Old Crafts* Agi'Lille 2023

We tend to think we have invented new ways of working and crafting, when in fact many of our techniques and practices evolved in the past, often in a completely different context. A look at the old crafts that have inspired, influenced and impacted our new crafts,

Transcript

1. Old Crafts* Software craftsmanship, Agile, whatever new thing that’s actually old Alpha version
2. MERCI AUX SPONSORS ÉMERAUDE DIAMANT TOPAZE
3. Who? Sam Cranford @nostradamit@mamot.fr More than 20 years agile experience Coach / Tech Lead / Manager @nostradamnit@mamot.fr - linkedin.com/in/samcranford Talk in fr_US ← let’s win this!
4. Why?
5. I got really tired of people saying “your new idea/procedure/process will never work, it’s too weird/counterintuitive/risky”
6. So I thought I’d research and share our common, often lost, history.
7. Interactive part Talk to your neighbor, what do you think the early influences of Agility were?
8. Anyone who read the early documentation knows that Agile has many influences
9. Lean is an obvious reference, as are many modern computing evolutions.
10. Historical influences Lean manufacturing and the Toyota Way from the 1980s and its focus on efficiency, value delivery, and the involvement of cross-functional teams Empirical Process Control and Deming's work starting in the 1950s and its emphasis on regular inspection and adaptation through iterative cycles Open Source Software development, GNU & co from the 80s and 90s, but with roots much earlier and its culture of collaboration, self-organizing teams, and shared ownership of outcomes. Complexity Theory and Systems Thinking starting in the early 20th century and their insights on uncertainty and interconnectedness. Military experience and theory, with its emphasis on mission-focus, adaptability in emergent situations and embracing failure as a learning opportunity. Artisanal work and its focus on skills, attention to detail, continuous learning and innovation.
11. Did you know that better ways of working is an ageless pursuit?
12. Where to start?
13. Why not at the beginning?
14. Was prehistoric man agile?
15. He was certainly cooperative, adaptive and innovative. Did that influence the agile mindset?
16. Hold on, what is an agile mindset?
17. Interactive part, part 2 Talk to your neighbor, what do you think defines an Agile mindset?
18. The lean/agile mindset is a way of thinking that emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement, collaboration, flexibility, and customer focus in the development and delivery of products and services. * One person's view, at a point in time *
19. Agile / Lean Mindset principles • Continuous improvement • Respect • Inclusion • Collaboration • Quality • Value • Change • Compassion • Optimize • Prioritize • Improvise • Courage • Focus • Commitment • Openness • Flow
20. The Agile Manifesto https://agilemanifesto.org/
21. Manifesto for Software Craftsmanship https://manifesto.softwarecraftsmanship.org/
22. Other manifestos
23. Worker organizations The Code of Hammurabi from ancient Babylon: granted fair wages and food and water rights Medieval Guilds: protected interests of works, wages, quality of work Factory acts: limited hours and improved working conditions Labor unions and organized labor: carried on the traditions of protecting workers and their rights. Corporate Social Responsibility Luddites
24. The search for better A key agile/lean principle is Continuous improvement, or Kaizen. This is one of the oldest guiding principles known to humanity. Prehistoric people were continuously trying to improve their abilities - hunting, tool building, communal living. As civilization grew, peoples consistently looked to improve their lot, often communally, though not always.
25. Why did Agile put emphasis on continuous improvement? Because the 80s and 90s were neoliberal heydays in which much intellectual work was over managed and submitted to strict processes and procedures. Workers rights were heavily scrutinized and controlled. Union busting was on the rise. Inevitabilism* vs alternatives *defaultism
26. Continuous improvement The search for better ways to develop software, to organize teams and delivery working software to real customers thus became an acceptable way to push back against the bureaucracy and Dilbertesque control of the day.
27. This continuous search for improvement was also shared by many previous societies and movements The Babylonians, ancient Greeks and Romans and every civilization was in constant quest for improving their processes and ways of working, their religions, and their warfare.
28. Collaboration https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collaboration#/media/File:3d10_fm_de_vilafranca.jpg
29. Why the sudden interest in collaboration? Traditional software development methodologies often prioritize individual work and rely on strict processes and documentation to manage projects. A typical project might have specifications written by one team, who would then have them validate by other team with whom they have nominal contact, to then pass them on to the development team who is expected to implement them as software, only to pass it on to another team who would test the software extensively before finally passing it on to customer representatives for final validation before going live. All without much collaboration. We know how that ends.
30. Complexity and moving targets When collaboration is increased, teams are better positioned to manage the complexity of the constantly evolving needs of the users and the marketplace. Collaborative teams work closely together to share knowledge, solve problems, and make decisions together. This helps to reduce the risk of misunderstandings, delays, and errors that can occur when individuals work in isolation. Collaboration also means cross-functional teams, including all aspects of the business. This creates a shared understanding of the goal. They collaborate together to solve the customer problem.
31. Quality https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorodango
32. Dr. W. Edwards Deming, AKA Mr. Quality W. Edwards Deming was an influential quality management expert . 1. Continuous improvement - Deming emphasized the importance of continuous process improvement. Agile methods like Scrum also value continuous improvement, with regular retrospectives and adaptations. 2. Focus on quality - Deming believed that improving quality leads to higher productivity and long-term business success. Agile software development also focuses on building quality in, with practices like test-driven development, refactoring, and continuous integration. 3. Adaptive management - Deming advocated adaptive management and flexibility in organizations. Agile methods are also adaptive, with frequent changes in requirements and plans. They value responding to change over following a rigid plan. 4. Iterative development - Deming's Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle involves iterative learning and improvement. Agile development is also iterative, with incremental development in short cycles. 5. Teamwork - Deming emphasized the importance of teamwork, collaboration, and cross-functional cooperation. In agile software development, self-organizing teams that collaborate closely with business users are a key principle. 6. Eliminating waste - Deming focused on eliminating waste and optimizing processes. Agile and lean software development also aim to eliminate waste, reduce rework, and optimize the development process. 7. Decentralized control - Deming believed that management should delegate authority and autonomy. Similarly, agile teams are self-organizing, with team members having autonomy and control over their own work. Management empowers teams rather than micromanaging them.
