Ability to deal with complexity is among the top required job skills. How do you stand?
| Complex problem solving was predicted as the top required skill by 2020 by the Future of Jobs Report by WEF in 2016. Now, in 2018, the report highlights need for analytical thinking and innovation with complex problem solving remaining in the top 10. Skills demands are related to the trends in job market driven by adoption of sophisticated technologies such as AI, urge for digitalization, IoT and big data analysis. So I was thinking to introduce here Business Dynamics, a complex problem solving method that fits any situation and is designed to tackle truly complex issues. If you like challenges, try to use the method to solve an issue described in the second half of this post. What is Business Dynamics Business Dynamics originates in cybernetics and is basically a system theory applied in business environment. Its founder is Jay W. Forrester and its current guru is prof. John D. Sterman at MIT. The method is based on understanding principles of feedback loops that forms structure of any system constellation. Business Dynamics is the opposite to the linear, event -> consequence, thinking. Regardless how much complex it sounds, it is not that bad… Although the method itself is designed for computer simulations that consist of number of integral equations, you can use its simplified version with pen, paper and set of basic rules. How to create simplified Business Dynamics model The best is to work in a group and discuss. Because your model will change as you work on it, my tip is to use large sheet of paper and post-its for the model variables. When you need to change the model, just rearrange the post-its and redraw the lines connecting them.
Island Borneo bubonic plaque outbreak – test your complex problem-solving skills! Here’s a problem that actually happened. Because people’s lives were in stake, the decided solution must have been proved to be right before applying it. The team that solved this issue used Business Dynamics method. On the island Borneo, villagers were dying of the Bubonic plague. Seemingly unrelated to the problem, roof beams in the village are collapsing and a swarm of dead fish have washed up on the river banks. The plague is being caused by rats that transmit the disease to humans through bites. Bubonic plague causes human death, but rats are not affected, they only transmit the disease. But why have the rats suddenly started biting humans? You have found the following facts:
Problem to solve: What must be done to save the villagers from more bubonic plague, falling cribs and dead fishes?
I used Business Dynamics method for several years as part of my Strategic Management course for MBA students. Island Borneo was favorite exercise for my students. Complex problem-solving is definitely a skill that can be learned and trained. Let me know if you would like to learn more. |
Do you need to sell your project to key stakeholders? Design project elevator pitch!
| Elevator pitch is a technique how to introduce yourself, your company or a product in a short, spot-on and engaging way. Why not use it when presenting the project, you’re currently working on? We all need to sell and promote our projects from time to time so it’s better to be ready when it needs to happen. Having your elevator pitch ready may help you to impress potential team members, get attention of key stakeholders or make users of your future project outcomes interested and engaged. The elevator pitch is actually named after average length of an elevator ride, which is assumed to take 30-60 seconds. To make sure that you can deliver your elevator project pitch on time, the best is to write it down and practice.
1. Summarize how does your project create value When thinking about the value, imagine what should change after the project is delivered and what is the issue or problem you are trying to solve. I was recently chatting with my friend and he told me that he works on a project of leukemia cure and rolling it all over the world. It made me instantly jealous that I'm not part of his team. His job title is IT Integration Manager. He works with SW solutions and he could as well talk just about that. But what matters is why are those software applications in place and what is their purpose - to get the treatment to patients. 2. Explain main project outputs When it comes to describing which capabilities, products, services or other deliverables the project will create, stay focused on end results and avoid too much detail. Remember 30 seconds! 3. Share the goals of your project elevator pitch After you summarized the project value and outcomes, say clearly what you’re looking for from the person you are talking to. Don’t let people guess because you may miss your opportunity. Are you hoping to schedule a meeting to discuss the project further because you need a specific input or support? Do you wish to get that expert on board? Just say it. 4. Put it all together and practice Write down your points and practice to see if you can make in a 30-60 seconds time with clear articulation. Avoid use of too much of specific terms to ensure that your audience will understand you even without being experts in your field.
Hope to see some examples from you!! |
Virtue of keeping project momentum by your leadership skills
| Project momentum is energy that makes your project moving. But there are so many possible situations that takes the motivation and spirit from your team or even from yourself. Maintaining project momentum requires true leadership skills and solid project management base in terms or knowledge, methods and experience.
Celebrate success Do you know that feeling when your team reaches a milestone, everybody is a bit tired after all the effort and seeking for at least a short break? Let your team celebrate and enjoy their success. Highlight their achievement and transform their positive energy into motivation to achieve further deliveries. One of the advantages of project work is that people experience tasks beyond their regular job assignments. Project managers may enhance their learning, skills development or even support their job promotion. All these steps motivate the team members to contribute to the project success.
Be always one step ahead To keep the project moving, project manager must be focused not only on the currently happening activities, but also foresee, plan and initiate necessary steps in advance to ensure smooth transition between project stages that require changes in the team structure, processes or methods of work. Such transition may involve redirecting the team focus to different type of tasks, e.g. from business requirements analysis to development, establishing relationship with new stakeholders, e.g. system ramp-up support after implementation that requires communication with broader spectrum of the system users, or enlarging the team with new roles and experts.
