Modelling Up!

What to do when you have a perfect model for your software, but you are constrained by an imperfect business model?
This talk explores the challenges of bringing modelling rigour to the business and strategy levels, and talking to your non-technical counterparts in the process.

Transcript

1. Modelling Up! Alberto Brandolini @Ziobrando
2. Landscape map
3. But it will Boil Down To 1. Frame the conversation correctly 2. Adapt the language to the conversation 3. Provide appropriate models for safer decision-making
4. The Practitioner Journey A quick recap
5. Delivering game-changing working software Understanding Domain Complexity Building Models Designing Software solutions
6. We are not experts in the problem domain
7. The shape of the organisation Local Expertise Local Jargons
8. The knowledge distribution
9. Legacy Software
10. Challenge Accepted
11. We’ve Run Big Picture EventStorming to maximise the learning and address the inconsistencies
12. We’ve Run Process Modelling Sessions To dissect and design the many decisions on a business flow
13. Process Modelling Grammar Policy Action Action Read Model Person Read Model Triggering Event System When? The resulting action(s) The person responsible for the decision The target for the action The business decision The Information needed to support a given decision What are you looking at when deciding this?
14. Process Modelling Grammar Policy Action Action Read Model Person Read Model Triggering Event System When? What? Who? Where? How? Why?
15. We challenged the business with Examples And Corner Cases
16. We challenged the architecture with extreme scenarios
17. We extracted Bounded Contexts https://capture.dropbox.com/KINrP6MgIxMDPm7r
18. We distilled domain knowledge into a Ubiquitous Language and used it to describe bounded contexts
19. We Released robust and maintainable software, making someone’s life easier
20. We are not experts in the problem domain
21. We Were not experts in the problem domain
22. Let’s talk Business! Or… let’s talk to the business
23. The Language Mismatch Again?
24. Ubiquitous language helped us to inject Precision in the conversation
25. But that’s not the whole story
26. Tech Jargon Business Jargon DDD Wardley Maps Ubiquitous Language Ubiquitous Language
27. We can’t assume the business will understand us
28. Tools and documentation
29. Developers UX Designers Domain Experts Business Stakeholders Users INception Design Development Operations Maintenance Software Design EventStorming Tools lifespan Big Picture EventStorming Process Modelling EventStorming Acceptance Tests Architectural Decision Records Context Map Ubiquitous Language Who are you writing for? User Guide Wiki
30. Tools purpose Explore Challenge Co-design Show off? Document
31. Frame the conversation
32. Am I informing or asking for permission? We decide what to buy, you decide how to integrate
33. Why are we talking?
34. A different goal needs a different communication style
35. Developers UX Designers Domain Experts Business Stakeholders Users INception Design Development Operations Maintenance Tools lifespan What works here… Won’t work here
36. Can I reuse my diagram?
37. Nope!
38. A significant number of conversations in the BIZ/IT space are wrong from the start
39. Our Responsibility, Our Knowledge our decisions SkinInTheGame
40. Unfortunately, it’s not black or white
41. Framing it better
42. 1. Tell 2. Sell 3. Consult 4. Agree 5. Advise 6. Inquire 7. Delegate Note: we are assuming the Top Down perspective I’ll tell them My boss told me I’ll convince them I’ll ask advice before deciding We agreed to… My boss clarified the needs We agree together I’ll state my needs and they’ll decide I’ll check what the decision has been I don’t care I’ll notify Everybody about our decisions I’ll make our decision available, but no-one will check. My boss asked my opinion before deciding My boss convinced me
43. We still have to convince, sometimes
44. Convincing is waste
45. https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/ Sunken Cost: We spent already too much building that platform, we can’t afford building a new one! Straw Man: Pair programming will obviously slow us down Appeal to authority: Steve Jobs shouted to apple engineers to motivate them!
46. Sharpen Our Tools • Providing multiple arguments will make your position weaker • You’re only increasing the probability of offering a weak spot
47. Sharpen Our Tools • Listen to the motivations of your counterpart • Provide ONE compelling argument fulfilling their needs.
48. If we change purpose, we need to change media, style and approach
49. 1. Bullet Points? 2. Really? 3. They have to be three!
50. Storytelling
51. Camouflage
52. 1. Bullet Points? 2. Really? 3. They have to be three!
53. Some things are still Non Negotiable SkinInTheGame Competence
54. Measuring performance 1. Are we looking at the same data? 2. Are we interpreting the data in the same way? 3. Are we drawing the same conclusions?
55. How Many Dashboards? None Dashboard Anarchy One large Shared A few official ones Where are you?
56. Measuring performance 1. Are we looking at the same data? 2. Are we interpreting the data in the same way? 3. Are we drawing the same conclusions?
57. Not all the domains are the same Anaemic Monolith (CRUD & Stored Procedures) BI Business Intelligence adding “interpretation” (and delays) Projections from rich events 0 25 50 75 100 April May June July Questionable data with delays 0 30 60 90 120 April May June July UnQuestionable data Rich Event-driven domain models Analytics Pricing Shop Delivery Catalogue Public Event Public Event Public Event Public Event Public Event Public Event This does not happen for free!!!
58. Public Data is useless without an official explanation
59. Anaemic domain model Interpretation Layer in BI Inconclusive review meetings filled by “Yes But…” Months without taking obvious decisions
60. Measuring performance 1. Are we looking at the same data? 2. Are we interpreting the data in the same way? 3. Are we drawing the same conclusions?
61. https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/ Anecdotal references Correlation isn’t causation
62. Can we change it?
63. Build a smarter place for thinking • “An Obeya is a digital, physical or hybrid workspace where all relevant information is available to everyone. It is a space where strategy and execution are visually connected. Obeya provides overview and insight into the status of goals, shows you where bottlenecks must be removed and where performance can be improved.” #Lean #Toyota
64. We can’t have obeyas
65. I can’t convince my boss
66. Liminal Thinking • Be the change you want to see, • Provide visible examples of the possible but “forbidden” realities
67. Developers UX Designers Domain Experts Business Stakeholders Users INception Design Development Operations Maintenance Tools lifespan Process Modelling EventStorming Context Map Obeya?
68. Disclaimer: Hey, this is just our limited understanding, If you have more or better information, please feel free to comment or contribute
69. Upstream processes: Like Marketing, media or Strategy
70. Sales Funnels: With screenshots for anchoring
71. Data & Graphs: With linked sources
72. Downstream Processes: with key “decisions” highlighted
73. Conversation Scope should match KPIs scope
74. Strategic Decision Decomposed Strategy Review Invest in tech Hire Remotely Forecast CEO Board Market Outlook Competitors’ Analysis End of Quarter ??? When? What? Who? Where? How? Why?
75. Provide a place where this conversation can happen
76. You don’t have to be correct
77. You just have to be visible!
78. Life is too short to ask permission to do the right thing!
79. Then?…
80. DDD DDD Be Patient…
81. … you are seeding
82. But it will Boil Down To 1. Frame the conversation correctly 2. Adapt the language to the conversation 3. Provide appropriate models for safer decision-making 4. Be patient
83. Thank You!
84. Contacts: • Blog: • https://blog.avanscoperta.it << Cool new stuff! • https://medium.com/@ziobrando • http://ziobrando.blogspot.com • Twitter: @ziobrando • Mastodon: @ziobrando@hachyderm.io • Consulting & Training: info@avanscoperta.it • http://eventstorming.com • http://www.avanscoperta.it