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Agile logic

‘According to Darwin’s Origin of Species, it is not the most intellectual of the species that survives; it is not the strongest that survives; but the species that survives is the one that is able best to adapt and adjust to the changing environment in which it finds itself.’

MEGGINSON (1963)

Thriving during change and uncertainty

In a constantly evolving world that today moves at speed on a global scale, to be successful we must embrace change and not endeavour to resist it.

It would be easier if life were as simple as ‘A to B’, that everything was mapped out, constant and routine, but it is not. Most things in life have a natural life cycle, which has its own ebb and flow.

Things tend to have their own natural life cycle of usefulness; they are started, grow, mature and then decline. If this life cycle remains unchanged, it will become out of date and inefficient or ineffective. We need to improve and develop our work continuously to disrupt the natural life cycle before it enters decline and causes disruption itself.

Change is the only constant in life.

Working in today’s business environment, we all are subject to coping with change. Agile is a method that works when a situation is subject to extreme and constant change and innovation.

When we need to move forward, despite not having answers, this requires us to embrace uncertainty and make decisions based on limited knowledge. We may be operating largely on assumptions and gut feeling. Managers, customers and suppliers change their minds, as do we all, throwing in new ideas, adding to the scope of what they want, yet traditional methods still maintain a need for a fixed specification upfront, a deadline with a set amount of resource and budget, and there is no scope for change.

In order to reach a goal effectively, we must do three things:

1. Embrace change Accept change as a reality and accept that goals will change and evolve over time. In order to succeed in times of change, we need to recognise the problems and act appropriately to identify positive ways to mitigate the issues and find solutions before they become a major problem.
2. Build in learning In order to ensure we act effectively, we need to give ourselves time to learn and ensure we have the right skills, tools and metrics, so we are aware of the impact of change and our choices to address it.
3. Expect rework We do not generally succeed the first time we try something new; we should expect to test and trial our ideas before we find a way that works to deliver value in an efficient and effective way. We accept that in order to reach a goal, we will learn and change our mind in the route to finding a solution to our problem.

There are numerous ways to get to where you want to be, and agile allows you to explore these options, change your mind and improve your solution. It provides a roadmap to find the best path to reaching your goal, whatever that might be.

In software development, a common term used for change and additions to the requirements of software is scope creep. As systems get bigger and bigger, engineers need methods that can manage the development of large complex systems that are subject to ongoing changes to their requirements. Agile has developed out of a demand for control in an ever--changing environment.

In business and, more generally, the world in which we live, we are in a constant state of scope creep, with ever-moving goal posts, curve balls that can change the direction we have to take, and revolutions that require us to rethink our tactics completely.

Understanding the journey of change

Change can be difficult and so often we default to try and reject it, preferring the comfort of the familiar and well known. Becoming aware of this instinct to reject change and putting in an effective management structure for handling it can help us to accept and take advantage of change rather than reject it. Agile provides a structure to move forward quickly and rationally during times of change and uncertainty.

There are numerous models for how we respond naturally to change. All these follow a similar cycle of resistance through to acceptance (see Figure 4.1).

Figure 4.1 Change journey

• Denial – first off, we are surprised by the change. It caught us unaware and we are in a state of shock; we are stunned and sometimes stalled by it, frozen and unable to react or respond. We question whether the change is real; we deny, ignore and avoid it, pretending it is not happening and carry on as usual.
• Resistance – when we accept that the change has happened, we can become frustrated that things have altered and we actively resist the change.
• Reasoning – once we realise the change is not going away, and time passes, the emotional driver to resist diminishes: we begin to analyse the situation more rationally and gain a clearer perspective on the actual impact of the change.
• Experiment – once accepted, we begin to experiment with adapting to the change, and act to lessen the impact and potentially use it to our advantage to see the opportunities resulting from the change.
• Normalisation – as time passes, this change becomes normality and becomes comfortable and expected, with business as usual. The disruption caused by the change becomes a thing of the past and we continue our journey, until the next change interrupts the status quo and the cycle of change begins again.

Awareness of change

Better awareness of how we manage change naturally helps to gain perspective early to respond appropriately and identify opportunities, rather than continued resistance.

Feeling pressured, stressed, stuck and frustrated can be signals of change that have been missed or ignored rather than dealt with. If you have errors creeping into your work, it could be time for a change.

By developing our ability to be aware of change and understand our and others’ behaviours and drivers, we are in a better position to handle that change more effectively. Being aware of the process of change can help us to confront it, reason with it and proactively work to integrate that change the best we can.

Agile is a visual method that helps by presenting us with warning signals. It helps to maintain a broader perspective and sight of activities and progress. Visualising our work helps us to see trends, patterns and themes. Being aware of the rhythm of our work enables us to see change early and even predict change and embrace it before it becomes difficult to manage.

‘There is chaos under the heavens and the situation is excellent.’

CHINESE PROVERB

Read this quote again and take a minute to think about what it is saying. Suggesting that when times are chaotic (which is often a result of change), this is an opportunity for learning and growth. It infers, optimistically, that the situation is good because there is the chance that that change could lead to improvements, new opportunities and benefits.

Change can be incredibly positive, if harnessed and opportunities are identified, and weaknesses are addressed quickly in a responsive rather than a reactive way. If we are reacting to change as it happens, the urgency at this stage provokes a knee-jerk reaction that may not be thought through, it may address only the issue in hand and not see the root of the problem.

The agile method acknowledges that there will be change and so builds in continuous reflection that ensures a structured, considered and timely response. Rather than hope it all works out as planned, we accept change and adopt tactics to manage that change.

Letting go

Letting go of existing processes and systems to adopt agile can be difficult, especially for those who are comfortable with routine. Even if that routine is difficult, it can be hard to acknowledge. There is a need to let go of the existing rules, identify the problem within the process or the system and go through the pain of change in order to achieve a better outcome. Trusting that what is, in effect, a very simple management system like agile to expose and address current problems in your working practices, can be counter-intuitive to some and can take time to accept.

Often, where agile has been adopted, there will be those who are early adopters and those who are slow adopters that lag behind, or may never change. The natural adoption life cycle is aided by the visual and collaborative nature of the method, which works by being inclusive and attractive to those who come into contact with it. It is important to recognise that some are more able to change than others and that while adoption can be encouraged, it cannot be forced.

Adapt and adjust quickly to respond to change and uncertainty:

• Embrace change
• Build in learning
• Expect rework