Agile Communities of Practice: Set Up, Sustain, Succeed

World®’16

AgileCommunitiesofPractice:SetUp,Sustain,SucceedSesh Veeraraghavan:Director,AgilePractice,IHSMarkit

AMX115S

AGILEMANAGEMENT

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Abstract

Allagileorganizationsneedchampionstoevangelizethemessageofpositivechangeandtoinfluenceafavorableoutcomefortheiragiletransformationefforts.However,overaperiodoftimeevenchampionsmaywitherandlosetheirmotivationiftheydon'tseeotherstakeupthegauntlet.

So,howdoyousustainthemomentumandkeepthechampionsandtheparticipantsengagedandmotivated?HowdoyoumaintaintheagencyofthemovementanddemonstratetheROIofthetransformation?

Bycreatingmoreevangelistsandhavingthembondaroundasharedmission– that’show!Inotherwords,youneedtosetupCommunitiesofPractice(CoP).

JoinSeshadrifromIHSMarkitashewalksyouthroughthepracticalaspectsofsettingupyourown(successful)CoP. AlsolearnhowCoPscanhelpyourorganization.

*derivemaximumvaluefromyouragiletransformation

*sustaintheagilityandhelpothersembraceit

*succeedathavingyourorganizationshare,grow,learn,andevolve

SeshVeeraraghavan

IHSMarkitDirector,AgilePractice

AGILECOMMUNITIESOFPRACTICE:SETUP,SUSTAIN,SUCCEED

SESH VEERARAGHAVAN

DIRECTOR,AGILEPRACTICE

IHSMARKIT

ABOUTIHSMARKIT

5000+Industryandinformationexperts

600+insightsshareddaily

85%ofFortune500companiesserved

Theleadingsourceofinformationandinsightincriticalareasthatshapetoday'sbusinesslandscape

Unmatchedcombinationofinformation,analytics,andexpertise

Customersaroundtheworldrelyonustoaddressstrategicandoperationalchallenges

WHOWESERVE

WHOWESERVE

ABOUTSESH

Director,R&D- AgilePractice

SoftwareEngineeringbackground

HeadaglobalteamofSMs/coaches

Wedevelopandleadagileinitiatives

Wetrainandcoachteams/individuals

Animalrights,photography,non-fiction

AGENDA

DefineCoP;understanditscharacteristicswithexamples

Benefits

PracticalstepstowardsestablishingyourownCoP

CoPatIHSMarkit,successesandchallenges,nextsteps

DEFINITIONS– COMMONUNDERSTANDING

Community(noun)- com·mu·ni·ty••afeelingoffellowshipwithothers,asaresultofsharingcommonattitudes,interests,andgoals.••asimilarityoridentity.

Practice(noun)– prac·tice••theactualapplicationoruseofanidea,belief,ormethodasopposedtotheoriesaboutsuchapplicationoruse.••repeatedexerciseinorperformanceofanactivityorskillsoastoacquireormaintainproficiencyinit.

Practice(verb)••perform(anactivity)orexercise(askill)repeatedlyorregularlyinordertoimproveormaintainone'sproficiency.••carryoutorperform(aparticularactivity,method,orcustom)habituallyorregularly.

COMMUNITYOFPRACTICE

CognitiveanthropologistsLaveandWengerdefineitasagroupofpeoplewho

- shareapassionforsomethingtheydo

- learnhowtodoitbetter

- interactregularly

EXAMPLESOFCOMMUNITIESOFPRACTICE

ResearchareasbyLaveandWengerincludedstudyinglearningamong

Yucatanmidwives

TailorsinLiberia

Insuranceclaimsprocessors

Thesegroupsexhibitedcommonpatternsofsharing,learning,andgrowth

AMODERN-DAYEXAMPLEOFACOP:XEROX

Xeroxrepairmen- informalexchangeoftipsandtricks

SavingsduetotheEurekadatabase:over$100MMUSD

Eurekadatabasecreatedtokeeptrackofthesetipsandtricks

Communicationusuallydoneoverlunchandinformalmeetings

CHARACTERISTICSOFASUCCESSFULCOP

Domain(e.g.agile)

Community(e.g.ScrumMasters)

Practice(thepracticalaspect)

SO,WHYSETUPACOMMUNITYOFPRACTICE?

Share Learn Mentor

Teach Grow Enrich

BENEFITSOFCOP

Organicorganizationalgrowth

Higherproductivity

Happieremployees

Costsavings

BENEFITS,CONTD.

Sharingofkeyknowledgeandtechnologies

Unexpectedandfruitfulcollaboration

ANDTHEBENEFITSLEADTO…

Empathyandsharedemotions

Strongeremployeebonding

Smootheronboardingofnewemployees

Asafeenvironmentforlearningandgrowth

…LEADTO…CONT.

Employeeempowermentandengagement

Ownershipthroughinvolvement

Innovationthroughbroadercollectionofideas

COE VSCOP

CenterofExcellence Community ofPracticePlatformforensuringadherence/compliancetostandards andguidelines

Platform forsharingknowledge,expertise,andexperience

Adesignatedgroup definesstandardsfortheorg. Groupsofpeoplecome togethertodefinewhatworksforthem

Havethenecessaryauthoritytocreate andattimesenforcestandards

Influencewithoutauthority,organicgrowth

Aim toachieveexcellencebyapplyingthesameprinciplesandpracticesacrossteams/groups

Aim toachieveexcellencebysharing,collaborating,connecting,andlearningtogether

Mustbeabletoaffordtoputinplace Can’taffordNOTtoputonein place

HOWTOCREATEYOUROWNCOP

PracticalstepstowardscreatingagreatCommunityofPractice

STEP1– IDENTIFYTHECOP

IdentifytheCommunitythatyouwishtocreate(andforwhichthereisanactiveneed)

