7. 1. The work isn’t visible
2. People are working out of context
3. Inertia is pulling your org out of alignment
Why are so many organizations unable to improve?
(Silo Effects)
10. The only way to fix a sufficiently complex system is
to create the conditions for the system to fix itself.
11. Too costly…
outsource more!
Finance
More discipline…
tighter process and
more approvals!
Change
Management
We need results…
re-org until we do!
Executive
Committee
Need better tools…
new automation and a
new network!
Engineers
“I know the answer!…”
13. The “Big Bang” Transformation Reality
Start
Finish
Fear
Panic
Abort
Maybe
People revert to
legacy behaviors
14. More discipline…
tighter process and
more approvals
Need Results…
Re-Org!
Need better tools…
cool automation and a
new network!!
Too costly…
outsource more!
Finance
Change
Management
Executive
Committee
Engineers
15. How to teach an organization to fix itself:
“Little J’s” instead of “Big J”
Start
Finish
Start
Finish
“Big Bang” Continuous Improvement
Fear
Panic
Abort
Maybe
16. Turn Continuous Improvement into an enterprise program
•Keep improvement efforts aligned
•Scale quickly
•Span multiple organizational boundaries
•Work with substantial numbers of legacy technologies
•Develop your existing staff in mass
•Be self-funding after initial seed investment
You are going to have to…
17. 1. The work isn’t visible
2. People are working out of context
3. Inertia is pulling your org out of alignment
Remember what you are up against….
18. “DevOps Kaizen”
• Kaizen: Japanese word for improvement
• Modern business context:
• Continuous improvement
• Systematic, scientific-method approach
• Total engagement of the workforce
• Valuing small changes as much as large changes
(outcome is what matters)
• DevOps context:
• Continuously improve the flow of work through the full
value stream in order to improve customer outcomes
19. Proven Lean Techniques
+
DevOps Context
“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”
-Sir Isaac Newton
“DevOps Kaizen”
22. Organization-wide focus on service delivery metrics
• Lead Time (Duration and Predictability)
• MTTD (Mean Time To Detect)
• MTTR (Mean Time to Repair, Mean Time to Fix)
• Quality at the Source (Scrap/Rework)
23. Elements of a DevOps Kaizen Program
This is where the work
becomes visible!
24. Retrospectives are a per value stream tool
Value
Stream
A
Value
Stream
B
Value
Stream
C
Key: “horizontal
thinking”
25. Map end-to-end process1
Include key process metrics:
Lead Time
Processing Time
Scrap Rate
Head Count
DevOps Kaizen: Retrospective Technique
Key: graphical
facilitation above all
else!
Note: “go to the gemba”
requires making it visible
together
Inspiration: value stream mapping
26. Identify wastes, inefficiencies, bottlenecks
PD - Partially Done
TS - Task Switching
W - Waiting
M - Motion / Manual
D - Defects
EP - Extra Process
EF - Extra Features
HB - Heroics
Structured approach building on DevOps
adaptation of “7 deadly wastes” from Lean / Agile:
2
DevOps Kaizen: Retrospective Technique
Key: focus on flow
of value… not
gripes
Inspiration: 7 Wastes of Software Development
27. DevOps Kaizen: Retrospective Technique
Identify countermeasures
Countermeasures must be actionable, backlog ready.
Focus on short-term “baby steps”. Note broader, strategic
recommendations.
3
Key: “small j’s,
not big j’s”
28. DevOps Kaizen: Retrospective Technique
Create Improvement Storyboards (Kata Style)4
Key: actionable short-term “baby steps”… “what are we
going to do next?”
31. + Work in small batches
+ Early Ops Involvement
+ Standardized Catalog (with design
standards built-in)
+ Plan and Design by Those Who Will Do
Key: “What can we do next?” NOT “what is nirvana?”
32.
33. +Dev provide service verification tests
+Ops provide environment verification
tests (used by Dev and QA)
+Self-service test data setup (including
mainframe)
35. Using Storyboards: Part Sales, Part Coaching
Learner
Coach / Leader
What is the target condition?
What is the actual condition now?
What obstacles do you think are stopping
you from reaching target condition?
What is your next step?
When will we know what was learned from
the next step?
Asks
Questions
Maintain
Storyboard
Answer / Explain
Inspiration: Toyota Kata
36. Repeatable and Scalable Coaching Pattern
Manages Value Stream
(VP)
Manages Value Stream Loops
(Director, Managers)
Implements Improvements
(All)
Sets Business Goal
(CXO)
Focused on...
This is how the
org learns fast!
38. 1. The will to make change happen
2. The resources to make change happen
3. Follow-through / clear obstacles
Kaizen Program Oversight
This (and only this) is what the Kaizen Program Oversight Group does!
39. 1. The will to make change happen
2. The resources to make change happen
3. Follow-through / clear obstacles
Kaizen Program Oversight
Inspire Executives with:
I’m a really lucky guy... I get to do a lot of things that give me inside access to seeing how some of the most interesting companies in the world run. Where they are succeeding, where they are failing, what their hopes and dreams are... Two main things I’m up to right now.
doing a lot with Gene Kim lately
great job cataloging capabilities high performance… version control, infrastructure as code, dev do deploys…
But what is singular characteristic that is present in all high performers?
Or I should say… “getting good at getting better”
The unique trait of high-performing companies is that they are good at getting better.
Why is that?
Improvement is well known… it’s the scientific method taught in every grammar school.
But is that what we do? NO OF COURSE NOT.
THE SEARCH FOR THE SILVER BULLET… THE MAGIC FIX…. THEY ARE LOOKING AT THEIR ILLUSION OF CONTROL DOCUMENTS AND SAY “I KNOW HOW TO FIX THIS!”
Everybody is holding on to the big bang transformation dream
So what happens when you apply a big bang transformation project to a complex system where:
The work isn’t visible
People are working out of context
Inertia is pulling your org out of alignment
After enough years of seen the difference between companies who are good at getting better and those who are not… we’ve seen a common set of behaviors. We’ve been working on how to package it so that other companies can learn to work in this way.
Every time felt like the first time
How do you apply these?
Facilitator roles… run ceremony and do analysis/coaching often different roles