agile advocacy
TRANSCRIPT
Agile AdvocacyJIM URE
My background
IT Leadership and Project Leadership
Advocacy is part of both.
Good agile advocacy is important
• It facilitates change.• Agile works best when it is understood & supported.• Advocacy provides a point of alignment.• Advocacy has an impact on adoption. [ + | - ]
Definitions for Advocacy
• To support or urge by argument, especially publically. (Webster’s)
• Wide range of activity conducted to influence decision makers at various levels. (Innovation Network)
• Influencing others to embrace change. [accept]
Characteristics of advocacy• Influence model, not an authority model• Taking a position, not presenting alternatives• Selling the benefits, not the solution• Identify areas of change: new, modified, goes away• Different tactics for each organizational level• Needed more where established process is entrenched• Needed less where change will be readily accepted
Good agile advocacy
• Identifies benefits & challenges together• Identifies change: new, modified, removed• Aware of areas of resistance• Is tailored for each audience
Audiences
• Executive Management• Organizational stakeholders & functional groups• Technical teams
Who is the advocate?
• Development Manager• Project Manager• ScrumMaster, Product Owner• IT Leader• Technical lead
Advocating with Executive Management• Have a Sponsor
• Know exactly what you need: Funding? Support vs. decision? Resource allocation? Change to roles, governance, project management, portfolio mgnt, procurement, etc?
• 1 on 1 first before group meetings
• Know your audience - motivations and pain points
Presenting to Executive Management• Clear, concise, simple, direct
• Generally don’t need to know a lot about methodology
• Cover: Purpose (Why) Alignment with organizational strategy Benefits & Challenges Costs Risks WIFM – Impacts (resources, projects, schedules, etc.) Changes
Executive Management - CAUTION
They also need to know what they AREN’T going to get.• Detailed project plans and Gantt charts won’t be used.
• Status reports will be partially replaced by product demos.
• Scope will be flexible.
• [When outsourcing] Detailed SOWs based on completed requirements and change orders.
Advocacy for other stakeholders
• Focus is on what we need from them: regular involvement, decision making, participation in sprint review sessions, etc.• What has changed from how we used to work.• Benefits & Challenges
Advocacy in the team – different dynamic
• Agile advocates as peers• Socialize vs. evangelize• Identify resistance points & deal with them
Non advocacy – stealth mode
• When team and organization has a high degree of readiness
Advocacy is “done” when:
• Resistance -> acceptance -> embracing -> the norm
• Everyone is an agile advocate & works towards continuous improvement
Pitfall – Not preparing for productivity adoption cycles
Other pitfalls
• Preconceptions: agile means faster, cheaper, right?
• Agile as panacea
Agile Personality Types
Being Agile: Your Roadmap to Successful Adoption of AgileMario Moreira
