AW9 ConcurrentSession11/11/152:45pm

“Agile Adoption in Risk-Averse Environments”

Presented by:

Brian Duncan

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory

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Brian Duncan

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory

Passionate about software development, Brian Duncan has led highly efficient software teams in the commercial and government sectors for more than twenty years. Having introduced agile software methods in two very different cultural organizations, Brian understands the steps necessary for technical training, social engineering, and project adoption at all levels of the company hierarchy. A strong leader, coach, and technical manager, Brian knows how to help people reach their maximum potential in small agile teams. Currently working agile adoption at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Brian works with multidisciplinary teams developing space projects for NASA and DoD sponsors. Contact him at brian.duncan@jhuapl.edu.

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Agile Adoption in

Risk-Averse Environments

Brian P. Duncan

11 November, 2015

Introduction

• This talk is not “Agile 101”

• Purpose of this presentation: helping agile

get incorporated into your environment

• Especially if your organization is not

necessarily open to change

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Organizational Culture

• Why organizational cultures exist

• How they get formed

Organizational Culture

Two Possible Characteristics:

• resistance to change

• risk aversion

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Risk Aversion: Framing Effect

Beautiful and spacious California home for sale…

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Risk Aversion: Framing Effect

Or…

Risk Aversion

• Decision making : judging of probability

• Expected Utility Theory (EUT)

• Prospect Theory (PT)

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Bureaucracy

Personalities Influence Thinking

“Scientist vs. engineer vs. artisan”

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Agile Adoption

• Have a clearly stated goal

• What does success look like?

• Evolution or Revolution?

• You must know your organization

Two Different Organizations

Organization A:

- bottom-line

- time-to-market

- hardware and

software

- product lines

- chain of

command

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Two Different Organizations Organization B:

- not-for-profit

- research-focused laboratory

- trusted agent of government

Organization A (product driven)

• Motivation for change

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Organization A (product driven)

• Organizational culture

• Efforts at agile adoption - Empowered small co-located team

- Product owner representation

- Feature-driven development

- Localized agile adoption success

Organization B (laboratory)

• Organizational culture - Brilliant staff and leaders (highly educated)

- Empowered individuals; consensus helps

- Medium/Large size matrixed org

- Time available to think

• Motivation for change

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How do we take that leap of faith?

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Step 1: Create a Movement

• Strength of this organization is

its staff

• Ignite an Innovative Spirit

• Introducing… “Central Spark”

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Step 2: Educate

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Educate

• Brown-bag lunches

• Agile Training classes

• Agile Panel Discussions

• “Agile Central” – support system

Step 3: Socialize

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Educational Thrust

Step 4: Find a

Pathfinder Project

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Step 5: Project Successes Remote Monitoring and Control Equipment

for a Defense SATCOM System

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Project Successes

ORS Tech 1 and 2

Takeaways

• People’s risk intolerance varies per role

• You must understand your organizational

culture to bring about change

• Set goals for “Agile Adoption”

• Lay out a plan – know who makes decisions

in your organization

• Be patient – look for success along the way

• Don’t be afraid to be an agent of change!

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Questions?