1. Agile Culture
Instructor Pilot
ISA 301
March 2017
Robert Thomas

2. Course information
Pre-Class Homework Read Case Study: ACHS Answer Case Preparation Questions 1 Page Max Turned In for Grade end of lesson) (Optional) Review CLE 076 Module 8: Enabling an Agile Acquisition Culture 60 min Lecture 30 min Small group min Large group

3. Learning objectives
Identify common Agile challenges in the Federal Acquisition environment Identify characteristics of Agile ready organizations Identify ways of changing culture to adopt an Agile approach Given an organizational change scenario, appraise organizational culture for Agile readiness

4. Agenda
Federal Challenges with Agile Characteristics of an Agile Ready Organization Evaluating Culture Accomplishing Change Case Study: Small Group Case Study: Large Group

5. Federal challenges with agile
Teams had difficulty collaborating closely. Teams had difficulty transitioning to self-directed work. Staff had difficulty committing to more timely and frequent input. Agencies had trouble committing staff. Timely adoption of new tools was difficult. Technical environments were difficult to establish and maintain. Traditional artifact reviews do not align with Agile. Agile guidance was not clear.
Procurement practices may not support Agile projects. Customers did not trust iterative solutions. Teams had difficulty managing iterative requirements. Compliance reviews were difficult to execute within an iteration time frame. Federal reporting practices do not align with Agile. Traditional artifact reviews do not align with Agile. Traditional status tracking does not align with Agile.
Source: GAO

6. Agile ready characteristics
Clear program goals Defined success strategies Close user and developer collaboration Clear alignment of software and program goals Oversight supports Agile principles Appropriate contract type Appropriate life-cycle activities Sponsorship Aligned incentives
External policy support Sponsor understands Agile Requirements change is embraced Agile supportive environment Trusting environment Fail early to learn fast Appropriately trained staff Competent staff Team communication is enabled Development pace is suitable Technology and tools support Agile
According to the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon (SEI), attributes of an “Agile Ready” organization include:

7. Evaluating culture
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast” - Peter Drucker What is Culture?

8. Evaluating Culture
McKinsey 7-S model Strategy Structure Systems Staffing Skills Style Shared Values
Image came from CLE 076 Lesson 8 Slide 5

9. Evaluating culture
Strategy – org plan for completing its mission Structure – reporting relationships, channels Systems – formal procedures (incl IT systems) Staffing – personnel, their unique experiences Skills – discrete competencies within the org Style – leadership style of senior leaders Shared Values – core values shared by all staff

10. Accomplishing change SEI Commitment Model
Image from CLE 076 Lesson 8 Slide 16

11. Accomplishing change
Contact – name and purpose of a technology Awareness – attributes and candidates for use Understanding – know how to use it in your org Trial Use – using the technology, ie pilot Limited Adoption – rolling out tech with support Institutionalization – tech becomes status quo Internalization – become “dependent” on tech

12. Accomplishing Change Kotter’s 8-Step Process
Image retrieved from (note it footnotes to reference The Heart of Change)
New image created
1-3 create the climate, set the stage for change
4-6 bringing the whole organization into the process
7-8 making sure the change sticks and becomes status quo

13. Case study: small group
What challenge is ACHS facing? Would ACHS benefit from being more “Agile Ready”? Why or why not? On a scale of 1-10, how Agile ready is your organization? Describe a situation you have faced where being Agile ready would have made things better. Why?
What challenge is ACHS facing?
Economic, Political, Leadership change
What role does culture at ACHS play? Explain.
Entrenched processes, grew burocratic over time, hindrance to needed changes at this point in time
Do you think changes should be made slowly as Heiremans advised? Why or why not?
slow to increase odds of changes becoming lasting
fast to meet need to become economically viable quickly, reduce amount of cutbacks and staff reductions necessary

14. Case study: large group
Problem Statement (10) Current Culture (10) To-Be Culture to support solution/goals (15-25) Plan for Change (25-45)

15. Case study: board plan
Issues: incident rates up financial performance down leadership changing political climate changing Analysis: 7-S as-is Analysis: 7-S to-be Alternatives: Reference the 4 recommendations made by the consultants Decision Criteria: Respect Legacy Risk Economically Viable Speed Achieves the 4 recommendations Action/Implementation: 8 Steps Missing Info / Assumptions: Teaching point: Close out – relate back to DoD facing similar challenges and how Agile attributes apply to more than just Agile SW development

16. summary
Reviewed 14 common Agile challenges in the Federal Acquisition environment according to GAO Reviewed characteristics of Agile ready organizations according to SEI at Carnegie Mellon Looked at two models for changing culture to adopt an Agile approach, SEI Commitment model and Kotter’s 8-steps Given the ACHS scenario, appraised the culture for Agile readiness