Episode 11 – Learning and growing
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Leveraging everyone’s knowledge and ideas for improvement could give considerable benefit to the business. However, you need a pathway for change which listens to the individuals and captures their ideas. Agile uses the term “Retrospective” for this process of looking back at what has happened. Other terms such as “Post-mortems” or “Lessons Learned” have been used in projectised environments.
This podcast is AI-generated based on material from the “Agile Plays” website and book.
Transcript
Welcome to another deep dive. Today, we're tackling something pretty essential for any team, especially when you're trying to grow and scale up. We're talking agile retrospectives and that foundation of psychological safety, Basically, how to build teams that really work well together. So whether you're, like, getting ready for your next team meeting, wanting to level up your skills, or just fascinated by, you know, what makes teams click, this deep dive is for you. Our main guide today is this playbook, an agile playbook for scale up organizations.
It's packed with strategies to keep that innovative energy going strong even as companies get bigger. Think of it like a playbook for better teamwork. We'll be unpacking some really interesting stuff like how agile teams are kinda like a rugby team, all about working together. And the surprising origin of the term backlog, it actually comes from medieval fires. Plus, we'll dig into Google's project Aristotle, which uncovered some pretty surprising secrets to team success.
Now to help us connect the dots and really understand the why behind all of this, we have our expert. And I think it's so important to focus on that why because it's easy to get lost in the what, especially when things start scaling up. Exactly right. It's like as companies grow, things can get a little, well, more complex, more processes, more layers, more everything. But this playbook argues that agile can actually help teams thrive in that complexity.
It's not just about, you know, fixing problems when they pop up. It's about constantly evolving. Absolutely. It's about moving beyond just reacting to issues and embracing this idea of a learning response. So we're not just putting out fires.
We're figuring out how to prevent them in the 1st place. Oh, I like that. It's like instead of just putting out a fire, you're fireproofing your house. Right? Exactly.
That's a perfect analogy. And one of the key tools for that fireproofing is the sprint retrospective. It's dedicated time for the team to really step back and reflect on their processes, figure out what went well, what could be improved, and how to do even better next time. So it's not just about celebrating successes. It's about honestly looking at what could be better.
Right? Absolutely. And it's important to distinguish this from the sprint review. The review focuses on the product itself, what was built, did it meet the requirements. But the retrospective, that's all about the process.
How did the team work together? Were there any bottlenecks? What could be optimized? And these retrospectives, I imagine they can only really work if there's this foundation of, what, psychological safety. You hit the nail on the head.
You can have the most structured retrospective format in the world, but if people don't feel safe to speak their minds, you're not gonna get those honest insights that lead to real improvement. Right. It makes total sense. If you're worried about being judged or, you know, punished for speaking up, you're probably gonna hold back even if you have something really important to share. Exactly.
And that's where Google's project Aristotle comes in. This massive research project analyzed tons of data trying to figure out what makes teams successful, and what they found was really surprising. The most crucial factor wasn't expertise or even a leader's brilliance. It was psychological safety. Wow.
That's fascinating. So what exactly is psychological safety? It's that shared belief within a team that it's safe to take interpersonal risks. You feel comfortable voicing your opinions even if they're different, admitting mistakes, asking for help without fear of being punished or humiliated. Because, ultimately, admitting errors and identifying weaknesses, that's how we grow.
Right? Exactly. Both individually and as a team. And there's this really powerful statement that I think perfectly captures the spirit. It's Norm Kurth's prime directive for retrospectives.
It says, regardless of what we discover, we understand and truly believe that everyone did the best job they could given what they knew at the time, their skills and abilities, the resources available, and the situation at hand. Wow. That's powerful. It really seems like it sets the stage for honest reflection, doesn't it? It does.
By acknowledging that everyone was doing their best with what they had, it shifts the focus away from blame and towards understanding what happened, why did it happen, and how can we learn from it. It takes the pressure off individuals and lets them focus on solutions. So how does a leader actually create this kind of environment? What are some concrete things they can do? It really starts with their behavior and communication style.
