Towards sustainable learning, designing, and decision-making

This keynote talk articulates many threads of thinking and also work I am doing with different clients, trying to position and define how to help organizations truly advance on their journey towards sustainable learning, designing and decision-making (which, in my view, is fundamental to achieve a sustainable fast flow of change). I discuss challenges and common pitfalls and then go into sharing some concrete things that seem to help advance in that journey (using several examples).

Transcript

1. Towards sustainable learning,
   designing, and decision-making
   Eduardo da Silva, PhD
   (esilva.net | modernarch.consulting | @emgsilva | eduardo@esilva.net)
   Agile Tour Vienna 2023, 14/09/2023
   

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2. 2
   Sustainable Fast Flow of Change
   ❤
   Sustainable Learning, Designing and Decision-making
   Photo by Ronaldo de Oliveira on Unsplash
   2
   

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3. Organizations that are not enabling sustainable
   Learning, designing and decision-making will struggle
   to respond to their environment
   3
   Photo by Cole Patrick on Unsplash
   3
   

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5. 5
   “Learning is a process that
   leads to change, which
   occurs as a result of
   experience and increases
   the potential for improved
   performance and future
   learning”
   Ambrose et al., 2010
   

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6. 6
   ⚠ It is not just about
   learning, but how to
   leverage that learning to
   drive designs & decisions
   

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7. 7
   bol.com 1999 - 2019
   Things sold
   Services
   Significant events
   

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8. 8
   bol.com 1999 - 2019
   ℹ bol.com had no clue of their journey…
   They experimented & learned what works (and not)
   

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9. 9
   Photo by Simon Berger on Unsplash
   9
   

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10. 10
    Image & Credits: https://thecynefin.co/about-us/about-cynefin-framework
    

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11. 11
    Image & Credits: https://thecynefin.co/about-us/about-cynefin-framework
    Most modern orgs have a
    lot of activities here…
    “Best practices” and
    expert knowledge is not
    enough! We need to
    “probe > sense > respond”
    

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12. 12
    Image & Credits: https://thecynefin.co/about-us/about-cynefin-framework
    Most modern orgs have a
    lot of activities here…
    “Best practices” and
    expert knowledge is not
    enough! We need to
    “probe > sense > respond”
    ⚠many organizations
    are using practices from
    these domains to work
    on their “Complex
    Domains”...
    ☹
    

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13. 13
    Image & Credits: https://thecynefin.co/about-us/about-cynefin-framework
    Most modern orgs are
    here…
    Unpredictable but “all is
    inter-connected”
    “Best practices” and
    expert knowledge is not
    enough! We need to
    “probe > sense > respond”
    ⚠many organizations
    are using practices from
    these domains to work
    on their “Complex
    Domains”...
    ⚠classic “controlling operating models” and “Ivory
    Tower Architects” do not work well on Complex
    Domains!
    

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14. 14
    Inspired by: Reflections: Sociotechnical Systems Design and Organization Change
    

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15. 15
    Inspired by: Reflections: Sociotechnical Systems Design and Organization Change
    

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16. 16
    stretching our teams/org & creating
    complex processes => increasingly
    messier social and technical systems
    (⚠Conway’s Law)
    Inspired by: Reflections: Sociotechnical Systems Design and Organization Change
    

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17. 17
    Inspired by: Reflections: Sociotechnical Systems Design and Organization Change
    

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18. 18
    Inspired by: Reflections: Sociotechnical Systems Design and Organization Change
    

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19. 19
    Photo by Quino Al on Unsplash
    Outcome: continuously “fight” against the environment
    (external & internal)...
    

