External dependencies are a productivity killer and limit your potential.
Lean Metrics in the Real World
Today, I was faced with the unfortunate task of renewing my driver's license. It's been 10 years since the last renewal and I remember the last time I was at the Maryland MVA (Motor Vehicle Administration) office, I waited for what seemed to be an hour. We all know how painful the experience is. You stand in line, you get to the front of the line, they tell you to go fill out some paperwork and then to get back in line. I will use the opportunity to teach others about lean metrics.
Lead Time
Lead time is the time between the initiation and completion of a production process. In my case, I left the office at 09:00 and arrived back at the office at 10:00. The lead time to get a renewed driver's license was 60 minutes. Given my goal, the shorter the lead time the better.
Cycle Time
Cycle time is the total time from the beginning to the end of a process, as defined by you and your customer. Cycle time includes process time, during which a unit is acted upon to bring it closer to an output, and delay time, during which a unit of work is spent waiting to take the next action. The shorter your cycle times (including delays) the shorter your lead time.
My cycle times included:
- 15 minutes - driving to MVA office
- 5 minutes - standing in initial line to be added to the proper queue
- 16 minutes - wait time to get the front of the line
- 5 minutes - actual renewal processing
- 4 minutes - wait time to be given the new driver's license
- 15 minutes - driving back from the MVA office
My hat comes off to Maryland MVA. On their website, they provide current wait times at the different locations. I took a screen grab before I headed to the local MVA branch. This feedback was very valuable. Given the service I needed, it allowed me to provide an estimate of my time away to others I was going to be working with today.
Throughput
Throughput is the the amount of material or items (people in this case) passing through a system or process per time unit. With an average cycle time of 5 minutes for the renewal process, the throughput in 60 minutes would be 12 people. At first glance, I didn't see any real bottlenecks or delays in their system. Given what I saw, I believe 10 people an hour is a reasonable throughput.
Understanding Lean Metrics
I hope this brief real world example of lean metrics is valuable to you. When I was at a session for value stream mapping at Agile 2015, the poor guy leading the session kept getting lead time and cycle time mixed up. The people in the room heckled the hell out of him. After reading this, that should never happen to you.
MythBusters Tour in Baltimore
Last night we went into downtown Baltimore and saw Jamie and Adam of MythBusters fame. This performance was much like last year, with the exception that last year we had backstage passes and got to meet them both. Though I have a lot of respect for Jamie, my admiration goes to Adam Savage. I listen to him regularly on his podcast (Untitled: The Adam Savage Project), follow him on Tested, and I love to see his involvement in the Maker community. He's engaging, genuine, very entertaining. Last night, while taking questions from the audience, he responded to someone who asked why they choose the methods they choose to test experiments. Adam said
In the spirit of science, there really is no such thing as a failed experiment. Any test that yields valid data is a valid test
Touche Mr. Savage. Though MythBusters is coming to an end in 2016, I look forward to seeing what you do next.
How Not to Choose an Agile Framework
It doesn’t matter if you’re choosing an Agile development framework like SAFe or an Agile Transformation Framework like the LeadingAgile Basecamp model, the models and frameworks are incomplete, by design. They need to be adapted to meet your organizational goals. Do you think the Agile Manifesto would have lasted as long as it has, if it answered all of your questions in two pages? To that, if you think all of your questions are completely answered by a single “big picture” poster, you’re being naive. But, that’s exactly what I see happening. Realize that you have permission to mix and mash whatever you need, to make your organization operate better. The Agile police are not going to break down your door because you’re not following a framework as it was originally written. If that is what you think, what happens if the author or creator of the framework or model you're following changes it? Does that mean your business is now broken? Don’t just follow the horde of people that are choosing frameworks because they look pretty on a poster. It's not a car! Look for a framework that looks like a potential organizational end-state. Evaluate what your company values from a planning perspective. Next, evaluate what your customers value from a planning perspective. Pick a framework and then refine it (through structure, governance, and metrics/tools) to align with an ideal end-state.