If a leader is overly directive, critical, intimidating, well, that just shuts down psychological safety. Think about it. Would you feel comfortable speaking up if you felt like your boss was gonna shoot down your ideas? Oh, definitely not. I'd probably just try to stay under the radar.
Right. Exactly. Instead, leaders need to actively promote diversity of thought, encourage open communication, and give feedback that's focused on development, not criticism. So it's not just about what they say. It's about how they act, how they create that safe space for vulnerability.
Exactly. A great leader understands that their role is to empower the team, not control Right. Because it's one thing to identify a problem, but it's another thing entirely to understand why it happened. Exactly. Root cause analysis is about going beyond those surface symptoms and uncovering the underlying issues.
Like being a detective. Right. Exactly. Piecing together the clues to figure out what really went wrong. Because if you don't address that root cause, the same problem is just gonna keep coming back even if you try to fix the symptoms.
Absolutely. It's like putting a Band Aid on a broken leg might provide temporary relief, but it's not gonna actually solve the problem. So root cause analysis helps us get to the heart of the issue and find lasting solutions. This is already so insightful, but I'm really eager to hear more about how this all works in practice. How do teams actually implement these concepts and overcome the challenges that inevitably come up?
That's a great question, and that's exactly what we'll be digging into in the next part of our deep dive, so stay tuned. Alright. So ready to get into the nitty gritty of actually putting these agile concepts into action? Oh, yeah. Definitely.
I'm all about turning theory into something we can actually use. You know? Absolutely. That's the goal here. And one thing this playbook highlights is that a lot of teams, they struggle with understanding what good actually looks like when it comes to agile.
I can see that. It's like you have all the ingredients for a cake, but no recipe. You might have the enthusiasm, but you need that guidance to put it all together. Exactly. A perfect analogy.
That's where training and mentorship, having access to more experienced developers, those become crucial. Crucial. Teams need that support to really develop their agile skills and knowledge. It's like having a coach. Yeah.
Someone to guide you, give you feedback, help you reach that next level. Exactly. But even with the right skills and knowledge, there's another big hurdle, time. Oh, yeah. Times, the constant pressure.
Always that pressure to deliver new features, meet those deadlines. And when things get hectic, well, those quality practices like refactoring, testing, code reviews, they often get pushed aside. Because they're seen as extra, right, even though they're really crucial in the long run. Exactly. It's that classic short term thinking versus long term vision.
And that's where leadership becomes so important. Leaders need to create a culture that truly values quality and provide the time and resources to actually make it happen. So it's not just about saying quality matters. It's about actually making it a priority. Exactly.
And that ties back to managing work effectively. If a team is constantly firefighting, overwhelmed with urgent requests, they're never gonna have the space to focus on those proactive quality measures, the things that prevent problems down the line. That's where I imagine tools like agile boards, those work management systems, they come in handy. Right? Right.
Providing that visibility and transparency. Absolutely. Those tools give the team that shared understanding of what needs to be done, who's doing what, and where things stand. No more getting lost in the weeds or working from different versions of the plan. Like having that shared map to navigate the project together, making sure everyone's on the same page.
So where does this idea of a value stream fit into all of this? Ah, the value stream. It's all about understanding that sequence of steps, all the steps it takes to deliver value to the customer. Imagine it like a pipeline, starts with an idea and ends with a finished product in the hands of a happy customer. So it's not just about building the software.
It's about that whole journey from concept to delivery and beyond, and optimizing that journey is key. Right. By mapping out that value stream, teams can identify bottlenecks, eliminate waste, and deliver value more quickly and efficiently. Okay. I'm starting to see how all these pieces fit together from psychological safety to process improvement.
It's like a system, a system for building better teams and better products. It really is. And a crucial part of that system is the product owner. Ah, yes. The voice of the customer within the team.
