1. Crystal (How to make a methodology fit)
Alistair Cockburn

2. People learn skills in 3 stages
Shu
follow
Learn a technique Ha
break
Collect techniques Ri
leave
Invent / blend techniques

3. is a family of methodologies
Crystal
is a family of methodologies
based on a genetic code

4. Crystal’s Genetic Code
Mindset Samples
Design priorities Key Techniques
Project properties Design principles

5. Mindset
Crystal’s Genetic Code Mindset Samples Design priorities Key Techniques Project properties Design principles
Software development consists only of making ideas concrete in an economic context
... a Cooperative Game
of Invention and Communication

6. ... a goal-directed cooperative game
Mindset
... a goal-directed cooperative game
Organization Survival
Infinite
Career Management
Finite w/
no fixed end
King-of-the-hill
wrestling
Poker
Jazz music
Rock-Climbing
Theater
Journalism
Exploration
Software
Development
Tennis
Chess
Finite &
goal-directed
Competitive
Cooperative

7. ... with two conflicting subgoals:
Mindset
... with two conflicting subgoals:
Deliver this software
Set up for the next game

8. The situations never repeat!
Mindset
The situations never repeat!

9. Adjust to your situation
Mindset
Adjust to your situation C6
C20
C40
C100 D6
D20
D40
D100 E6
E20
E40
E100 L6
L20
L40
L100
Project Classification Scale:
Comfort
Essential
moneys
Life
Discretionary
Criticality X X
Number of people coordinated
1 - 6
- 20
- 40
- 100

10. Peter Naur (1986) Programming is Theory Building
Mindset
Peter Naur (1986) Programming is Theory Building
1. Theory: The knowledge a person must have to do certain things intelligently, explain, answer queries, argue about them...
2. The programmer must Build a Theory of how certain affairs of the world will be handled by a program; Explain how the affairs of the world are mapped into the program and documentation; Respond to demands for modifications, perceiving the similarity of the new demand with the facilities built.
This knowledge transcends that possible in documentation.
3. This theory is the mental possession of a programmer; the notion of programmer as an easily replaceable component in program production has to be abandoned.

11. Peter Naur (1986) Programming is Community theory building
Mindset
Peter Naur (1986) Programming is Community theory building ?
1. Theory: The knowledge a person must have to do certain things intelligently, explain, answer queries, argue about them...
2. The programmer must Build a Theory of how certain affairs of the world will be handled by a program; Explain how the affairs of the world are mapped into the program and documentation; Respond to demands for modifications, perceiving the similarity of the new demand with the facilities built.
This knowledge transcends that possible in documentation.
3. This theory is the mental possession of a programmer; the notion of programmer as an easily replaceable component in program production has to be abandoned.

12. Peter Naur (1986) Programming is community theory building
Mindset
Peter Naur (1986) Programming is community theory building
Communicate the theory to the next person!
Communicate the theory to the next person! ?
1. Theory: The knowledge a person must have to do certain things intelligently, explain, answer queries, argue about them...
2. The programmer must Build a Theory of how certain affairs of the world will be handled by a program; Explain how the affairs of the world are mapped into the program and documentation; Respond to demands for modifications, perceiving the similarity of the new demand with the facilities built.
This knowledge transcends that possible in documentation.
3. This theory is the mental possession of a programmer; the notion of programmer as an easily replaceable component in program production has to be abandoned.

13. touching into shared experience
Mindset
touching into shared experience
COMMUNICATION is
As you share more experiences, you can write less ...
As you share fewer experiences, you must write more !

14. Communicate the theory of the design
Mindset
Communicate the theory of the design
the program “theory”
design
patterns
UML
source code

15. Face-to-face is the most effective -
Mindset
Try video !
Face-to-face is the most effective -
2 people at whiteboard
(Courtesy of Thoughtworks, inc.)
2 people on phone
(No Question-Answer)
Communication Effectiveness
Videotape
(Question-and-Answer)
2 people on chat
Audiotape
Paper
Richness of communication channel

16. People won’t climb stairs to ask questions
Mindset
Distance is expensive
Kim
Pat
12 people: = $100,000 / yr penalty
Kim
Pat
12 people = $300,000 / yr penalty
People won’t climb stairs to ask questions
You can use this to create a Cone of Silence !

17. Nearby programming Programming in pairs Kim Pat
Mindset
Kim
Pat
Nearby programming
Kim
Pat
Programming in pairs
“Managing the Flow of Technology,” Thomas J. Allen, M.I.T. Sloan School of Management “Distance Matters,” Olson & Olson

18. Communication flows in currents
Mindset
Communication flows in currents
Photo courtesy of Evant corp.
Attend to morale !
Reduce drafts !

19. Balance osmotic communication against drafts
Mindset
Balance osmotic communication against drafts
Meeting
Library
Kitchen
Private
Programming
Courtesy of Ken Auer,
RoleModel Software, Inc.

