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From Principles to Practices

Marcin Floryan
September 15, 2018

From Principles to Practices

In 2012 Henrik and Anders published a paper about scaling agile at Spotify and the “Spotify Model” was born. It since became both an inspiration and an instruction manual for building agile organisations. Sadly, more of the latter, with an implicit assumption that copying an organisational structure results in growth into agility. It is rarely so.

In this talk we’ll go back to principles that underline how Spotify grows and operates. Using the Playback Tribe (one small part of Spotify) as an example, you will be able to see how these principles translate into specific practices. Practices that don’t only relate to how we build software but ones that can be applied in many business domains. Practices which help us navigate and develop the complex adaptive system that any organisation inevitably becomes.

Marcin Floryan

September 15, 2018
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  1. the team structure works well for us because it is

    well-aligned with our culture, our technical architecture and platform, our product, and even our workspace @mfloryan #ABD18
  2. What’s the story? ‣Key Takeaways ‣Principles and practices ‣A year

    in the Playback Tribe ‣Summary @mfloryan #ABD18
  3. What’s the story? ‣Key Takeaways ‣Principles and practices ‣A year

    in the Playback Tribe ‣Summary ‣Questions? @mfloryan #ABD18
  4. Tweetable nuggets of wisdom™ ‣We operate in complex adaptive systems

    and we need to pick our tools accordingly @mfloryan #ABD18
  5. Tweetable nuggets of wisdom™ ‣We operate in complex adaptive systems

    and we need to pick our tools accordingly ‣Setting expectations and following up is crucial for success @mfloryan #ABD18
  6. Tweetable nuggets of wisdom™ ‣We operate in complex adaptive systems

    and we need to pick our tools accordingly ‣Setting expectations and following up is crucial for success ‣Be realistic, things take much longer than you may want them to take @mfloryan #ABD18
  7. Tweetable nuggets of wisdom™ ‣We operate in complex adaptive systems

    and we need to pick our tools accordingly ‣Setting expectations and following up is crucial for success ‣Be realistic, things take much longer than you may want them to take ‣Go back to basics to build the foundations @mfloryan #ABD18
  8. Top 3 Check-in • Creates transparency in two directions •

    Helps with focus • Spreads by example • Sparks conversations !
  9. Tribe Standup • Started as OKR sync • Became Delivery

    Standup • Now a Tribe Standup • Representatives from every squad meet once a week Focus Commitment Belonging Learning
  10. Big room planning • Run every quarter • Seeded with

    goals (company, mission, tribe, squad) • Every squads presents their ideas • Leads present priorities • Together we agree on the work and create OKRs #
  11. Taps with squads • Leads meet with every squad •

    Usually 1-2 per Quarter • Four topics: • Impact • Delivery • Health • Help !
  12. Setting clear expectations • People need expectations • Defining clear

    boundaries enables autonomy • Autonomy comes with responsibility $
  13. Setting clear expectations • People need expectations • Defining clear

    boundaries enables autonomy • Autonomy comes with responsibility $ Autonomy isn't a benefit; it's an expectation of responsibility.
  14. Setting clear expectations • People need expectations • Defining clear

    boundaries enables autonomy • Autonomy comes with responsibility $ Autonomy isn't a benefit; it's an expectation of responsibility. @jchyip
  15. Discussing aspirations • Seeded with initial ideas • World-cafe style

    conversations • Discuss, suggest improvements
  16. Action-focused squad workshops • Each squad (and leadership team) worked

    on practical actions • Some were tiny, some lead to interesting new practices
  17. Feedback jar • We run a series of workshops on

    giving and receiving feedback • We needed a tool to help people visualise progress #
  18. Mistakes column • Existing culture of blame-free incident post-mortems •

    Wanted local practice as a regular reminder • Small things reflected upon weekly $
  19. • From Sociocracy 3.0 (now called “Peer Review”) • Facilitated

    workshop • 360 participants • Direct, honest Effectiveness Review https:/ /patterns.sociocracy30.org/peer-review.html !
  20. What’s not to like about this code • How to

    get better talking about problems in code • Separate author and the code that is written • Identify “problems” • Mob-programming session to fix them $
  21. • Knowledge sharing • Enhanced feeling of belonging • Creates

    inspiration • Helps people grow Job Rotation !
  22. What kind of practice? ‣ Distinguish between different types of

    practice ‣ Establish an allergic reaction to Best Practice ‣ Use Good Practice when it’s evident ‣ Focus on developing Emergent Practice By Snowded - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https:/ /commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33783436 @mfloryan #ABD18
  23. Summary ‣ Things take a long time ‣ Choose your

    own practices ‣ Practices coherent with you set of principles / values @mfloryan #ABD18
  24. Summary ‣ Things take a long time ‣ Choose your

    own practices ‣ Practices coherent with you set of principles / values ‣ Every new practice is an experiment @mfloryan #ABD18
  25. Summary ‣ Things take a long time ‣ Choose your

    own practices ‣ Practices coherent with you set of principles / values ‣ Every new practice is an experiment ‣ Never stop iterating, create a good rhythm @mfloryan #ABD18
  26. Summary ‣ Things take a long time ‣ Choose your

    own practices ‣ Practices coherent with you set of principles / values ‣ Every new practice is an experiment ‣ Never stop iterating, create a good rhythm ‣ Don’t scale things up, break things down @mfloryan #ABD18
  27. “Things become better when we accept them as they are;

    not as we want them to be.” From Tobbe Gyllebring (@drunkcod) via Gitte Klitgaard (@nativewired) @mfloryan #ABD18
  28. Thank you! Marcin Floryan Tech Tribe Lead at Spotify Questions?

    @mfloryan Looks like a place you want to work at? Ask me!