Can you remind us what are their key responsibilities? Absolutely. They define what needs to be built, prioritize the work, and make sure that the team delivers value that truly meets the customer's needs. They're that bridge between the technical team and the business stakeholders, making sure everyone is aligned on the goals and vision Like the conductor of an orchestra, making sure everyone's playing the right notes at the right time. But even with a great conductor, there can still be those, you know, dependencies between different parts of a project.
Oh, dependencies. Those can quickly turn into bottlenecks if they're not managed effectively. You know that feeling when you can't start your task until someone else finishes theirs and the whole project grinds to a halt. Oh, I know that feeling all too well. Like a giant game of dominoes where one delay can topple everything.
Exactly. And that's why it's so important for teams to have strategies for minimizing those dependencies, keep the work flowing smoothly. Alright. Spill the secrets. How do we avoid those dependency traps?
One really effective approach is breaking down those large complex tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces. Instead of trying to build the entire house at once, focus on building 1 wall at a time. That reminds me of that agile principle, working software over comprehensive documentation. Start small, get something functional, and build iteratively. Exactly.
That approach reduces the risk of dependencies and increases flexibility. Another strategy is clear and constant communication between team members. If everyone knows what everyone else is working on, they can anticipate potential roadblocks and adjust accordingly. Like having that shared mental model of the projects where everyone understands the big picture and how their work fits in. Precisely.
And that shared understanding leads to better decisions, less wasted effort, and ultimately, more effective delivery of value. This is fascinating. I'm really starting to see those patterns and connections between all these different agile concepts, how they all work together to create this, well, more efficient and effective way of working. That's the beauty of it. But it's important to remember, agile isn't a one size fits all solution.
It's not about rigidly following a set of rules or blindly implementing a framework. It's about embracing those principles and values that guide a team's behavior and decision making. So it's more like having a compass that points you in the right direction, but you still need to use your judgment and experience to navigate the terrain. You got it. It's about being adaptable, iterative, and always striving to improve.
And that adaptability is what makes agile so powerful in today's fast paced ever changing world. All this talk about agile practices and processes has got me thinking. How do we actually measure success in this kind of environment? It feels different than that traditional project management approach of, you know, hitting milestones and deadlines. That's a great question, and it's something we'll definitely dive into in the next part of our deep dive.
We'll explore some of the key metrics that agile teams use to track their progress and make sure they're delivering real value. So stay tuned. Okay. So we're back for the final part of our agile deep dive. And I'm really curious to hear more about this whole measuring success thing, you know, in an agile environment.
Because it feels different than just tracking milestones and deadlines like in a traditional project. Yeah. You're right. Those traditional metrics, they don't always tell the full story in agile. It's not just about outputs.
It's about outcomes delivering genuine value to the customer. Okay. That makes sense. So how do we actually capture that? What kind of metrics are we looking at?
Well, agile metrics, they need to reflect that adaptability, that ability to learn and deliver value incrementally. We want insights into how effective the process is, not just whether tasks are getting done. So it's less about individual to dos and more about that overall flow of value. Yeah. Actually.
And there are a few key areas we wanna focus on. 1 is, well, flow. Okay. Makes sense. We wanna understand how smoothly work is moving through that value stream we talked about.
Are there any bottlenecks causing delays? Are we delivering value at a consistent pace? Yeah. I could see how getting stuck somewhere along the way would be a big red flag, a sign that something needs to be adjusted. Exactly.
And there are a few metrics that help us get a handle on flow, things like cycle time, lead time, and throughput. Okay. Break those down for me. What do those actually tell us? Sure.
So cycle time measures how long it takes to complete a specific task from start to finish. Lead time looks at the entire time it takes to get value to the customer from the initial request all the way to implementation. And throughput, that's all about the amount of work completed within a set time frame. So it's like having these different lenses to look at the flow of work, each giving us a slightly different perspective. Exactly.
