How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.

Introducing the next evolution in autonomous collaboration.

Over the years the way projects and teams operate in software development has changed quite a bit. From projects were teams were sliced vertically per discipline, to multi-disciplinary and cross-functional teams in agile approaches and frameworks. Now, as a consequence of increasing velocity, DevOps, DevSecOps and continuous delivery, we are on the move again. In Sander's vision, teams that will be even smaller than in agile, and much more fluent.

Sander has been experimenting with collaboration in teams for years and reasons about this next evolution of collaboration as areas, collectives, and microteams. This talk illustrates how organizations and teams doing software and product development can transition to focus on delivering value using the ever-evolving and self-organizing power of microteams and how to get there using a combination of models, such as Cynefin, the Golden Circle, innovation funnels and backlogs, autonomy, and fewer rules.

Transcript

1. How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
   Introducing the next evolution of autonomous collaboration
   Sander Hoogendoorn
   Founder at ditisagile.nl
   Chief architect at Quby
   @aahoogendoorn
   @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
   

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2. Sander Hoogendoorn
   Freelance new-agile coach, trainer,
   programmer, speaker, author, traveler, dad
   Currently
   Chief Architect Quby
   Before
   CTO ANVA
   CTO Klaverblad Verzekeringen
   Global agile thoughtleader Capgemini
   sanderhoogendoorn.com
   aahoogendoorn
   aahoogendoorn
   sander@ditisagile.nl
   Next
   @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
   

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3. Click here
   @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
   

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4. A short history of thinkers and workers
   @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
   Submit
   

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5. Click here
   Craftsmanship
   Organizing work
   in earlier days
   @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate.
   Again.
   

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6. Click here
   Industrialization changed
   everything
   Even the way
   we do our work today
   @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate.
   Again.
   

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7. Click here
   What we are all looking for, however, is the readymade,
   competent man; the man whom some one else has trained.
   It is only when we fully realize that our duty, as well as our
   opportunity, lies in systematically cooperating to train and to
   make this competent man, instead of in hunting for a man
   whom some one else has trained, that we shall be on the
   road to national efficiency.
   Frederick Taylor
   @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
   Scientific management
   

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8. Click here
   Thinkers
   and workers
   Efficiency through standardization
   and simplification
   @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate.
   Again.
   

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9. Click here
   The carrot
   and the stick
   A fair day's pay
   for a fair day's work
   @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate.
   Again.
   

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10. Click here
    Why is it every time I ask for a pair of hands,
    they come with a brain attached?
    Henry Ford
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    Give me monkeys, please
    

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11. Click here
    “Building” software
    Using the wrong metaphors
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate.
    Again.
    

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12. Read more …
    Software development as an assembly
    line
    We build software
    Centralized decision
    making
    Detailed linear processes
    Thinkers versus doers
    Micro-management of
    individual tasks
    Little creativity
    

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13. Click here
    Linear software development
    So far, the project has cost 220M Euro,
    which is an overrun of over 200M Euro,
    compared to the original 7M Euro project.
    

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14. The Times
    They Are a-Changin'
    Much faster than you think
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    Continue
    

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15. Read more …
    Moore’s Law
    The number of
    transistors in a dense
    integrated circuit
    doubles approximately
    every two years.
    

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16. Click here
    1954
    

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17. 1981
    The IBM Personal Computer 5150
    The simplest configuration has 16K on-board RAM and uses an audio cassette to
    load and save data. A floppy drive is optional. A hard drive was not supported.
    A system for home or school with a memory of 64K bytes, a single diskette drive
    and its own display, was priced around $3,000.
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    

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18. 2006
    Amazon EC2
    Amazon launched its Elastic Compute cloud (EC2) as a commercial
    web service that allows small companies and individuals to rent
    computers on which to run their own computer applications.
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    

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19. About disruption
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    Read more …
    

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20. More …
    Fintech challenges
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    Apple announces Apple Card credit card
    

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21. We live in a world where anyone can enter
    any market, from anywhere at any time
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    Continue
    

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22. Click here
    Welcome
    to the world
    of small
    moveable parts
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23. Click here
    Even shorter
    cycles
    Continuous
    flow
    Small
    services
    Features
    over projects
    Even smaller
    teams
    Self-organizing
    and autonomous
    Even smaller
    components
    Microservices
    and serverless
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    

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24. Click here
    Even shorter
    cycles
    Continuous
    flow
    Small
    services
    Features
    over projects
    Even smaller
    teams
    Self-organizing
    and autonomous
    Even smaller
    components
    Microservices
    and serverless
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    

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25. Complex problems require continuous exploration
    

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26. Click here
    “We are operating in a new and fast moving
    market. Nobody has invented a profitable
    business model for this market yet.”
    Arnoud Snijder
    Quby
    Where are we?
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    

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27. We are here
    

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28. Click here
    “In a chaotic context, searching for right answers
    would be pointless: the relationships between
    cause and effect are impossible to determine
    because they shift constantly and no
    manageable patterns exist — only turbulence.
    This is the realm of unknowables.”
    Dave Snowden
    Chaotic contexts
    “The chaotic domain is nearly always the best
    place for leaders to impel innovation.”
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    

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29. Click here
    The iron triangle of project management?
    