33. Deming and his 14 points for management (1988) 1. Constancy of purpose 2. The new philosophy 3. Cease dependence on mass inspection 4. End lowest tender contracts 5. Improve every process 6. Institute training on the job 7. Institute leadership of people 8. Drive out fear 9. Break down barriers 10. Eliminate exhortations 11. Eliminate arbitrary numerical targets 12. Permit pride of workmanship 13. Encourage education 14. Top management commitment and action https://leanandkanban.wordpress.com/2011/07/15/demings-14-points/
34. Wabi Sabi Wabi Sabi is mentioned in Kent Beck’s Extreme Programming Explained. It is a key concept that is sometimes forgotten. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of appreciating beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete" in nature. It can be interpreted as finding the usefulness of an iteration of work, that provides feedback and insight to the product. https://wiki.c2.com/?WabiSabi
35. Open & Honest Communication
36. Honesty Open and honest communication is one of the greatest enablers of agility. Without it, it is virtually impossible.
37. Interactive part, part 3 Talk to your neighbor, can you think of any other significant (or not) influences to our mindset?
38. Other major influences Maybe, maybe not
39. Taoism and Buddhism Taoism is an ancient Chinese philosophy and religion that instructs believers on how to exist in harmony with the universe. The core values are • Simplicity • Flexibility • Adaptability • Collaboration Buddhism is one of the world’s largest religions and originated 2,500 years ago in India. Buddhists believe that meditation, spiritual and physical labor, and good behavior are the ways to achieve enlightenment, or nirvana. The core values are • Mindfulness • Simplicity • Continuous improvement • Direct experience
40. Stoicism Greek and Roman philosophy of life 1. Acceptance of change 2. Focus on the present 3. Embrace challenges 4. Emotional resilience 5. Value-driven mindset 6. Detachment from outcomes
41. Ubuntu Ubuntu is an African philosophy and worldview that emphasizes the interconnectedness of all things and the importance of community. The principal concepts of Ubuntu include: 1. Interconnectedness: Ubuntu emphasizes the interconnectedness of all things and the idea that everything is interdependent. This includes the relationship between people, the environment, and the spiritual world. 2. Humanity: Ubuntu places a strong emphasis on humanity and the importance of treating others with respect, dignity, and compassion. It recognizes the innate value and worth of every individual and promotes the idea that we are all part of a larger human family. 3. Community: Ubuntu emphasizes the importance of community and the idea that we are all responsible for the well-being of others. It recognizes that we are stronger together and that we have a moral obligation to support and care for those around us. 4. Collective responsibility: Ubuntu emphasizes the idea that we all have a collective responsibility to work towards the greater good and to contribute to the well-being of society as a whole. This includes taking responsibility for our actions and decisions and working to address social and environmental issues. 5. Respect for diversity: Ubuntu recognizes and values diversity in all its forms, including cultural, racial, gender, and religious diversity. It promotes the idea that we can learn from each other's differences and that diversity enriches our lives and strengthens our communities. Overall, the concept of Ubuntu emphasizes the importance of interconnectedness, compassion, community, collective responsibility, and diversity. It is a philosophy that promotes social harmony, environmental sustainability, and a sense of shared purpose and meaning.
42. Unix Philosophy 1. Modular design: The Unix philosophy emphasizes the development of small, simple tools that can be combined to create complex systems. This approach has been adopted by many modern software developers, who create modular software components that can be easily integrated into larger systems. 2. Open-source software: The Unix philosophy encourages the sharing of software code and the development of open-source software. This approach has become increasingly popular in recent years, as many developers and organizations recognize the benefits of collaborative software development. 3. Command-line interfaces: The Unix operating system uses a command-line interface, which allows users to interact with the system using simple commands. This approach has been adopted by many modern software tools, particularly in the field of data science and machine learning. 4. Scalability: The Unix philosophy emphasizes the development of software that is scalable and can be easily adapted to changing requirements. This approach has become increasingly important in modern software development, as developers seek to create software that can handle large volumes of data and users.
43. Theory of Constraints The Theory of Constraints (TOC) is a management philosophy that was developed by Eliyahu Goldratt in the 1980s. It is based on the idea that any system, whether it is a manufacturing process, a supply chain, or a software development project, is limited by a small number of constraints or bottlenecks. The goal of TOC is to identify these constraints and manage them in a way that maximizes the throughput of the system.
44. Conclusion
45. Agile and Lean are not new Both are reformulations and recombinations of existing theories, many of them previously forgotten or ignored.
46. There’s always an alternative https://doctorow.medium.com/there-is-always-an-alternative-e55fd414d1fd
47. Legalese (lēˌgə-lēzˈ, -lēsˈ) This presentation is under the following licenses • Beerware • WTFPL all images used without permission explicit or implicit - thanks anyway :D
48. A glimpse of the future? https://www.livescience.com/animals/crustaceans/why-do-animals-keep-evolving-into-crabs Agile carcinization Carcinization is an example of a phenomenon called convergent evolution, which is when different groups independently evolve the same traits.