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20. 🏭🤖 These mechanistic org structures & Controlling
    Operating models limit the dynamics & agility that
    modern orgs need (& create lot of waste!)
    20
    Photo by Cole Patrick on Unsplash
    20
    

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21. 21
    Inspired by: Reflections: Sociotechnical Systems Design and Organization Change
    

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22. 22
    💡Creating org cultures & structures that nurture
    sustainable learning, designing and decision-making
    Photo by Ronaldo de Oliveira on Unsplash
    22
    

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23. 🎯 Sustainable Fast Flow of Change Operating Models 🌳
    23
    Sociotechnical Systems Evolution & Architecture, Eduardo da Silva
    

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24. 🎯 Sustainable Fast Flow of Change Operating Models 🌳
    24
    Sociotechnical Systems Evolution & Architecture, Eduardo da Silva
    How to get there?
    

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25. 25
    🔬Learning: minimal and
    made in isolation
    📝Designing: outside teams
    (by Architects and
    controlled Managers)
    🤝Decision-making: outside
    teams (by Architects and
    Managers (“boss”))
    🔬Learning: maximized
    across the org (no
    silos)
    📝Designing: in teams &
    with teams involvement
    🤝Decision-making: in
    teams close to problems
    

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26. 26
    bol.com 1999 - 2019
    

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27. 27
    Tech
    Arch
    Org
    (&
    Way
    of
    Work)
    Prod
    Tech
    Org
    (&
    Way
    of
    Work)
    bol.com 1999 - 2019 (SocioTechnical Architecture evolution)
    Arch.
    

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28. 28
    Tech
    Arch
    Org
    (&
    Way
    of
    Work)
    Prod
    Monoliths
    Tech
    Org
    (&
    Way
    of
    Work)
    Waterfall
    Phase 1 (1999 - ~2010): Starting, waterfall & monoliths
    Arch. Centralized (by Architects)
    

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29. 29
    Tech
    Arch
    Org
    (&
    Way
    of
    Work)
    Prod
    Monoliths
    Tech
    Org
    (&
    Way
    of
    Work)
    Waterfall
    Phase 1 (1999 - ~2010): Starting, waterfall & monoliths
    Arch. Centralized (by Architects)
    ⚠
    “need for scaling”
    

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30. 30
    Tech
    Arch
    Org
    (&
    Way
    of
    Work)
    Prod
    Monoliths
    Tech
    Org
    (&
    Way
    of
    Work)
    Waterfall Agile DevOps Teams
    (Micro)services
    ~30
    ~10
    Phase 2 (~2010 - ~2017): Autonomous Teams
    Arch. Centralized (by Architects) Teams + Archs
    “need for scaling”
    

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31. 31
    Tech
    Arch
    Org
    (&
    Way
    of
    Work)
    Prod
    Monoliths
    Tech
    Org
    (&
    Way
    of
    Work)
    Waterfall Agile DevOps Teams
    (Micro)services
    ~30
    ~10
    Phase 2 (~2010 - ~2017): Autonomous Teams
    Arch. Centralized (by Architects) Teams + Archs
    “need for scaling”
    

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32. 🟠 Many organizations stop here:
    ● Many “autonomous teams” owning different parts
    ● “Architects & Managers” managing things around
    them”
    ● Product & Tech Silos
    32
    

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33. ⚠ Some Issues:
    ● Blind focus on adding “little scopes” of work (to
    manage teams cognitive load)
    ● ad-hoc connected islands - with product sending
    “messages in a bottle”
    …this does not help to maximize Learning “What is
    important”
    33
    

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34. 🟢 What to do?
    ● Listen to the Awkward Interactions
    ● Get Architects & Managers (& Coaches) - and other
    people around the teams, to help addressing those
    awkward interactions…
    34
    

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35. 35
    Tech
    Arch
    Org
    (&
    Way
    of
    Work)
    Prod
    Monoliths
    Tech
    Org
    (&
    Way
    of
    Work)
    Waterfall Agile DevOps Teams
    (Micro)services
    ~30
    ~100
    ~10 ~600
    Phase 2 (~2010 - ~2017): Autonomous Teams
    Arch. Centralized (by Architects) Teams + Architects (anything around teams)
    ⚠
    ⚠
    ⚠
    ⚠
    

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36. 36
    Photo by Alina Grubnyak on Unsplash
    🕸 org is a network of teams and scopes. Looking at
    “team scope” in isolation is not enough!
    