Examplecommunities:ScrumMasters;ProductOwners;Architects;QA;Developers

Yourrole isnotimportant:yourpassion,commitment,andsphereofinfluenceare

STEP2– IDENTIFYTHESTAKEHOLDERS

Figureoutwhothestakeholdersare(influencing;removingroadblocks)

Example:Development/QAdirectors/managers;PMOdirectorsandmanagers

Resourcesandtimearenotfree

Understandandrespectthetimecommitmentsofallinvolved

STEP3– EDUCATETHESTAKEHOLDERS

Criticalaspect– youmustbeabletodemonstratethevalueofsuchaCommunity

Beupfrontaboutwhat’sneededfromparticipantsandsponsors

Promiseyourcommitmenttotheinitiativeandspecifywhatoutcomesyouexpect

STEP4– IDENTIFYTHEMEMBERS

Canbedoneasaparallel/backgroundtaskwithStep2

Getrecommendationsfromthestakeholdersonthosewith:••solidknowledge••abilityandwillingnesstoshareandlearn

Thesewillbeyourprimarycontacts,contributors,andcheerleaders

STEP5– GETEXECUTIVESPONSOR(ES)BUY-IN

Setthescenario/laythegroundworkfortheconversationwiththeES

Setup1:1withtheES Preparewell– useminimalslides

Showpassionanddemonstrateknowledge

Explainbackgroundandpreviouscommunicationswithstakeholders

Explainthegoalsofthecommunity

Explainthepotential,andthebenefitsthatcanbegained

STEP6– CREATETHECHARTER/MANIFESTO

TheCharterdefinesyourCommunity’spurposeand

goals

Don’tbetoospecific

Leaveroomforchangesastheymayverywellhappen

Liberateyourselffromset

hierarchies/methodol

ogies

Flattenthelandscape–breakdown

silos

STEP7– SETUPTHEWEBSITE/SOCIALSITE

Sharedtemplatesarequick&easytocreateasite

Sharedplatformsmakecollaborationaloteasier

Uploadallrelevantinfo:videos,documents,etc.

Listtheexecutivesponsor’sname

Keepthecontentfreshandrelevant

Createasitelet formemberprofiles

STEP8– SOLICITMEMBERSANDGENERATEBUZZ

Getstakeholderstotalkaboutthiseffortviaemail;inmeetings;intheintranetasblogsetc.

Oncethebuzzsetsin,reachouttothemembersandsetupgroupmeetings

Explainthepurpose,charter,goals,andanyotherusefulinformation

Follow-upbysayingthey’llhearbacksoon

STEP9– INVITETHEMEMBERS

Sendoutaformalcommunicationtotheinvitees

ListthesiteURLandotherrelevantdetails

Havethemupdatethememberlistareaofthesitesothey’llbeinvolvedrightfromthestart

Encouragethemtoexploreandprovideinitialthoughtsandfeedbackonthesite

Findavolunteertomakethosechanges– thiswillentrenchtheCommunityaspectabitmore

STEP10– LAUNCHTHECOMMUNITY

Logistics

Findasuitabletime,andsetitupforanhour– nomore

Inviteshouldlistthespecifics(thisisimportantattheoutset)

Bringinanexpertfromwithinoroutsideofthecompanyforatalk

Havethememphasizethevalue/benefits/relevanceofthisinitiative

Havetheexpertspeaktotheirdirectexperienceandprovideexamplesofprevioussuccess

STEP11– SUSTAINTHECOMMUNITY

engageviainternalsocialmediaorwebsite(notemail)

viaregularlyrecordedsessions(teleconference)

uploadtherecordingsandrelatedartifacts

havememberscomeupwithideasforthebacklog

letpeoplevote(ifpossible)onthenextsession/futuresessions

createanemaildistributionlistforeasyaccesstothemembers

Howtocollaborate

STEP12– SUCCEED!

Requestfeedbackon

theCommunity

Makechangesgradually

Evaluateimpactofthe

changes

Makestakeholdersandexecsawareofsuccesses

Alwaysinvitestakeholdersandexecstoallsessions

Summariesonwhatworked,

what’snew,etc.

CURRENTCHALLENGES&NEXTSTEPS

Gettingnewmembersinterestedrightaway

Differentlevelsofmaturityandknowledgeandinterest

Gettingmanymorepeopletocontribute

Bringinginawarenessofthelatestindustrytrends

Currentchallenges:

LeveragetheESNalotmore

Createlocal“guilds”

CreatemorespecialinterestgroupsNextsteps:

FURTHERSUCCESSES

HelpedsetupandcoordinateourQAChapters

IntheprocessofhelpingsetupaCoPforProductOwners/Managers

HelpedassistinthecreationofSCMCoP

TESTIMONIALS

ProjectManager:Ilookforwardtothesemeetings;Iknowthatwhenwehadasub-teamthatresearchedandpresented,itwasgreat.Therecordingsaregreattohave.

ScrumMaster:Idon'tjustlikeit,ILOVEit!

Sr.Mgr.PD&D:Ireallylikethecommunity!Sr.Mgr.PD&D:Ithinkthisisgreat

ideatoshareknowledgeinadiscussionformtoachievebetterefficiency.

Sr.SoftwareEngg./ScrumMasterPD&D:Ilovetheideaofthecommunity!

Dir.R&D:Ifindthecommunityveryvibrant...Forthesessions,Ilikethevariety,wherewegosometimesfromopenquestionstofullpresentations

Q&A/SOURCES

• Sources:

• Wikipedia(CommunitiesofPractice/LaveandWenger)

• Images:CommonsLicensing

• Contact:

• [email protected]


Questions?

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