SPA Conference session: Dreaming - how business intent fuels your Agile initiatives

One-line description:
 
Session format: Workshop - 75 mins. [read about the different session types]
 
Abstract:Bringing something from inception to completion (e.g. a software project) is a non-linear journey that some seem better at traveling, while others get lost or struggle.

Using an innovative organizational model based on three key elements (Intent, Order, Action) you'll see how these can be used to represent and improve the processes, artifacts, roles and dynamics in a mature Agile team or company, therefore helping the team to stay aligned with the business intent of the project and travel the journey to successful completion in a more effective and proactive way.

Specifically we'll address the relevance, for leaders, of considering the business intent of the projects they are involved into as an integral part of their organizational model, as well as a driving force that can be shared with -- and fostered by - the entire team.

We'll also see how the Agile practices that you already have in place not only can help you to "incrementally deliver working units of code", but also and foremost to foster cohesion and alignment into that social fabric of your team.

Attend this session to bring more proactivity into your team, more creativity, and more alignment to the business goal of your projects.
 
Audience background:* At least one year of professional practice in iterative Agile software development.
* Good experience in leading Agile teams or managing Agile software development projects.
 
Benefits of participating:* As a leader, help your team to connect to the intent and vision of your business initiative and be part of it
* Invigorate product development and innovation in your team and company
* Appreciate iterative, Agile software development as a framework to proactively generate business value and reach a shared goal
* Increase goal alignment and cooperation at the different organizational levels
* Learn practical exercises that you can bring back to your team
 
Materials provided:Forms to run the group exercises.
 
Process:After an initial talk, we'll proceed with a group exercise.

The concepts presented in the talk correlate the relevance of organizational intent with the Agile practices, ceremonies, roles and artifacts that many people currently use.

The purpose is to shed new light on the role of a proctive, creative business intent as opposed to a reactive approach determined by causes outside of the project goal (fixing technical debt, for instance).

Many organizations and teams suffer from losing their focus on that proactive intent, and this workshop is designed to help them re-connect to it.

From my experience using the model in practice and from presenting it at conferences, many people get inspired from this new perspective.

The exercises will be done in groups of four-five people, in which one person, the "client", describes their project and team, in words and also using specific forms I'll provide. The other people in the group listen and act as "consultants".

The exercise is structured in three phases: in the first one, the "client" explains their current situation, including a description of the level of proactivity in the team; in the second phase, insights on the current situation will be be shared with the group; in the third phase, concrete actions for improvements will be devised, with the help of the "consultants" (a classical retrospective structure, if you wish).

Time permitting, people may take turns in describing their own project.

During the exercise I'll be walking among the tables to answer the occasional question on the mechanics of the exercise. However, I'm confident that the instructions and tools that people receive will minimize my need for direct involvement during the exercise.

After the exercise slot, I will take open questions from the audience and allow time for a few comments or insight sharing.
 
Detailed timetable:This workshop is based on a talk that I presented a few times and it's divided in three parts:

* 30-35 minutes to present the talk and the concepts
* 30-35 minutes for guided exercises for the attendees
* the rest of the time for Q&A and comments
 
Outputs:
 
History:Agile Central Europe 2013 - Krakow
Agile Prague 2013 - Prague
Agile Eastern Europe 2013 - Kiev
Better Software 2013 - Florence

Slides:
http://www.slideshare.net/provaglio/dreaming-18795407

Video:
http://vimeo.com/78808366
 
Presenters
1. Andrea Provaglio
Andrea Provaglio
2. 3.