Cut me
Some
Slack
Morgan KOBEISSI
July 2016
not the tool!
Newer version at:
slid.es/mcmoe/slack-devoxx-pl-2017
Morgan Kobeissi
BI Web Stack Dev
BI Agile Coach
My Daily Life
What is Slack?
"the degree of freedom in a company that allows it to change."
What does it mean?
An organization that can accelerate but not change direction...
Ouiii..?
...is like a car that can speed up but not steer
so...
lot of progress...
short run
but...
long run
just another road wreck
instead
go for a more "agile" car
Game of Fifteen
Another example
Game of Fifteen
Efficient use of space
Busyness vs Business
The goal is only partly expressed in getting something done
Busyness vs Business
The other part of the goal is that we learn, grow and enjoy ourselves along the way.
Busyness vs Business
Extreme busyness is injurious to the real work of the organization.
Efficiency has a Cost
It’s possible to make an organization more efficient without making it better.
Introduce Slack
Make an organization a little less efficient and improve it enormously.
Introduce Slack
Allow the organization to breathe, to reinvent itself, and to make necessary change.
Benefits of Slack
Reduce Stress
Increase Agility
Capacity for Redesign
Capacity for Change
Key personnel retention
Improved ability to invest
Benefits of Slack
Capacity for
sensible risk taking
instead of
risk avoidance
Mainly...
Better Responsiveness
Slack for Change
Change represents Investment
via
Conceptualization (Design)
Implementation
Slack for Change
Slack is the way you invest in change
Slack as Investment
Slack represents capacity sacrificed in the interests of long-term health
Slack as Investment
When companies can’t invent, it’s usually because their people are too busy.
Slack as Investment
Learning to think of it that way (instead of waste)
Separates organizations “in business” from those that are merely busy.
Great!
But How?! :)
Velocity Stabilizer
If your velocity bounces
commit to less!
Velocity Stabilizer
Schedule important work
that is not time critical
Work you can set aside in case of an emergency
Technical Debt
Even the best teams accumulate it
Research Time
Programmers must continuously improve their skills
Learn
Widen your range
Focus
Share
Apply
Slack; a Shock Absorber
Smooth iteration? refactor
Behind schedule? don't
A buffer to meet commitment
Always refactor new code though!
Slack; a Shock Absorber
Big Problem?
Cancel Research Time
Too big?!
Out of Slack scope...
Pitfalls!
Always cancelling Slack
If you consistently use most of your slack, you’ve overcommited.
Pitfalls!
It ain't slack if it's required
Results
When you incorporate slack into your iterations, you consistently meet your iteration commitments.
Results
You rarely need overtime.
Results
In addition, by spending so much time paying down technical debt…
Results
Your code steadily improves
and makes further enhancements easier.
increasing your productivity
Results
Research increases knowledge
that helps you develop more effectively
and provides insights
Furthermore
Alts: Reading Groups
Instead of research time… particularly for teams interested in discussing fundamental ideas rather than exploring new technologies.
Conclusion
Allows you to be “done done”
Enables consistent velocity
Meet iteration commitments
Provides chance for extra refactoring
Reduces technical debt
Increases team capacity
References
The Art of Agile Development by James Shore and Shane Warden