Want to read more? See more at: agile frameworks and template zombies
Are You For or Against Estimates
Today, I spent the day at the AgileDialogs Unconference. The goal was dialog over debate. The theme? “Agile Predictions: Exploring the tools for making sound business decisions with & without estimates” The question is, are you for or against estimates?
Given the clients I work with, I find value in estimates. Given the clients and organizations other attendees represent, some of them were against estimates. I believe if you're going to debate a point of view or hold a strong opinion about something, you need to listen and understand someone who feels as adamant about the opposite view. With that, the day was filled with many passionate discussions.
I'm not going to go into great details about the event in this post. I'm going to save that for LeadingAgile.
If you want to see more, check out my YouTube channel and Instagram.
Outcomes Over Activities
I overheard someone give an instruction to his direct report.
Make sure you create a task, so you can get credit for that.
When I hear stuff like that, it's like nails on a chalkboard. I've informed this person countless times that nobody outside the team cares about the tasks and the hours associated with them. Nobody is keeping score. He's living in a reality of 5 to 10 years ago, when his productivity was being measured by the hours he worked. We do ask him and the team to make and meet their commitments. But the question isn't "will you work 40 hours this week". The question is "can you complete this capability this sprint". It's not about utilization. It's about throughput.
We focus on outcomes over activities now.
Not Enough Time In The Day
I've been working at LeadingAgile since mid 2012. Early on, Mike Cottmeyer (founder and CEO) said he wanted me (and others) to act like we're building our own mini LeadingAgiles. He has consistently said "make your decisions as though it was your company." The advice has served me well. Now, either you're committed to your company or organization or you're not. Either you're trying to help grow it and improve it or you're not. When I talk to others about what I do, related to short-term and long-term horizons, they ask me why I don't go start my own consultancy. That answer is simple. I don't want to! I believe in Mike's vision for the company and what LeadingAgile is doing. If you love what you're doing, it's not hard; it's not work.
What do I do?
- I manage accounts (deliver on our commitments)
- I continuously look for opportunities to help existing and future clients
- I continuously look for ways to improve LeadingAgile
- I keep my eyes out for local talent we can hire
- I maintain a sales funnel that I work every single day
- I occasionally write blog posts
- I engage people on Twitter every day
- I speak at events (semi-annually)
- I organize and host monthly meetup events
- I've organized a conference and will do more
But Derek, there isn't enough time in the day
This statement is complete and utter bullshit. Everyone is given an equal opportunity. You have 24 hours. How YOU choose to spend this resource is up to you. I get up every day at 5AM. I usually work until around 12AM. I work on the weekends. So, don't tell me there isn't enough time.
How we're wired
If you want to do your job and check out at 5pm, I'm not going to fault you. Do your job and do it with excellence. But don't try and bullshit me by telling me that you don't have the time to do things you want to do. You make time for the things that are important to you. There is not a lack of time. There is just a lack of conviction, drive, and grit.
Red Coffee Cups Are A Distraction
I'm hearing a lot of hub-bub about people being offended by Starbuck's for not including more design on their red coffee cups during the holiday season. Merely having a red cup does not seem to be enough for some people. Being offended by this is creating a distraction from the real tragedy. The tragedy is Starbuck's coffee really isn't that good! People are offended because a corporate organization chooses not to do something extra? Seriously, this is your biggest gripe? How about asking them to put better coffee in the cup!? I'm offended that they continue to pass off this coffee as a premium product. It just doesn't taste that good. So, before Starbuck's goes off and starts printing blue cups for Hanukkah and some other colors or Ramadan or Diwali, they should try roasting some coffee worth paying premium prices for. A corporate organization has the right to not print whatever they want. The narcissists in our society need to accept that people are different and corporate organizations do not need to pander to them, just because they think they are different or special. You are not special or different, if you are drinking Starbuck's coffee. Get in line, order your pumpkin spice latte, and stop complaining that the cup is red or that they spelled your name wrong.