Lead by example, show your energy to energize the others There will always be some moments that drag your team spirit down. Not approved change request that was really important for your customer. Key stakeholder took another challenge in the company and is no longer supporting your project. System architecture reveals more and more issues impacting your delivery and you can’t change that. Unexpected budget cut. You name it. At such moments it is the project manager that everyone is looking at. And that’s the time to show the true leadership! Use your own energy to motivate the others to find solutions to sudden obstacles. There are always solutions. Maybe not visible at the first sight, but motivated team can find them.
So nope, there’s never really any time for a project manager to take a nap. The project management discipline is very complex not only in terms of knowledge to be acquired, ability to learn new technologies and products, but it also demands emotional intelligence maturity and high level of leadership skills. Keeping project momentum is not a magic, it is rather a lot of hard work. |
Diving into SAFe. Large scale agile is not about mastering Scrum.
| SAFe is currently the leading framework for implementation of large scale agile approach. What is it about? I recently took a course and certification exam for one of the SAFe framework roles. I took me a while to decide if I want to go this way, I’ve heard both good and bad feedback and I was not sure if it’s worth it. So I did some research, connected with experts coming from practical experience and asked questions here on the discussion forum to hear your opinions. At the end I’m very happy that I decided to go for it. These are my main, personal learning points:
As much as agile approach suggests lean, lightweight methods, you can’t avoid dealing with high level complexity on enterprise-wide level. Even the most skilled and empowered team need to know what direction to follow to create a customer value. Such direction should come from the company strategy. But here comes the real life, it takes a long way to translate strategic vision into specific projects that are sized to fit small agile teams. The virtue of large scale agile approach is not about mastering Kanban, XP or Scrum, it is about maintaining the two-way flow of communication between corporate strategic decisions and IT projects.
SAFe framework does not really provide revolutionary ideas. After digging into the detail you would probably realize that you’ve heard a bit about most of its aspects. But that’s totally fine with me. SAFe combines several methods together and provides comprehensive view from the top to the team level. Some of the applied methods are adjusted and it’s all connected together to enable strategic alignment with IT projects execution in a way, that supports fast and frequent deliveries of a software product.
I don’t really see a way around IT architecture and infrastructure when aiming at agile software delivery. Principles that are the heart of SAFe, such as continuous integration, automated testing or deployment decoupled from release, relies heavily on software tools and characteristics of information systems you are dealing with. It makes a difference if you’re developing a modular product such as web application, if the goal is to automate processes executed in legacy ERP systems or if the company aims to build a competence in IoT where physical products are involved.
I asked and this was the answer, at least 3 years. I’m not surprised because to put this whole model in a large company requires a lot of discipline, long-term commitments and ability to deliver cross functional changes that involves large number of people (hundreds to thousands), technology and company culture.
I believe there will be more and more discussions about large scale agile transformations. At the end we have to treat it as any other organizational transformation with all of its aspects and complexity. There is never a single method that would solve it all and the key is to cover the organization head to toe. |
Looking for a powerful creative problem-solving technique? Try this one!
| Project Managers need to solve problems often. Having couple of problem-solving techniques in their pocket may be very handy. Especially when there’s a need for approach that possibly engage the whole team while number of participants may vary. And wouldn’t it be just perfect if finding innovative and applicable solutions is actually fun? Synectics comes from the Greek language means “the joining together of different and apparently irrelevant elements”. I learned this technique couple of years ago from a coach who is also psychologist and works with leadership teams. I have a big respect for his work and I have opportunity to apply this method several times with success. Hope it helps! “If you look at history, innovation doesn’t come just from giving people incentives; it comes from creating environments where their ideas can connect.” Steven Johnson Synectics is a method that works with problem analogies and put them in a different, seemingly not at all linked, environment. Let’s demonstrate that on a potential problem from project management discipline. Note: As any other group technique, it works the best in a smaller group, around 7-10 people. If you have bigger team you may split them in several groups and combine their outputs afterwards.
Step 1 Name your problem. Example: We often misunderstand customer requirements and spend too much time working on wrong SW functionalities. Step 2 Brainstorm analogies to your problem. Be creative at this step and encourage any ideas, this is the fun part. Analogy does not have to be from the same industry, business context or have any relation to the scope of your project. What counts is the principle of the problem to which you create the analogy. Example: I don’t understand what my mom wants me to do and then I do something else which she does not consider helping. | The vending machine does not react to the numbers I push and then I get a wrong snack. | I’m buying the best food I can for my cat but she does not appreciate that. Step 3 Let the team(s) pick up the analogy they like the most. Example: I’m buying the best food I can for my cat but she does not appreciate that. Step 4: Brainstorm ideas how to solve the analogy problem. Follow the common brainstorming rules to encourage everyone to participate and don’t dismiss any ideas. “The history of innovation is the story of ideas that seemed dumb at the time.”, Andy Dunn Example: Let the cat taste samples before you buy the whole bag. Let the cat cook by herself. Let the cat write her own cookbook. Teach your cat sign language so that she can point out what she likes for lunch. Ask other people who also have cats to learn what approach works for them the most. Pick up flavors the cat likes and mix them for her lunch. Step 5: Translate the brainstormed solutions back to the context of the original problem. Example: Pick up flavors the cat likes and mix them for her lunch -> Don’t complete large features before presenting them to the customer. Split the customer requirements in smaller pieces and gather their feedback one by one. Adjust your understanding based on the received feedback and only then process to their integration into bigger part of the software.
Good luck and let me know what are your favorite creative problem-solving techniques! If you practice this one, what is your feedback on synectics? |
