Helping

Teams Overcome Barriers to Learning

Benjamin Mitchell Independent Consultant benjaminm@benjaminm.net h?p://twi?er.com/benjaminm h?p://blog.benjaminm.net

PEOPLE ARE ALL FOR THE TRUTH, AS LONG AS THE TRUTH IS NOT EMBARRASSING OR THREATENING CHRIS ARGYRIS
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Logic of the Kanban Method

It is the WIP limit that ulHmately sHmulates conversaHons about process problems The team has the opHon to: break the limit, ignore the problem and carry on, or to face up to the issue, discuss it and suggest a change.

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Theory of AcHon

Mindset

AcHons

Results

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Single & Double Loop Learning

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Two dierent Theories of AcHon

Espoused Theory How we say we act or how we advise others to act Theory-in-use How we actually act Inferred from our behaviour

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Agile Feedback
Your feedback to the team member was poor because: It did not focus on any posiHve acHons and it didnt use any examples Demonstrates: Skilled Incompetence Skilled Unwareness
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Reduce the barriers to surfacing problems

Wasted Time Sources

Wasted Time Area Internal Desktop PC Development Technology Builds Process Issue Technical Debt Merging Team Technology Specifications External Team Pricing Engine A Document Generation Team Pricing Engine B Single Sign On Pricing Engine C Oracle Database XML Data Architecture Pricing Engine D Common Environment Jira Wiki Grand Total Sum of Team Time Wasted 457 98 82 72 51 36 25 15 15 420 145 81 41 39 33 24 17 10 56 18 16 935

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The Ladder of Inference

Propose Ac6ons Assump6ons Evaluate

Explain Describe Select

Source: Based on the work of Schwarz, Argyris & Schon, Noonan and AcHon Design Partners

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PracHsing with the Ladder of Inference

Say what you see. Check if the other person sees it dierently Say what you think it means. Check for dierences

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Unilateral Control Model

Core Values & AssumpHons Be in unilateral control Win, dont lose Ensure no one feels bad Act raHonal Strategies State my posiHon Keep my reasoning private Dont ask about their reasoning Ease-in Save Face Consequences Misunderstanding Defensiveness Mistrust Self-fullling, self- sealing processes Limited learning Reduced eecHveness

Source: Based on the work of Schwarz, Argyris & Schon, and AcHon Design Partners

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Mutual Learning Model

Core Values Strategies

Publicly testable informaHon Free and informed choice Internal commitment

Test assumpHons and inferences Share all relevant informaHon Explain reasoning and intent Combine advocacy and inquiry
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Source: Based on the work of Schwarz, Argyris & Schn, and AcHon Design Partners

PracHce asking more quesHons

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Make values explicit

Gather publicly testable informaHon in order to test disagreements

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Bring the evidence to the retrospecHves

Percentage of 6me spent by cards in workow stage across sprints

100% 90% 80% 70% 60%

Test
50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 1 2 3 Sprints 4 5 6

Wai6ng for Test Code Review Dev

Where does work spend 6me in our process?

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Day of AcHvity

Test Wai6ng for Test Code Review Dev

Give the problem to the team Use simple structures

Agree on protocols to make things discussable

SomeHmes measuring alone is not enough

InvesHgaHng build failure reasons showed pa?erns

Code Review Queues

Any QuesHons?
Feel free to connect me: Read my blog h?p://blog.benjaminm.net Follow me on twi?er h?p://twi?er.com/benjaminm E-mail me benjaminm@benjaminm.net

Books to read
The Skilled Facilitator & Skilled Facilitator Workbook by Schwarz Discussing the Undiscussable by Bill Noonan Flawed Advice and the Management Trap by Chris Argyris Geong More by Stuart Diamond Dicult ConversaHons by Stone, Pa?on & Heen Longer list on my blog: h?p://bit.ly/Argyris
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