Changing Software Development: Learning to Become Agile

4.7. Seed Learning

So far, we have looked at how learning happens and why developing software is an exercise in learning. Chapter 5 will build on these foundations and explore how we can build learning organizations. Before we close this chapter, we need to look at how you can start to seed learning and knowledge creation in your own organization.

Doubtless people in your organization are already learning and already creating knowledge. Still, it is possible to speed up this process and ensure that they're learning the right things to benefit your team. We can actively encourage people to learn more and learn more worthwhile things.

While we can't force anyone to learn – nor should we – there are some things that we can do to encourage the process. The ideas that follow carry two messages. The first message is direct: the thing you study can have a direct application. The second message says that the organization values learning.

Whatever the technique you choose, make it accessible, get people thinking and get them talking. Firstly, get them learning and thinking, and then build on their ideas to create change.

Embracing learning and change is itself a learning and changing experience. Some of this change is about changing our own mindset: trusting people, accepting that mistakes will happen, recognizing tacit knowledge and creating a culture of change and improvement in our organization.

What Learning Is Occurring Already? The developers in your organization will already be ...