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30. Click here
    Detailed planning?
    

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31. Favor delivering small and continuously
    over executing projects
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    Continue
    

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32. Big products?
    Comfortable Home
    1.0
    Comfortable Home
    2.0
    Comfortable Home
    3.0
    Q1 Q2 Q3
    

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33. Small monetizable services
    Account
    API
    Product
    API
    Check
    Waste
    Schedule
    API
    Org
    API
    Account
    API 2.0
    Asset
    API
    Contract
    API
    Weather
    API
    Product
    API 2.0
    Waste
    API
    Product
    API 3.0
    Notify
    Leakage
    Notify
    Schedule
    Reset
    Account
    Hue
    API
    Q1 Q2 Q3
    

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34. Click here
    A landscape of small services
    

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35. @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    

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36. Click here
    Even shorter
    cycles
    Continuous
    flow
    Small
    services
    Features
    over projects
    Even smaller
    teams
    Self-organizing
    and autonomous
    Even smaller
    components
    Microservices
    and serverless
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    

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37. Click here
    Even shorter
    cycles
    Continuous
    flow
    Small
    services
    Features
    over projects
    Even smaller
    teams
    Self-organizing
    and autonomous
    Even smaller
    components
    Microservices
    and serverless
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    

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38. Even shorter cycles
    Agile beyond Scrum ceremonies
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    Continue
    

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39. Click here
    What does doing agile really mean?
    

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40. Click here
    Lowering our fences
    

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41. Click here
    Dogmagile
    

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42. Click here
    The red sprint anti-pattern
    

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43. Click here
    The agile manifesto
    To satisfy the customer through early and continuous
    delivery of valuable software
    

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44. Click here
    The agile manifesto
    To satisfy the customer through early and continuous
    delivery of valuable software
    

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45. Stop sprinting
    But rather simplify, standardize, automate
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    Next
    

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46. Click here
    Deliver continuously
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    Again.
    

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47. Click here
    Continuous flow
    

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48. Click here
    Automate everything
    

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49. Click here
    Automate everything
    

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50. Click here
    Keep it small and simple
    

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51. @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    

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52. Click here
    Even shorter
    cycles
    Continuous
    flow
    Small
    services
    Features
    over projects
    Even smaller
    teams
    Self-organizing
    and autonomous
    Even smaller
    components
    Microservices
    and serverless
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    

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53. Click here
    Even shorter
    cycles
    Continuous
    flow
    Small
    services
    Features
    over projects
    Even smaller
    teams
    Self-organizing
    and autonomous
    Even smaller
    components
    Microservices
    and serverless
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    

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54. Traditional agile doesn’t
    solve modern issues
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    

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55. Click here
    Autonomy
    and
    self-organization
    Issue 0
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate.
    Again.
    

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56. Click here
    Self-organization is hard
    

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57. Click here
    How to draw an owl
    

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58. Click here
    Autonomous teams?
    

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59. Click here
    The living room work space
    

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60. Click here
    Mandatory fun
    

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61. Fewer rules
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    Continue
    

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62. Click here
    Medan, Indonesia. September 2018
    

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63. Click here
    De Meern, The Netherlands. July 2018
    

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64. Click here
    Working 9-to-5 ?
    Issue 1
    What a way to make a livin’
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate.
    Again.
    

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65. Click here
    The programmers mind
    Issue 2
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate.
    Again.
    

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66. Click here
    How the minds of developers really work
    

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67. Click here
    Low availability
    of “resources”
    Issue 3
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate.
    Again.
    

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68. Click here
    We’re everywhere
    

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69. Click here
    Low availability
    Tight market
    Extremely tight market
    

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70. Click here
    We are all T-shaped
    

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71. Read more …
    Gig workers
    T-shaped
    There when wanted
    Remote when needed
    Gets the work done
    Personal productivity
    Often freelance
    Recharge on their own conditions
    Continuously learn and mature
    Technology enabled
    Feel free to experiment
    Collaborative at heart
    

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72. Click here
    Communication
    is hard
    Issue 4
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate.
    Again.
    

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73. Click here
    Too many meetings, too many rituals
    Sprint planning
    Refinements
    Daily stand-ups
    Management meetings
    Demo’s
    Retrospectives
    Skype calls
    Guild meetings
    Backlog grooming
    T-shirt sizing
    Planning poker
    Open floor plans
    

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74. Click here
    Clear communication is key
    

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75. We don’t need more collaboration,
    we need better collaboration
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    

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76. Full day refinements with the whole team?
    

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77. Click here
    We suck
    at estimation
    Issue 5
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate.
    Again.
    

