Software projects are notoriously complex making them hard to successfully manage. Or are they?

In this talk I will demonstrate, through the Cynefin framework of Complex Adaptive Systems, what makes projects complex, what common strategies lead them to failure, and how to increase early and frequent decision making that promotes either an early termination of a failing project, or a successful ending.

We come with the best intentions, go to workshops and conferences, get the best coaches, and then when we look at our process what we find is a classic Waterfall!

What happens between the time we decide to go Agile until we discover that we find ourselves in the same old patterns, just calling it Agile?

In the first part of the talk I will present some of the familiar patterns that "help" us re-implement the same process in other names.

In the second part I will share some tips to make a change that sustains agility.

During the talk I will share success and failure stories of my own and of others.

This talk is intended for managers and manager-wannabes who wish to implement an Agile transition that, unlike Waterfall, holds water.

We know that agile methodologies work at the team level, and there is now even an effort to scale into whole organizations. 

There is a clear reason behind this: we found ways to improve performance, by analyzing situations better, and making better decision. Every organization wants to apply this in every level. Like in the late 90s, new ideas are coming out that challenge the way we think, and this time they don't just answer development. Ideas like Beyond Budgeting, Lean Startup, Cynefin, Real Options, Feature Injection, SAFe, Design Thinking, #NoEstimates, Cost of Delay and others are spreading out, and while we know not all will last, you never know which might fit your situation.

In this session, I'll give a summary of what's hot around the agile world, with some criticism and application in the real world. 14 years after the original manifesto, organizations start to experiment again. I always wished I was there when the first conversations took place. I encourage you to join in on current conversations. Let's start.

We’ve always been told that because anything has both cost and value, we should make decisions based on Return On Investment.

The problem is that nobody told us that it’s just plain stupid.

ROI as a decision mechanism doesn’t work. It is possible to get the cost part right (maybe), but the value cannot be measured. We don’t know when to measure and even how. And because of the complex world we live in, the success of our next product depends on the one we’re working on now. Frankly we don’t know the impact of our current investment.

Take testing for example: How do you measure value? Bugs caught before release? General customer impression a year from now? We can put a number on the investment, but not on the return.

At this talk, I’m going to make the controversial claim that ROI can no longer be used as a planning tool. Organizations using it are risk-averse, deciding based on costs, rather than opportunity.

Join me and the modern world, and leave the metrics of old behind!

"Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer..." Says the agile manifesto. But how do we achieve customer satisfaction? 
This topic has been bothering many people and organizations over the years and we have witnessed several approaches and practices to try and reach this Holy Grail.
During this session I will review the evolution of customer satisfaction, starting at the dawn of history and ending with the tools and practices of today.

I will review the tools being used by today's successful organizations and will provide some tips and advice on making sure your customers are happy.