A deeper understanding on…
Empiricism: Inspection, Part One
Road to PSM III — Episode 3.1
[revised for 2020 Scrum Guide update]
Empirical process control and Defined process control. This is a different way to describe the difference between the Agile and Waterfall approaches.
Defined process control builds on defining what is known, and what steps/tasks will get you there. This works best in stable environments for simple challenges.
Empirical process control builds on exploring the unknown and figuring out the best steps along the way. This works best in changing environments and complex challenges.
I like to use the backpacker metaphor to illustrate the difference between the two approaches.
A backpacker will
- Only carry the minimum of what is necessary at a given time.
(think MVP, Lean, reduce waste…) - Is flexible to change direction at any time with little impact.
- Will adjust the course (and spending) based on what is actually experienced.
- Always controls the spending of the budget (it’s not already spent upfront).
That said, someone following a pre-planned journey will have to worry less about working out where to go and what to organize along the way. A backpacker will argue, however, that they don’t have to spend time doing this upfront, and they can set off whenever the moment is right.
A team following an empirical approach can be considered a fellowship that set out on a daring mission full of uncertainty, bringing their tools, skills, and talent and trusting each other to overcome challenges along the way.
In highly effective teams, you will notice a lot of natural, fluid, trusting interactions in overcoming challenges. They just go and help each other along the way. This is harmony or cohesion.
Take the Navy SEALS, for example.
“SEAL” is derived from their capacity to operate at SEa, in the Air, and on Land
The Navy SEALs are small, specialized cross-functional units that can be dispatched in situations unfit for conventional approaches. When SEALs encounter challenges, they act and overcome them.
This approach is counter-intuitive to most enterprises. Certainty upfront is certainly preferred. Organizations generally prefer control over the trust and dislike dealing with the unexpected. Hence most organizations default to Defined process control, and many individuals will try to impose fined process control on those on an empirical journey.
Which approach to take depends on the context of the situation and the individuals on the journey with you; for better or worse.
Backpacking with Scrum
To those backpacking with Scrum, you’ll know you must make constant decisions throughout your journey. The destinations, how you will get there, and your experience in getting there will depend on your ability to make the right decisions. Sometimes it is even best just to make a decision, rather than remain where you are, even when the outcome is uncertain.
The art of knowing how to make better decisions brings us to the second pillar of Empiricism: Inspection!
How to make better decisions
Empiricism with Scrum could also be approached using Evidence-Based Management. If you are serious about that stuff, consider the EMBgt (Guide to Evidence-Based Management), which is very much in line with Scrum. I won’t dwell on this too much.
In the previous episode, we covered the value of transparency. Transparency is the ability to sense and understand what actually is. When observations aren’t complete or correct, or if there are different understandings about the perceived state, decisions will be flawed, progress will not be predictable, risk is not controlled, conflict occurs and value goes down the drain.
Now we are ramped up to really talk about Inspection.
“The Scrum artifacts and the progress toward agreed goals must be inspected frequently and diligently to detect potentially undesirable variances or problems.” SG
This statement is essential.
What to inspect?
“What will I see”? Frodo asks. “Even the wisest cannot tell,” Galadriel answers “For the mirror… shows many things…things that were… things that are… and some things…that have not yet come to pass.” —Galadriel’s Mirror. J.R.R. Tolkien, the Lord of the Rings.
Remember, Scrum acts like Galadriel’s mirror to the product organization, of which the clarity of the image depends on transparency.
What can you inspect in the mirror?
- The previous Product Increment: Things that were
- The current Product (Increment): Things that are
- Definitions of Done: How it must be
- Sprint/Product Goal: How we want it to become
- The Product Backlog: What has not yet come to pass
- The Sprint Backlog: What is happening now
- The Scrum Team and how they exercise the events: Self-reflection
Scrum doesn’t tell you how to inspect, but it does tell you what and when. To help you, I added a second part to this article to share with you some insights based on my own experience.
Continue to part two of this episode:
The Road to PSM III is being updated to the 2020 edition of the Scrum Guide and new standards for PSM III assessment.
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