opposing effects per cause
Multiple causes per effect
Stabilizing feedback loopsReinforcing feedback
loopsSelf-organization
Emergence
Cohesion
Uncertainty
Important words from complexity systems
theory
Recilience
Know how to manage different systems (Cynefin)
SimpleSense,Categorize,RespondBest practice
ComplexProbe,Sense,RespondEmergent
ChaoticAct,Sense,RespondNovel
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ComplicatedSense,Analyze,RespondGood practice
DisorderNot knowing where you are
Agile managers work the system,not the people.
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Design Principle 1(through a manager)
Design Principle 2 (not through a manager)
(Fred Emery)
<- preferred
Communication across teams
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Hierarchical layers
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“In the process of creating new structures and increasing complexity, one thing that a self-organizing systems often generates is hierarchy.
Hierarchical systems evolve from the bottom up. The purpose of the upper layers of the hierarchy is to serve the purpose of the lower layer.”
(Donella Meadows, Systems thinker)
Scale-invariant networks (fractals)Best communication across all scales
http://gut.bmj.com/content/57/7.cover-expansion 11
A team size is best when between 5 +/-2,but how many other teams can one team communicate with efficient, 5 +/-2?
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When do an organizational structure needyet another higher layer?
Narrative: Emergence of a structure(~10)
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Manager
Team Alfa Team Bravo
Product xyProduct xx
Narrative: Emergence of a structure(~20)
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Manager
Team Alfa Team Bravo
Product xy
Product xx
Team CharlieTeam Delta
Product yy
Narrative: Emergence of a structure(~40)
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Manager
System “Semi-pro”System “Flyer”
Community of practice
Program AnnaProgram Bella
Narrative: Emergence of a structure(~100)
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System “Semi-pro”
System “Flyer”
System “Black flag whip”
System “Almost pirate”
Systems Portfolio
Narrative: Emergence of a structure(~200)
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System Portfolio ZuesSystem Portfolio
Appollo
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Are the project models adapted for complex adaptive systems, or for ordered systems?
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Can there be creativity and innovation, in a simple ordered system?
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Will the customer keep buying a product when the distribution is in chaos?
Narrative: Project structure
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ChaosActSenseRespond
Novel practices
Idea
Narrative: Project structure
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ChaosActSenseRespond
ComplexProbeSenseRespond
Novel practices
Emergentpractices
Idea Development
Narrative: Project structure
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ChaosActSenseRespond
Complex OrderProbeSenseRespond
SenseAnalyzeRespond
Novel practices
Emergentpractices
Goodpractices
Idea Development Deployment
Narrative: Project structure
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ChaosActSenseRespond
Complex OrderProbeSenseRespond
SenseAnalyzeRespond
Novel practices
Emergentpractices
Goodpractices
Idea Development Deployment
Once a while it might be good to innovate also the ordered system.
Program structure
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Chaos
Complex
Order
Project Alfa
Development DeploymentIdea
Idea Development Deployment
Chaos
Complex
Order
Deployment
Order Orde
rOrde
rOrde
r
Complex Comple
xComple
x
Chaos Chao
sChao
s
Project Beta
Project Charlie
Project Delta
Project Echo
Does the system get more complex with many concurrent projects?
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Maybe also project, program and portfoliomanagement structure can emerge?
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If so, need managers then to be skilled in complex systems theory? Agile, lean andmultiple good practices?
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Organizational debt, needs then to be re-paid.
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Should management also be skilled cross-functional?
