This document discusses how to scale agile practices from individual teams to multiple teams working on large programs. Some key points include: - Programs are more complex and risky than individual projects as they involve coordinating multiple teams and deliverables. - Successful programs had clear visions, deliverables, feature teams delivering work frequently, testing, and trust/respect across teams. - Scaling requires autonomy for teams, collaboration across teams, and exploration of new approaches. Information must flow freely rather than be restricted by hierarchies. - Small world networks of connected teams provide both autonomy and collaboration better than hierarchies. Continual planning and frequent releases are also important.

1. Agile & Lean Program Management:
Scaling Collaboration Across the
Organization
Johanna Rothman
@johannarothman
www.jrothman.com

2. © 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman 2

3. © 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman
What Worked?
• Clear program vision
• Clear deliverables
• Feature teams who
delivered at least every
day
• Unit tests and system tests
as support
• Respect and trust across
the organization
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Trust
Respect
Delivery

4. © 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman
Program Management
• Organizing and
coordinating several
projects’ results into one
deliverable.
• That deliverable has the
value to the organization.
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5. © 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman
Programs Are Riskier Than
Projects
• Projects don’t scale
linearly
• The larger and the longer
the program, the more
risky it is
• The more pieces the
program has, the more
risky it has
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6. © 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman
Programs are Complex or
Complicated
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Agile Teams
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Scale from One Team to
Many Teams?
• What do you need to
scale collaboration from
one team to multiple
teams?
• Hint: you do not need a
framework
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9. © 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman
“Scaling” Agile requires:
Autonomy
Collaboration
Exploration
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10. © 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman
Use Sense-Making to Assist
the Program
• Where do you have
unknowns?
• What can you do to move
from unknown to known?
• What principles work?
• Think and experiment:
• Probe, sense, respond
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11. © 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman
Organize the Teams
• Teams decide if they use
iterations or flow as long
as they deliver often
• Small batch size and
continuous integration
• Evolving architecture
• Plan to replan
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12. © 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman
Collaborate Across the
Organization
• Transparency of progress
• Transparent and pervasive
communication
• Problem-solving autonomy
• Hierarchies slow
everything down
• Information has to flow
freely around the
organization
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13. © 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman
What’s the Most Effective
Way to Move Information
InYour Organization?
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Rumor Mill
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Small World Networks
• Small world networks are
more-and-less connected agile
teams
• How connected are you to
everyone else?
• Some of you are highly
connected
• Some less so
• Programs take advantage of the
network so they don’t need
hierarchies
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16. © 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman
Use Small-World Networks
• Feature teams take
responsibility
• Small-world networks
provide autonomy and
collaboration
• Communities of practice
help with exploration
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17. © 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman
Roadmaps & Backlogs
Provide Team Autonomy
• Roadmap is the wish list
• Backlog is what teams will
do
• Rank everything by value
• Sometimes learning
about risk is valuable
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18. © 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman
Typical Roadmap
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Reality of Plans…
• Some feature sets have
more changes, more
features
• Arrival rate of changes/new
features is unpredictable
• Some features more
valuable than others
• Leads to pressure on teams
to do “more” & “change”
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20. © 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman
Continual Planning
One month rolling wave: time based
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One quarter lean roadmap: scope-based

21. © 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman
Change is Key
• The more often you
release, the more
successful the product
will be
• Fast feedback all over the
program
• Inspect and adapt
• Value-based approach to
product development
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22. © 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman
Lean is Essential
• See the flow of work
all over the
organization
• Manage WIP
• Create knowledge
• See the whole
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23. © 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman
Collaborate with Tests &
Integration
• Create a program
environment where
people can collaborate
• Tests and CI help teams
collaborate
• Safe places to explore
• Autonomous teams
• Deliver features often
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24. © 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman
Agile Changes Program
Management
• Teams (not managers) manage:
• Commitment
• How they build features
• Evolve architecture
• Program management
• Removes obstacles
• Collects and explains
program status
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Core Program Team
• Manages
organizational
risks
• Shepherds
product business
value
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Software Program Team
• Resolves obstacles
for technical teams
• Shepherds business
value of the
architecture, the
code, the testing…
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Seeing Program Progress
• Program level measures!
• Working product is the
best measure
• Do not even think
about using team
velocities and merging
them
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Product Backlog Burnup
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Release Frequency, Costs &
Decisions
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Agile and Lean Program
Management Scales
• Trust teams to do their
work (autonomy)
• Release often (to see
progress and invite
collaboration)
• Frequent releases
encourage exploration
• It’s agile and lean all the
way down
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31. © 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman
Let’s Stay in Touch
• Pragmatic Manager:
• www.jrothman.com/
pragmaticmanager
• Please link with me on
LinkedIn
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