20. Use “information radiators”
Mindset
Use “information radiators”
Photos courtesy of Thoughtworks

21. People are non-linear, spontaneous
Mindset
People are non-linear, spontaneous
Weak on:
Discipline
Consistency
Changing habits
Following instructions
Strong on:
Communicating
Looking around
Copy / modify
Motivated by:
Pride in work
Pride in contributing
Pride in accomplishment

22. Speed the team by aligning goals
Mindset
Speed the team by aligning goals
Normal team
Aligned team
(Dirty Dozen)

23. Amicability speeds information flow
Mindset
Amicability speeds information flow
Amicability = Willingness to listen with good will

24. People issues determine a project’s speed
Mindset
People issues determine a project’s speed
Can they easily detect something needs attention?
(Good at Looking Around)
Will they care enough to do something about it?
(Pride-in-work; Amicability)
Can they effectively pass along the information?
(Proximity; face-to-face; convection currents)

25. Mindset
Crystal’s Genetic Code Mindset Samples Design priorities Key Techniques Project properties Design principles
Software development is a Cooperative Game of Invention and Communication

26. Development Efficiency Process Habitability
Design priorities
Crystal’s Genetic Code Mindset Samples Design priorities Key Techniques Project properties Design principles
Project Safety
Development Efficiency
Process Habitability

27. The Seven Properties of Successful Projects
Project properties
Crystal’s Genetic Code Mindset Samples Design priorities Key Techniques Project properties Design principles
The Seven Properties of Successful Projects

28. Seven Properties of Successful Projects
Project properties
Seven Properties of Successful Projects 3 4 7 5 6 2 1
Frequent delivery 1
Have you delivered running, tested, usable functions to your users at least twice in the last six months?

29. Seven Properties of Successful Projects
Project properties
Seven Properties of Successful Projects
Reflective improvement 2 3
Frequent delivery 1
Did you get together within the last three months to discuss and improve your group's working habits? 4 7 5 6

30. Seven Properties of Successful Projects
Project properties
Seven Properties of Successful Projects
Reflective improvement 2
Close communication 3
Frequent delivery 1
Does it take you under 30 seconds to get your question to the attention of the person who might have the answer?
Do you overhear something relevant from a conversation among other team members every few days? 4 7 5 6

31. Seven Properties of Successful Projects
Project properties
Seven Properties of Successful Projects
Reflective improvement 2
Close communication 3
Frequent delivery 1
Can you give your boss bad news?
Can people end long debates about each other’s designs with friendly disagreement? 4
Personal safety 7 5 6

32. Seven Properties of Successful Projects
Project properties
Seven Properties of Successful Projects
Reflective improvement 2
Close communication 3
Frequent delivery 1
Does each person know what their top two priority items are?
Are they guaranteed at least two days in a row with two uninterrupted hours each day to work on them? 4
Personal safety 7 5
Focus 6

33. Seven Properties of Successful Projects
Project properties
Seven Properties of Successful Projects
Reflective improvement 2
Close communication 3
Frequent delivery 1
Does it take less than three days from when you have a question to when an expert user answers it?
... a few hours? 4
Personal safety 7 5
Focus 6
Easy access to expert users

34. Seven Properties of Successful Projects
Project properties
Seven Properties of Successful Projects
Reflective improvement 2
Close communication 3
Frequent delivery 1
Do your developers use the configuration management system?
Are your tests automated?
Do you integrate the system at least twice / week? 4
Personal safety 7
Technical environment 5
Focus 6
Easy access to expert users

35. Seven Properties of Successful Projects
Project properties
Seven Properties of Successful Projects
Reflective improvement 2
Close communication 3
Frequent delivery 1 4
Personal safety 7
Technical environment 5
Focus 6
Easy access to expert users

36. Crystal is based on the first three
Project properties
Crystal is based on the first three
Reflective improvement 2
Close communication 3
Frequent delivery 1 4
Personal safety 7
Technical environment 5
Focus 6
Easy access to expert users

37. Every project is different ...
Design principles
Crystal’s Genetic Code Mindset Samples Design priorities Key Techniques Project properties Design principles
Every project is different ...
We need a family of tunable methodologies,
... each satisfying the design priorities and project properties.

38. Crystal uses 7 design principles
Face-to-face communication is most efficient.
Methodology weight is costly.
Add weight with project size and distance.
Add ceremony with project criticality.
Add feedback & communications to reduce intermediate deliverables.
Add discipline, skills, understanding to offset process, formality, documentation.
Trade efficiency at non-bottleneck stations.

