ation
Quintessential Thought
We’re in a series about unpacking composite attributes to increase clarity, alignment, and creativity.
This week, we’re looking at the first step - exploring the elements that make up vague terms like “agility,” “value,” and “effectiveness.” Recognizing something as a composite attribute can invite consideration of the parts that comprise the larger whole.
This requires curiosity. Each context is different - lead the way with curiosity in conversation. Facilitate discussion to explore the composite attribute and identify supporting attributes. Here are a few tips to help:
Observability: Ask observability questions like,
“How would we see if we had more agility?”
“How would we know if the product wasn’t valuable?”
“What would it look like if the team was effective?”
Resources: Use resources like the Example Key Value Measures in the Appendix of the Evidence-Based Management Guide or the descriptions of the accountabilities in the Scrum Guide.
Want to learn more about Evidence-Based Management? Check out our one-day class coming February 7th!
Reactions: Look for reactions like, “We won’t be able to get to the composite attribute without that, but we also need other things.” This means you have a good candidate supporting attribute of the composite attribute.
Measurability: Craft each supporting attribute into something that can be measured
For agility, you might discover supporting attributes like:
How frequently we get feedback from our customers and stakeholders
How quickly we learn from deploying a new version of the product
How long it takes us to develop and release a new feature
How quickly we react to a market change
How frequently we release
For product value (the Product Owner’s accountability), you might discover supporting attributes like:
How many customers purchase the product
How many customers use the product or feature
How many customers are repeat customers
How satisfied are our customers
How many customers refer others
For team effectiveness (the Scrum Master’s accountability), you might discover supporting attributes like:
How often the team produces a Done Increment of product
How many errors or defects are produced by the team
How engaged the team members are
How often outside decisions delay the team’s development
How much of the team’s time is spent on new product development
These conversations will increase clarity, expose misunderstandings, and unlock creativity as you look toward your goals. Don’t worry if the list of supporting attributes is long - the next step is whittling it down to essentials.
Quotes
“Observability is the degree to which the results of an innovation are visible to others.”
― Everett M. Rogers, Diffusion of Innovations
"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing." ― Albert Einstein
“Everything is vague to a degree you do not realize till you have tried to make it precise.” ― Bertrand Russell
Quick Step
What issues have you seen when people have different views on a composite attribute?
Question
Pick a composite attribute and ask some observability questions with team members.
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Professional Product Discovery and Validation, Jan 24
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