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78. Click here
    The Law of Large Numbers
    

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79. Click here
    Counting beats planning poker
    

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80. Click here
    Planning poker? T-shirt sizing?
    

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81. Click here
    Red sprints
    Issue 6
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate.
    Again.
    

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82. Click here
    The red sprint anti-pattern
    

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83. Click here
    Software development
    is too complex
    for Scrum teams
    Issue 7
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate.
    Again.
    

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84. Click here
    The programmer has to be able to
    think in terms of conceptual
    hierarchies that are much deeper
    than a single mind ever needed to
    face before.
    Edsger Dijkstra
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85. Click here
    Software development is complex
    Architect
    Domain
    expert
    UX
    Front-end
    Back-end
    Mobile
    QA
    Ops
    AWS
    

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86. Click here
    No two work items require the same skillset
    Architect
    Domain
    expert
    Back-end
    QA
    Architect
    Front-end
    

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87. Click here
    The framework
    doesn’t work
    Issue 8
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate.
    Again.
    

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88. Click here
    What does being agile really mean?
    

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89. Click here
    Does agile scale?
    

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90. Click here
    Holacracy and hierarchy?
    

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91. Click here
    Sociocracy?
    

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92. Click here
    Enterprise agile transformations?
    

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93. Click here
    Let’s all copy Spotify!
    You are not Spotify!
    (unless you actually are Spotify)
    

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94. Click here
    Find your
    own way!
    Don’t just
    copy
    someone else’s
    model
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate.
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95. @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    

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96. Optimize for speed, agility and adaptability
    The innovation board and the funnel
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    Continue
    

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97. Click here
    The dot at the horizon?
    “We aim to become the most sought-after consultancy in Europe”
    

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98. Click here
    Why do you exist? What do you want to be?
    How are you going to get there?
    What is it you will do / produce to get there?
    Simon Sinek
    The Golden Circle
    Who do you do it for? Who are your
    customers?
    @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
    

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99. The dot at the horizon?
    

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100. You are here
     

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101. Products and features
     

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102. Areas and bounded contexts
     Waste
     Energy
     Water
     

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103. The funnel
     Waste
     Energy
     Water
     

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104. Portfolio board
     Waste
     Energy
     Water
     

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105. The funnel
     Waste
     Energy
     Water
     

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106. Portfolio meetings
     Waste
     Energy
     Water
     Is it
     actionable?
     Is it too
     big?
     Does it help us
     reach our goal?
     Do we need
     this now?
     Someyday
     maybe?
     

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107. More …
     The innovation
     board and
     the funnel
     @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
     

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108. Introducing collectives and microteams
     Towards smaller, shorter, faster
     @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
     More …
     

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109. Click here
     Traditional teams Agile teams
     

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110. Click here
     The New Cool Collective
     

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111. Click here
     A collective
     Water
     Security
     Infra
     Market research
     Architect
     UX
     Front-end Mobile
     QA
     Ops
     AWS
     Expert
     Dev
     

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112. Click here
     Microteams
     @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate.
     Again.
     

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113. Read more …
     The microteam recipe
     1. Pick
     2. Form
     3. Discuss
     4. Work
     5. Report as done
     6. Disband
     7. Repeat
     

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114. Click here
     Microteams
     

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115. Click here
     Microteams
     

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116. Click here
     Microteams
     

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117. Click here
     Microteams
     

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118. Read more …
     What about leadership?
     Leaders are not necessarily
     managers
     Managers are not necessarily
     leaders
     Take steps to give up control
     Think in flow, not in
     continuity
     Leadership is contextual
     Trust your people
     Trust the group
     

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119. Read more …
     Why microteams?
     Leadership is contextual
     Less but better communication
     Broaden your skills fast
     Stop sprinting
     Fewer estimates
     Stop refinements
     Work where and when you want
     

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120. @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
     

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121. Click here
     Even shorter
     cycles
     Continuous
     flow
     Small
     services
     Features
     over projects
     Even smaller
     teams
     Self-organizing
     and autonomous
     Even smaller
     components
     Microservices
     and serverless
     @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
     

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122. Click here
     In retrospective
     Some final thoughts
     @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate.
     Again.
     

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123. Complex problems require continuous exploration
     

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124. Click here
     Beyond the point of no return
     

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125. Find your own way!
     Don’t just copy someone else’s model
     @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
     

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126. It only takes one person
     to start a change
     @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
     

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127. @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
     

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128. Never stop learning
     Continue
     @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
     

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129. And never forget to have fun
     @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
     Next
     

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130. @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate. Again.
     

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131. Click here
     References
     and questions
     www.sanderhoogendoorn.com
     aahoogendoorn
     aahoogendoorn
     sander@ditisagile.nl
     quby.com/careers
     We are hiring!
     sanderhoogendoorn.com/decks-and-handouts
     @aahoogendoorn | How microteams change the way we collaborate.
     Again.
     

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