Changing Software Development: Learning to Become Agile

11.5. Conclusion

In previous chapters, we've looked at tools and ideas that are available for you to use immediately. You don't need approval from anybody else to start listening to your colleagues or to start writing a diary. The suggestions given in this chapter differ because they are group focused and more structured in their application.

This difference has two consequences. Firstly, these techniques are likely to cost you money. Secondly, you need other people to agree to use these tools, so you'll need to be clearer about what you are doing. If you hold a position of authority in your organization, these techniques might represent a good place to start your initiatives. For example, you could ask each team to hold a retrospective and report back.

Conversely, if you hold a more junior position these techniques won't be available to you until later in your initiative. Until you've shown a modicum of success, until you're trusted, until those with authority see the improvements that you've made, it will be hard to get buy-in and expenditure on facilitators and trainers. Don't let such blocks stop you from taking action and starting other initiatives – expect to start small.

Whatever your position, it's useful to know that these tools exist and to understand something of the philosophy behind them. There are more techniques not covered here that may also help; once you start looking around, you'll find many to choose from.