39. Modern projects run in nested cycles.
Design principles
Modern projects run in nested cycles.
Project
Delivery
Iteration
Day/Week
Integration
Episode

40. Describe each cycle independently.
Design principles
Describe each cycle independently.
Project
Delivery
Delivery
Iteration
Iteration
Iterations
Week/Day
Week
Integration
Integrations
Episode
Episodes

41. Methodologies are transient
Design principles
Methodologies are transient
Methodology
Process
Techniques
Tools
Skills
Roles
Standards
Quality
Teams
Products
Milestones
Activities
Project manager
Documenter
Designer
Tester
Values
Ecosystem
People
Personality
Jenny
Jim
Peter
Annika
Values
Methodologies are abstractions
People are real

42. They naturally drift over time
Design principles
A “methodology” is nothing more than the conventions people agree to follow !
They naturally drift over time

43. Revisit your conventions every month
Design principles
Revisit your conventions every month C6
C20
C40
C100 D6
D20
D40
D100 E6
E20
E40
E100 L6
L20
L40
L100
Number of people coordinated
Comfort
Essential
moneys
Life
1 - 6
- 20
- 40
- 100
Discretionary
Criticality X

44. Design principles
How do we make methodology construction so cheap that we can reconstruct it each month?

45. Answer : The Reflection technique
Design principles
Answer : The Reflection technique
Keep These
Try These

46. Criticality Crystal is a family Clear Yellow Orange Red
Design principles
Crystal is a family
Clear
Yellow
Orange
Red
Number of people involved
(defects cause loss of...)
Criticality
Comfort
(C)
Essential
money
(E)
Life
(L)
1 - 6
- 20
- 40
- 100 C6
C20
C40
C100 D6
D20
D40
D100 E6
E20
E40
E100 L6
L20
L40
L100
Discretionary
(D)

47. Techniques
Crystal’s Genetic Code Mindset Samples Design priorities Key Techniques Project properties Design principles
Any technique is OK !

48. Some “interesting” techniques are documented
Reflection Workshop
Methodology Shaping
Blitz Planning
Delphi Estimation
Daily Stand-ups
Agile Interaction Design
Process Miniature
Side-by-Side Programming
Burn Charts
Exploratory 360°
Early Victory
Walking Skeleton
Incremental Rearchitecture
Information Radiators

49. The reflection workshop takes an hour / month
Techniques
The reflection workshop takes an hour / month
1. Hang a 2-column flipchart
2. Fill in the chart ( minutes)
Keep these
Try these
test lock-down
quiet time
daily meetings
pair testing
fines for interruptions
programmers help testers
3. Post ! the chart in a frequently seen place
4. Use ! the ideas
5. Repeat ! each month
Problems
too many interruptions
shipping buggy code

50. Crystal Orange/web Crystal Orange Crystal Yellow Crystal Clear
Samples
Crystal’s Genetic Code Mindset Samples Design priorities Key Techniques Project properties Design principles
Crystal Orange/web
2001
Crystal Orange
1994
Crystal Yellow
2006
Crystal Clear
1998

51. Crystal Orange is for 30-50 people, no loss of life
Samples
Crystal Orange is for people, no loss of life
Roles
Sponsor
Business expert
Usage expert
Technical facilitator
Business analyst/designer
Project Manager
Architect
Lead designer/programmer
Designer/programmer
UI designer
Design Mentor
Reuse Point
Tester
Teams
System planning
Monitoring
Architecture
Technology
Functions
Infrastructure
External test
Amber C6
C20
C40
C80 D6
D20
D40
D80 E6
E20
E40
E80 L6
L20
L40
L80

52. Crystal Clear is for 3-10 co-located people
Samples
Crystal Clear is for 3-10 co-located people
Seating
single big room (or adjacent offices)
Teams
single team of designer-programmers
Required Roles
sponsor senior designer designer/programmer user (part-time)
Combined Roles
coordinator business expert requirements gatherer C6
C10 D6
D10 E6
E10

53. How do I get started with Crystal ?

54. Select the initial cycle lengths
Project: any length
Delivery: every two months
Delivery
Iteration: two weeks?
Iteration
Iterations
Week
Integration: daily
Integrations
Episode
Episodes

55. Establish the first 3 properties
Frequent Delivery : every month or two
Osmotic Communication : sit next to each other
Reflective Improvement : workshop monthly

56. Stay in good-humored communication
Add Personal Safety Focus Easy Access to Expert Users - Configuration management - Automated testing - Frequent integration

57. Try these Keep these Ongoing Problems
Reflect monthly
Try these
Keep these
test lock-down
pair testing
quiet time
fines for interruptions
daily meetings
programmers help testers
Ongoing Problems
too many interruptions
shipping buggy code

58. Crystal’s genetic code.
Mindset Cooperative game of invention and communication
Design Principles , including face-to-face concurrent development reflective tailoring
Design Priorities Project safety Development efficiency Developer habitability
Techniques Discretionary with a starter set
Project Properties Frequent delivery Close communication Reflective improvement
Design Samples Crystal Clear Crystal Yellow Crystal Orange Crystal Orange-web

59. Read more at http://Alistair.Cockburn.us