There has been a lot of interest about Agile in recent years, mainly due to the success in the IT industry; however there is a lot of interest in applying the Agile methods to other types of environment, not just IT. This conference uncovered some of the myths around Agile, discussed how Agile can be scaled to large complex projects, looked at case studies, talked about Lean Agile and fed back what governments think about Agile. The presentations sparked some interesting debates, even between the speakers, but soon some common themes started to emerge from each of the presentation. Agile is not a methodology – it is a way of thinking. There are Agile methods, ranging from project management methods to software development methods but the agile manifesto, which was mentioned almost be every speaker, does not actual prescribe anything. Being agile is not an excuse to avoid doing things, like planning and risk management. Being agile has a lot of parallels to Lean – you do what needs to be done, no more and no less. Agile is not new, Julius Caesar used agile, he just did not call it agile. There are a number of companies and projects who are agile, but did not realise it and jumped on the band wagon when a name was given to their behaviour. Agile is about giving your customer what they want, regardless of what it says in the contract - they have the right to change their minds. Agile is about people and collaboration, not the processes or tools although these do help to be more agile. After lunch, we had a presentation from Project Place and learnt about their latest collaboration tools, including KANBAN boards. The idea is not new, Toyota have been using them for decades, but they have been given a new digital face lift. Finally, thank you to our sponsors Project Place, DSDM and APMG, to the speakers for giving up the valuable time for free, and to Anna and Nigel for their support in pulling the event together.

1. HSCIC – Data and Information Services
IT Development Team
1
David Bryant - Head of IT Development

2. Who are we?
http://www.hscic.gov.uk/patientconf
• Health and Social Care Information Centre
• Informing care provision
• We transform data into information
• My team supports that activity

3. What we support
Collect Process Deliver
Data Quality Assurance
Enquiry & Order Management
Reference Data
Collection Tools
Data Management Environment
IT Development

4. In the beginning…
• Meeting customers needs?

5. So, how to start…
• Some things are just a good idea
• Talking to people
• Agile and best practice
• Visibility and standards
• Automation
• Good foundations

6. Building on those foundations
• When PROMS came along we did this…
Project

7. …and tried not to do this
EdwardTuft.com

8. Dawning Realisation...
…and you thought you were agile.
What you don’t know can hurt you!

9. Dawning Realisation...
• The problem with BA’s is…
• The problem with requirements is…
• The problem with PM’s is…
• The problem with the business is…
• The problem with the ops team is…
• The problem with the decision making process is…
• The problem with agile is…
Great – how many problems?

10. Dawning realisation…
• Did we create these problems…?
– Our immaturity
– Our organisations immaturity

11. So what can be done?
• Agile will not thrive in a silo.
• Let’s make everyone agile!

12. Guess what happened?

13. My first reaction

14. But then I thought…
• “They” think agile is a methodology.
• “They” think SCRUM is agile
• “They” see it as a choice between agile and waterfall
• (“They” just don’t get it!)
• More importantly…

15. If your whole message about agile development is about
tactical development practices then the best that you can
expect from the business is benign disregard.
(Valtech. Adopting Agile in the organisation)

16. Dawning Realisation 2
• “Agile is a continuum not a destination”
• Adrian Wible
• … or in using my favourite phrase…
• “It’s a journey”…
• ..for me, the team and the organisation

17. So what did I do next?
• Well I did a few things…
• Set the vision for the team – continuous
delivery.
• Stressed the importance of customer focus
• Every interaction…
• Went back to basics

18. What is agile?
Individuals and
interactions
Working software
Customer
collaboration
Responding to change
Processes and tools
Comprehensive
documentation
Contract negotiation
Following a plan
http://agilemanifesto.org
http://agilemanifesto.org/principles.html

19. What is agile?
1. Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.
2. Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer's competitive advantage.
3. Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter timescale.
4. Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project.
5. Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.
6. The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation.
7. Working software is the primary measure of progress.
8. Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace
indefinitely.
9. Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.
10. Simplicity — the art of maximizing the amount of work not done — is essential.
11. The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams.
12. At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behaviour accordingly.
http://agilemanifesto.org
http://agilemanifesto.org/principles.html

20. My take
• Agile is…
– A philosophy..a way of being
– Having values, living them and believing in them
– Having respect for your customers, the work and
products, your team, yourself
• Agile is not
– A methodology
– SCRUM
– A quick way to deliver software
– A way of minimising or eliminating documentation
– An excuse for shoddy work or behaviour

21. So where are we now?

22. So where are we now?
Focus on
Performance
Create Trust
Value People
More Than
Property
Embrace
Innovation
view work as an activity
not a place, focus on
performance not
presenteeism, create
trust based
relationships not
hierarchies, embrace
innovation rather than
bureaucracy, and value
people more than
property
http://agilemanifesto.org
http://agilemanifesto.org/principles.html
Trustworthy
People
Focused
Innovative
Professional

23. I didn’t expect that!
• I don’t own agile
• Meme’s have a life of their own!

24. Questions?
David Bryant
davidmbryant@hscic.gov.uk
Head of IT Development
Data and Information Services
Health and Social Care Information Centre
01132547063
07919210936
1 Trevelyan Square, Boar Lane, Leeds LS1 6AE
http://www.hscic.gov.uk
For general enquiries please call 0845 300 6016 or email enquiries@hscic.gov.uk
Pictures…
http://beingyourbrand.com/2012/09/25/agile-marketing-what-is-it-and-why-is-it-important/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tjblackwell/717480855/sizes/l/in/pool-64353866@N00/
http://www.devx.com/enterprise/Article/42156

25. This presentation was delivered at an
APM event
To find out more about upcoming
events please visit our website
www.apm.org.uk/events