By keeping an eye on these metrics, teams can spot those areas for improvement, reduce waste of time, and ultimately deliver value more quickly. Okay. So we've got flow covered. But what about quality? How do we make sure we're measuring that effectively in agile?
Well, one of the core principles of agile is building quality in from the very beginning, not trying to test it in at the end. So our metrics should reflect that. Right. So instead of counting bugs after the software is built, we're trying to prevent them in the 1st place. Exactly.
Metrics like defect escape rate, which measures how many bugs actually make it into production, can be a really useful indicator of a team's overall quality practices. It's like having that safety net to catch problems before they impact a customer. Exactly. And things like code coverage, which tells you how much of your code base is covered by automated tests. That gives you insights into the team's commitment to quality.
So it's not just about writing code. It's about writing code that's well tested and reliable. Absolutely. And remember, quality goes beyond just bugs. It's also about how well the software meets the customer's needs and how easy it is to maintain in the future.
Okay. So we've talked about flow. We've talked about quality. But there's one more piece I'm really curious about. How do we measure value?
Are we truly delivering something that matters to the customer? Yes. Value. This is where things can get a little trickier. Value isn't always easy to quantify.
It could be subjective and vary from customer to customer. So how do we even approach it? What metrics can give us some guidance? One approach is to focus on customer satisfaction. Are customers happy with the product?
Are we meeting their needs? Are they likely to recommend us to others? Yeah. That's a good indicator. Right?
Happy customers, that's usually a good sign. Right. And there are different ways to gauge that satisfaction. Surveys, feedback forms, even tracking customer churn rate. It's like taking the pulse of your customer base, making sure they're feeling good about the product and the experience.
Exactly. Another approach is tracking the business impact of our work. Are we seeing an increase in sales or customer engagement? Are those key business metrics moving in the right direction? So it's not just about building cool features for the sake of it.
It's about building features that actually make a difference for the business. Precisely. And those metrics, they'll vary depending on the company and product. But aligning our work with those bigger goals and tracking our progress, that's key. This is all so insightful.
I feel like we've really uncovered how agile teams work and how they measure success. But are there any common pitfalls? Things that teams, especially new teams, might accidentally get wrong. Oh, absolutely. One of the biggest dangers is getting too fixated on the metrics themselves and losing sight of the bigger picture.
So it's not about blindly chasing numbers. It's about understanding what those numbers actually mean. Exactly. Metrics should be a guide, not a dictator. They should provide insights, not drive behavior in a way that's counterproductive.
It's like using a map to navigate but not letting the map dictate your destination. That's a great way to put it. Another common pitfall is using the wrong metrics. It's so important to choose metrics that are actually relevant to your team's goals, metrics that reflect the true value you're delivering. So it's about being thoughtful and intentional about those metrics, not just grabbing whatever is easiest to measure.
Exactly. The right metrics, they empower the team and provide valuable insights. The wrong ones can lead to frustration and misaligned priorities. This has been an incredible deep dive. We've covered so much ground from those foundational principles of agile all the way to the nuances of measuring success.
It really has been quite a journey. And remember, this is just the beginning. Agile is a philosophy that's constantly evolving. There's always more to learn and explore. Oh, I'm definitely feeling inspired to keep learning and experimenting with these concepts.
Any final words of wisdom for our listeners as they embark on their own agile adventures? Embrace the journey. Agile is all about continuous improvement. So be prepared to experiment, learn from your mistakes, and adapt your approach as you go. That's great advice.
And don't be afraid to ask for help. Connect with other agile practitioners. Share your experiences. Absolutely. The agile community is incredibly supportive and collaborative.
Don't hesitate to reach out. Well, this has been a fantastic deep dive. Thank you so much for sharing your insights and expertise. It's been my pleasure. And to our listeners, thanks for joining us on this journey into the world of agile.
Keep learning, keep experimenting, and keep striving to build amazing things. Until next time.
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