Troy Magennis - Agile Physics, The Math of Flow
Agile Physics - The Math of Flow AKA complex answers to seemingly simple questions
Math is scary. The way lean and agile is taught skips a lot of the known reasons work flows or doesn't flow. There are some basic ways to understand how lead-time and cycle-time are impacted by decisions and application of Agile development strategies. This talk will give an introduction to the physics behind "how long" things take, and "how likely" things are to be delivered, and offer ways to talk to executives and teams about the consequences of small decisions in complex systems.
Some topics -
1. Why does lead-time form particular patterns? What makes things longer and shorter? How can I tell? Why does it matter?
2. What is the cost and time impact of utilization? How much do I pay in dollar terms for whipping teams up to and beyond full utilization?
3. What price do I pay for two-pizza sized teams due to dependencies? Is two-pizza teams a stupid idea? What is the science behind 7 +/- 2 people and does it matter (it does, but not much)
This probably won't involve slides. I have online interactive calculators that we will discuss and argue about.
If I run out of material, I'll take you through MY top 10 forecasting disasters and you can laugh at me!
Bio
Troy Magennis is an esteemed technology executive and consultant with a rich career spanning over three decades in the software industry. Known for his influential work at Focused Objective LLC, a leading quantitative analysis and forecasting vendor in the software industry, Troy has made significant contributions to Agile predictability, metrics, and probabilistic forecasting.
As the founder and president of Focused Objective, Troy has worked with some of the world's most well-known brands, including Walmart, Microsoft, Skype, Tableau Software, Siemens, and Riot Games. He played an instrumental role in shaping IT/software architecture strategies for these organizations, leveraging Agile and Lean thinking and tools to enhance decision-making processes. His consulting work encompasses Agile implementation, portfolio planning, and applying Agile and Lean techniques with quantitative rigor. Troy’s expertise in Agile predictability has been recognized on multiple platforms. He received the prestigious Brickell Key Award in 2013 for his remarkable contributions to the Lean and Agile community, particularly in the areas of forecasting. His insights have been sought after at numerous Agile conferences globally, serving as both a keynote speaker and a track chair. His communication skills, paired with his strong technical background, have made him a highly respected speaker in the field.
In addition to his speaking engagements, Troy has contributed to the broader IT community through his written work. He is a published author with Addison Wesley, further highlighting his dedication to promoting the use of data, metrics, and quantitative techniques in the software industry. Troy has held executive roles in renowned organizations, such as Sabre, where he served as VP of Development and Global Architecture, and Corbis Inc., where he was the Director of Architecture. These experiences have positioned Troy to influence business strategies, combining technical education and collaboration to deliver valuable software to customers.
Currently, Troy continues his passion for empowering organizations with his expert consultancy, training services, and promoting better use of historical data and quantitative techniques. His dedication, expertise, and passion have undeniably left an indelible mark on the software industry and the Agile/Lean community. Troy and his family live in Bellevue, WA.
Contact:
troy@predictabilityatscale.com
www.predictabilityatscale.com and www.focusedobjective.com
Math is scary. The way lean and agile is taught skips a lot of the known reasons work flows or doesn't flow. There are some basic ways to understand how lead-time and cycle-time are impacted by decisions and application of Agile development strategies. This talk will give an introduction to the physics behind "how long" things take, and "how likely" things are to be delivered, and offer ways to talk to executives and teams about the consequences of small decisions in complex systems.
Some topics -
1. Why does lead-time form particular patterns? What makes things longer and shorter? How can I tell? Why does it matter?
2. What is the cost and time impact of utilization? How much do I pay in dollar terms for whipping teams up to and beyond full utilization?
3. What price do I pay for two-pizza sized teams due to dependencies? Is two-pizza teams a stupid idea? What is the science behind 7 +/- 2 people and does it matter (it does, but not much)
This probably won't involve slides. I have online interactive calculators that we will discuss and argue about.
If I run out of material, I'll take you through MY top 10 forecasting disasters and you can laugh at me!
Bio
Troy Magennis is an esteemed technology executive and consultant with a rich career spanning over three decades in the software industry. Known for his influential work at Focused Objective LLC, a leading quantitative analysis and forecasting vendor in the software industry, Troy has made significant contributions to Agile predictability, metrics, and probabilistic forecasting.
As the founder and president of Focused Objective, Troy has worked with some of the world's most well-known brands, including Walmart, Microsoft, Skype, Tableau Software, Siemens, and Riot Games. He played an instrumental role in shaping IT/software architecture strategies for these organizations, leveraging Agile and Lean thinking and tools to enhance decision-making processes. His consulting work encompasses Agile implementation, portfolio planning, and applying Agile and Lean techniques with quantitative rigor. Troy’s expertise in Agile predictability has been recognized on multiple platforms. He received the prestigious Brickell Key Award in 2013 for his remarkable contributions to the Lean and Agile community, particularly in the areas of forecasting. His insights have been sought after at numerous Agile conferences globally, serving as both a keynote speaker and a track chair. His communication skills, paired with his strong technical background, have made him a highly respected speaker in the field.
In addition to his speaking engagements, Troy has contributed to the broader IT community through his written work. He is a published author with Addison Wesley, further highlighting his dedication to promoting the use of data, metrics, and quantitative techniques in the software industry. Troy has held executive roles in renowned organizations, such as Sabre, where he served as VP of Development and Global Architecture, and Corbis Inc., where he was the Director of Architecture. These experiences have positioned Troy to influence business strategies, combining technical education and collaboration to deliver valuable software to customers.
Currently, Troy continues his passion for empowering organizations with his expert consultancy, training services, and promoting better use of historical data and quantitative techniques. His dedication, expertise, and passion have undeniably left an indelible mark on the software industry and the Agile/Lean community. Troy and his family live in Bellevue, WA.
Contact:
troy@predictabilityatscale.com
www.predictabilityatscale.com and www.focusedobjective.com
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