How do I get Software Agility??
This is Blog_2 of Agile Mindset series. For entire series in form of simple readable cards click here.
Have you ever heard about Lean, Kanban, Scrum, XP, FDD, DSDM, RUP, SAFe, Spotify, Nexus, LeSS etc etc.? Wondering why I am asking it. Well read on….
Other day I asked AZEN; I am happy to know about Agile mindset (Blog_1 in Agile Mindset series). It gives me a new perspective. But I am still wondering how do I adapt Software Agility?? On which he said:
[AZEN]: Some of the ways to adapt software agility are Lean, Kanban, Scrum, XP, FDD, DSDM, RUP, SAFe, Spotify, Nexus, LeSS and few more?
[SV]: Phewwwww. Are you trying to tell me that I need to know about all of these to adapt Agile mindset and software agility?
He smiled in his ever calm way and said.
[AZEN]: Look, Agile Mindset has to come from you only. Ways to adapt agility however can be taught. Don’t worry about so many methods because secret is…I also don’t know about many of these methods. However don’t you think, appreciating the history and valuing the future approaches will help you understand and then imbibe what is correct for you, in its true sense. Therefore let me tell you only about Kanban, Lean, Scrum and SAFe. In short, a good amalgamation of 4 flavors to achieve the software agility. After understanding these you choose and pick, whichever fits best for you. So let’s get started….
- Kanban — In late 1940s Toyota for their line workers used “Kanban” (means visible boards/cards in Japanese). The central idea of Kanban is to have a visible system that helps to remain focused on limited items or work and decrease waste so to speed up the work. Sometimes it is also referred as “Push and pull” method. According to which work gets pushed into the system when there is pull on other side. Therefore not to choke the Work in progress items (WIP) and at the same time to remain focused on limited items/work and maintain the pace. Its highly useful for fast paced service scenarios and for small and co-located teams.
- Lean methodology or Lean software development on other hand is a translation of lean manufacturing principles and practices used in Toyota Production systems. It also takes extracts from Kanban method however instead of saying decrease waste, this system believes in eliminating waste. Therefore the core idea of lean is to eliminate wastes or in other words remove tasks or activities that turns out to be non value add or simply waste. It is very popular in Agile community as it helps in faster delivery and applies equally to small or large scale projects. When you think of Lean remember acronym “DOWNTIME” and see popular types of wastes (in diagram below).
- Scrum framework encourages self organizing and cross-functional teams to focus on delivering the highest business values in the shortest possible time (called sprint). Scrum gives a well defined framework and processes to follow and iterate through many sub-goals to finally achieve the main goal/ business objective/ project/ or product. The core idea of Scrum framework is to pick up the top most priorities of business, then develop, integrate, demonstrate, learn and repeat. Scrum emphasizes on involving customers start from step one rather then only towards the beginning or towards end.
SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) as name suggests is scaled version of lean methods and other agile frameworks to handle fast-paced disruptive digital economy. This framework majorly builds upon lean, scrum, systems thinking and CI/CD (continuous integration and continuous deployment e.g. DevOps). SAFe is capable of scaling from complex projects to the programs/portfolios and hence systematically handling changing enterprise needs.
Now before we proceed can you please reflect upon it. Let me see how much you have absorbed!! :)
[SV]: Let me try, you said:
- Kanban: Use it to have Visible system to stay focused and finishing tasks
- Lean: Use it to eliminate waste to produce faster results
- Scrum: Iterative framework to keep building small pieces of big puzzle.
- SAFe: Builds on lean agile mindset and scale it further for bigger and complex problems. Well…How to use it I still need to know??
[AZEN]: You are right! Now before we proceed I want you and all readers to think and tell where each one of you are using it already. I am sure knowingly or unknowingly its there in practice. Looking for your inputs before I reveal mine!!
Happy reading and Wish you all an Agile Mindset !!!
Blog 1: But I always thought I am Agile!!
Blog 2: How do I get software agility?
Blog 3: I value Agile Values!! Do you?
Blog 4: Oh God! What is this Scrum?
Blog 5: Is Scrum Master my Project Manager?
Blog 6: Finally — Agile metrics that matter!
#AgileMindset #Agile #Agility #Scrum
*Pictures used in blog are sourced from google image search.