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37. 37
    Photo by Alina Grubnyak on Unsplash
    🎯 enable Learning across all the org “Scopes” so
    teams & org can better achieve their purpose & goals and
    respond to their environment
    

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38. “A system is more than the
    sum of its parts… It loses
    its essential properties
    when it is taken apart…“
    Russell Ackoff
    38
    On Systems Thinking, Russell Ackoff
    

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39. 39
    Tech
    Arch
    Org
    (&
    Way
    of
    Work)
    Prod
    Monoliths
    Products
    Tech
    Org
    (&
    Way
    of
    Work)
    Waterfall Agile
    Product Teams
    DevOps Teams
    (Micro)services
    ~30
    ~100
    ~10 ~600 ~50
    Phase 3 (~2017 - ??): Product organization
    Arch. Centralized (by Architects) Teams + Architects (anything around teams)
    Teams (+ Enabling Product Architects)
    “need for
    sustainable fast
    flow of change”
    

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40. Re-adjusting Organization Structure
    ● Team scope has all
    disciplines needed
    (including “product” and
    “tech”)
    ● Product scope groups teams
    working on related value
    streams
    ● Product Group scope tends
    to be a way to scale
    related product (scopes) -
    less common
    40
    Product Taxonomy, Ross Clanton, Amy Walters, Jason Zubrick, Pat Birkeland, Mik Kersten, Alan Nance, and Anders Wallgren
    

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41. ● “Product Leadership” team
    (e.g., Engineering Manager
    + Product Manager + Tech
    Lead) works as an Enabling
    Team
    41
    Product Taxonomy, Ross Clanton, Amy Walters, Jason Zubrick, Pat Birkeland, Mik Kersten, Alan Nance, and Anders Wallgren
    Re-adjusting Organization Structures
    

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42. 🟢 Semi-Autonomous Teams with clearer Alignment
    ✅ Team is involved into the important discussions to
    maximize learning
    ✅ Architects (& Managers) become “Enabling
    Architects” - “how can I help teams learn more, design
    and decide better and sooner?”
    42
    

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43. 43
    Tech
    Arch
    Org
    (&
    Way
    of
    Work)
    Prod
    Monoliths
    Products
    Tech
    Org
    (&
    Way
    of
    Work)
    Waterfall Agile
    Product Teams
    DevOps Teams
    (Micro)services
    ~30
    ~100
    ~10 ~600 ~50
    bol.com 1999 - 2019
    Arch. Centralized (by Architects) Teams + Architects (anything around teams)
    Teams (+ Enabling Product Architects)
    “need for scaling” “sustainable fast
    flow of change”
    

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44. ⚠ Mind this middle…
    the “transformation”
    this seems to be the
    place where most orgs
    stop!
    What can we do?
    44
    

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45. Team topologies, Matthew Skelton & Manuel Pais
    45
    

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46. 46
    Architecture Topologies & Architecture as Enabling Team, Eduardo da Silva
    Architecture
    & LEadership
    as Enabling
    Team
    

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47. Architecture Organization Topologies (AOTs)
    47
    Architecture Organization Topologies, Eduardo da Silva
    

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48. Architecture Modernization, Nick Tune
    48
    

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49. 49
    Kickstarting Modernization
    

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50. Architecture Modernization “Enabling Team” (AMET)
    50
    Architecture Modernization Enabling Team (AMET), Eduardo da Silva & Nick Tune
    

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52. My Take home message:
    ⚠ Change & Uncertainty will not stop
    ✅ Embrace it, and thinking models and practices that
    help you notice it, learn & decide to sustainably
    navigate it
    52
    

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53. Thank you!
    Eduardo da Silva, PhD
    Independent consultant - Sustainable Fast Flow of Change
    Team Topologies Valued Practitioner (TTVP)
    # @emgsilva | esilva.net | modernarch.consulting | eduardo@esilva.net
    53
    

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